PETER BROOK

The Empty Space

A TOUCHSTONE BOOK
Published by Simon & Schuste
TOUCHSTONE
Roc!e"elle Cente
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Copyi+ht , #-./ by Pete Boo!
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any "om0
1ist Touchstone Edition #--.
TOUCHSTONE and colophon ae e+isteed tadema!s o" Simon & Schuste
2nc0
Potions o" this boo! (ee pe'iously published in The Atlantic Monthly
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1OR 3) 1ATHER
CONTENTS
#
THE 9EA97) THEATRE
Page 7
$
THE HO7) THEATRE
Page 49
%
THE ROU:H THEATRE
Page 78
6
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE
Page 120
THE E3PT) SPACE
#
The 9eadly Theate
2 CAN ta!e any empty space and call it a bae sta+e0 A man (al!s
acoss this empty space (hilst someone else is (atchin+ him* and
this is all that is needed "o an act o" theate to be en+a+ed0 )et
(hen (e tal! about theate this is not ;uite (hat (e mean0 Red
cutains* spotli+hts* blan! 'ese* lau+hte* da!ness* these ae all
con"usedly supeimposed in a messy ima+e co'eed by one all8
pupose (od0 <e tal! o" the cinema !illin+ the theate* and in
that phase (e e"e to the theate as it (as (hen the cinema (as
bon* a theate o" bo= o""ice* "oye* tip8up seats* "ootli+hts* scene
chan+es* inte'als* music* as thou+h the theate (as by 'ey
de"inition these and little moe0
2 (ill ty to split the (od "ou (ays and distin+uish "ou
di""eent meanin+s>and so (ill tal! about a 9eadly Theate* a
Holy Theate* a Rou+h Theate and an 2mmediate Theate0
Sometimes these "ou theates eally e=ist* standin+ side by side*
in the <est End o" 7ondon* o in Ne( )o! o"" Times S;uae0
Sometimes they ae hundeds o" miles apat* the Holy in
<asa( and the Rou+h in Pa+ue* and sometimes they ae
metaphoic? t(o o" them mi=in+ to+ethe (ithin one e'enin+*
(ithin one act0 Sometimes (ithin one sin+le moment* the "ou o"
them* Holy* Rou+h* 2mmediate and 9eadly intet(ine0
The 9eadly Theate can at "ist si+ht be ta!en "o +anted*
because it means bad theate0 As this is the "om o" theate (e
see most o"ten* and as it is most closely lin!ed to the despised*
much8attac!ed commecial theate it mi+ht seem a (aste o" time
to citici@e it "uthe0 But it is only i" (e see that deadliness is
5
THE 9EA97) THEATRE /
decepti'e and can appea any(hee* that (e (ill become a(ae
o" the si@e o" the poblem0
The condition o" the 9eadly Theate at least is "aily ob'ious0
All thou+h the (old theate audiences ae d(indlin+0 Thee ae
occasional ne( mo'ements* +ood ne( (ites and so on* but as
a (hole* the theate not only "ails to ele'ate o instuct* it hadly
e'en entetains0 The theate has o"ten been called a (hoe*
meanin+ its at is impue* but today this is tue in anothe sense
>(hoes ta!e the money and then +o shot on the pleasue0 The
Boad(ay cisis* the Pais cisis* the <est End cisis ae the
same? (e do not need the tic!et a+ents to tell us that the theate
has become a deadly business and the public is smellin+ it out0
2n "act* (ee the public e'e eally to demand the tue
entetainment it tal!s about so o"ten* (e (ould almost all be
had put to !no( (hee to be+in0 A tue theate o" Aoy is non8
e=istent and it is not Aust the ti'ial comedy and the bad musical
that "ail to +i'e us ou moneyBs (oth>the 9eadly Theate "inds
its deadly (ay into +and opea and ta+edy* into the plays o"
3oliee and the plays o" Becht0 O" couse no(hee does the
9eadly Theate install itsel" so secuely* so com"otably and so
slyly as in the (o!s o" <illiam Sha!espeae0 The 9eadly
Theate ta!es easily to Sha!espeae0 <e see his plays done by
+ood actos in (hat seems li!e the pope (ay>they loo! li'ely
and colou"ul* thee is music and e'eyone is all dessed up* Aust
as they ae supposed to be in the best o" classical theates0 )et
secetly (e "ind it e=cuciatin+ly boin+>and in ou heats (e
eithe blame Sha!espeae* o theate as such* o e'en ousel'es0
To ma!e mattes (ose thee is al(ays a deadly spectato* (ho
"o special easons enAoys a lac! o" intensity and e'en a lac! o"
entetainment* such as the schola (ho eme+es "om outine
pe"omances o" the classics smilin+ because nothin+ has
distacted him "om tyin+ o'e and con"imin+ his pet theoies
to himsel"* (hilst ecitin+ his "a'ouite lines unde his beath0 2n
- THE E3PT) SPACE
his heat he sinceely (ants a theate that is noble8than8li"e and
he con"uses a sot o" intellectual satis"action (ith the tue
e=peience "o (hich he ca'es0 Un"otunately* he lends the
(ei+ht o" his authoity to dullness and so the 9eadly Theate
+oes on its (ay0
Anyone (ho (atches the eal successes as they appea each
yea* (ill see a 'ey cuious phenomenon0 <e e=pect the so8
called hit to be li'elie* "aste* bi+hte than the "lop>but this is
not al(ays the case0 Almost e'ey season in most theate8lo'in+
to(ns* thee is one +eat success that de"ies these ulesC one play
that succeeds not despite but because o" dullness0 A"te all* one
associates cultue (ith a cetain sense o" duty* histoical
costumes and lon+ speeches (ith the sensation o" bein+ boed?
so* con'esely* Aust the i+ht de+ee o" boin+ness is a eassuin+
+uaantee o" a (oth(hile e'ent0 O" couse* the dosa+e is so
subtle that it is impossible to establish the e=act "omula>too
much and the audience is di'en out o" thei seats* too little and
it may "ind the theme too disa+eeably intense0 Ho(e'e*
medioce authos seem to "eel thei (ay unein+ly to the pe"ect
mi=tue>and they pepetuate the 9eadly Theate (ith dull
successes* uni'esally paised0 Audiences ca'e "o somethin+ in
the theate that they can tem DbetteB than li"e and "o this
eason ae open to con"use cultue* o the tappin+s o" cultue*
(ith somethin+ they do not !no(* but sense obscuely could
e=ist>so* ta+ically* in ele'atin+ somethin+ bad into a success
they ae only cheatin+ themsel'es0
2" (e tal! o" deadly* let us note that the di""eence bet(een li"e
and death* so cystal clea in man* is some(hat 'eiled in othe
"ields0 A docto can tell at once bet(een the tace o" li"e and the
useless ba+ o" bones that li"e has le"tC but (e ae less pactised
in obse'in+ ho( an idea* an attitude o a "om can pass "om the
li'ely to the moibund0 2t is di""icult to de"ine but a child can
THE 9EA97) THEATRE #&
smell it out0 7et me +i'e an e=ample0 2n 1ance thee ae t(o
deadly (ays o" playin+ classical ta+edy0 One is taditional* and
this in'ol'es usin+ a special 'oice* a special manne* a noble
loo! and an ele'ated musical deli'ey0 The othe (ay is no moe
than a hal"8heated 'esion o" the same thin+0 2mpeial +estues
and oyal 'alues ae "ast disappeain+ "om e'eyday li"e* so
each ne( +eneation "inds the +and manne moe and moe
hollo(* moe and moe meanin+less0 This leads the youn+ acto
to an an+y and impatient seach "o (hat he calls tuth0 He
(ants to play his 'ese moe ealistically* to +et it to sound li!e
honest8to8:od eal speech* but he "inds that the "omality o" the
(itin+ is so i+id that it esists this teatment0 He is "oced to an
uneasy compomise that is neithe e"eshin+* li!e odinay tal!*
no de"iantly histionic* li!e (hat (e call ham0 So his actin+ is
(ea! and because ham is ston+* it is emembeed (ith a cetain
nostal+ia0 2ne'itably* someone calls "o ta+edy to be played
once a+ain Dthe (ay it is (itten0E This is "ai enou+h* but
un"otunately all the pinted (od can tell us is (hat (as (itten
on pape* not ho( it (as once bou+ht to li"e0 Thee ae no
ecods* no tapes>only e=pets* but not one o" them* o" couse*
has "isthand !no(led+e0 The eal anti;ues ha'e all +one>only
some imitations ha'e su'i'ed* in the shape o" taditional actos*
(ho continue to play in a taditional (ay* da(in+ thei
inspiation not "om eal souces* but "om ima+inay ones* such
as the memoy o" the sound an olde acto once made>a sound
that in tun (as a memoy o" a pedecessoBs (ay0
2 once sa( a eheasal at the Comedie 1anFaise>a 'ey youn+
acto stood in "ont o" a 'ey old one and spo!e and mimed the
ole (ith him li!e a e"lection in a +lass0 This must not be
con"used (ith the +eat tadition* say* o" the Noh actos passin+
!no(led+e oally "om "athe to son0 Thee it is meanin+ that is
communicated>and meanin+ ne'e belon+s to the past0 2t can
be chec!ed in each manBs o(n pesent e=peience0 But to imitate
## THE E3PT) SPACE
the e=tenals o" actin+ only pepetuates manne>a manne had
to elate to anythin+ at all0
A+ain (ith Sha!espeae (e hea o ead the same ad'ice>DPlay
(hat is (itten0B But (hat is (ittenG Cetain ciphes on pape0
Sha!espeaeBs (ods ae ecods o" the (ods that he (anted to
be spo!en* (ods issuin+ as sounds "om peopleBs mouths* (ith
pitch* pause* hythm and +estue as pat o" thei meanin+0 A
(od does not stat as a (od>it is an end poduct (hich be+ins
as an impulse* stimulated by attitude and beha'iou (hich
dictate the need "o e=pession0 This pocess occus inside the
damatistC it is epeated inside the acto0 Both may only be
conscious o" the (ods* but both "o the autho and then "o the
acto the (od is a small 'isible potion o" a +i+antic unseen
"omation0 Some (ites attempt to nail do(n thei meanin+ and
intentions in sta+e diections and e=planations* yet (e cannot
help bein+ stuc! by the "act that the best damatists e=plain
themsel'es the least0 They eco+ni@e that "uthe indications (ill
most pobably be useless0 They eco+ni@e that the only (ay to
"ind the tue path to the spea!in+ o" a (od is thou+h a pocess
that paallels the oi+inal ceati'e one0 This can neithe be by8
passed no simpli"ied0 Un"otunately* the moment a lo'e
spea!s* o a !in+ uttes* (e ush to +i'e them a label? the lo'e is
Domantic*B the !in+ is DnobleB>and be"oe (e !no( it (e ae
spea!in+ o" omantic lo'e and !in+ly nobility o pinceliness as
thou+h they ae thin+s (e can hold in ou hand and e=pect the
actos to obse'e0 But these ae not substances and they do not
e=ist0 2" (e seach "o them* the best (e can do is to ma!e
+uess(o! econstuctions "om boo!s and paintin+s0 2" you as!
an acto to play in a Domantic styleB he (ill 'aliantly ha'e a +o*
thin!in+ he !no(s (hat you mean0 <hat actually can he da(
onG Hunch* ima+ination and a scapboo! o" theatical memoies*
all o" (hich (ill +i'e him a 'a+ue DomanticnessB that he (ill
mi= up (ith a dis+uised imitation o" (hate'e olde acto he
THE 9EA97) THEATRE #$
happens to admie0 2" he di+s into his o(n e=peiences the esult
may not may (ith the te=tC i" he Aust plays (hat he thin!s is the
te=t* it (ill be imitati'e and con'entional0 Eithe (ay the esult
is a compomise? at most times uncon'incin+0
2t is 'ain to petend that the (ods (e apply to classical plays
li!e Dmusical*B Dpoetic*B Dla+e than li"e*B Dnoble*B Dheoic*B
Domantic*B ha'e any absolute meanin+0 They ae the e"lections
o" a citical attitude o" a paticula peiod* and to attempt to
build a pe"omance today to con"om to these canons is the
most cetain oad to deadly theate>deadly theate o" a
espectability that ma!es it pass as li'in+ tuth0
Once* (hen +i'in+ a lectue on this theme* 2 (as able to put it to
a pactical test0 By luc!* thee (as a (oman in the audience (ho
had neithe ead no seen Kin+ 7ea0 2 +a'e he :oneilBs "ist
speech and as!ed he to ecite it as best she could "o (hate'e
'alues she "ound in it0 She ead it 'ey simply>and the speech
itsel" eme+ed "ull o" elo;uence and cham0 2 then e=plained that
it (as supposed to be the speech o" a (ic!ed (oman and
su++ested he eadin+ e'ey (od "o hypocisy0 She tied to do
so* and the audience sa( (hat a had unnatual (estlin+ (ith
the simple music o" the (ods (as in'ol'ed (hen she sou+ht to
act to a de"inition?
Si* 2 lo'e you moe than (ods can (ield the matteC
9eae than eyesi+ht* space* and libetyC
Beyond that can be 'alued* ich o aeC
No less than li"e* (ith +ace* health* beauty* honouC
As much as child eBe lo'ed* o "athe "oundC
A lo'e that ma!es beath poo* and speech unableC
Beyond all manne o" so much 2 lo'e you0
Anyone can ty this "o himsel"0 Taste it on the ton+ue0 The
(ods ae those o" a lady o" style and beedin+ accustomed to
#% THE E3PT) SPACE
e=pessin+ hesel" in public* someone (ith ease and social
aplomb0 As "o clues to he chaacte* only the "aFade is
pesented and this* (e see* is ele+ant and attacti'e0 )et i" one
thin!s o" the pe"omances (hee :oneil spea!s these "ist lines
as a macabe 'illainess* and loo!s at the speech a+ain* one is at a
loss to !no( (hat su++ests this>othe than peconceptions o"
Sha!espeaeBs moal attitudes0 2n "act* i" :oneil in he "ist
appeaance does not play a Dmonste*B but meely (hat he +i'en
(ods su++est* then all the balance o" the play chan+es>and in
the subse;uent scenes he 'illainy and 7eaBs matydom ae
neithe as cude no as simpli"ied as they mi+ht appea0 O"
couse* by the end o" the play (e lean that :oneilBs actions
ma!e he (hat (e call a monste>but a eal monste* both
comple= and compellin+0
2n a li'in+ theate* (e (ould each day appoach the eheasal
puttin+ yestedayBs disco'eies to the test* eady to belie'e that
the tue play has once a+ain escaped us0 But the 9eadly Theate
appoaches the classics "om the 'ie(point that some(hee*
someone has "ound out and de"ined ho( the play should be
done0
This is the unnin+ poblem o" (hat (e loosely call style0
E'ey (o! has its o(n style? it could not be othe(ise? e'ey
peiod has its style0 The moment (e ty to pinpoint this style (e
ae lost0 2 emembe 'i'idly (hen shotly a"te the Pe!in Opea
had come to 7ondon a i'al Chinese Opea Company "ollo(ed*
"om 1omosa0 The Pe!in Company (as still in touch (ith its
souces and ceatin+ its ancient pattens a"esh each ni+ht? the
1omosan company* doin+ the same items* (as imitatin+ its
memoies o" them* s!impin+ some details* e=a++eatin+ the
sho(y passa+es* "o+ettin+ the meanin+>nothin+ (as ebon0
E'en in a stan+e e=otic style the di""eence bet(een li"e and
THE 9EA97) THEATRE #6
death (as unmista!able0
The eal Pe!in Opea (as an e=ample o" a theatical at (hee
the oute "oms do not chan+e "om +eneation to +eneation and
only a "e( yeas a+o it seemed as thou+h it (ee so pe"ectly
"o@en that it could cay on "o e'e0 Today* e'en this supeb
elic has +one0 2ts "oce and its ;uality enabled it to su'i'e (ay
beyond its time* li!e a monument>but the day came (hen the
+ap bet(een it and the li"e o" the society aound it became too
+eat0 The Red :uads e"lect a di""eent China0 1e( o" the
attitudes and meanin+s o" the taditional Pe!in Opea elate to the
ne( stuctue o" thou+ht in (hich this people no( li'es0 Today
in Pe!in the empeos and pincesses ha'e been eplaced by
landlods and soldies* and the same incedible acobatic s!ills
ae used to spea! o" 'ey di""eent themes0 To the <estene this
seems a (ic!ed shame and it is easy "o us to shed culti'ated
teas0 O" couse* it is ta+ic that this miaculous heita+e has been
destoyed>and yet 2 "eel that the uthless Chinese attitude to
one o" thei poudest possessions +oes to the heat o" the
meanin+ o" li'in+ theate>theate is al(ays a sel"8destucti'e
at* and it is al(ays (itten on the (ind0 A po"essional theate
assembles di""eent people e'ey ni+ht and spea!s to them
thou+h the lan+ua+e o" beha'iou0 A pe"omance +ets set and
usually has to be epeated>and epeated as (ell and accuately
as possible>but "om the day it is set somethin+ in'isible is
be+innin+ to die0
2n the 3osco( At Theate* in Tel A'i' in the Habimah*
poductions ha'e been !ept +oin+ "o "oty yeas o moe? 2
ha'e seen a "aith"ul e'i'al o" Ha!htan+o'Bs t(entiesB sta+in+ of
Princess Turandot; 2 ha'e seen Stanisla's!yBs o(n (o!* pe"ectly
pese'ed? but none o" these had moe than anti;uaian inteest*
none had the 'itality o" ne( in'ention0 At Stat"od (hee (e
(oy that (e donBt play ou epetoie lon+ enou+h to mil! its
#4 THE E3PT) SPACE
"ull bo= o""ice 'alue* (e no( discuss this ;uite empiically? about
"i'e yeas* (e a+ee* is the most a paticula sta+in+ can li'e0 2t is
not only the haistyles* costumes and ma!e8ups that loo! dated0 All
the di""eent elements o" sta+in+>the shothands o" beha'iou that
stand "o cetain emotionsC +estues* +esticulations and tones o"
'oice>ae all "luctuatin+ on an in'isible stoc! e=chan+e all the
time0 7i"e is mo'in+* in"luences ae playin+ on acto and audience
and othe plays* othe ats* the cinema* tele'ision* cuent e'ents*
Aoin in the constant e(itin+ o" histoy and the amendin+ o" the
daily tuth0 2n "ashion houses someone (ill thump a table and say
Dboots ae de"initely inB? this is an e=istential "act0 A li'in+ theate
that thin!s it can stand aloo" "om anythin+ so ti'ial as "ashion
(ill (ilt0 2n the theate* e'ey "om once bon is motalC e'ey "om
must be econcei'ed* and its ne( conception (ill bea the ma!s
o" all the in"luences that suound it0 2n this sense* the theate is
elati'ity0 )et a +eat theate is not a "ashion houseC pepetual
elements do ecu and cetain "undamental issues undelie all
damatic acti'ity0 The deadly tap is to di'ide the etenal tuths
"om the supe"icial 'aiationsC this is a subtle "om o" snobbey and
it is "atal0 1o instance* it is accepted that sceney* costumes* music
ae "ai +ame "o diectos and desi+nes* and must in "act be
ene(ed0 <hen it comes to attitudes and beha'iou (e ae much
moe con"used* and tend to belie'e that these elements i" tue in the
(itin+ can continue to e=pess themsel'es in simila (ays0
Closely elated to this is the con"lict bet(een theate diectos and
musicians in opea poductions (hee t(o totally di""eent "oms*
dama and music* ae teated as thou+h they (ee one0 A musician
is dealin+ (ith a "abic that is as nea as man can +et to an
e=pession o" the in'isible0 His scoe notes this in'isibility and his
sound is made by instuments (hich hadly e'e chan+e0 The
playeBs pesonality is unimpotantC a thin clainettist can easily
ma!e a "atte sound than a "at one0 The 'ehicle o" music is sepaate
"om music itsel"0 So the stu"" o" music comes and +oes* al(ays
THE 9EA97) THEATRE #.
in the same (ay* "ee o" the need to be e'ised and eassessed0
But the 'ehicle o" dama is "lesh and blood and hee completely
di""eent la(s ae at (o!0 The 'ehicle and the messa+e cannot be
sepaated0 Only a na!ed acto can be+in to esemble a pue
instument li!e a 'iolin and only i" he has a completely classical
physi;ue* (ith neithe paunch no bandy le+s0 A ballet dance is
sometimes close to this condition and he can epoduce "omal
+estues unmodi"ied by his o(n pesonality o by the oute
mo'ement o" li"e0 But the moment the acto desses up and spea!s
(ith his o(n ton+ue he is entein+ the "luctuatin+ teitoy o"
mani"estation and e=istence that he shaes (ith the spectato0
Because the musicianBs e=peience is so di""eent* he "inds it had
to "ollo( (hy the taditional bits o" business that made Hedi lau+h
and Puccini slap his thi+hs seem neithe "unny no illuminatin+
today0 :and opea* o" couse* is the 9eadly Theate caied to
absudity0 Opea is a ni+htmae o" 'ast "euds o'e tiny detailsC o"
suealist anecdotes that all tun ound the same assetion? nothin+
needs to chan+e0 E'eythin+ in opea must chan+e* but in opea
chan+e is bloc!ed0
A+ain (e must be(ae o" indi+nation* "o i" (e ty to simpli"y the
poblem by ma!in+ tadition the main baie bet(een ousel'es
and a li'in+ theate (e (ill a+ain miss the eal issue0 Thee is a
deadly element e'ey(heeC in the cultual set8up* in ou inheited
atistic 'alues* in the economic "ame(o!* in the actoBs li"e* in the
citicBs "unction0 As (e e=amine these (e (ill see that decepti'ely
the opposite seems also tue* "o (ithin the 9eadly Theate thee
ae o"ten tantali@in+* aboti'e o e'en momentaily satis"yin+
"lic!es o" a eal li"e0
2n Ne( )o! "o instance* the most deadly element is cetainly
economic0 This does not mean that all (o! done thee is bad* but
a theate (hee a play "o economic easons eheases "o no moe
than thee (ee!s is cippled at the outset0
#5 THE E3PT) SPACE
Time is not the be8all and end8all? it is not impossible to +et an
astonishin+ esult in thee (ee!s0 Occasionally in the theate
(hat one loosely calls chemisty* o luc!* bin+s about an
astonishin+ ush o" ene+y* and then in'ention "ollo(s in'ention
in li+htnin+ chain eaction0 But this is ae? common sense sho(s
that i" the system i+idly e=cludes moe than thee (ee!sB
eheasal most o" the time* most thin+s su""e0 No e=peimentin+
can ta!e place* and no eal atistic is!s ae possible0 The diecto
must deli'e the +oods o be "ied and so must the acto0 O"
couse time can also be used 'ey badlyC it is possible to sit
aound "o months discussin+ and (oyin+ and impo'isin+
(ithout this sho(in+ in any (ay (hatsoe'e0 2 ha'e seen
Sha!espeaian poductions in Russia so con'entional in appoach
that t(o "ull yeas o" discussion and study o" achi'es +i'e no
bette a esult than scatch companies +et in thee (ee!s0 2 met
an acto (ho eheased Hamlet "o se'en yeas and ne'e played
it because the diecto died be"oe it (as "inished0 On the othe
hand* poductions o" Russian plays eheased in the Stanisla's!y
manne o'e yeas still each a le'el o" pe"omance o" (hich (e
can only deam0 The Beline Ensemble uses time (ell* they use
it "eely* spendin+ about t(el'e months on a ne( poduction* and
o'e a numbe o" yeas they ha'e built up a epetoie o" sho(s*
e'ey one o" (hich is ema!able>and e'ey one o" (hich "ills
the theate to capacity0 2n simple capitalist tems* this is bette
business than the commecial theate (hee the scambled and
patched sho(s so seldom succeed0 Each season on Boad(ay o
in 7ondon a la+e numbe o" e=pensi'e sho(s "old (ithin a (ee!
o t(o a+ainst the ae "ea! that scapes thou+h0 None the less*
the pecenta+e o" disastes hasnBt Aolted the system o the
belie" that someho( it (ill all (o! out in the end0 On
Boad(ay tic!et pices ae continually isin+ and* ionically* as
each season +o(s moe disastous* each seasonBs hit ma!es
moe money0 As "e(e and "e(e people +o thou+h the doos*
THE 9EA97) THEATRE #/
la+e and la+e sums coss the tic!et o""ice counte* until
e'entually one last millionaie (ill be payin+ a "otune "o one
pi'ate pe"omance "o himsel" alone0 So it comes about that
(hat is bad business "o some is +ood business "o othes0
E'eyone moans and yet many (ant the system to +o on0
The atistic conse;uences ae se'ee0 Boad(ay is not a
Aun+le* it is a machine into (hich a +eat many pats snu+ly
inteloc!0 )et each o" these pats is butali@edC it has been
de"omed to "it and "unction smoothly0 This is the only
theate in the (old (hee e'ey atist>by this* 2 mean
desi+nes* composes* li+htin+ electicians* as (ell as actos>
needs an a+ent "o his pesonal potection0 This sounds
melodamatic* but in a sense e'eyone is continually in
dan+eC his Aob* his eputation* his (ay o" li"e is in daily
balance0 2n theoy* this tension should lead to an atmosphee o"
"ea* and* (ee this the case* its destucti'eness (ould be clealy
seen0 2n pactice* ho(e'e* the undelyin+ tension leads Aust
as diectly to the "amous Boad(ay atmosphee* (hich is 'ey
emotional* thobbin+ (ith appaent (amth and +ood chee0 On
the "ist day o" eheasal o" House of Floers! its compose
Haold Alen ai'ed (eain+ a blue con"lo(e* (ith cham8
pa+ne and pesents "o us all0 As he hu++ed and !issed his
(ay ound the cast* Tuman Capote (ho had (itten the
libetto (hispeed da!ly to me* D2tBs lo'e today0 The
la(yesBll be in tomoo(0B 2t (as tue0 Peal Bailey had se'ed
me (ith a 4&*&&&8dolla (it be"oe the sho( eached to(n0 1o
a "oei+ne it (as Iin etospectJ all "un and e=citin+>
e'eythin+ is co'eed and e=cused by the tem Dsho( businessE>
but in pecise tems the butal (amth diectly elates to the lac!
o" emotional "inesse0 2n such conditions thee is aely the
;uiet and secuity in (hich anyone may dae e=pose
himsel"0 2 mean the tue unspectacula intimacy that lon+
(o! and tue con"idence in othe people bin+s about>on
#- THE E3PT) SPACE
Boad(ay* a cude +estue o" sel"8e=posue is easy to come by*
but this has nothin+ to do (ith the subtle* sensiti'e inteelation
bet(een people con"idently (o!in+ to+ethe0 <hen the
Ameicans en'y the Bitish* it is this odd sensibility* this une'en
+i'e and ta!e that they mean0 They call it style* and e+ad it as
a mystey0 <hen you cast a play in Ne( )o! and you ae
told that a cetain acto Dhas style*B this usually means an
imitation o" an imitation o" a Euopean0 2n the Ameican
theate* people tal! seiously o" style* as thou+h this (as a manne
that could be ac;uied>and the actos (ho ha'e played the
classics and ha'e been "latteed by citics into belie'in+ that they
ha'e Dit*B do e'eythin+ to pepetuate the notion that style is a
ae somethin+ that a "e( +entleman actos possess0 )et Ameica
could easily ha'e a +eat theate o" its o(n0 2t possesses e'ey one
o" the elementsC thee is a sten+th* coua+e* humou* cash and a
capacity "o "acin+ had "acts0
One monin+ 2 stood in the 3useum o" 3oden At loo!in+ at the
people s(amin+ in "o one dolla admission0 Almost e'ey one o"
them had the li'ely head and the indi'idual loo! o" a +ood audience
> usin+ the simple pesonal standad o" an audience "o (hom
one (ould li!e to do plays0 2n Ne( )o!* potentially* thee is one
o" the best audiences in the (old0 Un"otunately* it seldom +oes to
the theate0
2t seldom +oes to the theate because the pices ae too hi+h0
Cetainly it can a""od these pices* but it has been let do(n too
o"ten0 2t is not "o nothin+ that Ne( )o! is the place (hee the
citics ae the most po(e"ul and the tou+hest in the (old0 2t is
the audience* yea a"te yea* that has been "oced to ele'ate simple
"allible men into hi+hly piced e=pets because* as (hen a collecto
buys an e=pensi'e (o!* he cannot a""od to ta!e the is! alone? the
tadition o" the e=pet 'alues o" (o!s o" at* li!e 9u'een* has
eached the bo= o""ice line0 So the cicle is closedC not only the
THE 9EA97) THEATRE $&
atists* but also the audience* ha'e to ha'e thei potection men>
and most o" the cuious* intelli+ent* non8con"omin+ indi'iduals
stay a(ay0 This situation is not uni;ue to Ne( )o!0 2 had a
closely elated e=peience (hen (e put on Kohn AdenBs "ergeant
Musgra#e$s %ance in Pais at the AthenLe0 2t (as a tue "lop>
almost all the Pess (as bad>and (e (ee playin+ to 'itually
empty houses0 Con'inced that the play had an audience some(hee
in the to(n* (e announced that (e (ould +i'e thee "ee
pe"omances0 Such (as the lue o" complimentay tic!ets that they
became li!e (ild pemiees0 Co(ds "ou+ht to +et in* the police
had to da( ion +illes acoss the "oye* and the play itsel" (ent
ma+ni"icently* as the actos* cheeed by the (amth o" the house*
+a'e thei best pe"omance* (hich in tun eaned them an o'ation0
The theate (hich the ni+ht be"oe had been a dau+hty mo+ue
no( hummed (ith the chatte and bu@@ o" success0 At the end* (e
put up the house li+hts and loo!ed at the audience0 3ostly youn+*
they (ee all (ell dessed* athe "omal* in suits and ties0
1anFoise Spia* diectess o" the theate* came on the sta+e0
D2s thee anyone hee (ho could not a""od the pice o" a
tic!etGB
One man put up his hand0
DAnd the est o" you* (hy did you ha'e to (ait to be let in
"o "eeGB
D2t had a bad Pess0B
D9o you belie'e the PessGB
7oud chous o" DNoMB
DThen* (hyNGB
And "om all sides the same ans(e>the is! is too +eat* too
$# THE E3PT) SPACE
many disappointments0 Hee (e see ho( the 'icious cicle is
da(n0 Steadily the 9eadly Theate di+s its o(n +a'e0
O else (e can attac! the poblem the othe (ay ound0 2" +ood
theate depends on a +ood audience* then e'ey audience has the
theate it dese'es0 )et it must be 'ey had "o spectatos to be
told o" an audienceBs esponsibility0 Ho( can this be "aced in
pacticeG 2t (ould be a sad day i" people (ent to the theate out o"
duty0 Once (ithin a theate an audience cannot (hip itsel" into
bein+ DbetteB than it is0 2n a sense thee is nothin+ a spectato can
actually do0 And yet thee is a contadiction hee that cannot be
i+noed* "o e'eythin+ depends on him0
<hen the Royal Sha!espeae CompanyBs poduction o" &ing
'ear toued thou+h Euope the poduction (as steadily
impo'in+ and the best pe"omances lay bet(een Budapest and
3osco(0 2t (as "ascinatin+ to see ho( an audience composed
la+ely o" people (ith little !no(led+e o" En+lish could so
in"luence a cast0 These audiences bou+ht (ith them thee thin+sC a
lo'e "o the play itsel"* eal hun+e "o a contact (ith "oei+nes
and* abo'e all* an e=peience o" li"e in Euope in the last yeas
that enabled them to come diectly to the playBs pain"ul themes0
The ;uality o" the attention that this audience bou+ht e=pessed
itsel" in silence and concentationC a "eelin+ in the house that
a""ected the actos as thou+h a billiant li+ht (ee tuned on
thei (o!0 As a esult* the most obscue passa+es (ee
illuminatedC they (ee played (ith a comple=ity o" meanin+
and a "ine use o" the En+lish lan+ua+e that "e( o" the audience
could liteally "ollo(* but (hich all could sense0 The actos (ee
mo'ed and e=cited and they poceeded to the United States*
pepaed to +i'e to an En+lish8spea!in+ audience all that this
"ocus had tau+ht them0 2 (as "oced to +o bac! to En+land and
only cau+ht up (ith the company a "e( (ee!s late in
Philadelphia0 To my supise and dismay* much o" the ;uality
THE 9EA97) THEATRE $$
had +one "om thei actin+0 2 (anted to blame the actos* but it
(as clea that they (ee tyin+ as had as they could0 2t (as the
elation (ith the audience that had chan+ed0 2n Philadelphia* the
audience undestood En+lish all i+ht* but this audience (as
composed la+ely o" people (ho (ee not inteested in the playC
people (ho came "o all the con'entional easons>because it
(as a social e'ent* because thei (i'es insisted* and so on0
Undoubtedly* a (ay e=isted to in'ol'e this paticula audience in
&ing 'ear! but it (as not ou (ay0 The austeity o" this
poduction (hich had seemed so i+ht in Euope no lon+e
made sense0 Seein+ people ya(n* 2 "elt +uilty* eali@in+ that
somethin+ else (as demanded "om us all0 2 !ne( that (ee 2
doin+ a poduction o" &ing 'ear "o the people o" Philadelphia 2
(ould (ithout condescension stess e'eythin+ di""eently>and*
in immediate tems* 2 (ould +et it to (o! bette0 But (ith an
established poduction on tou 2 could do nothin+0 The actos*
ho(e'e* (ee instincti'ely espondin+ to the ne( situation0
They (ee undelinin+ e'eythin+ in the play that could aest
the spectato>that is to say* (hen thee (as a bit o" e=citin+
action o a bust o" melodama* they e=ploited it* they played
loude and cude and o" couse (hipped past those inticate
passa+es that the non8En+lish audience had so enAoyed>(hich*
ionically* only an En+lish8spea!in+ audience could ha'e
appeciated to the "ull0 E'entually ou impesaio too! the play to
the 7incoln Cente in Ne( )o!>a +iant auditoium (hee the
acoustics (ee bad and the audience esented its poo contact
(ith the sta+e0 <e (ee put in this 'ast theate "o economic
easons? a simple illustation o" ho( a closed cicle o" cause and
e""ect is poduced* so that the (on+ audience o the (on+
place o both conAues "om the actos thei coasest (o!0
A+ain* the actos* espondin+ to the +i'en conditions* had no
choice* they "aced the "ont* spo!e loudly and ;uite i+htly
the( a(ay all that had become pecious in thei (o!0 This
dan+e is built into e'ey tou* because in a sense "e( o" the
$% THE E3PT) SPACE
conditions o" the oi+inal pe"omance apply>and contact (ith
each ne( audience is o"ten a matte o" luc!0 2n the old days* the
stollin+ playes natually adapted thei (o! to each ne( place?
elaboate moden poductions ha'e no such "le=ibility0 2n "act*
(hen (e played DUS*B the Royal Sha!espeae TheateBs +oup8
happenin+8collaboati'e spectacle on the Hietnam (a* (e
decided to e"use all in'itations to tou0 E'ey element in it had
come into bein+ Aust "o the paticula coss8section o" 7ondon
that sat in the Ald(ych Theate in #-..0 The "act that (e had
no te=t (ou+ht and set by a damatist (as the condition o" this
paticula e=peiment0 Contact (ith the audience* thou+h shaed
e"eences* became the substance o" the e'enin+0 Had (e a
shaped te=t* (e could ha'e played in othe places* (ithout one
(e (ee li!e a happenin+>and in the e'ent* (e all "elt that
somethin+ (as lost in playin+ it e'en thou+h a 7ondon season o"
"i'e months0 One pe"omance (ould ha'e been the tue
culmination0 <e made the mista!e o" "eelin+ obli+ated to ente
ou o(n epetoie0 A epetoie epeats* and to epeat somethin+
must be "i=ed0 The ules o" Bitish censoship pe'ent actos
adaptin+ and impo'isin+ in pe"omance0 So in this case* the
"i=in+ (as the be+innin+ o" a slide to(ads the deadly>the
li'eliness o" the actos (aned as the immediacy o" the elation
(ith thei public and thei theme lessened0
9uin+ a tal! to a +oup at a uni'esity 2 once tied to illustate ho(
an audience a""ects actos by the ;uality o" its attention0 2 as!ed "o
a 'oluntee0 A man came "o(ad* and 2 +a'e him a sheet o" pape
on (hich (as typed a speech "om Pete <eissBs play about
Ausch(it@* The (n#estigation) The section (as a desciption o"
bodies inside a +as chambe0 As the 'oluntee too! the pape and
ead it o'e to himsel" the audience titteed in the (ay an
audience al(ays does (hen it sees one o" its !ind on the (ay to
ma!in+ a "ool o" himsel"0 But the 'oluntee (as too stuc! and too
appalled by (hat he (as eadin+ to eact (ith the sheepish +ins
THE 9EA97) THEATRE $6
that ae also customay0 Somethin+ o" his seiousness and concenta8
tion eached the audience and it "ell silent0 Then at my e;uest he
be+an to ead out loud0 The 'ey "ist (ods (ee loaded (ith thei
o(n +hastly sense and the eadeBs esponse to them0 2mmediately
the audience undestood0 2t became one (ith him* (ith the speech
>the lectue oom and the 'oluntee (ho had come on0 to the
plat"om 'anished "om si+ht>the na!ed e'idence "om Ausch(it@
(as so po(e"ul that it too! o'e completely0 Not only did the
eade continue to spea! in a shoc!ed attenti'e silence* but his
eadin+* technically spea!in+* (as pe"ect>it had neithe +ace no
lac! o" +ace* s!ill no lac! o" s!ill>it (as pe"ect because he had
no attention to spae "o sel"8consciousness* "o (ondein+ (hethe
he (as usin+ the i+ht intonation0 He !ne( the audience (anted to
hea* and he (anted to let them hea? the ima+es "ound thei o(n
le'el and +uided his 'oice unconsciously to the appopiate 'olume
and pitch0
A"te this* 2 as!ed "o anothe 'oluntee* and +a'e him the speech
"om Henry * (hich lists the names and numbes o" the 1ench
and En+lish dead0 <hen he ead this aloud* all the "aults o" the
amateu acto appeaed0 One loo! at the 'olume o" Sha!espeae
had aleady set o"" a seies o" conditioned e"le=es to do (ith
spea!in+ 'ese0 He put on a "alse 'oice that sti'ed to be noble
and histoical* mouthed his (ods oundly* made a(!(ad
stesses* +ot ton+ue8tied* sti""* and con"used* and the audience
listened inattenti'e and estless0 <hen he had done* 2 as!ed the
audience (hy they could not ta!e the list o" dead at A+incout as
seiously as the desciption o" death at Ausch(it@0 This po'o!ed a
li'ely e=chan+e0
DA+incoutBs in the past0B
DBut Ausch(it@ is in the past0B
DOnly "i"teen yeas0B
$4 THE E3PT) SPACE
DSo ho( lon+Bs it +ot to ta!eGB
D<henBs a copse a histoical copseGB
DHo( many yeas ma!e !illin+ omanticGB
A"te this had +one on "o some time* 2 poposed an e=peiment0
The amateu acto (as to ead the speech a+ain* stoppin+ "o a
moment a"te each name? the audience (as to endea'ou silently in
the pause to ecall and put to+ethe its impessions o" Ausch(it@
and A+incout* to ty to "ind a (ay o" belie'in+ that these names
(ee once indi'iduals* as 'i'idly as i" the butchey had occued in
li'in+ memoy0 The amateu be+an to ead a+ain and the audience
(o!ed had* playin+ its pat0 As he spo!e the "ist name* the hal"
silence became a dense one0 2ts tension cau+ht the eade* thee (as
an emotion in it* shaed bet(een him and them and it tuned all his
attention a(ay "om himsel" on to the subAect matte he (as
spea!in+0 No( the audienceBs concentation be+an to +uide him? his
in"le=ions (ee simple* his hythms tue? this in tun inceased the
audienceBs inteest and so the t(o8(ay cuent be+an to "lo(0 <hen
this (as ended* no e=planations (ee needed* the audience had seen
itsel" in action* it had seen ho( many layes silence can contain0
O" couse* li!e all e=peiments* this (as an ati"icial one? hee* the
audience (as +i'en an unusually acti'e ole and as a esult it
diected an ine=peienced acto0 Usually* an e=peienced acto
eadin+ a passa+e li!e this (ill impose a silence on an audience
that is in popotion to the de+ee o" tuth he bin+s to it0
Occasionally* an acto can completely dominate any house* and so*
li!e a maste matado* he can (o! the audience the (ay he pleases0
Usually* ho(e'e* this cannot come "om the sta+e alone0 1o
instance* both the actos and mysel" "ound The *isit and
Marat+"ade moe e(adin+ to play in Ameica than in En+land0
The En+lish e"used to ta!e The *isit on its o(n temsC the stoy
THE 9EA97) THEATRE $.
told o" the uthlessness latent in any small community* and
(hen (e played in the En+lish po'inces* to 'itually empty
houses* the eaction o" those (ho came (as DitBs not eal*B Dit
couldnBt happen*B and they enAoyed it o disli!ed it on the le'el
o" "antasy0 The Marat+"ade (as li!ed in 7ondon not so much as
a play about e'olution* (a and madness as a display o"
theaticality0 The opposin+ (ods DliteayB and DtheaticalB
ha'e many meanin+s* but in the En+lish theate* (hen used as
paise* they all too o"ten descibe (ays o" (adin+ o"" contact
(ith distubin+ themes0 The Ameican audience eacted to both
plays much moe diectly* they accepted and belie'ed the
popositions that man is +eedy and mudeous* a potential
lunatic0 They (ee cau+ht and held by the mateial o" the
dama* and in the case o" The *isit they o"ten did not e'en
comment on the "act that the stoy (as bein+ told to them in a
some(hat un"amilia* e=pessionistic (ay0 They simply
discussed (hat the play had said0 The +eat Ka@an8<illiams8
3ille hits* AlbeeBs *irginia ,oolf! summoned audiences that
met the cast in the tue shaed teitoy o" theme and concen>
and they (ee po(e"ul e'ents* the cicle o" pe"omance (as
i'etin+ and complete0
2n Ameica* in po(e"ul (a'es* comes a eco+nition o" the
deadly* and a ston+ eaction a+ainst it0 )eas a+o* the ActosB
Studio came into bein+ to +i'e a "aith and continuity to those
unhappy atists (ho (ee bein+ so apidly tho(n in and out o"
(o!0 Basin+ a 'ey seious and systematic study on a potion
o" Stanisla's!yBs teachin+* the ActosB Studio de'eloped a 'ey
ema!able school o" actin+ that coesponded pe"ectly to the
needs o" the play(i+hts and public o" the time0 Actos still had
to +i'e esults in thee (ee!s* but they (ee sustained by the
schoolBs tadition and they did not come empty8handed to the
"ist eheasal0 This bac!+ound o" teachin+ +a'e a sten+th and
inte+ity to thei (o!0 The 3ethod Acto (as tained to eAect
$5 THE E3PT) SPACE
clichL imitations o" eality and to seach "o somethin+ moe
eal in himsel"0 He then had to pesent this thou+h the li'in+ o"
it* and so actin+ became a deeply natualistic study0 DRealityB is
a (od (ith many meanin+s* but hee it (as undestood to be
that slice o" the eal that e"lected the people and the poblems
aound the acto* and it coincided (ith the slices o" e=istence that
the (ites o" the day* 3ille* Tennessee <illiams* 2n+e* (ee
tyin+ to de"ine0 2n much the same (ay Stanisla's!yBs theate
de( its sten+th "om the "act that it coesponded to the
needs o" the best Russian classics* all o" (hich (ee cast in a
natualistic "om0 1o a numbe o" yeas in Russia* the
school* the public and the play had made a coheent (hole0
Then 3eyehold challen+ed Stanisla's!y* poposin+ a di"8
"eent style o" playin+* in ode to captue othe elements o"
Deality0B But 3eyehold disappeaed0 2n Ameica today* the
time is ipe "o a 3eyehold to appea* since natualistic
epesentations o" li"e no lon+e seems to Ameicans ade;uate to
e=pess the "oces that di'e them0 No( :enet is discussed*
Sha!espeae e8e'aluated* Ataud ;uoted? thee is a lot o" tal!
about itual? and all this "o 'ey ealistic easons* as many
concete aspects o" Ameican li'in+ can only be captued
alon+ these lines0 Kust a shot time a+o* the En+lish (ee "ull
o" en'y "o the 'itality o" the Ameican theate0 No( the
pendulum s(in+s to(ads 7ondon* as thou+h the En+lish
hold all the !eys0 )eas a+o 2 sa( a +il at the ActosB
Studio appoachin+ a speech o" 7ady 3acbethBs by
petendin+ to be a tee? (hen 2 descibed this in En+land it
sounded comic* and e'en today many En+lish actos ha'e yet to
disco'e (hy odd8soundin+ e=ecises ae so necessay0 2n Ne(
)o!* ho(e'e* the +il did not need to lean about +oup (o!
and impo'isations* she had accepted these* and she needed to
undestand about the meanin+ and demands o" "omC standin+
(ith he ams in the ai tyin+ to D"eel*B she (as pouin+ he
adou and ene+y uselessly in the (on+ diection0
THE 9EA97) THEATRE $/
All this bin+s us bac! to the same poblem0 The (od theate
has many sloppy meanin+s0 2n most o" the (old* the theate has
no e=act place in society* no clea pupose* it only e=ists in
"a+ments? one theate chases money* anothe chases +loy*
anothe chases emotion* anothe chases politics* anothe chases
"un0 The acto is bundled "om pilla to post>con"used and
consumed by conditions outside his contol0 Actos may
sometimes seem Aealous o ti'ial* yet 2 ha'e ne'e !no(n an
acto (ho did not (ant to (o!0 This (ish to (o! is his
sten+th0 2t is (hat enables po"essionals e'ey(hee to
undestand each othe0 But he cannot e"om his po"ession
alone0 2n a theate (ith "e( schools and no aims* he is usually
the tool* not the instument0 )et (hen the theate does come
bac! to the acto* the poblem is still not sol'ed0 On the
contay* deadly actin+ becomes the heat o" the cisis0
The dilemma o" the acto is not uni;ue to commecial theates
(ith inade;uate eheasal time0 Sin+es and o"ten dances !eep
thei teaches by them to the end o" thei days? actos once
launched ha'e nothin+ (hatsoe'e to help them to de'elop thei
talents0 2" this is seen most alamin+ly in the commecial theate*
the same applies to pemanent companies0 A"te he eaches a
cetain position the acto does no moe home(o!0 Ta!e a
youn+ acto* un"omed* unde'eloped* but bustin+ (ith talent*
"ull o" latent possibilities0 Ouite apidly he disco'es (hat he can
do* and* a"te mastein+ his initial di""iculties* (ith a bit o" luc! he
may "ind himsel" in the en'iable position o" ha'in+ a Aob (hich
he lo'es* doin+ it (ell (hile +ettin+ paid and admied at the
same time0 2" he is to de'elop* the ne=t sta+e must be to +o
beyond his appaent an+e* and to be+in to e=ploe (hat eally
comes had0 But no one has time "o this sot o" poblem0 His
"iends ae little use* his paents ae unli!ely to !no( much
about his at* and his a+ent* (ho may be (ell8meanin+ and
$- THE E3PT) SPACE
intelli+ent* is not thee to +uide him past +ood o""es o" +ood
pats to(ads a 'a+ue somethin+ else that (ould be e'en bette0
Buildin+ a caee and atistic de'elopment do not necessaily +o
hand in handC o"ten the acto* as his caee +o(s* be+ins to
tun in (o! that +ets moe and moe simila0 2t is a (etched
stoy* and all the e=ceptions blu the tuth0
Ho( does the a'ea+e acto spend his daysG O" couse* itBs a
(ide an+e? "om lyin+ in bed* din!in+* +oin+ to the hai8
desse* to the a+ent* "ilmin+* ecodin+* eadin+* sometimes
studyin+C e'en* lattely* toyin+ a bit (ith politics0 But (hethe
his use o" time is "i'olous o eanest is beside the point? little
that he does elates to his main peoccupation>not to stand still
as an acto>(hich means not to stand still as a human bein+*
(hich means (o! aimed at his atistic +o(th>and (hee can
such (o! ta!e placeG Time a"te time 2 ha'e (o!ed (ith actos
(ho a"te the usual peamble that they Dput themsel'es in my
handsB ae ta+ically incapable ho(e'e had they ty o" layin+
do(n "o one bie" instant e'en in eheasal the ima+e o"
themsel'es that has hadened ound an inne emptiness0 On the
occasions that it is possible to penetate this shell* it is li!e
smashin+ the pictue on a tele'ision set0
2n En+land* it seems suddenly that (e ha'e a ma'ellous ne(
beed o" youn+ actos>(e "eel (e ae (itnessin+ t(o lines o"
men in a "actoy "acin+ opposite diections? one line shu""les out
+ey* tied* the othe stides "o(ad "esh and 'ital0 <e +et the
impession that one line is bette than the othe* that the li'ely
line is made o" bette stoc!0 This is patly tue* but in the end
the ne( shi"t (ill be as tied and +ey as the oldC it is an
ine'itable esult o" cetain conditions that ha'e not yet chan+ed0
The ta+edy is that the po"essional status o" actos o'e the a+e
o" %& is seldom a tue e"lection o" thei talents0 Thee ae
countless actos (ho ne'e ha'e the chance to de'elop thei
THE 9EA97) THEATRE %&
inbon potential to its pope "uition0 Natually* in an
indi'idualist po"ession* "alse and e=a++eated impotance is
+i'en to e=ceptional cases0 Outstandin+ actos li!e all eal
atists ha'e some mysteious psychic chemisty* hal" conscious
and yet thee8;uates hidden* that they themsel'es may only
de"ine as Dinstinct*B Dhunch*B Dmy 'oices*B that enables them to
de'elop thei 'ision and thei at0 Special cases may "ollo(
special ules? one o" the +eatest actesses o" ou time (ho seems
in eheasal to be obse'in+ no method (hatsoe'e actually has
an e=taodinay system o" he o(n (hich she can only aticulate
in nusey lan+ua+e0 DKneadin+ the "lou today* dalin+*B she
has said to me0 DPuttin+ it bac! to ba!e a bit lon+e*B DNeed
some yeast no(*B D<eBe bastin+ this monin+0B No matte?
this is pecise science* Aust as much as i" she +a'e it the
teminolo+y o" the ActosB Studio0 But he ability to +et esults
stays (ith he alone? she cannot communicate it in any use"ul
(ay to the people aound he* so (hile she is Dcoo!in+ he pieB
and the ne=t acto is Aust Ddoin+ it the (ay he "eels it*B and the
thid in dama school lan+ua+e* is Dseachin+ "o the
Stanisla's!ian supe8obAecti'e*B no eal (o!in+8to+ethe
bet(een them all is possible0 2t has lon+ been eco+ni@ed
that (ithout a pemanent company "e( actos can thi'e
inde"initely0 Ho(e'e* it must also -e "aced that e'en a
pemanent company is doomed to deadliness in the lon+ un i"
it is (ithout an aim* and thus (ithout a method* and thus
(ithout a school0 And by a school* natually 2 donBt mean a
+ymnasium (hee the acto e=ecises his limbs in limbo0
1le=in+ muscles alone cannot de'elop an atC scales donBt
ma!e a pianist no does "in+e(o! help a painteBs bush? Aet a
+eat pianist pactises "in+e e=ecises "o many hous a day*
and Kapanese paintes spend thei li'es pactisin+ to da( a
pe"ect cicle0 The at o" actin+ is in some (ays the most
e=actin+ one o" all* and (ithout constant schoolin+* the acto (ill
stop hal"8(ay0
%# THE E3PT) SPACE
So (hen (e "ind deadliness* (ho is the culpitG Enou+h has been
said publicly and pi'ately to ma!e the citicsB eas bun* to
ma!e us belie'e that it is "om them that the (ost deadliness
eally stems0 O'e the yeas (e moan and +umble about
Dthe CiticsB as thou+h it (ee al(ays the same si= men
hutlin+ by Aet* "om Pais to Ne( )o!* "om at sho( to
concet to the play* al(ays committin+ the same monumental
eos0 O as thou+h they (ee all li!e Thomas P Bec!et>the
Aolly* (hoin+ "iend o" the Kin+ (ho the day he became
Cadinal tuned as disappo'in+ as all his pedecessos? citics
come and +o* yet those (ho ae citici@ed +eneally "ind DthemB
the same0 Ou system* the ne(spapes* the eadeBs demands*
the notice dictated by phone* the poblems o" space* the
;uantity o" ubbish in ou playhouses* the soul8destoyin+ e""ect
o" doin+ the same Aob o"ten and too lon+* all conspie to pe'ent
a citic "om e=ecisin+ his 'ital "unction0 <hen the man in the
steet +oes to the theate he can claim Aust to se'e his o(n
pleasue0 <hen a citic +oes to a play* he can say he is Aust
se'in+ the man in the steet* but it is not accuate0 He is not Aust
a tipste0 A citic has a "a moe impotant ole* an essential one*
in "act* "o an at (ithout citics (ould be constantly menaced by
"a +eate dan+es0
1o instance* a citic is al(ays se'in+ the theate (hen he is
houndin+ out incompetence0 2" he spends most o" his time
+umblin+* he is almost al(ays i+ht0 The appallin+ di""iculty
o" ma!in+ theate must be accepted? it is* o (ould be* i" tuly
pactised* pehaps the hadest medium o" all? it is meciless*
thee is no oom "o eo* o "o (aste0 A no'el can su'i'e the
eade (ho s!ips pa+es* o entie chaptesC the audience* apt to
chan+e "om pleasue to boedom in a (in! can be lost*
ie'ocably0 T(o hous is a shot time and an etenity? to use
t(o hous o" public time is a "ine at0 )et this at (ith its
THE 9EA97) THEATRE %$
"i+htenin+ e=i+encies is se'ed la+ely by casual labou0 2n a
deadly 'acuum thee ae "e( places (hee (e can popely lean
the ats o" the theate>so (e tend to dop in on the theate
o""ein+ lo'e instead o" science0 This is (hat the un"otunate
citic is ni+htly called to Aud+e0
2ncompetence is the 'ice* the condition and the ta+edy o" the
(oldBs theate on any le'el? "a e'ey +ood li+ht comedy o
musical o political e'ue o 'ese play o classic that (e see
thee ae scoes o" othes that most o" the time ae betayed by
a lac! o" elementay s!ills0 The techni;ues o" sta+in+*
desi+nin+* spea!in+* (al!in+ acoss a sta+e* sittin+>e'en
listenin+>Aust aenBt su""iciently !no(nC compae the little it
ta!es>e=cept luc!>to +et (o! in many o" the theates o" the
(old (ith the minimum le'el o" s!ill demanded say in piano
playin+? thin! o" ho( many thousands o" music teaches in
thousands o" small cities can play all the notes o" the most
di""icult passa+es o" 7is@t o si+ht8ead Sciabin0 Compaed (ith
the simple ability o" musicians most o" ou (o! is at amateu
le'el most o" the time0 A citic (ill see "a moe incompetence
than competence in his theate+oin+0 2 (as once as!ed to
diect an opea at a 3iddle Easten opea house (hich (ote
"an!ly in its lette o" in'itation Dou ochesta has not all the
instuments and plays some (on+ notes but ou audiences so
"a ha'e not noticed0B 1otunately* the citic does tend to notice
and in this sense* his an+iest eaction is 'aluable>it is a call "o
competence0 This is a 'ital "unction* but he has still anothe one0
He is a pathma!e0
The citic Aoins in the deadly +ame (hen he does not accept this
esponsibility* (hen he belittles his o(n impotance0 A citic is
usually a sincee and decent man acutely a(ae o" the human
aspects o" his AobC one o" the "amous DButches o" Boad(ayB
(as said to ha'e been tomented by the !no(led+e that on
%% THE E3PT) SPACE
him alone depended peopleBs happiness and "utue0 Still* e'en
i" he is a(ae o" his po(e o" destuction* he undeates his po(e
"o +ood0 <hen the status .uo is otten>and "e( citics
any(hee (ould dispute this>the only possibility is to Aud+e
e'ents in elation to a possible +oal0 This +oal should be the
same "o atist and citic>the mo'in+ to(ads a less deadly*
but* as yet* la+ely unde"ined theate0 This is ou e'entual
pupose* ou shaed aim* and notin+ all the si+n8posts and
"ootpints on the (ay is ou common tas!0 Ou elations (ith
citics may be stained in a supe"icial sense? but in a deepe
one the elationship is absolutely necessay? li!e the "ish in
the ocean* (e need one anotheBs de'ouin+ talents to pepetuate
the sea bedBs e=istence0 Ho(e'e* this de'ouin+ is not nealy
enou+h? (e need to shae the endea'ou to ise to the su"ace0
This is (hat is had "o all o" us0 The citic is pat o" the (hole
and (hethe he (ites his notices "ast o slo(* shot o lon+*
is not eally impotant0 Has he an ima+e o" ho( a theate
could be in his community and is he e'isin+ this ima+e
aound each e=peience he ecei'esG Ho( many citics see thei
Aob this (ayG
2t is "o this eason that the moe the citic becomes an inside*
the bette0 2 see nothin+ but +ood in a citic plun+in+ into ou
li'es* meetin+ actos* tal!in+* discussin+* (atchin+* inte'enin+0
2 (ould (elcome his puttin+ his hands on the medium and
attemptin+ to (o! it himsel"0 Cetainly* thee is a tiny social
poblem>ho( does a citic tal! to someone (hom he has Aust
damned in pintG 3omentay a(!(adnesses may aise>but it
is ludicous to thin! that it is la+ely this that depi'es some
citics o" a 'ital contact (ith the (o! o" (hich they ae a pat0
The embaassment on his side and ous can easily be li'ed
do(n and cetainly a close elation (ith the (o! (ill in no (ay
put the citic into the position o" conni'ance (ith the people he
has +ot to !no(0 The citicism that theate people ma!e o" one
THE 9EA97) THEATRE %6
anothe is usually o" de'astatin+ se'eity>but absolutely
pecise0 The citic (ho no lon+e enAoys the theate is ob'iously
a deadly citic* the citic (ho lo'es the theate but is not
citically clea (hat this means* is also a deadly citic? the 'ital
citic is the citic (ho has clealy "omulated "o himsel" (hat
the theate could be>and (ho is bold enou+h to tho( this "o8
mula into Aeopady each time he paticipates in a theatical
e'ent0
The (ost poblem "o the po"essional citic is that he is seldom
as!ed to e=pose himsel" to scochin+ e'ents that chan+e his
thin!in+? it is had "o him to etain his enthusiasm* (hen thee
ae "e( +ood plays any(hee in the (old0 )ea a"te yea* thee
is ich ne( mateial pouin+ into the cinemaC yet all the theates
can do is ma!e an unhappy choice bet(een +eat taditional
(itin+ o "a less +ood moden (o!s0 <e ae no( in anothe
aea o" the poblem* also consideed to be cental? the dilemma
o" the deadly (ite0
2t is (oe"ully di""icult to (ite a play0 A play(i+ht is e;uied
by the 'ey natue o" dama to ente into the spiit o" opposin+
chaactes0 He is not a Aud+eC he is a ceato>and e'en i" his
"ist attempt at dama concens only t(o people* (hate'e the
style he is still e;uied to li'e "ully (ith them both0 The Aob o"
shi"tin+ onesel" totally "om one chaacte to anothe>a
pinciple on (hich all o" Sha!espeae and all o" Che!ho' is built
>is a supe8human tas! at any time0 2t ta!es uni;ue talents and
pehaps ones that do not e'en coespond (ith ou a+e0 2" the
(o! o" the be+inne8play(i+ht o"ten seems thin* it may (ell be
because his an+e o" human sympathy is still unstetched>on
the othe hand* nothin+ seems moe suspect than the matue
middle8a+ed man o" lettes (ho sits do(n to in'ent chaactes
and then tell us all thei secets0 The 1ench e'ulsion a+ainst
the classic "om o" the no'el (as a eaction "om the
%4 THE E3PT) SPACE
omniscience o" the autho? i" you as! 3a+ueite 9uas (hat he
chaacte is "eelin+ she (ill o"ten eply* DHo( do 2 !no(GBC i"
you as! Robbe :illet (hy a chaacte has made a cetain action
he could ans(e* DAll 2 !no( "o sue is that he opened the doo
(ith his i+ht hand0B But this (ay o" thin!in+ hasnBt eached the
1ench theate* (hee it is still the autho (ho at the "ist
eheasal does a one8man sho(* eadin+ out and pe"omin+ all
the pats0 This is the most e=a++eated "om o" a tadition that
dies had e'ey(hee0 The autho has been "oced to ma!e a
'itue o" his specialness* and to tun his liteainess into a cutch
"o a sel"8impotance that in his heat he !no(s is not Austi"ied
by his (o!0 3aybe a need "o pi'acy is a deep pat o" an
authoBs ma!e8up0 2t is possible that it is only (ith the doo
closed* communin+ (ith himsel"* that he can (estle into "om
inne ima+es and con"licts o" (hich he (ould ne'e spea! in
public0 <e do not !no( ho( Aeschylus o Sha!espeae (o!ed0
All (e !no( is that +adually the elationship bet(een the man
(ho sits at home (o!in+ it all out on pape and the (old o"
actos and sta+es is +ettin+ moe and moe tenuous* moe and
moe unsatis"actoy0 The best En+lish (itin+ is comin+ out o"
the theate itsel"? <es!e* Aden* Osbone* Pinte* to ta!e
ob'ious e=amples* ae all diectos and actos as (ell as
authos>and at times they e'en ha'e been in'ol'ed as
impesaios0
None the less* (hethe schola o acto* too "e( authos ae (hat
(e could tuly call inspiin+ o inspied0 2" the autho (ee a
maste and not a 'ictim one could say that he had betayed the
theate0 As it is* one can say that he is betayin+ by omission>
the authos ae "ailin+ to ise to the challen+e o" thei times0 O"
couse* thee ae e=ceptions* billiant* statlin+ ones* hee and
thee0 But 2 am thin!in+ a+ain o" the ;uantity o" ne( ceati'e (o!
poued into "ilms compaed (ith the (oldBs output o" ne(
damatic te=ts0 <hen ne( plays set out to imitate eality* (e
THE 9EA97) THEATRE %.
ae moe conscious o" (hat is imitati'e than (hat is eal? i"
they e=ploe chaacte* it is seldom that they +o "a beyond
steeotypesC i" it is a+ument they o""e* it is seldom that
a+ument is ta!en to aestin+ e=temesC e'en i" it is a ;uality
o" li"e that they (ish to e'o!e* (e ae usually o""eed no moe
than the liteay ;uality o" the (ell8tuned phaseC i" it is social
citicism they ae a"te* it seldom touches the heat o" any social
ta+etC i" they (ish "o lau+hte* it is usually by (ell8(on
means0
As a esult* (e ae o"ten "oced to choose bet(een e'i'in+ old
plays o sta+in+ ne( plays (hich (e "ind inade;uate* Aust as a
+estue to(ads the pesent day0 O else to attempt to initiate a
play>as* "o e=ample* (hen a +oup o" actos and (ites in the
Royal Sha!espeae Theate* (antin+ a play on Hietnam that did
not e=ist* set out to ma!e one* usin+ techni;ues o" impo'isation
and autholess in'ention to "ill the 'acuum0 :oup ceation can
be in"initely iche* i" the +oup is ich* than the poduct o" (ea!
indi'idualism>yet it po'es nothin+0 Thee is e'entually a need
"o authoship to each the ultimate compactness and "ocus that
collecti'e (o! is almost obli+ed to miss0
2n theoy "e( men ae as "ee as a play(i+ht0 He can bin+ the
(hole (old on to his sta+e0 But in "act he is stan+ely timid0 He
loo!s at the (hole o" li"e* and li!e all o" us he only sees a tiny
"a+mentC a "a+ment* one aspect o" (hich catches his "ancy0
Un"otunately he aely seaches to elate his detail to any la+e
stuctue>it is as thou+h he accepts (ithout ;uestion his
intuition as complete* his eality as all o" eality0 2t is as thou+h
his belie" in his subAecti'ity as his instument and his sten+th
pecludes him "om any dialectic bet(een (hat he sees and
(hat he appehends0 So thee is eithe the autho (ho e=ploes
his inne e=peience in depth and da!ness* o else the autho
(ho shuns these aeas* e=ploin+ the outside (old>each one
%5 THE E3PT) SPACE
thin!s his (old is complete0 2" Sha!espeae had ne'e e=isted (e
(ould ;uite undestandably theoi@e that the t(o can ne'e
combine0 The Eli@abethan Theate did e=ist* thou+h>and
a(!(adly enou+h (e ha'e this e=ample constantly han+in+
o'e ou heads0 1ou hunded yeas a+o it (as possible "o a
damatist to (ish to bin+ the patten o" e'ents in the
outside (old* the inne e'ents o" comple= men isolated as
indi'iduals* the 'ast tu+ o" thei "eas and aspiations into open
con"lict0 9ama (as e=posue* it (as con"ontation* it (as
contadiction and it led to analysis* in'ol'ement* eco+nition
and* e'entually* to an a(a!enin+ o" undestandin+0
Sha!espeae (as not a pea! (ithout a base* "loatin+ ma+ically
on a cloud? he (as suppoted by scoes o" lesse damatists*
natually (ith lesse and lesse talents>but shain+ the same
ambition "o (estlin+ (ith (hat Hamlet calls the "oms and
pessues o" the a+e0 )et a neo8Eli@abethan theate based on
'ese and pa+eanty (ould be a monstosity0 This compels us to
loo! at the poblem moe closely and ty to "ind out (hat e=actly
the special Sha!espeae ;ualities ae0 One simple "act eme+es
at once0 Sha!espeae used the same unit that is a'ailable
today>a "e( hous o" public time0 He used this time span to
cam to+ethe* second "o second* a ;uantity o" li'ely mateial
o" incedible ichness0 This mateial e=ists simultaneously on
an in"inite 'aiety o" le'els* it plun+es deep and eaches hi+h?
the technical de'ices* the use o" 'ese and pose* the many
chan+in+ scenes* e=citin+* "unny* distubin+* (ee the ones the
autho (as compelled to de'elop to satis"y his needs? and the
autho had a pecise* human and social aim (hich +a'e him
eason "o seachin+ "o his themes* eason "o seachin+ "o his
means* eason "o ma!in+ theate0 <e see the pesent8day
autho still loc!ed in the pisons o" anecdote* consistency and
style* conditioned by the elics o" Hictoian 'alues to thin!
ambition and petension dity (ods0 Ho( despeately he needs
both0 2" only he (ee ambitious* i" only he (ee to comb the s!yM
THE 9EA97) THEATRE %/
1o as lon+ as he is an ostich* an isolated ostich* this can ne'e
happen0 Be"oe he can aise his head he too must "ace the same
cisis0 He too must disco'e (hat he belie'es a theate to be0
Natually* an autho can only (o! (ith (hat he has +ot and
cannot leap out o" his sensibility0 He cannot tal! himsel" into
bein+ bette o othe than he is0 He can only (ite about (hat he
sees and thin!s and "eels0 But one thin+ can amend the
instument at his disposal0 The moe clealy he eco+ni@es the
missin+ lin!s in his elationships>the moe accuately he
e=peiences that he is ne'e deep enou+h in enou+h aspects o"
li"e* no deep enou+h in enou+h aspects o" the theate* that his
necessay seclusion is also his pison>the moe then can he
be+in to "ind (ays o" connectin+ stands o" obse'ation and
e=peience (hich at pesent emain unlin!ed0 7et me ty to de"ine
moe pecisely the issue that con"onts the (ite0 The theateBs
needs ha'e chan+ed* yet the di""eence is not simply one o"
"ashion0 2t is not as thou+h "i"ty yeas a+o one type o" theate
(as in 'o+ue (hile today the autho (ho "eels the Dpulse o" the
publicB can "ind his (ay to the ne( idiom0 The di""eence is that
"o a lon+ time play(i+hts ha'e 'ey success"ully taded on
applyin+ to the theate 'alues "om othe "ields0 2" a man could
D(iteB>and (itin+ meant the ability to put to+ethe (ods and
phases in a stylish and ele+ant manne>then this (as accepted
as a stat to(ads +ood (itin+ in the theate0 2" a man could in8
'ent a +ood plot* +ood t(ists* o (hatBs descibed as
Dundestandin+ human natueB these (ee all consideed to be at
least steppin+8stones to(ads "ine play(itin+0 No( the
lu!e(am 'itues o" +ood ca"tsmanship* sound constuction*
e""ecti'e cutains* cisp dialo+ue ha'e all been thoou+hly
debun!ed0 Not least* the in"luences o" tele'ision has been to
accustom 'ie(es o" all classes all o'e the (old to ma!e
instant Aud+ment>at the moment they catch si+ht o" a shot on
the sceen>so that the a'ea+e adult continually situates scenes
%- THE E3PT) SPACE
and chaactes unaided* (ithout a D+ood ca"tsmanB helpin+ (ith
e=position and e=planation0 The steady disceditin+ o" non8
theate 'itues is no( be+innin+ to clea the (ay "o othe
'itues0 These ae in "act moe closely elated to the theate "om
and also they ae moe e=actin+ ones0 Because i" one stats "om
the pemise that a sta+e is a sta+e>not a con'enient place "o the
un"oldin+ o" a sta+ed no'el o a sta+ed poem o a sta+ed lectue
o a sta+ed stoy>then the (od that is spo!en on this sta+e
e=ists* o "ails to e=ist* only in elation to the tensions it ceates
on that sta+e (ithin the +i'en sta+e cicumstances0 2n othe
(ods* althou+h the damatist bin+s his o(n li"e nutued by
the li"e aound him into his (o!>the empty sta+e is no i'oy
to(e>the choices he ma!es and the 'alues he obse'es ae only
po(e"ul in popotion to (hat they ceate in the lan+ua+e o"
theate0 3any e=amples o" this can be seen (hee'e an autho
"o moal o political easons attempts to use a play as the beae
o" a messa+e0 <hate'e the 'alue o" this messa+e* in the end it
only (o!s accodin+ to 'alues that belon+ to the sta+e itsel"0 An
autho today can easily cheat himsel" i" he thin!s that he can
DuseB a con'entional "om as a 'ehicle0 This (as tue (hen
con'entional "oms still had li"e "o thei audience0 Today (hen
no con'entional "oms stand up any moe* e'en the autho (ho
doesnBt cae about theate as such* but only about (hat he is
tyin+ to say* is compelled to be+in at the oot>by "acin+ the
poblem o" the 'ey natue o" damatic utteance0 Thee is no
(ay out>unless he is pepaed to settle "o a second8hand
'ehicle thatBs no lon+e in (o!in+ ode and 'ey unli!ely to
ta!e him to (hee he (ants to +o0 Hee the authoBs eal poblem
and the diectoBs eal poblem +o hand in +lo'e0
<hen 2 hea a diecto spea!in+ +libly o" se'in+ the autho* o"
lettin+ a play spea! "o itsel"* my suspicions ae aoused*
because this is the hadest Aob o" all0 2" you Aust let a play spea!* it
may not ma!e a sound0 2" (hat you (ant is "o the play to be
THE 9EA97) THEATRE 6&
head* then you must conAue its sound "om it0 This demands
many delibeate actions and the esult may ha'e +eat
simplicity0 Ho(e'e* settin+ out to Dbe simpleB can be ;uite
ne+ati'e* an easy e'asion o" the e=actin+ steps to the simple
ans(e0
2t is a stan+e ole* that o" the diecto? he does not as! to be :od
and yet his ole implies it0 He (ants to be "allible* and yet an
instincti'e conspiacy o" the actos is to ma!e him the abite*
because an abite is so despeately (anted all the time0 2n a
sense the diecto is al(ays an imposte* a +uide at ni+ht (ho
does not !no( the teitoy* and yet he has no choice>he must
+uide* leanin+ the oute as he +oes0 9eadliness o"ten lies in (ait
(hen he does not eco+ni@e this situation* and hopes "o the
best* (hen it is the (ost that he needs to "ace0
9eadliness al(ays bin+s us bac! to epetition? the deadly
diecto uses old "omulae* old methods* old Ao!es* old
e""ectsC stoc! be+innin+s to scenes* stoc! endsC and this
applies e;ually to his patnes* the desi+nes and composes* i"
they do not stat each time a"esh "om the 'oid* the deset and
the tue ;uestion>(hy clothes at all* (hy music* (hat "oG A
deadly diecto is a diecto (ho bin+s no challen+e to the
conditioned e"le=es that e'ey depatment must contain0
1o hal" a centuy at least* it has been accepted that the theate
is a unity and that all elements should ty to blend>this has led
to the eme+ence o" the diecto0 But it has la+ely been a
matte o" e=tenal unity* a "aily e=tenal blendin+ o" styles so
that contadictoy styles do not Aa0 <hen (e conside ho( the
inne unity o" a comple= (o! can be e=pessed (e may "ind
;uite the e'ese>that a Aain+ o" e=tenals is ;uite essential0
<hen (e +o "uthe and conside the audience>and the
society "om (hich the audience comes>the tue unity o" all
6# THE E3PT) SPACE
these elements may best be se'ed by "actos that by othe
standads seem u+ly* discodant and destucti'e0
A stable and hamonious society mi+ht need only to loo! "o
(ays o" e"lectin+ and ea""imin+ its hamony in its theates0
Such theates could set out to unite cast and audience in a
mutual Dyes0B But a shi"tin+* chaotic (old o"ten must choose
bet(een a playhouse that o""es a spuious DyesB o a
po'ocation so ston+ that it splintes its audience into
"a+ments o" 'i'id Dnos0B
7ectuin+ on these themes has tau+ht me a +eat deal0 2 !no(
that at this point someone al(ays leaps up in the audience to
as! (hethe IaJ 2 thin! that all theates that ae not up to the
lo"tiest standads should be closed o IbJ (hethe 2 thin! itBs a
bad thin+ "o people to enAoy themsel'es at a +ood entetainment
o IcJ (hat about the amateusG
3y eply usually is that 2 (ould ne'e li!e to be a censo* ban
anythin+ o spoil anyoneBs "un0 2 ha'e the +eatest e+ad "o the
epetoy theates* and "o +oups all thou+h the (old
stu++lin+ a+ainst +eat odds to sustain the le'el o" thei (o!0 2
ha'e the +eatest espect "o othe peopleBs pleasue and
paticulaly "o anyoneBs "i'olity0 2 came to the theate mysel"
"o sensual and o"ten iesponsible easons0 Entetainment is "ine0
But 2 still as! my ;uestiones (hethe they eally "eel on the (hole
that theates +i'e them (hat they e=pect o (ant0
2 donBt paticulaly mind (aste* but 2 thin! itBs a pity not to !no(
(hat one is (astin+0 Some old ladies use pound notes as
boo!ma!s? this is only silly i" it is absent8minded0
The poblem o" the 9eadly Theate is li!e the poblem o" the
deadly boe0 E'ey deadly boe has head* heat* ams* le+s?
THE 9EA97) THEATRE 6$
usually* he has "amily and "iends? he e'en has his admies0 )et (e
si+h (hen (e come acoss him>and in this si+h (e ae e+ettin+
that someho( he is at the bottom instead o" the top o" his
possibilities0 <hen (e say deadly* (e ne'e mean dead? (e mean
somethin+ depessin+ly acti'e* but "o this 'ey eason capable o"
chan+e0 The "ist step to(ads this chan+e is "acin+ the simple
unattacti'e "act that most o" (hat is called theate any(hee in the
(old is a ta'esty o" a (od once "ull o" sense0 <a o peace* the
colossal band(a+on o" cultue tundles on* cayin+ each atistBs
taces to the e'emountin+ +aba+e heap0 Theates* actos* citics
and public ae inteloc!ed in a machine that cea!s* but ne'e
stops0 Thee is al(ays a ne( season in hand and (e ae too busy to
as! the only 'ital ;uestion (hich measues the (hole stuctue0 <hy
theate at allG <hat "oG 2s it an anachonism* a supeannuated
oddity* su'i'in+ li!e an old monument o a ;uaint customG <hy
do (e applaud* and (hatG Has the sta+e a eal place in ou li'esG
<hat "unction can it ha'eG <hat could it se'eG <hat could it
e=ploeG <hat ae its special popetiesG
2n 3e=ico* be"oe the (heel (as in'ented* +an+s o" sla'es had to
cay +iant stones thou+h the Aun+le and up the mountains* (hile
thei childen pulled thei toys on tiny olles0 The sla'es made
the toys* but "o centuies "ailed to ma!e the connection0 <hen
+ood actos play in bad comedies o second8ate musicals* (hen
audiences applaud indi""eent classics because they enAoy Aust the
costumes o Aust the (ay the sets chan+e* o Aust the pettiness o" the
leadin+ actess* thee is nothin+ (on+0 But none the less* ha'e
they noticed (hat is undeneath the toy they ae da++in+ on a
stin+G 2tBs a (heel0
$
The Holy Theate
2 A3 callin+ it the Holy Theate "o shot* but it could be called
The Theate o" the 2n'isible83ade8Hisible? the notion that the
sta+e is a place (hee the in'isible can appea has a deep hold on
ou thou+hts0 <e ae all a(ae that most o" li"e escapes ou
senses? a most po(e"ul e=planation o" the 'aious ats is that
they tal! o" pattens (hich (e can only be+in to eco+ni@e (hen
they mani"est themsel'es as hythms o shapes0 <e obse'e that
the beha'iou o" people* o" co(ds* o" histoy* obeys such
ecuent pattens0 <e hea that tumpets destoyed the (alls o"
Keicho* (e eco+ni@e that a ma+ical thin+ called music can come
"om men in (hite ties and tails* blo(in+* (a'in+* thumpin+ and
scapin+ a(ay0 9espite the absud means that poduce it* thou+h
the concete in music (e eco+ni@e the abstact* (e undestand
that odinay men and thei clumsy instuments ae tans"omed
by an at o" possession0 <e may ma!e a pesonality cult o" the
conducto* but (e ae a(ae that he is not eally ma!in+ the
music* it is ma!in+ him>i" he is ela=ed* open and attuned* then
the in'isible (ill ta!e possession o" himC thou+h him* it (ill
each us0
This is the notion* the tue deam behind the debased ideals o" the
9eadly Theate0 This is (hat is meant and emembeed by those
(ho (ith "eelin+ and seiousness use bi+ ha@y (ods li!e
nobility* beauty* poety* (hich 2 (ould li!e to e8e=amine "o the
paticula ;uality they su++est0 The theate is the last "oum (hee
idealism is still an open ;uestion? many audiences all o'e the
(old (ill ans(e positi'ely "om thei o(n e=peience that they
ha'e seen the "ace o" the in'isible thou+h an e=peience on the
6%
THE HO7) THEATRE 66
sta+e that tanscended thei e=peience in li"e0 They (ill maintain
that /edi0us o 1erenice or Ha2let o The Three "isters
pe"omed (ith beauty and (ith lo'e "ies the spiit and +i'es
them a eminde that daily dabness is not necessaily all0 <hen
they epoach the contempoay theate "o its !itchen sin!s and
cuelties* this* honouably* is (hat they ae tyin+ to say0 They
emembe ho( duin+ the (a the omantic theate* the theate o"
colous and sounds* o" music and mo'ement* came li!e (ate to
the thist o" dy li'es0 At that time* it (as called escape and yet
the (od (as only patially accuate0 2t (as an escape* but also a
eminde? a spao( in a pison cell0 <hen the (a (as o'e* the
theate a+ain sto'e e'en moe 'i+oously to "ind the same 'alues0
The theate o" the late D6&s had many +loies? it (as the theate o"
Kou'et and BLad* and o" Kean87ouis Baault* o" Cla'e at the
ballet* %on 3uan! A20hitryon! 'a Fol4 de 5haillot! 5ar2en! Kohn
:iel+udBs e'i'al o" The (20ortance of 1eing 6rnest! Peer 7ynt
at the Old Hic* Oli'ieBs /edi0us! Oli'ieBs 8ichard (((! The
'ady$s not for 1urning! *enus /-ser#ed; o" 3assine at Co'ent
:aden unde the bidca+e in the The Three95ornered Hat Aust as
he had been "i"teen yeas be"oe>this (as a theate o" colou and
mo'ement* o" "ine "abics* o" shado(s* o" eccentic* cascadin+
(ods* o" leaps o" thou+ht and o" cunnin+ machines* o" li+htness
and o" all "oms o" mystey and supise>it (as the theate o" a
batteed Euope that seemed to shae one aim>a eachin+ bac!
to(ads a memoy o" lost +ace0
<al!in+ alon+ the Reepebahn in Hambu+ on an a"tenoon in
#-6.* (hilst a damp dispiitin+ +ey mist (hiled ound the
despeate mutilated tats* some on cutches* noses mau'e* chee!s
hollo(* 2 sa( a co(d o" childen pushin+ e=citedly into a ni+ht
club doo0 2 "ollo(ed them0 On the sta+e (as a bi+ht blue s!y0
T(o seedy* span+led clo(ns sat on a painted cloud on thei (ay
to 'isit the Oueen o" Hea'en0 D<hat shall (e as! he "oGB said
64 THE E3PT) SPACE
one0 D9inne*B said the othe and the childen sceamed appo'al0
D<hat shall (e ha'e "o dinneGB DSchin!en* lebe(ust NB the
clo(n be+an to list all the unobtainable "oods and the s;ueals o"
e=citement (ee +adually eplaced by a hush>a hush that settled
into a deep and tue theatical silence0 An ima+e (as bein+ made
eal* in ans(e to the need "o somethin+ that (as not thee0
2n the bunt8out shell o" the Hambu+ Opea only the sta+e itsel"
emained>but an audience assembled on it (hilst a+ainst the
bac! (all on a (a"e8thin set sin+es clambeed up and do(n to
pe"om The 1ar-er of "e#ille! because nothin+ (ould stop them
doin+ so0 2n a tiny attic "i"ty people cammed to+ethe (hile in
the inches o" emainin+ space a hand"ul o" the best actos
esolutely continued to pactise thei at0 2n a uined 9Qsseldo"* a
mino O""enbach about smu++les and bandits "illed the theate
(ith deli+ht0 Thee (as nothin+ to discuss* nothin+ to analyse>in
:emany that (inte* as in 7ondon a "e( yeas be"oe* the theate
(as espondin+ to a hun+e0 <hat* ho(e'e* (as this hun+eG
<as it a hun+e "o the in'isible* a hun+e "o a eality deepe
than the "ullest "om o" e'eyday li"e>o (as it a hun+e "o the
missin+ thin+s o" li"e* a hun+e* in "act* "o bu""es a+ainst ealityG
The ;uestion is an impotant one* because many people belie'e
that in the 'ey ecent past thee still (as a theate (ith cetain
'alues* cetain s!ills* cetain ats that (e pehaps (antonly ha'e
destoyed o cast aside0
<e mustnBt allo( ousel'es to become the dupes o" nostal+ia0
The best o" the omantic theate* the ci'ili@ed pleasues o" the
opea and the ballet (ee in any e'ent +oss eductions o" an at
saced in its oi+ins0 O'e the centuies the Ophic Rites tuned
into the :ala Pe"omance>slo(ly and impeceptibly the (ine
(as adulteated dop by dop0
The cutain used to be the +eat symbol o" a (hole school o"
THE HO7) THEATRE 6.
theate>the ed cutain* the "ootli+hts* the idea that (e ae all
childen a+ain* the nostal+ia and the ma+ic (ee all o" a piece0
:odon Cai+ spent his li"e ailin+ a+ainst the theate o" illusion*
but his most teasued memoies (ee o" painted tees and "oests
and his eyes (ould li+ht up as he descibed e""ects o" tro20e
d$:il) But the day came (hen the same ed cutain no lon+e hid
supises* (hen (e no lon+e (anted>o needed>to be childen
a+ain* (hen the ou+h ma+ic yielded to a hashe common8senseC
then the cutain (as pulled do(n and the "ootli+hts emo'ed0
Cetainly* (e still (ish to captue in ou ats the in'isible cuents
that ule ou li'es* but ou 'ision is no( loc!ed to the da! end o"
the spectum0 Today the theate o" doubtin+* o" unease* o" touble*
o" alam* seems tue than the theate (ith a noble aim0 E'en i"
the theate had in its oi+ins ituals that made the in'isible
incanate* (e must not "o+et that apat "om cetain Oiental
theates these ituals ha'e been eithe lost o emain in seedy
decay0 BachBs 'ision has been scupulously pese'ed by the
accuacy o" his notations? in 1a An+elico (e (itness tue
incanation? but "o us to attempt such pocesses today* (hee do
(e "ind the souceG 2n Co'enty* "o instance* a ne( cathedal has
been built* accodin+ to the best ecipe "o achie'in+ a noble
esult0 Honest* sincee atists* the Dbest*B ha'e been +ouped
to+ethe to ma!e a ci'ili@ed stab at celebatin+ :od and 3an and
Cultue and 7i"e thou+h a collecti'e act0 So thee is a ne(
buildin+* "ine ideas* beauti"ul +lass8(o!>only the itual is
theadbae0 Those Ancient and 3oden hymns* chamin+ pehaps
in a little county chuch* those numbes on the (all* those do+8
collas and the lessons>they ae sadly inade;uate hee0 The ne(
place cies out "o a ne( ceemony* but o" couse it is the ne(
ceemony that should ha'e come "ist>it is the ceemony in all
its meanin+s that should ha'e dictated the shape o" the place* as it
did (hen all the +eat mos;ues and cathedals and temples (ee
built0 :ood(ill* sinceity* e'eence* belie" in cultue ae not ;uite
65 THE E3PT) SPACE
enou+h? the oute "om can only ta!e on eal authoity i" the
ceemony has e;ual authoity>and (ho today can possibly call
the tuneG O" couse* today as at all times* (e need to sta+e tue
ituals* but "o ituals that could ma!e theate8+oin+ an e=peience
that "eeds ou li'es* tue "oms ae needed0 These ae not at ou
disposal* and con"eences and esolutions (ill not bin+ them ou
(ay0
The acto seaches 'ainly "o the sound o" a 'anished tadition*
and citic and audience "ollo( suit0 <e ha'e lost all sense o"
itual and ceemony>(hethe it be connected (ith Chistmas*
bithdays o "uneals>but the (ods emain (ith us and old
impulses sti in the mao(0 <e "eel (e should ha'e ituals* (e
should do Dsomethin+B about +ettin+ them and (e blame the
atists "o not D"indin+B them "o us0 So the atist sometimes
attempts to "ind ne( ituals (ith only his ima+ination as his
souce? he imitates the oute "om o" ceemonies* pa+an o
bao;ue* un"otunately addin+ his o(n tappin+s>the esult is
aely con'incin+0 And a"te the yeas and yeas o" (ea!e and
(ateie imitations (e no( "ind ousel'es eAectin+ the 'ey
notion o" a holy sta+e0 2t is not the "ault o" the holy that it has
become a middle8class (eapon to !eep childen +ood0
<hen 2 "ist (ent to Stat"od in #-64 e'ey concei'able 'alue
(as buied in deadly sentimentality and complacent (othiness>
a taditionalism appo'ed la+ely by to(n* schola and pess0 2t
needed the boldness o" a 'ey e=taodinay old +entleman* Si
Bay Kac!son* to tho( all this out o" the (indo( and so ma!e a
tue seach "o tue 'alues possible once moe0 And it (as at
Stat"od yeas late* at the o""icial luncheon to celebate
Sha!espeaeBs 6&&th bithday* that 2 sa( a clea e=ample o" the
di""eence bet(een (hat a itual is and (hat it could be0 2t (as
"elt that Sha!espeaeBs bithday called "o a itual celebation0 The
only celebation anyone could 'a+uely emembe (as elated to a
THE HO7) THEATRE 6/
"east? and a "east today means a list o" people "om ,ho$s ,ho!
assembled ound Pince Philip* eatin+ smo!ed salmon and stea!0
Ambassados nodded to one anothe and passed the itual ed
(ine0 2 chatted (ith the local 30P0 Then someone made a "omal
speech* (e listened politely>and ose to ou "eet to toast <illiam
Sha!espeae0 At the moment the +lasses clin!ed>"o not moe
than a "action o" a second* thou+h the common consciousness o"
e'eyone pesent and all "o once concentatin+ on the same thin+
>passed the notion that "ou hunded yeas a+o such a man had
been* and that this (as (hat (e (ee assembled "o0 1o a beath
o" time the silence deepened* a touch o" meanin+ (as thee>an
instant late it (as bushed a(ay and "o+otten0 2" (e undestood
moe about ituals* the itual celebation o" an indi'idual to (hom
(e o(e so much mi+ht ha'e been intentional* not accidental0 2t
mi+ht ha'e been as po(e"ul as all his plays* and as un"o+ettable0
Ho(e'e* (e do not !no( ho( to celebate* because (e do not
!no( (hat to celebate0 All (e !no( is the end esult? (e !no(
and (e li!e the "eel and sound o" celebatin+ thou+h applause*
and this is (hee (e +et stuc!0 <e "o+et that thee ae t(o
possible clima=es to a theate e=peience0 Thee is the clima= o"
celebation in (hich ou paticipation e=plodes in stampin+ and
cheein+* shouts o" huah and the oa o" hands* o else* at the
othe end o" the stic!* the clima= o" silence>anothe "om o"
eco+nition and appeciation "o an e=peience shaed0 <e ha'e
la+ely "o+otten silence0 2t e'en embaasses usC (e clap ou
hands mechanically because (e do not !no( (hat else to do* and
(e ae una(ae that silence is also pemitted* that silence also is
+ood0
2t is only (hen a itual comes to ou o(n le'el that (e become
;uali"ied to deal in it? the (hole o" pop music is a seies o" ituals
on a le'el to (hich (e ha'e access0 Pete HallBs 'ast and ich
achie'ement in his cycle o" Sha!espeaeBs D<as o" the RosesB
de( on assassination* politics* inti+ue* (a? 9a'id Rud!inBs
6- THE E3PT) SPACE
distubin+ play Afore ;ight 5o2e (as a itual o" death? ,est "ide
"tory a itual o" uban 'iolence* :enet ceates ituals o" steility
and de+adation0 <hen 2 too! a tou o" Titus Andronicus thou+h
Euope this obscue (o! o" Sha!espeae touched audiences
diectly because (e had tapped in it a itual o" bloodshed (hich
(as eco+ni@ed as tue0 And this leads to the heat o" the
conto'esy that e=ploded in 7ondon about (hat (ee labelled
Ddity playsB? the complaint (as that the theate today is
(allo(in+ in miseyC that in Sha!espeae* in +eat classical at*
one eye is al(ays on the stas* that the ite o" (inte includes a
sense o" the ite o" spin+0 2 thin! this is tue0 2n a sense 2 a+ee
(holeheatedly (ith ou opponents>but not (hen 2 see (hat
they popose0 They ae not seachin+ "o a holy theate* they ae
not tal!in+ about a theate o" miacles? they ae tal!in+ o" the
tame play (hee Dhi+heB only means DniceB>bein+ noble only
means bein+ decent>alas* happy endin+s and optimism canBt be
odeed li!e (ine "om cellas0 They spin+ (hethe (e (ish it o
not "om a souce and i" (e petend thee is such a souce eadily
at hand (e (ill +o on cheatin+ ousel'es (ith otten imitations0 2"
(e eco+ni@e ho( despeately "a (e ha'e di"ted "om anythin+
to do (ith a holy theate (e can be+in to discad once and "o all
the deam that a "ine theate could etun in a tice i" only a "e(
nice people tied hade0
3oe than e'e* (e ca'e "o an e=peience that is beyond the
humdum0 Some loo! "o it in Aa@@* classical music* in maiAuana
and in 7S90 2n the theate (e shy a(ay "om the holy because (e
donBt !no( (hat this could be>(e only !no( that (hat is called
the holy has let us do(n* (e shin! "om (hat is called poetic
because the poetic has let us do(n0 Attempts to e'i'e poetic
dama too o"ten ha'e led to somethin+ (ishy8(ashy o obscue0
Poety has become a meanin+less tem* and its association (ith
(od8music* (ith s(eet sounds* is a han+o'e o" a Tennysonian
tadition that has someho( (apped itsel" ound Sha!espeae* so
THE HO7) THEATRE 4&
that (e ae conditioned by the idea that a 'ese play is hal"8(ay
bet(een pose and the opea* neithe spo!en no sun+* yet (ith a
hi+he cha+e than pose>hi+he in content* hi+he someho( in
moal 'alue0
All the "oms o" saced at ha'e cetainly been destoyed by
bou+eois 'alues but this sot o" obse'ation does not help ou
poblem0 2t is "oolish to allo( a e'ulsion "om bou+eois "oms to
tun into a e'ulsion "om needs that ae common to all men? i"
the need "o a tue contact (ith a saced in'isibility thou+h the
theate still e=ists* then all possible 'ehicles must be e8e=amined0
2 ha'e sometimes been accused o" (antin+ to destoy the spo!en
(od* and indeed in this absudity theeBs a +ain o" sense0 2n its
"usion (ith the Ameican idiom ou e'e8chan+in+ lan+ua+e has
aely been iche* and yet it does not seem that the (od is the
same tool "o damatists that it once (as0 2s it that (e ae li'in+ in
an a+e o" ima+esG 2s it e'en that (e must +o thou+h a peiod o"
ima+e8satuation* "o the need "o lan+ua+e to e8eme+eG This is
'ey possible* "o today (ites seem unable to ma!e ideas and
ima+es collide thou+h (ods (ith Eli@abethan "oce0 The most
in"luential o" moden (ites* Becht* (ote "ull and ich te=ts* but
the eal con'iction o" his plays is insepaable "om the ima+ey o"
his o(n poductions0 )et in the deset one pophet aised his
'oice0 Railin+ a+ainst the steility o" the theate be"oe the (a in
1ance an illuminated +enius* Antoine Ataud* (ote tacts
descibin+ "om his ima+ination and intuition anothe theate>a
Holy Theate in (hich the bla@in+ cente spea!s thou+h those
"oms closest to it0 A theate (o!in+ li!e the pla+ue* by
into=ication* by in"ection* by analo+y* by ma+icC a theate in
(hich the play* the e'ent itsel"* stands in place o" a te=t0
2s thee anothe lan+ua+e* Aust as e=actin+ "o the autho* as a
lan+ua+e o" (odsG 2s thee a lan+ua+e o" actions* a lan+ua+e o"
4# THE E3PT) SPACE
sounds>a lan+ua+e o" (od8as8pat8o" mo'ement* o" (od8as8lie*
(od8as8paody* o" (od8as8ubbish* o" (od8as8contadiction* o"
(od8shoc! o (od8cyG 2" (e tal! o" the moe8than8liteal* i"
poety means that (hich cams moe and penetates deepe>is
this (hee it liesG Chales 3ao(it@ and 2 instituted a +oup (ith
the Royal Sha!espeae Theate called the Theate o" Cuelty to
in'esti+ate these ;uestions and to ty to lean "o ousel'es (hat a
holy theate mi+ht be0
The title (as by (ay o" homa+e to Ataud* but it did not mean
that (e (ee tyin+ to econstuct AtaudBs o(n theate0 Anyone
(ho (ishes to !no( (hat DTheate o" CueltyB means should e"e
diectly to AtaudBs o(n (itin+s0 <e used his sti!in+ title to
co'e ou o(n e=peiments* many o" (hich (ee diectly
stimulated by AtaudBs thou+ht>althou+h many e=ecises (ee
'ey "a "om (hat he had poposed0 <e did not stat at the
bla@in+ cente* (e be+an 'ey simply on the "in+es0
<e set an acto in "ont o" us* as!ed him to ima+ine a damatic
situation that did not in'ol'e any physical mo'ement* then (e all
tied to undestand (hat state he (as in0 O" couse* this (as
impossible* (hich (as the point o" the e=ecise0 The ne=t sta+e
(as to disco'e (hat (as the 'ey least he needed be"oe
undestandin+ could be eached? (as it a sound* a mo'ement* a
hythm>and (ee these intechan+eable>o had each its special
sten+ths and limitationsG So (e (o!ed by imposin+ dastic
conditions0 An acto must communicate an idea>the stat must
al(ays be a thou+ht o a (ish that he has to poAect>but he has
only* say* one "in+e* one tone o" 'oice* a cy* o the capacity to
(histle at his disposal0
An acto sits at one end o" the oom* "acin+ the (all0 At the othe
end anothe acto* loo!in+ at the "ist oneBs bac!* not allo(ed to
mo'e0 The second acto must ma!e the "ist one obey him0 As the
THE HO7) THEATRE 4$
"ist one has his bac! tuned* the second has no (ay o"
communicatin+ his (ishes e=cept thou+h sounds* "o he is
allo(ed no (ods0 This seems impossible* but it can be done0 2t is
li!e cossin+ an abyss on a ti+htope? necessity suddenly poduces
stan+e po(es0 2 ha'e head o" a (oman li"tin+ a hu+e ca o"" he
inAued child>a "eat technically impossible "o he muscles in
any pedictable conditions0 7udmilla Pitoe"" used to +o on sta+e
(ith he heat poundin+ in a (ay that in theoy should ha'e !illed
he e'ey ni+ht0 <ith this e=ecise* many times (e also obse'ed
an e;ually phenomenal esult? a lon+ silence* +eat concentation*
one acto unnin+ e=peimentally thou+h a an+e o" hisses o
+u+les until suddenly the othe acto stood and ;uite con"idently
e=ecuted the mo'ement the "ist one had in mind0
Similaly these actos e=peimented in communication thou+h
tappin+ (ith a "in+e8nail? statin+ "om a po(e"ul need to
e=pess somethin+ and a+ain usin+ only one tool0 Hee it (as
hythm>on anothe occasion* it (as the eyes o the bac! o" the
head0 A 'aluable e=ecise (as to "i+ht in patnes* ta!in+ and
+i'in+ bac! e'ey blo(* but ne'e bein+ allo(ed to touch* ne'e
mo'in+ the head* no the ams* no "eet0 2n othe (ods a
mo'ement o" the toso is all that is allo(ed? no ealistic contact
can ta!e place* yet a "i+ht must be en+a+ed physically*
emotionally and caied thou+h0 Such e=ecises should not be
thou+ht o" as +ymnastics>"eein+ muscula esistance is only a
by8poduct>the pupose all the time is to incease esistance>by
limitin+ the altenati'es>and then usin+ this esistance in the
stu++le "o a tue e=pession0 The pinciple is the one o" ubbin+
t(o stic!s to+ethe0 This "iction o" unyieldin+ opposites ma!es
"ie>and othe "oms o" combustion can be obtained in the same
(ay0 The acto then "ound that to communicate his in'isible
meanin+s he needed concentation* he needed (illC he needed to
summon all his emotional ese'esC he needed coua+eC he needed
clea thou+ht0 But the most impotant esult (as that he (as led
4% THE E3PT) SPACE
ine=oably to the conclusion that he needed "om0 2t (as not
enou+h to "eel passionately>a ceati'e leap (as e;uied to mint
a ne( "om (hich could be a containe and a e"lecto "o his
impulses0 That is (hat is tuly called an Daction0B One o" the most
inteestin+ moments (as duin+ an e=ecise in (hich each
membe o" the +oup had to act a child0 Natually* one a"te the
othe did an DimitationB o" a child by stoopin+* (i++lin+* o
s;ua(!in+ > and the esult (as pain"ully embaassin+0 Then the
tallest o" the +oup came "o(ad and (ithout any physical
chan+e at all* (ith no attempt to imitate baby tal!* he pesented
"ully to e'eyoneBs complete satis"action the idea that he had been
called upon to cay0 Ho(G 2 canBt descibe itC it happened as
diect communication* only "o those pesent0 This is (hat some
theates call ma+ic* othes science* but itBs the same thin+0 An
in'isible idea (as i+htly sho(n0
2 say Dsho(nB because an acto ma!in+ a +estue is both ceatin+
"o himsel" out o" his deepest need and yet "o the othe peson0 2t
is had to undestand the tue notion o" spectato* thee and not
thee* i+noed and yet needed0 The actoBs (o! is ne'e "o an
audience* yet al(ays is "o one0 The onloo!e is a patne (ho
must be "o+otten and still constantly !ept in mind? a +estue is
statement* e=pession* communication and a pi'ate mani"estation
o" loneliness>it is al(ays (hat Ataud calls a si+nal thou+h the
"lames>yet this implies a shain+ o" e=peience* once contact is
made0
Slo(ly (e (o!ed to(ads di""eent (odless lan+ua+es? (e too!
an e'ent* a "a+ment o" e=peience and made e=ecises that tuned
them into "oms that could be shaed0 <e encoua+ed the actos to
see themsel'es not only as impo'ises* lendin+ themsel'es
blindly to thei inne impulses* but as atists esponsible "o
seachin+ and selectin+ amon+st "om* so that a +estue o a cy
becomes li!e an obAect that he disco'es and e'en emoulds0 <e
THE HO7) THEATRE 46
e=peimented (ith and came to eAect the taditional lan+ua+e o"
mas!s and ma!eups as no lon+e appopiate0 <e e=peimented
(ith silence0 <e set out to disco'e the elations bet(een silence
and duation? (e needed an audience so that (e could set a silent
acto in "ont o" them to see the 'ayin+ len+ths o" attention he
could command0 Then (e e=peimented (ith itual in the sense o"
epetiti'e pattens* seein+ ho( it is possible to pesent moe
meanin+* moe s(i"tly than by a lo+ical un"oldin+ o" e'ents0 Ou
aim "o each e=peiment* +ood o bad* success"ul o disastous*
(as the same? can the in'isible be made 'isible thou+h the
pe"omeBs pesenceG
<e !no( that the (old o" appeaance is a cust>unde the cust
is the boilin+ matte (e see i" (e pee into a 'olcano0 Ho( can
(e tap this ene+yG <e studied 3eyeholdBs bio8mechanical
e=peiments* (hee he played lo'e scenes on s(in+s and in one o"
ou pe"omances a Hamlet the( Ophelia on to the !nees o" the
audience* (hile he s(un+ abo'e thei heads on a ope0 <e (ee
denyin+ psycholo+y* (e (ee tyin+ to smash the appaently
(ate8ti+ht di'isions bet(een the pi'ate and the public man? the
oute man (hose beha'iou is bound by the photo+aphic ules o"
e'eyday li"e* (ho must sit to sit* stand to stand>and the inne
man (hose anachy and poety is usually e=pessed only in his
(ods0 1o centuies* unealistic speech has been uni'esally
accepted* all sots o" audiences ha'e s(allo(ed the con'ention
that (ods can do the stan+est thin+s>in a monolo+ue* "o
instance* a man stays still but his ideas can dance (hee they (ill0
Haultin+ speech is a +ood con'ention* but is thee anotheG <hen
a man "lies o'e the audienceBs head on a ope* e'ey aspect o" the
immediate is put in Aeopady>the cicle o" spectatos that is at
ease (hen the man spea!s is tho(n into chaos? in this instant o"
ha@ad can a di""eent meanin+ appeaG
2n natualistic plays the play(i+ht conti'es the dialo+ue in such
44 THE E3PT) SPACE
a (ay that (hile seemin+ natual it sho(s (hat he (ants to be
seen0 By usin+ lan+ua+e illo+ically* by intoducin+ the idiculous
in speech and the "antastic in beha'iou* an autho o" the Theate
o" the Absud opens up "o himsel" anothe 'ocabulay0 1o
instance* a ti+e comes into the oom* but the couple ta!e no
notice? the (i"e spea!s* the husband ans(es by ta!in+ o"" his
pants and a ne( pai "loats in thou+h the (indo(0 The theate o"
the Absud did not see! the uneal "o its o(n sa!e0 2t used the
uneal to ma!e cetain e=ploations* because it sensed the absence
o" tuth in ou e'eyday e=chan+es* and the pesence o" the tuth
in the seemin+ "a8"etched0 Althou+h thee ha'e been some e8
ma!able indi'idual (o!s stemmin+ "om this appoach to the
(old* as a eco+ni@able school the Absud has eached an
impasse0 7i!e so much that is no'el in te=tue* li!e much concete
music* "o instance* the supise element (eas thin* and (e ae
le"t to "ace the "act that the "ield it co'es is sometimes 'ey
small0 1antasy in'ented by the mind is apt to be li+ht(ei+ht* the
(himsicality and the suealism o" much o" the Absud (ould no
moe ha'e satis"ied Ataud than the nao(ness o" the
psycholo+ical play0 <hat he (anted in his seach "o a holiness
(as absolute? he (anted a theate that (ould be a hallo(ed place?
he (anted that theate se'ed by a band o" dedicated actos and
diectos (ho (ould ceate out o" thei o(n natues an unendin+
succession o" 'iolent sta+e ima+es* bin+in+ about such po(e"ul
immediate e=plosions o" human matte that no one (ould e'e
a+ain e'et to a theate o" anecdote and tal!0 He (anted the
theate to contain all that nomally is ese'ed "o cime and (a0
He (anted an audience that (ould dop all its de"ences* that
(ould allo( itsel" to be pe"oated* shoc!ed* statled* and aped*
so that at the same time it could be "illed (ith a po(e"ul ne(
cha+e0
This sounds temendous* yet it aises a na++in+ doubt0 Ho(
passi'e does this ma!e the spectatoG Ataud maintained that only
THE HO7) THEATRE 4.
in the theate could (e libeate ousel'es "om the eco+ni@able
"oms in (hich (e li'e ou daily li'es0
This made the theate a holy place in (hich a +eate eality could
be "ound0 Those (ho 'ie( his (o! (ith suspicion as! ho( all8
embacin+ is this tuth* and secondly* ho( 'aluable is the
e=peienceG A totem* a cy "om the (omb? these can cac!
thou+h (alls o" peAudice in any man? a ho(l can cetainly each
thou+h to the +uts0 But is this e'ealin+* is this contact (ith ou
o(n epessions ceati'e* theapeuticG 2s it eally holy>o is
Ataud in his passion da++in+ us bac! to a nethe (old* a(ay
"om sti'in+* a(ay "om the li+ht>to 90 H0 7a(ence* <a+neC
is thee e'en a "ascist smell in the cult o" uneasonG 2s a cult o"
the in'isible* anti8intelli+entG 2s it a denial o" the mindG
As (ith all pophets* (e must sepaate the man "om his
"ollo(es0 Ataud ne'e attained his o(n theate* maybe the
po(e o" his 'ision is that it is the caot in "ont o" ou nose*
ne'e to be eached0 Cetainly* he himsel" (as al(ays spea!in+ o"
a complete (ay o" li"e* o" a theate in (hich the acti'ity o" the
acto and the acti'ity o" the spectato ae di'en by the same
despeate need0
Ataud applied is Ataud betayed? betayed because it is al(ays
Aust a potion o" his thou+ht that is e=ploited* betayed because it
is easie to apply ules to the (o! o" a hand"ul o" dedicated
actos than to the li'es o" the un!no(n spectatos (ho happened
by chance to come thou+h the theate doo0
None the less* "om the aestin+ (ods DTheate o" CueltyB
comes a +opin+ to(ads a theate* moe 'iolent* less ational*
moe e=teme* less 'ebal* moe dan+eous0 Thee is a Aoy in
'iolent shoc!s? the only touble (ith 'iolent shoc!s is that they
(ea o""0 <hat "ollo(s a shoc!G HeeBs the sna+0 2 "ie a pistol at
45 THE E3PT) SPACE
the spectato>2 did so once>and "o a second 2 ha'e a
possibility to each him in a di""eent (ay0 2 must elate this
possibility to a pupose* othe(ise a moment late he is bac!
(hee he (as? inetia is the +eatest "oce (e !no(0 2 sho( a
sheet o" blue>nothin+ but the colou blue>blueness is a diect
statement that aouses an emotion* the ne=t second that
impession "ades? 2 hold up a billiant "lash o" scalet>a di""eent
impession is made* but unless someone can +ab this moment*
!no(in+ (hy and ho( and (hat "o>it too be+ins to (ane0 The
touble is that one can easily "ind onesel" "iin+ the "ist shots
(ithout any sense o" (hee the battle could lead0 One loo! at the
a'ea+e audience +i'es us an iesistible u+e to assault it>to
shoot "ist and as! ;uestions late0 This is the oad to the
Happenin+0
A Happenin+ is a po(e"ul in'ention* it destoys at one blo(
many deadly "oms* li!e the deainess o" theate buildin+s* and
the chamless tappin+s o" cutain* usheette* cloa!oom*
po+amme* ba0 A Happenin+ can be any(hee* any time* o" any
duation? nothin+ is e;uied* nothin+ is taboo0 A Happenin+ may
be spontaneous* it may be "omal* it may be anachistic* it can
+eneate into=icatin+ ene+y0 Behind the Happenin+ is the shout
D<a!e upMB Han :o+h made +eneations o" ta'elles see
Po'ence (ith ne( eyes* and the theoy o" Happenin+s is that a
spectato can be Aolted e'entually into ne( si+ht* so that he (a!es
to the li"e aound him0 This sounds li!e sense* and in Happenin+s*
the in"luence o" Ren and Pop At combine to ma!e a pe"ectly
lo+ical t(entieth8centuy Ameican combination0 But the sadness
o" a bad Happenin+ must be seen to be belie'ed0 :i'e a child a
paintbo=* and i" he mi=es all the colous to+ethe the esult is
al(ays the same muddy bo(ny +ey0 A Happenin+ is al(ays the
bainchild o" someone and una'oidably it e"lects the le'el o" its
in'ento? i" it is the (o! o" a +oup* it e"lects the inne esouces
o" the +oup0 This "ee "om is all too o"ten impisoned in the
THE HO7) THEATRE 4/
same obsessional symbolsC "lou* custad pies* olls o" pape*
dessin+* undessin+* dessin+8up* undessin+ a+ain* chan+in+
clothes* ma!in+ (ate* tho(in+ (ate* blo(in+ (ate* hu++in+*
ollin+* (ithin+>you "eel that i" a Happenin+ became a (ay o"
li"e then by contast the most humdum li"e (ould seem a
"antastic happenin+0 Hey easily a Happenin+ can be no moe
than a seies o" mild shoc!s "ollo(ed by let8do(ns (hich
po+essi'ely combine to neutali@e the "uthe shoc!s be"oe they
ai'e0 O else the "en@y o" the shoc!e blud+eons the shoc!ee
into becomin+ still anothe "om o" the 9eadly Audience>he
stats (illin+ and is assaulted into apathy0
The simple "act is that Happenin+s ha'e bou+ht into bein+ not
the easiest but the most e=actin+ "oms o" all0 As shoc!s and
supises ma!e a dent in a spectatoBs e"le=es* so that he is
suddenly moe open* moe alet* moe a(a!e* the possibility and
the esponsibility aise "o onloo!e and pe"ome ali!e0 The
instant must be used* but ho(* (hat "oG Hee* (e ae bac! to the
oot ;uestion>(hat ae (e seachin+ "o any(ayG 9o8it8yousel"
Ren hadly "its the bill0 The Happenin+ is a ne( boom o" +eat
e""icacity? it is cetainly s(eepin+ a(ay the ubbish* but as it
cleas the (ay the old dialo+ue is head a+ain* the debate o" "om
a+ainst "omless* "eedom a+ainst disciplineC a dialectic as old as
Pytha+oas* (ho "ist set in opposition the tems 7imit and
Unlimited0 2t is all 'ey (ell to use cumbs o" Ren to asset the
pinciple that e=istence is e=istence* that e'ey mani"estation
contains (ithin it all o" e'eythin+* and that a slap on the "ace* a
t(ea! o" the nose o a custad pie ae all e;ually Buddha0 All
eli+ions asset that the in'isible is 'isible all the time0 But heeBs
the cunch0 Reli+ious teachin+>includin+ Ren>assets that this
'isible8in'isible cannot be seen automatically>it can only be
seen +i'en cetain conditions0 The conditions can elate to cetain
states o to a cetain undestandin+0 2n any e'ent* to compehend
the 'isibility o" the in'isible is a li"eBs (o!0 Holy at is an aid to
4- THE E3PT) SPACE
this* and so (e ai'e at a de"inition o" a holy theate0 A holy
theate not only pesents the in'isible but also o""es conditions
that ma!e its peception possible0 The Happenin+ could be elated
to all o" this* but the pesent inade;uacy o" the Happenin+ is that
it e"uses to e=amine deeply the poblem o" peception0 Nai'ely it
belie'es that the cy D<a!e upMB is enou+h? that the call D7i'eMB
bin+s li"e0 O" couse* moe is needed0 But (hatG
A happenin+ (as oi+inally intended to be a painteBs ceation>
(hich instead o" paint and can'as* o +lue and sa(dust* o solid
obAects* used people to ma!e cetain elationships and "oms0 7i!e
a paintin+* a happenin+ is intended as a ne( obAect* a ne(
constuction bou+ht into the (old* to enich the (old* to add to
natue* to sit alon+side e'eyday li"e0 To those (ho "ind
happenin+s deay the suppote etots that any one thin+ is as
+ood as anothe0 2" some seem D(oseB than othes* this* they say*
is the esult o" the spectatoBs conditionin+ and his Aaded eye0
Those (ho ta!e pat in a happenin+ and +et a !ic! out o" doin+ so
can a""od to e+ad the outsideBs boedom (ith indi""eence0 The
'ey "act that they paticipate hei+htens thei peception0 The man
(ho puts on a dinne Aac!et "o the opea* sayin+* D2 enAoy a sense
o" occasion* and the hippy (ho puts on a "lo(eed suit "o an all8
ni+ht li+ht8sho( ae both eachin+ incoheently in the same
diection0 Occasion* E'ent* Happenin+>the (ods ae
intechan+eable0 The stuctues ae di""eent>the opea is
constucted and epeated accodin+ to taditional pinciples* the
li+ht8sho( un"olds "o the "ist and last time accodin+ to accident
and en'ionmentC but both ae delibeately constucted social
+athein+s that see! "o an in'isibility to intepenetate and
animate the odinay0 Those o" us (ho (o! in theates ae
implicitly challen+ed to +o ahead to meet this hun+e0
Thee ae many people attemptin+ in thei o(n (ays to ta!e up
the challen+e0 2 (ill ;uote thee0
THE HO7) THEATRE .&
Thee is 3ece Cunnin+ham0 Stemmin+ "om 3atha :aham* he
has e'ol'ed a ballet company (hose daily e=ecises ae a
continual pepaation "o the shoc! o" "eedom0 A classical dance
is tained to obse'e and "ollo( e'ey detail o" a mo'ement that
he is +i'en0 He has tained his body to obey* his techni;ue is his
se'ant* so that instead o" bein+ (apped up in the doin+ o" the
mo'ement he can let the mo'ement un"old in intimate company
(ith the un"oldin+ o" the music0 3ece Cunnin+hamBs dances*
(ho ae hi+hly tained* use thei discipline to be moe a(ae o"
the "ine cuents that "lo( (ithin a mo'ement as it un"olds "o the
"ist time>and thei techni;ue enables them to "ollo( this "ine
pomptin+* "eed "om the clumsiness o" the untained man0 <hen
they impo'ise>as notions ae bon and "lo( bet(een them*
ne'e epeatin+ themsel'es* al(ays in mo'ement>the inte'als
ha'e shape* so that the hythms can be sensed as Aust and the
popotions as tue? all is spontaneous and yet thee is ode0 2n
silence thee ae many potentialitiesC chaos o ode* muddle o
patten* all lie "allo(>the in'isible made 'isible is o" a saced
natue* and as he dances 3ece Cunnin+ham sti'es "o a holy at0
Pehaps the most intense and pesonal (itin+ o" ou time comes
"om Samuel Bec!ett0 Bec!ettBs plays ae symbols in an e=act
sense o" the (od0 A "alse symbol is so"t and 'a+ue? a tue symbol
is had and clea0 <hen (e say DsymbolicB (e o"ten mean
somethin+ deaily obscue? a tue symbol is speci"ic* it is the
only "om a cetain tuth can ta!e0 The t(o men (aitin+ by a
stunted tee* the man ecodin+ himsel" on tapes* the t(o men
maooned in a to(e* the (oman buied to he (aist in sand* the
paents in the dustbins* the thee heads in the uns? these ae pue
in'entions* "esh ima+es shaply de"ined>and they stand on the
sta+e as obAects0 They ae theate machines0 People smile at them*
but they hold thei +ound? they ae citic8poo"0 <e +et no(hee
i" (e e=pect to be told (hat they mean* yet each one has a
.# THE E3PT) SPACE
elation (ith us (e canBt deny0 2" (e accept this* the symbol
opens in us a +eat and (ondein+ O0
This is ho( Bec!ettBs da! plays ae plays o" li+ht* (hee the
despeate obAect ceated is (itness o" the "eocity o" the (ish to
bea (itness to the tuth0 Bec!ett does not say DnoB (ith
satis"actionC he "o+es his meciless DnoB out o" a lon+in+ "o DyesB
and so his despai is the ne+ati'e "om (hich the contou o" its
opposite can be da(n0
Thee ae t(o (ays o" spea!in+ about the human condition? thee
is the pocess o" inspiation>by (hich all the positi'e elements
o" li"e can be e'ealed* and thee is the pocess o" honest 'ision>
by (hich the atist beas (itness to (hate'e it is that he has seen0
The "ist pocess depends on e'elationC it canBt be bou+ht about
by holy (ishes0 The second one depends on honesty* and it
mustnBt be clouded o'e by holy (ishes0
Bec!ett e=pesses Aust this distinction in Ha00y %ays) The
optimism o" the lady buied in the +ound is not a 'itue* it is the
element that blinds he to the tuth o" he situation0 1o a "e( ae
"lashes she +limpses he condition* but at once she blots them out
(ith he +ood chee0 Bec!ettBs action on some o" his audience is
e=actly li!e the action o" this situation on the leadin+ chaacte0
The audience (i++les* s;uims and ya(ns* it (al!s out o else
in'ents and pints e'ey "om o" ima+inay complaint as a
mechanism to (ad o"" the uncom"otable tuth0 Sadly* it is the
(ish "o optimism that many (ites shae that pe'ents them
"om "indin+ hope0 <hen (e attac! Bec!ett "o pessimism it is (e
(ho ae the Bec!ett chaactes tapped in a Bec!ett scene0 <hen
(e accept Bec!ettBs statement as it is* then suddenly all is
tans"omed0 Thee is a"te all ;uite anothe audience* Bec!ettBs
audienceC those in e'ey county (ho do not set up intellectual
baies* (ho do not ty too had to analyse the messa+e0 This
THE HO7) THEATRE .$
audience lau+hs and cies out>and in the end celebates (ith
Bec!ettC this audience lea'es his plays* his blac! plays* nouished
and eniched* (ith a li+hte heat* "ull o" a stan+e iational Aoy0
Poety* nobility* beauty* ma+ic>suddenly these suspect (ods
ae bac! in the theate once moe0
2n Poland thee is a small company led by a 'isionay* Ke@y
:oto(s!i* that also has a saced aim0 The theate* he belie'es*
cannot be an end in itsel"C li!e dancin+ o music in cetain de'ish
odes* the theate is a 'ehicle* a means "o sel"8study* sel"8
e=ploationC a possibility o" sal'ation0 The acto has himsel" as his
"ield o" (o!0 This "ield is iche than that o" the painte* iche
than that o" the musician* because to e=ploe he needs to call on
e'ey aspect o" himsel"0 His hand* his eye* his ea* and his heat
ae (hat he is studyin+ and (hat he is studyin+ (ith0 Seen this
(ay* actin+ is a li"eBs (o!>the acto is step by step e=tendin+
his !no(led+e o" himsel" thou+h the pain"ul* e'echan+in+
cicumstances o" eheasal and the temendous punctuation points
o" pe"omance0 2n :oto(s!iBs teminolo+y* the acto allo(s a
ole to DpenetateB himC at "ist he is all obstacle to it* but by con8
stant (o! he ac;uies technical mastey o'e his physical and
psychic means by (hich he can allo( the baies to dop0 DAuto8
penetationB by the ole is elated to e=posue? the acto does not
hesitate to sho( himsel" e=actly as he is* "o he eali@es that the
secet o" the ole demands his openin+ himsel" up* disclosin+ his
o(n secets0 So that the act o" pe"omance is an act o" saci"ice*
o" saci"icin+ (hat most men pe"e to hide>this saci"ice is his
+i"t to the spectato0 Hee thee is a simila elation bet(een acto
and audience to the one bet(een piest and (oshippe0 2t is
ob'ious that not e'eyone is called to piesthood and no
taditional eli+ion e=pects this o" all men0 Thee ae laymen>
(ho ha'e necessay oles in li"e>and those (ho ta!e on othe
budens* "o the laymenBs sa!e0 The piest pe"oms the itual "o
himsel" and on behal" o" othes0 :oto(s!iBs actos o""e thei
.% THE E3PT) SPACE
pe"omance as a ceemony "o those (ho (ish to assist? the acto
in'o!es* lays bae (hat lies in e'ey man > and (hat daily li"e
co'es up0 This theate is holy because its pupose is holyC it has a
clealy de"ined place in the community and it esponds to a need
the chuches can no lon+e "ill0 :oto(s!iBs theate is as close as
anyone has +ot to AtaudBs ideal0 2t is a complete (ay o" li"e "o
all its membes* and so it is in contast (ith most othe a#ant9
garde and e=peimental +oups (hose (o! is scambled and
usually in'alidated thou+h lac! o" means0 3ost e=peimental
poducts cannot do (hat they (ant because outside conditions ae
too hea'ily loaded a+ainst them0 They ha'e scatch casts*
eheasal time eaten into by the need to ean thei li'in+*
inade;uate sets* costumes* li+hts* etc0 Po'ety is thei complaint
and thei e=cuse0 :oto(s!i ma!es po'ety an idealC his actos
ha'e +i'en up e'eythin+ e=cept thei o(n bodiesC they ha'e the
human instument and limitless time>no (onde they "eel the
ichest theate in the (old0
These thee theates* Cunnin+ham* :oto(s!i* and Bec!ett ha'e
se'eal thin+s in commonC small means* intense (o!* i+oous
discipline* absolute pecision0 Also* almost as a condition* they
ae theates "o an elite) 3ece Cunnin+ham usually plays to poo
houses* and i" his admies ae scandali@ed by his lac! o" suppot
he himsel" ta!es it in his stide0 Bec!ett only aely "ills an
a'ea+e si@ed auditoium0 :oto(s!i plays "o thity spectatos>
as a delibeate choice0 He is con'inced that the poblems "acin+
himsel" and the acto ae so +eat that to conside a la+e
audience could only lead to a dilution o" the (o!0 He said to me?
D3y seach is based on the diecto and the acto0 )ou base yous
on the diecto* acto* audience0 2 accept that this is possible* but
"o me it is too indiect0B 2s he i+htG Ae these the only possible
theates to touch DealityGB They ae cetainly tue to themsel'es*
they cetainly "ace the basic ;uestion* D<hy theate at allGB and
each one has "ound its ans(e0 They each stat "om thei hun+e*
THE HO7) THEATRE .6
each (o!s to lessen his o(n need0 And yet the 'ey puity o"
thei esol'e* the hi+h and seious natue o" thei acti'ity
ine'itably bin+s a0 colou to thei choices and a limitation to thei
"ield0 They ae unable to be both esoteic and popula at one and
the same time0 Thee is no co(d in Bec!ett* no 1alsta""0 1o
3ece Cunnin+ham* as once "o Schoenbe+* it (ould need a tour
de force to e8in'ent Rin+ a in+ oB Roses o to (histle 7od "a#e
The <ueen) 2n li"e* :oto(s!iBs leadin+ acto a'idly collects Aa@@
ecods* but thee ae no pop lyics on the sta+e (hich is his li"e0
These theates e=ploe li"e* yet (hat counts as li"e is esticted0
DRealB li"e pecludes cetain DunealB "eatues0 2" (e ead today
AtaudBs desciptions o" his ima+inay poductions* they e"lect
his o(n tastes and the cuent omantic ima+ey o" his time* "o
thee is a cetain pe"eence "o da!ness and mystey* "o
chantin+* "o uneathly cies* "o sin+le (ods athe than
sentences* "o 'ast shapes* mas!s* "o !in+s and empeos and
popes* "o saints and sinnes and "la+ellants* "o blac! ti+hts and
(ithin+ na!ed s!in0
A diecto dealin+ (ith elements that e=ist outside o" himsel" can
cheat himsel" into thin!in+ his (o! moe obAecti'e than it is0 By
his choice o" e=ecises* e'en by the (ay he encoua+es an acto to
"ind his o(n "eedom* a diecto cannot help poAectin+ his o(n
state o" mind on to the sta+e0 The supeme AuAitsu (ould be "o the
diecto to stimulate such an outpouin+ o" the actoBs inne
ichness that it completely tans"oms the subAecti'e natue o" his
oi+inal impulse0 But usually the diecto o the choeo+apheBs
patten sho(s thou+h and it is hee that the desied obAecti'e
e=peience can tun into the e=pession o" some indi'idual
diectoBs pi'ate ima+ey0 <e can ty to captue the in'isible but
(e must not lose touch (ith common8sense>i" ou lan+ua+e is
too special (e (ill lose pat o" the spectatoBs belie"0 The model*
as al(ays* is Sha!espeae0 His aim continually is holy*
metaphysical* yet he ne'e ma!es the mista!e o" stayin+ too lon+
.4 THE E3PT) SPACE
on the hi+hest plane0 He !ne( ho( had it is "o us to !eep
company (ith the absolute>so he continually bumps us do(n to
eath > and :oto(s!i eco+ni@es this* spea!in+ o" the need "o
both DapotheosisB and Ddeision0B <e ha'e to accept that (e can
ne'e see all o" the in'isible0 So a"te stainin+ to(ads it* (e
ha'e to "ace de"eat* dop do(n to eath* then stat up a+ain0
2 ha'e e"ained "om intoducin+ the 7i'in+ Theate until no(
because this +oup* led by Kulian Bec! and Kudith 3alina* is
special in e'ey sense o" the (od0 2t is a nomad community0 2t
mo'es acoss the (old accodin+ to its o(n la(s and o"ten in
contadiction to the la(s o" the county in (hich it happens to be0
2t po'ides a complete (ay o" li"e "o e'ey one o" its membes*
some thity men and (omen (ho li'e and (o! to+etheC they
ma!e lo'e* poduce childen* act* in'ent plays* do physical and
spiitual e=ecises* shae and discuss e'eythin+ that comes thei
(ay0 Abo'e all* they ae a communityC but they ae only a
community because they ha'e a special "unction (hich +i'es thei
communal e=istence its meanin+0 This "unction is actin+0 <ithout
actin+ the +oup (ould un dy? they pe"om because the act and
"act o" pe"omin+ coesponds to a +eat shaed need0 They ae in
seach o" meanin+ in thei li'es* and in a sense e'en i" thee (ee
no audiences* they (ould still ha'e to pe"om* because the
theatical e'ent is the clima= and cente o" thei seach0 )et
(ithout an audience thei pe"omances (ould lose thei
substance>the audience is al(ays the challen+e (ithout (hich a
pe"omance (ould be a sham0 Also* it is a pactical community
that ma!es pe"omances "o a li'in+ and o""es them "o sale0 2n
the 7i'in+ Theate* thee needs become one? it e=ists "o the sa!e
o" pe"omin+* it eans its li'in+ thou+h pe"omin+ and its
pe"omances contain the most intense and intimate moments o"
its collecti'e li"e0
One day this caa'an may halt0 This could be in a hostile
THE HO7) THEATRE ..
en'ionment>li!e its oi+ins in Ne( )o!>in (hich case its
"unction (ill be to po'o!e and di'ide audiences by inceasin+
thei a(aeness o" uncom"otable contadiction bet(een a (ay o"
li"e on sta+e and a (ay o" li"e outside0 Thei o(n identity (ill be
constantly da(n and eda(n by the natual tension and hostility
bet(een themsel'es and thei suoundin+s0 Altenati'ely* they
may come to est in some (ide community that shaes some o"
thei 'alues0 Hee thee (ould be a di""eent unity and a di""eent
tension? the tension (ould be shaed by sta+e and audience>it
(ould be the e=pession o" the unesol'ed ;uest "o a holiness
etenally unde"ined0
2n "act* the 7i'in+ Theate* e=emplay in so many (ays* has still
not yet come to +ips (ith its o(n essential dilemma0 Seachin+
"o holiness (ithout tadition* (ithout souce* it is compelled to
tun to many taditions* many souces>yo+a* Ren*
psychoanalysis* boo!s* heasay* disco'ey* inspiation>a ich but
dan+eous eclecticism0 1o the method that leads to (hat they ae
see!in+ cannot be an additi'e one0 To subtact* to stip a(ay can
only be e""ected in the li+ht o" some constant0 They ae still in
seach o" this constant0
2n the meantime* they ae continually nouished by a 'ey
Ameican humou and Aoy that is suealist* but (ith both "eet
"imly on the +ound0

S S S
2n Haitian 'oodoo* all you need to be+in a ceemony is a pole and
people0 )ou be+in to beat the dums and "a a(ay in A"ica the
+ods hea you call0 They decide to come to you* and as 'oodoo is
a 'ey pactical eli+ion* it ta!es into account the time that a +od
needs to coss the Atlantic0 So you +o on beatin+ you dum*
chantin+ and din!in+ um0 2n this (ay* you pepae yousel"0
Then "i'e o si= hous pass and the +ods "ly in>they cicle abo'e
.5 THE E3PT) SPACE
you heads* but it is not (oth loo!in+ up as natually they ae
in'isible0 This is (hee the pole becomes so 'ital0 <ithout the
pole nothin+ can lin! the 'isible and the in'isible (olds0 The
pole* li!e the coss* is the Aunction0 Thou+h the (ood* eathed*
the spiits slide* and no( they ae eady "o the second step in
thei metamophosis0 No( they need a human 'ehicle* and they
choose one o" the paticipants0 A !ic!* a moan o t(o* a shot
pao=ysm on the +ound and a man is possessed0 He +ets to his
"eet* no lon+e himsel"* but "illed (ith the +od0 The +od no( has
"om0 He is someone (ho can Ao!e* +et dun! and listen to
e'eyoneBs complaints0 The "ist thin+ that the piest* the
Houn+an* does (hen the +od ai'es is to sha!e him by the hand
and as! him about his tip0 HeBs a +od all i+ht* but he is no lon+e
uneal? he is thee* on ou le'el* attainable0 The odinay man o
(oman no( can tal! to him* pump his hand* a+ue* cuse him* +o
to bed (ith him>and so* ni+htly* the Haitian is in contact (ith
the +eat po(es and mysteies that ule his day0
2n the theate* the tendency "o centuies has been to put the acto
at a emote distance* on a plat"om* "amed* decoated* lit*
painted* in hi+h shoes>so as to help to pesuade the i+noant that
he is holy* that his at is saced0 9id this e=pess e'eenceG O
(as thee behind it a "ea that somethin+ (ould be e=posed i" the
li+ht (ee too bi+ht* the meetin+ too neaG Today* (e ha'e
e=posed the sham0 But (e ae edisco'ein+ that a holy theate is
still (hat (e need0 So (hee should (e loo! "o itG 2n the clouds
o on the +oundG
%
The Rou+h Theate
2T 2S al(ays the popula theate that sa'es the day0 Thou+h the
a+es it has ta!en many "oms* and thee is only one "acto that
they all ha'e in common>a ou+hness0 Salt* s(eat* noise* smell?
the theate thatBs not in a theate* the theate on cats* on (a+ons*
on testles* audiences standin+* din!in+* sittin+ ound tables*
audiences Aoinin+ in* ans(ein+ bac!? theate in bac! ooms*
upstais ooms* bansC the one8ni+ht stands* the ton sheet pinned
up acoss the hall* the batteed sceen to conceal the ;uic!
chan+es>that one +eneic tem* theatre! co'es all this and the
spa!lin+ chandelies too0 2 ha'e had many aboti'e discussions
(ith achitects buildin+ ne( theates>tyin+ 'ainly to "ind (ods
(ith (hich to communicate my o(n con'iction that it is not a
;uestion o" +ood buildin+s and bad? a beauti"ul place may ne'e
bin+ about e=plosion o" li"eC (hile a hapha@ad hall may be a te8
mendous meetin+ place? this is the mystey o" the theate* but in
the undestandin+ o" this mystey lies the only possibility o"
odein+ it into a science0 2n othe "oms o" achitectue thee is a
elationship bet(een conscious* aticulate desi+n and +ood
"unctionin+? a (ell8desi+ned hospital may be moe e""icacious
than a hi++ledy8pi++ledy oneC but as "o theates* the poblem o"
desi+n cannot stat lo+ically0 2t is not a matte o" sayin+
analytically (hat ae the e;uiements* ho( best they can be
o+ani@ed>this (ill usually bin+ into e=istence a tame*
con'entional* o"ten cold hall0 The science o" theate8buildin+
must come "om studyin+ (hat it is that bin+s about the most
'i'id elationship bet(een people>and is this best se'ed by
asymmety* e'en by disodeG 2" so* (hat can be the ule o" this
disodeG An achitect is bette o"" i" he (o!s li!e a scene
./
.- THE E3PT) SPACE
desi+ne* mo'in+ scaps o" cadboad by intuition* than i" he
builds his model "om a plan* pepaed (ith compass and ule0 2"
(e "ind that dun+ is a +ood "etili@e* it is no use bein+
s;ueamishC i" the theate seems to need a cetain cude element*
this must be accepted as pat o" its natual soil0 At the be+innin+
o" electonic music* some :eman studios claimed that they could
ma!e e'ey sound that a natual instument could ma!e>only
bette0 They then disco'eed that all thei sounds (ee ma!ed by
a cetain uni"om steility0 So they analysed the sounds made by
clainets* "lutes* 'iolins* and "ound that each note contained a
ema!ably hi+h popotion o" plain noise? actual scapin+* o the
mi=tue o" hea'y beathin+ (ith (ind on (ood? "om a puist
point o" 'ie( this (as Aust dit* but the composes soon "ound
themsel'es compelled to ma!e synthetic dit>to Dhumani@eB thei
compositions0 Achitects emain blind to this pinciple>and ea
a"te ea the most 'ital theatical e=peiences occu outside the
le+itimate places constucted "o the pupose0 :odon Cai+
in"luenced Euope "o hal" a centuy thou+h a couple o"
pe"omances +i'en in Hampstead in a chuch hall>the si+natue
o" the Becht theate* the (hite hal"8cutain* oi+inated ;uite
pactically in a cella* (hen a (ie had to be slun+ "om (all to
(all0 The Rou+h Theate is close to the people? it may be a puppet
theate* it may>as in :ee! 'illa+es to this day>be a shado(
sho(? it is usually distin+uished by the absence o" (hat is called
style0 Style needs leisue? puttin+ o'e somethin+ in ou+h
conditions is li!e a e'olution* "o anythin+ that comes to hand
can be tuned into a (eapon0 The Rou+h Theate doesnBt pic! and
choose? i" the audience is esti'e* then it is ob'iously moe
impotant to holle at the touble ma!es>o impo'ise a +a+>
than to ty to pese'e the unity o" style o" the scene0 2n the lu=uy
o" the hi+h8class theate* e'eythin+ can be all o" a piece? in a
ou+h theate a buc!et (ill be ban+ed "o a battle* "lou used to
sho( "aces (hite (ith "ea0 The asenal is limitless? the aside* the
placad* the topical e"eence* the local Ao!es* the e=ploitin+ o"
THE ROU:H THEATRE 5&
accidents* the son+s* the dances* the tempo* the noise* the elyin+
on contasts* the shothand o" e=a++eation* the "alse noses* the
stoc! types* the stu""ed bellies0 The popula theate* "eed o" unity
o" style* actually spea!s a 'ey sophisticated and stylish lan+ua+e?
a popula audience usually has no di""iculty in acceptin+
inconsistencies o" accent and dess* o in datin+ bet(een mime
and dialo+ue* ealism and su++estion0 They "ollo( the line o"
stoy* una(ae in "act that some(hee thee is a set o" standads
(hich ae bein+ bo!en0 3atin Esslin has (itten that in San
Ouentin pisones seein+ a play "o the "ist time in thei li'es and
bein+ con"onted (ith ,aiting for 7odot had no poblem at all in
"ollo(in+ (hat to e+ula theate+oes (as incompehensible0
One o" the pionee "i+ues in the mo'ement to(ads a ene(ed
Sha!espeae (as <illiam Poel0 An actess once told me that she
had (o!ed (ith Poel in a poduction o" Much Ado A-out
;othing that (as pesented some "i"ty yeas a+o "o one ni+ht in
some +loomy 7ondon Hall0 She said that at the "ist eheasal Poel
ai'ed (ith a case "ull o" scaps out o" (hich he bou+ht odd
photo+aphs* da(in+s* pictues ton out o" ma+a@ines0 DThatBs
you*B he said* +i'in+ he a pictue o" a debutante at the Royal
:aden Paty0 To someone else it (as a !ni+ht in amou* a
:ainsboou+h potait o else Aust a hat0 2n all simplicity* he (as
e=pessin+ the (ay he sa( the play (hen he ead it>diectly* as
a child does>not as a +o(n8up monitoin+ himsel" (ith notions
o" histoy and peiod0 3y "iend told me that the total pe8pop8at
mi=tue had an e=taodinay homo+eneity0 2 am sue o" it0 Poel
(as a +eat inno'ato and he clealy sa( that consistency had no
elation to eal Sha!espeaian style0 2 once did a poduction o"
'o#e$s 'a-our$s 'ost (hee 2 dessed the chaacte called
Constable 9ull as a Hictoian policeman because his name at
once conAued up the typical "i+ue o" the 7ondon bobby0 1o
othe easons the est o" the chaactes (ee dessed in <atteau8
ei+hteenth8centuy clothes* but no one (as conscious o" an
5# THE E3PT) SPACE
anachonism0 A lon+ time a+o 2 sa( a poduction o" The Ta2ing
of the "hre (hee all the actos dessed themsel'es e=actly the
(ay they sa( the chaactes>2 still emembe a co(boy* and a
"at chaacte bustin+ the buttons o" a pa+eboyBs uni"om>and
that it (as "a and a(ay the most satis"yin+ endein+ o" this play
2 ha'e seen0
O" couse* it is most o" all dit that +i'es the ou+hness its ed+eC
"ilth and 'ul+aity ae natual* obscenity is Aoyous? (ith these the
spectacle ta!es on its socially libeatin+ ole* "o by natue the
popula theate is anti8authoitaian* anti8taditional* anti8pomp*
anti8petence0 This is the theate o" noise* and the theate o" noise
is the theate o" applause0
Thin! o" those t(o a("ul mas!s that +lo(e at us "om so many
boo!s on theate>in ancient :eece (e ae told these mas!s
epesented t(o e;ual elements* ta+edy and comedy0 At least*
they ae al(ays sho(n as e;ual patnes0 Since then* thou+h* the
Dle+itimateB theate has been consideed the impotant one (hile
the Rou+h Theate has been thou+ht less seious0 But e'ey
attempt to e'itali@e the theate has +one bac! to the popula
souce0 3eyehold had the hi+hest aims* he sou+ht to pesent all
o" li"e on the sta+e* his e'eed maste (as Stanisla's!y* his
"iend (as Che!ho'C but in "act it (as to the cicus and the music
hall that he tuned0 Becht (as ooted in the cabaet? Koan
7ittle(ood lon+s "o a "un"ai? Cocteau* Ataud* Ha!htan+o'* the
most impobable bed"ello(s* all these hi+hbo(s etun to the
people? and Total Theate is Aust a mi=8up o" these in+edients0
All the time* e=peimental theate comes out o" the theate
buildin+s and etuns to the oom o the in+? it is the Ameican
musical on the ae occasions (hen it "ul"ils its pomise* and not
the opea* that is the eal meetin+ place o" the Ameican ats0 2t is
to Boad(ay that Ameican poets* choeo+aphes and composes
tun0 A choeo+aphe li!e Keome Robbins is an inteestin+
THE ROU:H THEATRE 5$
e=ample* mo'in+ "om the pue and abstact theates o"
Balanchine and 3atha :aham to(ads the ou+hness o" the
popula sho(0 But the (od DpopulaB doesnBt ;uite "ill the bill?
DpopulaB conAues up the county "ai and the people in a Aolly
hamless (ay0 The popula tadition is also beabaitin+* "eocious
satie and +otes;ue caicatue0 This ;uality (as pesent in the
+eatest o" ou+h theates* the Eli@abethan one* and in the En+lish
theate today obscenity and tuculence ha'e become the motos o"
e'i'al0 Suealism is ou+h>Kay is ou+h0 Spi!e 3illi+anBs
theate* in (hich the ima+ination* "eed by anachy* "lies li!e a
(ild bat in and out o" e'ey possible shape and style* has it all0
3illi+an* Chales <ood and a "e( othes ae a pointe to(ads
(hat may become a po(e"ul En+lish tadition0
2 sa( t(o poductions o" KayBs =-i 8oi (hich illustated the
di""eence bet(een a ou+h and an atistic tadition0 Thee (as a
poduction o" =-u on 1ench tele'ision that by electonic means
pulled o"" a +eat "eat o" 'ituosity0 The diecto 'ey billiantly
succeeded in captuin+ (ith li'e actos the impession o" blac!
and (hite maionettes? the sceen (as subdi'ided into nao(
bands so that it loo!ed li!e a comic stip0 30 Ubu and 3me Ubu
(ee KayBs da(in+s animated>they (ee Ubu to the lette0 But
not to the li"eC the tele'ision audience ne'e accepted the cude
eality o" the stoy? it sa( some piouettin+ dolls* +ot ba""led and
boed and soon s(itched o""0 The 'iulent potest play had
become a hi+h8bo( >eu d$es0rit) At about the same time* on
:eman tele'ision thee (as a C@ech poduction o" =-u) This
'esion dise+aded e'ey one o" KayBs ima+es and indications?
it in'ented an up8to8the8minute pop8at style o" its o(n* made out
o" dustbins* +aba+e and ancient ion bedsteads? 30 Ubu (as no
mas!ed Humpty89umpty but a eco+ni@able and shi"ty slob>
3me Ubu (as a slea@y* attacti'e (hoe* the social conte=t clea0
1om the "ist shot o" 30 Ubu stumblin+ in his undepants out o"
bed (hile a na++in+ 'oice "om the pillo(s as!ed (hy he (asnBt
5% THE E3PT) SPACE
Kin+ o" Poland* the audienceBs belie" (as cau+ht and it could
"ollo( the suealist de'elopments o" the stoy because it
accepted the pimiti'e situation and chaactes on thei o(n
tems0
This all concens the appeaance o" ou+hness* but (hat is this
theateBs intentG 1ist o" all it is thee unashamedly to ma!e Aoy
and lau+hte* (hat Tyone :uthie calls Dtheate o" deli+htB and
any theate that can tuly +i'e deli+ht has eaned its place0 Alon+
(ith seious* committed and pobin+ (o!* thee must be
iesponsibility0 This is (hat the commecial theate* the
boule'ad theate* can +i'e us>but all too o"ten it is tied and
theadbae0 1un continually needs a ne( electic cha+e? "un "o
"unBs sa!e is not impossible* but seldom enou+h0 1i'olity can be
its cha+e? hi+h spiits can ma!e a +ood cuent* but all the time
the batteies ha'e to be eplenished? ne( "aces* ne( ideas ha'e to
be "ound0 A ne( Ao!e "lashes and is +oneC then it is the old Ao!e
that etuns0 The ston+est comedy is ooted in achetypes* in
mytholo+y in basic ecuent situationsC and ine'itably it is deeply
embedded in the social tadition0 Comedy does not al(ays stem
"om the main "lo( o" a social a+ument? it is as thou+h di""eent
comic taditions banch a(ay in many diections? "o a cetain
time* althou+h the couse is out o" si+ht* the steam continues to
"lo( on* then one day* une=pectedly* it dies up completely0
Thee is no had and "ast ule to say that one must ne'e Aust
culti'ate e""ects and su"aces "o thei o(n sa!e0 <hy notG
Pesonally* 2 "ind sta+in+ a musical can be moe thoou+hly
enAoyable than any othe "om o" theate0 Culti'atin+ a de"t slei+ht
o" hand can +i'e one +eat deli+ht0 But an impession o" "eshness
is e'eythin+>pese'ed "oods lose thei taste0 The Holy Theate
has one ene+y* the Rou+h has othes0 7i+htheatedness and
+aiety "eeds it* but so does the same ene+y that poduces
ebellion and opposition0 This is a militant ene+y? it is the ene+y
THE ROU:H THEATRE 56
o" an+e* sometimes the ene+y o" hate0 The ceati'e ene+y
behind the ichness o" in'ention in the Beline EnsembleBs
poduction o" The %ays of the 5o22une is the same ene+y that
could man the baicades? the ene+y o" Arturo =i could +o
stai+ht to (a0 The (ish to chan+e society* to +et it to con"ont
its etenal hypocisies* is a +eat po(ehouse0 1i+ao o 1alsta"" o
Tatu""e lampoon and debun! thou+h lau+hte* and the authoBs
pupose is to bin+ about a social chan+e0
Kohn AdenBs ema!able play "ergeant Musgra#e$s %ance can be
ta!en amon+st many othe meanin+s as an illustation o" ho( tue
theate comes into bein+0 3us+a'e "aces a co(d in a ma!et
place on an impo'ised sta+e and he attempts to communicate as
"ocibly as possible his sense o" the hoo and "utility o" (a0 The
demonstation that he impo'ises is li!e a +enuine piece o"
popula theate* his pops ae machine8+uns* "la+s* and a
uni"omed s!eleton that he hauls alo"t0 <hen this does not
succeed in tansmittin+ his complete messa+e to the co(d* his
despeate ene+y di'es him to "ind still "uthe means o"
e=pession and in a "lash o" inspiation he be+ins a hythmic
stamp* out o" (hich de'elops a sa'a+e dance and chant0 Se+eant
3us+a'eBs dance is a demonstation o" ho( a 'iolent need to
poAect a meanin+ can suddenly call into e=istence a (ild
unpedictable "om0
Hee (e see the double aspect o" the ou+h? i" the holy is the
yeanin+ "o the in'isible thou+h its 'isible incanations* the
ou+h also is a dynamic stab at a cetain ideal0 Both theates "eed
on deep and tue aspiations in thei audiences* both tap in"inite
esouces o" ene+y* o" di""eent ene+ies? but both end by settin+
up aeas in (hich cetain thin+s Aust aenBt admitted0 2" the holy
ma!es a (old in (hich a paye is moe eal than a belch* in the
ou+h theate* it is the othe (ay ound0 The belchin+ then* is eal
and paye (ould be consideed comic0 The Rou+h Theate has
54 THE E3PT) SPACE
appaently no style* no con'entions* no limitations>in pactice* it
has all thee0 Kust as in li"e the (eain+ o" old clothes can stat as
de"iance and tun into a postue* so ou+hness can become an end
in itsel"0 The de"iant popula theate man can be so do(n8to8eath
that he "obids his mateial to "ly0 He can e'en deny "li+ht as a
possibility* o the hea'ens as a suitable place to (ande0 This
bin+s us to the point (hee the Holy Theate and the Rou+h
Theate sho( thei tue anta+onism to one anothe0 The Holy
Theate deals (ith the in'isible and this in'isible contains all the
hidden impulses o" man0 The Rou+h Theate deals (ith menBs
actions* and because it is do(n to eath and diect>because it
admits (ic!edness and lau+hte>the ou+h and eady seems
bette than the hollo(ly holy0
2t is impossible to conside this "uthe (ithout stoppin+ to loo! at
the implications o" the ston+est* most in"luential and the most
adical theate man o" ou time* Becht0 No one seiously
concened (ith the theate can by8pass Becht0

S S S
Becht is the !ey "i+ue o" ou time* and all theate (o! today at
some point stats o etuns to his statements and achie'ement0
<e can tun diectly to the (od that he bou+ht into ou
'ocabulay>alienation0 As coine o" the tem alienation! Becht
must be consideed histoically0 He be+an (o!in+ at a time (hen
most :eman sta+es (ee dominated eithe by natualism o by
+eat total8theate onslau+hts o" an opeatic natue desi+ned to
s(eep up the spectato by his emotions so that he "o+ot himsel"
completely0 <hate'e li"e thee (as on8sta+e (as o""set by the
passi'ity it demanded o" the audience0
1o Becht* a necessay theate could ne'e "o one moment ta!e
its si+hts o"" the society it (as se'in+0 Thee (as no "outh (all
THE ROU:H THEATRE 5.
bet(een actos and audience>the actoBs uni;ue aim (as to
ceate a pecise esponse in an audience "o (hom he had total
espect0 2t (as out o" espect "o the audience that Becht
intoduced the idea o" alienation* "o alienation is a call to halt?
alienation is cuttin+* inteuptin+* holdin+ somethin+ up to the
li+ht* ma!in+ us loo! a+ain0 Alienation is abo'e all an appeal to
the spectato to (o! "o himsel"* so to become moe and moe
esponsible "o acceptin+ (hat he sees only i" it is con'incin+ to
him in an adult (ay0 Becht eAects the omantic notion that in the
theate (e all become childen a+ain0
The alienation e""ect and the happenin+ e""ect ae simila and
opposite>the happenin+ shoc! is thee to smash thou+h all the
baies set up by ou eason* alienation is to shoc! us into
bin+in+ the best o" ou eason into play0 Alienation (o!s in
many (ays on many !eys0 A nomal sta+e action (ill appea eal
to us i" it is con'incin+ and so (e ae apt to ta!e it* tempoaily*
as obAecti'e tuth0 A +il* aped* (al!s on to a sta+e in teas>and
i" he actin+ touches us su""iciently* (e automatically accept the
implied conclusion that she is a 'ictim and an un"otunate one0
But suppose a clo(n (ee to "ollo( he* mimic!in+ he teas* and
suppose by his talent he succeeds in ma!in+ us lau+h0 His
moc!ey destoys ou "ist esponse0 Then (hee do ou
sympathies +oG The tuth o" he chaacte* the 'alidity o" he
position* ae both put into ;uestion by the clo(n* and at the same
time ou o(n easy sentimentality is e=posed0 2" caied "a
enou+h* such a seies o" e'ents can suddenly ma!e us con"ont
ou shi"tin+ 'ie(s o" i+ht and (on+0 All this stems "om a stict
sense o" pupose0 Becht belie'ed that* in ma!in+ an audience
ta!e stoc! o" the elements in a situation* the theate (as se'in+
the pupose o" leadin+ its audience to a Auste undestandin+ o"
the society in (hich it li'ed* and so to leanin+ in (hat (ays that
society (as capable o" chan+e0
55 THE E3PT) SPACE
Alienation can (o! thou+h antithesisC paody* imitation*
citicism* the (hole an+e o" hetoic is open to it0 2t is the puely
theatical method o" dialectical e=chan+e0 Alienation is the
lan+ua+e open to us today that is as ich in potentiality as 'ese? it
is the possible de'ice o" a dynamic theate in a chan+in+ (old*
and thou+h alienation (e could each some o" those aeas that
Sha!espeae touched by his use o" dynamic de'ices in lan+ua+e0
Alienation can be 'ey simple* it can be no moe than a set o"
physical tic!s0 The "ist alienation de'ice 2 e'e sa( (as as a
child* in a S(edish chuchC the collection ba+ had a spi!e on the
end o" it to nud+e those o" the con+e+ation (hom the semon had
sent to sleep0 Becht used placads and 'isible spotli+hts "o the
same puposeC Koan 7ittle(ood dessed he soldies as Pieots>
alienation has endless possibilities0 2t aims continually at pic!in+
the balloons o" hetoical playin+>ChaplinBs contastin+ senti8
mentality and calamity is alienation0 O"ten (hen an acto is
caied a(ay by his pat he can +et moe and moe e=a++eated*
moe and moe cheaply emotional* and yet s(eep the audience
alon+ (ith him0 Hee the alienatin+ de'ice (ill !eep us a(a!e
(hen pat o" us (ishes to suende (holly to the tu+ on the
heatstin+s0 But it is 'ey had to inte"ee (ith a spectatoBs
stoc! eactions0 At the end o" the "ist act o" 'ear (hen
:louceste is blinded* (e bou+ht the house li+hts up be"oe the
last sa'a+e action (as completed>so as to ma!e the audience
ta!e stoc! o" the scene be"oe bein+ en+ul"ed in automatic
applause0 2n Pais* (ith The 8e0resentati#e (e a+ain did all in ou
po(e to inhibit applause* because appeciation o" the actoBs
talents seemed iele'ant in a Concentation Camp document0
None the less* both the un"otunate :louceste and the most
nauseatin+ chaacte o" all* the Ausch(it@ docto* al(ays le"t the
sta+e to simila ounds o" applause0
Kean :enet can (ite the most elo;uent lan+ua+e* but the ama@in+
impessions in his plays ae 'ey o"ten bou+ht about by the
THE ROU:H THEATRE 5/
'isual in'entions (ith (hich he Au=taposes seious* beauti"ul*
+otes;ue and idiculous elements0 Thee ae "e( thin+s in the
moden theate as compact and spellbindin+ as the clima= o" the
"ist potion o" The "creens (hen the sta+e action is a scibblin+
+a""iti o" (a on to 'ast (hite su"aces* (hile 'iolent phases*
ludicous people and outsi@e dummies all to+ethe "om a
monument to colonialism and e'olution0 Hee the potency o" the
conception is insepaable "om the multi8le'elled seies o" de'ices
that become its e=pession0 :enetBs The 1lac4s ta!es on its "ull
meanin+ (hen thee is a po(e"ul shi"tin+ elationship bet(een
actos and public0 2n Pais* (itnessed by intellectuals* the play
(as bao;ue liteay entetainmentC in 7ondon* (hee no
audience could be "ound (ho caed about eithe 1ench liteatue
o Ne+oes* the play (as meanin+lessC in Ne( )o!* in :ene
1an!elBs supeb poduction it (as electic and 'ibant0 2 am told
the 'ibations chan+ed "om ni+ht to ni+ht dependin+ on the
popotion o" blac!s to (hites in the house0
The Marat+"ade could not ha'e e=isted be"oe Becht? it is
concei'ed by Pete <eiss on many alienatin+ le'els? the e'ents o"
the 1ench Re'olution cannot be accepted liteally because they
ae bein+ played by madmen* and thei actions in tun ae open to
"uthe ;uestion because thei diecto is the 3a;uis de Sade>
and moeo'e the e'ents o" #5/& ae bein+ seen (ith the eyes
both o" #/&/ and o" #-..>"o the people (atchin+ the play
epesent an ealy nineteenth8centuy audience and yet ae also
thei t(entieth8centuy sel'es0 All these ciss8cossin+ planes
thic!en the e"eence at each moment and compel an acti'ity "om
each membe o" the public0 At the end o" the play the asylum +oes
bese!? all the actos impo'ise (ith the utmost 'iolence and "o
an instant the sta+e ima+e is natualistic and compellin+0 Nothin+*
(e "eel* could e'e stop this iot? nothin+* (e conclude* can e'e
stop the madness o" the (old0 )et it (as at this moment* in the
Royal Sha!espeae Theate 'esion* that a sta+e mana+eess
5- THE E3PT) SPACE
(al!ed on to the sta+e* ble( a (histle* and the madness
immediately ended0 2n this action* a conundum (as pesented0 A
second a+o* the situation had been hopeless? no( it is all o'e* the
actos ae pullin+ off thei (i+s? o" couse* itBs Aust a play0 So (e
be+in to applaud0 But une=pectedly the actos applaud us bac!*
ionically0 <e eact to this by a momentay hostility a+ainst them
as indi'iduals* and (e stop clappin+0 2 ;uote this as a typical
alienation seies* o" (hich each incident "oces us to eadAust ou
position0
Thee is an inteestin+ elationship bet(een Becht and Cai+>
Cai+ (anted a to!en shado( to ta!e the place o" a complete
painted "oest and he only did so because he eco+nised that
useless in"omation absobed ou attention at the e?0ense of
so2ething 2ore i20ortant) Becht too! this i+ou and applied it
not only to sceney but to the (o! o" the acto and to the attitude
o" the audience0 2" he cut out supe"luous emotion* and the
de'elopment o" chaacteistics and "eelin+s that elated only to
the chaacte* it (as because he sa( that the claity o" his theme
(as theatened0 An acto in othe :eman theates o" BechtBs day
>and many an En+lish acto today>belie'es that his entie Aob is
to pesent his chaacte as "ully as possible* in the ound0 This
means that he spends his obse'ation and his ima+ination in
"indin+ additional details "o his potait* "o* li!e the society
painte* he (ants the pictue to be as li"e8li!e and eco+ni@able as
possible0 No one has told him thee could be any othe aim0
Becht intoduced the simple and de'astatin+ idea that D"ullyB
need not mean Dli"eli!eB no Din the ound0B He pointed out that
e'ey acto has to se'e the action o" the play* but until the acto
undestands (hat the tue action o" the play is* (hat its tue
pupose is* "om the authoBs point o" 'ie( and in elation to the
needs o" a chan+in+ (old outside Iand (hat side is he himsel" on
in the stu++les that di'ide the (oldJ* he cannot possibly !no(
(hat he is se'in+0 Ho(e'e* (hen he undestands pecisely (hat
THE ROU:H THEATRE /&
is demanded o" him* (hat he must "ul"ill* then he can popely
undestand his ole0 <hen he sees himsel" in elation to the
(holeness o" the play he (ill see that not only is too much
chaactei@in+ o"ten opposed to the playBs needs but also that
many unnecessay chaacteistics can actually (o! a+ainst him
and ma!e his o(n appeaance less sti!in+0 He (ill then see the
chaacte he is playin+ moe impatially* he (ill loo! at its
sympathetic o unsympathetic "eatues "om a di""eent 'ie(point*
and in the end (ill ma!e di""eent decisions "om those he made
(hen he thou+ht Didenti"yin+B (ith the chaacte (as all that
matteed0 O" couse* this is a theoy that can easily muddle an
acto* because i" he attempts to implement it nai'ely by s;uashin+
his instincts and becomin+ an intellectual* he (ill end in disaste0
2t is a mista!e to thin! that any acto can do (o! by theoy alone0
No acto can play a ciphe? ho(e'e styli@ed o schematic the
(itin+* the acto 2ust al(ays belie'e to some de+ee in the sta+e
li"e o" the odd animal he epesents0 But none the less an acto can
play in a thousand (ays* and playin+ a potait is not the only
altenati'e0 <hat Becht intoduced (as the idea o" the intelli+ent
acto* capable o" Aud+in+ the 'alue o" his contibution0 Thee (ee
and still ae many actos (ho pide themsel'es on !no(in+
nothin+ about politics and (ho teat the theate as an i'oy to(e0
1o Becht such an acto is not (othy o" his place in adult
company? an acto in a community that suppots a theate must be
as much in'ol'ed in the outside (old as in his o(n ca"t0
<hen theoy is put into (ods* the doo is opened to con"usion0
Becht poductions outside the Beline Ensemble that ae based
on BechtBs essays ha'e had Becht economy* but aely his
ichness o" thou+ht and "eelin+0 These ae o"ten shunned* and so
the (o! appeas dy0 The li'eliest o" theates tuns deadly (hen
its coase 'i+ou +oes? and Becht is destoyed by deadly sla'es0
<hen Becht tal!s o" actos undestandin+ thei "unction* he
ne'e ima+ined that all could be achie'ed by analysis and
/# THE E3PT) SPACE
discussion0 The theate is not the classoom* and a diecto (ith a
peda+o+ic undestandin+ o" Becht can no moe animate his plays
than a pedant those o" Sha!espeae0 The ;uality o" the (o! done
in any eheasal comes entiely "om the ceati'ity o" the (o!in+
climate>and ceati'ity cannot be bou+ht into bein+ by
e=planations0 The lan+ua+e of eheasals is li!e li"e itsel"? it uses
(ods* but also silences* stimuli* paody* lau+hte* unhappiness*
despai* "an!ness and concealment* acti'ity and slo(ness* claity
and chaos0 Becht eco+ni@ed this and in his last yeas he
supised his associates by sayin+ that the theate must be nai'e0
<ith this (od he (as not ene+in+ his li"eBs (o!? he (as
pointin+ out that the action o" puttin+ to+ethe a play is al(ays a
"om o" playin+* that (atchin+ a play is playin+? he spo!e
disconcetin+ly o" ele+ance and o" entetainment0 2t is not by
chance that in many lan+ua+es the (od "o a play and to play is
the same0
2n his theoetical (itin+ Becht sepaates the eal "om the
uneal* and 2 belie'e that this has been the souce o" a +iant
con"usion0 2n tems o" semantics the subAecti'e is al(ays opposed
to the obAecti'e* the illusion sepaated "om the "act0 Because o"
these* his theate is "oced to maintain t(o positions? public and
pi'ate* o""icial and uno""icial* theoetical and pactical0 2ts
pactical (o! is based on a deep "eelin+ "o an inne li"e in the
acto? but in public it denies this li"e because in a chaacte inne
li"e ta!es on the dead label Dpsycholo+ical0B This (od
Dpsycholo+icalB is in'aluable in coloued a+ument>li!e
DnatualisticB it can be used (ith contempt to close a subAect o
scoe a point0 Un"otunately* it also leads to a simpli"ication*
contastin+ the lan+ua+e o" action>this lan+ua+e is had* bi+ht
and e""ecti'e>(ith the lan+ua+e o" psycholo+y>this is
1eudian* mushy* shi"tin+* da!* impecise0 7oo!ed at this (ay* o"
couse psycholo+y must lose0 But is the di'ision a tue oneG
E'eythin+ is illusion0 The e=chan+e o" impessions thou+h
THE ROU:H THEATRE /$
ima+es is ou basic lan+ua+e? at the moment (hen one man
e=pesses an ima+e at that same instant the othe man meets him
in belie"0 The shaed association is the lan+ua+e>i" the
association e'o!es nothin+ in the second peson* i" thee is no
instant o" shaed illusion* thee is no e=chan+e0 Becht o"ten too!
the case o" a man descibin+ a steet accident as a naati'e
situation>so let us ta!e his e=ample and e=amine the pocess o"
peception that is in'ol'ed0 <hen someone descibes to us a
steet accident the psychic pocess is complicated? it can best be
seen as a thee8dimensional colla+e (ith built8in sound* "o (e
e=peience 2any unelated thin+s at once0 <e see the spea!e* (e
hea his 'oice* (e !no( (hee (e ae and* at one and the same
time* (e pecei'e supeimposed on top o" him the scene he is
descibin+? the 'i'idness and the "ullness o" this momentay
illusion depends on his con'iction and s!ill0 2t also depends on the
spea!eBs type0 2" he is a ceebal type* 2 mean a man (hose
aletness and 'itality is mainly in the head* (e (ill ecei'e moe
impessions o" ideas than o" sensations0 2" he is emotionally "ee*
othe cuents (ill also "lo( so that (ithout any e""ot o eseach
on his pat he (ill ine'itably eceate a "ulle ima+e o" the steet
accident that he is emembein+* and (e (ill ecei'e it
accodin+ly0 <hate'e it is* he sends in ou diection a comple=
net(o! o" impessions* and as (e pecei'e them* (e belie'e in
them* thus losin+ ousel'es in them at least momentaily0
2n all communication* illusions mateiali@e and disappea0 The
Becht theate is a ich compound o" ima+es appealin+ "o ou
belie"0 <hen Becht spo!e contemptuously o" illusion* this (as
not (hat he (as attac!in+0 He meant the sin+le sustained Pictue*
the statement that continued a"te its pupose had been se'ed>
li!e the painted tee0 But (hen Becht stated thee (as somethin+
in the theate called illusion* the implication (as that thee (as
somethin+ else that (as not illusion0 So illusion became opposed
to eality0 2t (ould be bette i" (e clealy opposed dead illusion to
/% THE E3PT) SPACE
li'in+ illusion* +lum statement to li'ely statement* "ossili@ed
shape to mo'in+ shado(* the "o@en pictue to the mo'in+ one0
<hat (e see most o"ten is a chaacte inside a pictue "ame
suounded by a thee8(alled inteio set0 This is natually an
illusion* but Becht su++ests (e (atch it in a state o"
anaestheti@ed uncitical belie"0 2"* ho(e'e* an acto stands on a
bae sta+e beside a placad emindin+ us that this is a theate* then
in basic Becht (e do not "all into illusion* (e (atch as adults>
and Aud+e0 This di'ision is neate in theoy than in pactice0
2t is not possible that anyone (atchin+ eithe a natualistic
poduction o" a play o" Che!ho' o a "omali@ed :ee! ta+edy
should suende to the belie" that he is in Russia o Ancient
Thebes0 )et it is su""icient in eithe case "o an acto o" po(e to
spea! a po(e"ul te=t "o the spectato to be cau+ht up in an
illusion* althou+h* o" couse* he (ill still !no( that he is at e'ey
instant in a theate0 The aim is not ho( to a'oid illusion>
e'eythin+ is illusion* only some thin+s seem moe illusoy than
othe0 2t is the hea'y8handed 2llusion that does not be+in to
con'ince us0 On the othe hand* the illusion that is composed by
the "lash o" ;uic! and chan+in+ impessions !eeps the dat o" the
ima+ination at play0 This illusion is li!e the sin+le dot in the
mo'in+ tele'ision pictue? it only lasts "o the instant its "unction
demands0
2t is an easy mista!e to conside Che!ho' as a natualistic (ite*
and in "act many o" the sloppiest and thinnest plays o" ecent
yeas called Dslice o" li"eB "ondly thin! themsel'es Che!ho'ian0
Che!ho' ne'e Aust made a slice o" li"e>he (as a docto (ho
(ith in"inite +entleness and cae too! thousands and thousands o"
"ine layes o"" li"e0 These he cultued* and then aan+ed them in
an e=;uisitely cunnin+* completely ati"icial and meanin+"ul ode
in (hich pat o" the cunnin+ lay in so dis+uisin+ the ati"ice that
the esult loo!ed li!e the !eyhole 'ie( it ne'e had been0 Any
THE ROU:H THEATRE /6
pa+e o" The Three "isters +i'es the impession o" li"e un"oldin+
as thou+h a tape8ecode had been le"t unnin+0 2" e=amined
cae"ully it (ill be seen to be built o" coincidences as +eat as in
1eydeau>the 'ase o" "lo(es that o'etuns* the "ie8en+ine that
passes at Aust the i+ht momentC the (od* the inteuption* the
distant music* the sound in the (in+s* the entance* the "ae(ell>
touch by touch* they ceate thou+h the lan+ua+e o" illusions an
o'eall illusion o" a slice o" li"e0 This seies o" impessions is
e;ually a seies o" alienations? each uptue is a subtle
po'ocation and a call to thou+ht0
2 ha'e aleady ;uoted pe"omances in :emany a"te the (a0 2n
a Hambu+ +aet 2 once sa( a poduction o" Cime and
Punishment* and that e'enin+ became* be"oe its "ou8hou stetch
(as o'e* one o" the most sti!in+ theate e=peiences 2 ha'e e'e
had0 By shee necessity* all poblems o" theate style 'anished?
hee (as the eal main steam* the essence o" an at that stems
"om the stoy8telle loo!in+ ound his audience and be+innin+ to
spea!0 All the theates in the to(n had been destoyed* but hee*
in this attic* (hen an acto in a chai touchin+ ou !nees be+an
;uietly to say* D2t (as in the yea o" #/> that a youn+ student*
Roman Rodiano'itchi Ras!olni!o'NB(e (ee +ipped by li'in+
theate0
:ipped0 <hat does that meanG 2 cannot tell0 2 only !no( that
these (ods and a so"t seious tone o" 'oice conAued somethin+
up* some(hee* "o us all0 <e (ee listenes* childen heain+ a
bedside stoy yet at the same time adults* "ully a(ae o" all that
(as +oin+ on0 A moment late* a "e( inches a(ay* an attic doo
cea!ed open and an acto impesonatin+ Ras!olni!o' appeaed*
and aleady (e (ee deep in the dama0 The doo at one instant
seemed a total e'ocation o" a steet lampC an instant late it
became the doo o" the money8lendeBs apatment* and still a
second late the passa+e to he inne oom0 )et* as these (ee
/4 THE E3PT) SPACE
only "a+mentay impessions that only came into bein+ at the
instant they (ee e;uied* and at once 'anished a+ain* (e ne'e
lost si+ht o" bein+ cammed to+ethe in a co(ded oom*
"ollo(in+ a stoy0 The naato could add details* he could e=plain
and philosophi@e* the chaactes themsel'es could slip "om
natualistic actin+ into monolo+ue* one acto could* by hunchin+
his bac!* slip "om one chaactei@ation to anothe* and point "o
point* dot "o dot* sto!e "o sto!e* the (hole comple= (old o"
9ostoe's!yBs no'el (as eceated0
Ho( "ee is the con'ention o" a no'el* ho( e""otless the
elationship o" (ite to eade? bac!+ounds can be e'o!ed and
dismissed* the tansition "om the oute to the inne (old is
natual and continuous0 The success o" the Hambu+ e=peiment
eminded me a+ain o" ho( +otes;uely clumsy* ho( inade;uate
and piti"ul the theate becomes* not only (hen a +an+ o" men and
cea!in+ machines ae needed to mo'e us only "om one place to
the ne=t* but e'en (hen the tansition "om the (old o" action to
the (old o" thou+ht has to be e=plained by any de'ice>by
music* chan+in+ li+hts o clambein+ on to plat"oms0
2n the cinema* :odad has sin+lehanded bou+ht about a
e'olution by sho(in+ ho( elati'e the eality o" a photo+aphed
scene can be0 <hee +eneations o" "ilm8ma!es had e'ol'ed la(s
o" continuity and canons o" consistency so as not to bea! the
eality o" a continuous action* :odad sho(ed that this eality (as
yet anothe "alse and hetoical con'ention0 By photo+aphin+ a
scene and at once smashin+ its appaent tuth* he has cac!ed into
dead 2llusion and enabled a steam o" opposin+ impessions to
steam "oth0 He is deeply in"luenced by Becht0
The Beline EnsembleBs ecent poduction o" 5oriolanus
undelines the (hole ;uestion o" (hee illusion be+ins and ends0
2n most espects* this 'esion (as a tiumph0 3any aspects o" the
THE ROU:H THEATRE /.
play (ee e'ealed as thou+h "o the "ist time? much o" it can
seldom ha'e been so (ell sta+ed0 The company appoached the
play socially and politically and this meant that the stoc!
mechanical (ays o" sta+in+ Sha!espeaian co(ds (ee no lon+e
possible0 2t (ould ha'e been impossible to +et any one o" those
intelli+ent actos playin+ an anonymous citi@en meely to ma!e
chees* muttes and Aees on cue li!e bit playes thou+h the a+es0
The ene+y that "ed the months o" (o! that e'entually
illuminated all the stuctue o" sub8plot came "om the actoBs
inteest in the social themes0 The small pats (ee not boin+ to
the actos>they ne'e became bac!+ound because they
ob'iously caied issues "ascinatin+ to study and po'ocati'e to
discuss0 The people* the tibunes* the battle* the assemblies* (ee
ich in te=tue? all "oms o" theate (ee pessed into se'ice>the
costumes had the "eel o" e'eyday li"e but the sta+e positions had
the "omality o" ta+edy0 The speech (as sometimes hei+htened*
sometimes collo;uial* the battles used ancient Chinese techni;ues
to cay moden meanin+s0 Thee (as not a moment o" stoc!
theaticality* no any noble emotion used "o its o(n sa!e0
Coiolanus (as not ideali@ed no e'en li!eable? he (as e=plosi'e*
'iolent>not admiable but con'incin+0 E'eythin+ se'ed the
action (hich itsel" (as cystal clea0
And then appeaed a tiny de"ect that became "o ne a deep*
inteestin+ "la(0 The maAo con"ontation scene bet(een
Coiolanus and Holumnia at the +ates o" Rome (as e(itten0 2 do
not "o one moment ;uestion the pinciple o" e(itin+
Sha!espeae>a"te all* the te=ts do not +et buned>each peson
can do (hat he thin!s necessay (ith a te=t and still no one
su""es0 <hat is inteestin+ is the esult0 Becht and his collea+ues
did not (ish to allo( the lynch8pin o" the entie action to be the
elation bet(een Coiolanus and his mothe0 They "elt that this
did not ma!e an inteestin+ contempoay point? in its place they
(ished to illustate the theme that no leade is indispensable0
/5 THE E3PT) SPACE
They in'ented an additional piece o" naati'e0 Coiolanus
demanded the citi@ens o" Rome to +i'e a smo!e si+nal i" they
(ee pepaed to suende0 At the end o" his discussion (ith his
mothe he sees a column o" smo!e isin+ "om the ampats and is
Aubilant0 His mothe points out that the smo!e is not a si+n o"
suende* but the smo!e "om the "o+es o" the people amin+
themsel'es to de"end thei homes0 Coiolanus eali@es that Rome
can cay on (ithout him and senses the ine'itability o" his o(n
de"eat0 He yields0
2n theoy* this ne( plot is as inteestin+ and (o!s as (ell as the
old one0 But any play o" Sha!espeaeBs has an o+anic sense0 On
pape it (ould loo! as thou+h the episode can easonably be
substituted "o anothe* and cetainly in many plays thee ae
scenes and passa+es that can easily be cut o tansposed0 But i"
one has a !ni"e in one hand* one needs a stethoscope in the othe0
The scene bet(een Coiolanus and his mothe is close to the heat
o" the play? li!e the stom in 7ea o a Hamlet monolo+ue* its
emotional content en+endes the heat by (hich stands o" cool
thou+ht and pattens o" dialectical a+ument ae e'entually "used0
<ithout the clash o" the t(o pota+onists in its most intense "om*
the stoy emains castated0 <hen (e lea'e the theate (e cay a
less insistent memoy (ith us0 The "oce o" the scene bet(een
Coiolanus and his mothe depends on Aust those elements that do
not necessaily ma!e appaent sense0 Psycholo+ical lan+ua+e*
also* +ets us no(hee* "o labels donBt countC it is the deepe in+
o" tuth that can command ou espect>the damatic "act o" a
mystey (e canBt completely "athom0
The Beline EnsembleBs choice implied that thei social attitude
(ould be (ea!ened by acceptin+ the un"athomable natue o" the
man8(ithin8the8social8scene0 Histoically it is clea ho( a theate
loathin+ the sel"8indul+ent indi'idualism o" bou+eois at should
ha'e tuned to actions instead0
THE ROU:H THEATRE //
S S S
2n Pe!in+ today it seems to ma!e +ood sense to sho( +iant <all
Steet caicatue "i+ues plottin+ (a and destuction and +ettin+
thei Aust desets0 2n elation to countless othe "actos o" todayBs
militant China* this is li'ely* meanin+"ul popula at0 2n many
South Ameican counties* (hee the only theate acti'ity has
been poo copies o" "oei+n successes put on by "lybyni+ht
impesaios* a theate only be+ins to "ind its meanin+ and its
necessity in elation to the e'olutionay stu++le on the one hand
and the +limmes o" a popula tadition su++ested by (o!esB
son+s and 'illa+e le+ends on the othe0 2n "act* an e=pession o"
todayBs militant themes thou+h taditional catholic moality8play
stuctues may (ell be the only possibility in cetain e+ions o"
"indin+ a li'ely contact (ith popula audiences0 2n En+land* on
the othe hand* in a chan+in+ society* (hee nothin+ is tuly
de"ined* least o" all in the ealm o" politics and political ideasC but
(hee thee is a constant e8e=amination in pocess that 'aies
"om the most intensely honest to the most "i'olously e'asi'e?
(hen the natual common8sense and the natual idealism* the
natual debun!in+ and the natual omanticism* the natual
democacy* the natual !indness* the natual sadism and the
natual snobbey all ma!e a mishmash o" intellectual con"usion* it
(ould be no use e=pectin+ a committed theate to "ollo( a paty
line>e'en supposin+ that such a line could be "ound0
The accumulation o" e'ents o" the last "e( yeas* the
assassinations* schisms* do(n"alls* upisin+s and the local (as
ha'e had an inceasin+ly demysti"yin+ e""ect0 <hen the theate
comes closest to e"lectin+ a tuth in society* it no( e"lects moe
the (ish "o chan+e than the con'iction that this chan+e can be
bou+ht about in a cetain (ay0 Cetainly the ole o" the indi'idual
in the society* his duties and his needs* the issues o" (hat belon+s
/- THE E3PT) SPACE
to him and (hat belon+s to the state* ae in ;uestion a+ain0 A+ain*
as in Eli@abethan times* man is as!in+ (hy he has a li"e and
a+ainst (hat he can measue it0 2t is not by chance that the ne(
metaphysical theate o" :oto(s!i aises in a county denched in
both Communism and Catholicism0 Pete <eiss* combinin+
Ke(ish "amily* C@ech upbin+in+* :eman lan+ua+e* S(edish
home* 3a=ist sympathies* eme+es Aust at the moment (hen his
Bechtianism is elated to obsessi'e indi'idualism to a de+ee
unthin!able in Becht himsel"0 Kean :enet elates colonialism and
acialism to homose=uality* and e=ploes the 1ench
consciousness thou+h his o(n de+adation0 His ima+es ae
pi'ate yet national* and he comes close to disco'ein+ myths0
The poblem is di""eent "o each cente o" population0 On the
(hole* thou+h* the sti"lin+ e""ects o" a nineteenth8centuy
obsessi'e inteest in middle8class sentiment clouds much
t(entieth8centuy (o! in all lan+ua+es0 The indi'idual and the
couple ha'e lon+ been e=ploed in a 'acuum o in a social conte=t
so insulated as to be the e;ui'alent o" a 'acuum0 The elationship
bet(een a man and the e'ol'in+ society aound him is al(ays the
one that bin+s ne( li"e depth and tuth to his pesonal theme0 2n
Ne( )o! and 7ondon play a"te play pesents seious leadin+
chaactes (ithin a so"tened diluted o une=ploed conte=t>so
that heoism* sel"8totue o matydom become omantic a+onies*
in the 'oid0
<hethe the emphasis "alls on the indi'idual o on the analysis o"
society has become almost completely a di'ision bet(een
3a=ists and non83a=ists0 2t is the 3a=ist and the 3a=ist
alone (ho appoaches a +i'en situation dialectically and
scienti"ically* attemptin+ to e=ploe the social and economic
"actos that detemine the action0 Thee ae non83a=ist
economists and non83a=ist sociolo+ists* but any (ite (ho
be+ins to set a histoical chaacte "ully in his conte=t is almost
THE ROU:H THEATRE -&
cetain to be (o!in+ "om a 3a=ist point o" 'ie(0 This is
because 3a=ism po'ides the (ite (ith a stuctue* a tool and
an aim>bee"t o" these thee elements the non83a=ist tuns to
3an0 This can easily ma!e the (ite 'a+ue and (oolly0 But the
'ey best non8political (ite may be anothe sot o" e=pet* (ho
can disciminate 'ey pecisely in the teacheous (old o"
indi'idual shades o" e=peience0 The epic (ite o" 3a=ist plays
seldom bin+s to his (o! this same "ine sense o" human
indi'iduality? pehaps because he is un(illin+ to e+ad a manBs
sten+th and a manBs (ea!ness (ith e;ual impatiality0 2t is
pehaps "o this eason that stan+ely the pop tadition in En+land
has such (ide appeal? non8political* unali+ned* it is none the less
tuned in on a "a+mented (old in (hich bombs* du+s* :od*
paents* se=* and pi'ate an=ieties* ae insepaable>and all
illuminated by a (ish* not a 'ey ston+ (ish* but a (ish all the
same>"o some sot o" chan+e o tans"omation0
Thee is a challen+e to all the theates in the (old (ho ha'e not
yet be+un to "ace the mo'ements o" ou time* to satuate
themsel'es in Becht* to study the Ensemble and see all those
"acets o" society that ha'e "ound no place in thei shut8o"" sta+es0
Thee is a challen+e to e'olutionay theates in counties (ith a
clea8cut e'olutionay situation li!e in 7atin Ameica to haness
thei theates boldly to unmista!ably clea8cut themes0 E;ually*
thee is a challen+e no( to the Beline Ensemble and its
"ollo(es to econside thei attitude to the da!ness o" indi'idual
man0 This is ou only possibility>to loo! at the a""imations o"
Ataud* 3eye8hold* Stanisla's!y* :oto(s!i* Becht* then
compae them (ith the li"e o" the paticula place in (hich (e
(o!0 <hat is ou pupose* no(* in elation to the people (e meet
e'ey dayG 9o (e need libeationG 1om (hatG 2n (hat (ayG
S S S
-# THE E3PT) SPACE
Sha!espeae is a model o" a theate that contains Becht and
Bec!ett* but +oes beyond both0 Ou need in the post8Becht
theate is to "ind a (ay "o(ads* bac! to Sha!espeae0 2n
Sha!espeae the intospection and the metaphysics so"ten nothin+0
Ouite the e'ese0 2t is thou+h the uneconciled opposition o"
Rou+h and Holy* thou+h an atonal sceech o" absolutely
unsympathetic !eys that (e +et the distubin+ and the
un"o+ettable impessions o" his plays0 2t is because the
contadictions ae so ston+ that they bun on us so deeply0
Ob'iously* (e canBt (histle up a second Sha!espeae0 But the
moe clealy (e see in (hat the po(e o" Sha!espeaian theate
lies* the moe (e pepae the (ay0 1o e=ample* (e ha'e at last
become a(ae that the absence o" sceney in the Eli@abethan
theate (as one o" its +eatest "eedoms0 2n En+land at least* all
poductions "o ;uite some time ha'e been in"luenced by the
disco'ey that Sha!espeaeBs plays (ee (itten to be pe"omed
continuously* that thei cinematic stuctue o" altenatin+ shot
scenes* plot intecut (ith subplot* (ee all pat o" a total shape0
This shape is only e'ealed dynamically* that is* in the
uninteupted se;uence o" these scenes* and (ithout this thei
e""ect and po(e ae lessened as much as (ould be a "ilm that
(as poAected (ith bea!s and musical inteludes bet(een each
eel0 The Eli@abethan sta+e (as li!e the attic 2 (as descibin+ in
Hambu+* it (as a neutal open plat"om>Aust a place (ith some
doos>and so it enabled the damatist e""otlessly to (hip the
spectato thou+h an unlimited succession o" illusions* co'ein+*
i" he chose* the entie physical (old0 2t has also been pointed out
that the natue o" the pemanent stuctue o" the Eli@abethan
playhouse* (ith its "lat open aena and its la+e balcony and its
second smalle +alley* (as a dia+am o" the uni'ese as seen by
the si=teenth8centuy audience and play(i+ht>the +ods* the
cout and the people>thee le'els* sepaate and yet o"ten
intemin+lin+>a sta+e that (as a pe"ect philosopheBs machine0
THE ROU:H THEATRE -$
<hat has not been appeciated su""iciently is that the "eedom o"
mo'ement o" the Eli@abethan theate (as not only a matte o"
sceney0 2t is too easy to thin! that so lon+ as a moden poduction
mo'es "ast "om scene to scene* it has leant the essential lesson
"om the old playhouse0 The pimay "act is that this theate not
only allo(ed the play(i+ht to oam the (old* it also allo(ed
him "ee passa+e "om the (old o" action to the (old o" inne
impessions0 2 thin! it is hee that (e "ind (hat is most impotant
to us today0 2n Sha!espeaeBs time* the 'oya+e o" disco'ey in the
eal (old* the ad'entue o" the ta'elle settin+ out into the
un!no(n* had an e=citement that (e cannot hope to ecaptue in
an a+e (hen ou planet has no secets and (hen the pospect o"
inteplanetay ta'el seems a petty consideable boe0 Ho(e'e*
Sha!espeae (as not satis"ied (ith the mysteies o" the un!no(n
continents? thou+h his ima+ey>pictues da(n "om the (old
o" "abulous disco'eies>he penetates a psychic e=istence (hose
+eo+aphy and mo'ements emain Aust as 'ital "o us to
undestand today0
2n an ideal elation (ith a tue acto on a bae sta+e (e (ould
continually be passin+ "om lon+ shot to close* tac!in+ o
Aumpin+ in and out and the planes o"ten o'elap0 Compaed (ith
the cinemaBs mobility* the theate once seemed pondeous and
cea!y* but the close (e mo'e to(ads the tue na!edness o"
theate* the close (e appoach a sta+e that has a li+htness and
an+e "a beyond "ilm o tele'ision0 The po(e o" Sha!espeaeBs
plays is that they pesent man simultaneously in all his aspects?
touch "o touch* (e can identi"y and (ithda(0 A pimiti'e
situation distubs us in ou subconsciousC ou intelli+ence
(atches* comments* philosophi@es0 Becht and Bec!ett ae both
contained in Sha!espeae uneconciled0 <e identi"y emotionally*
subAecti'ely>and yet at one and the same time (e e'aluate
politically* obAecti'ely in elation to society0 Because the
-% THE E3PT) SPACE
po"ound eaches past the e'eyday* a hei+htened lan+ua+e and a
itualistic use o" hythm bin+s us to those 'ey aspects o" li"e
(hich the su"ace hides? and yet because the poet and the
'isionay do not seem li!e odinay people* because the epic state
is not one on (hich (e nomally d(ell* it is e;ually possible "o
Sha!espeae (ith a bea! in his hythm* a t(ist into pose* a shi"t
into slan+y con'esation o else a diect (od "om the audience
to emind us>in plain common8sense>o" (hee (e ae and to
etun us to the "amilia ou+h (old o" spades as spades0 So it is
that Sha!espeae succeeded (hee no one has succeeded be"oe
o since in (itin+ plays that pass thou+h many sta+es o"
consciousness0 <hat enabled him technically to do so* the
essence* in "act* o" his style is a ou+hness o" te=tue and a
conscious min+lin+ o" opposites (hich in othe tems could be
called an absence o" style0 Holtaie could not bin+ himsel" to
undestand it* and could only label it Dbabaic0B
<e could ta!e Measure for Measure as a test case0 As lon+ as
scholas could not decide (hethe this play (as a comedy o not*
it ne'e +ot played0 2n "act* this ambi+uity ma!es it one o" the
most e'ealin+ o" Sha!espeaeBs (o!s>and one that sho(s
these t(o elements* Holy and Rou+h* almost schematically* side
by side0 They ae opposed and they coe=ist0 2n Measure for
Measure (e ha'e a base (old* a 'ey eal (old in (hich the
action is "imly ooted0 This is the dis+ustin+* stin!in+ (old o"
medie'al Hienna0 The da!ness o" this (old is absolutely
necessay to the meanin+ o" the play? 2sabellaBs plea "o +ace has
"a moe meanin+ in this 9ostoe's!ian settin+ than it (ould in
lyical comedyBs ne'e8ne'e land0 <hen this play is pettily
sta+ed* it is meanin+less>it demands an absolutely con'incin+
ou+hness and dit0 Also* (hen so much o" the play is eli+ious in
thou+ht* the loud humou o" the bothel is impotant as a de'ice*
because it is alienatin+ and humani@in+0 1om the "anatical
chastity o" 2sabella and the mystey o" the 9u!e (e ae plun+ed
THE ROU:H THEATRE -6
bac! to Pompey and Banadine "o douches o" nomality0 To
e=ecute Sha!espeaeBs intentions (e must animate all this stetch
o" the play* not as "antasy* but as the ou+hest comedy (e can
ma!e0 <e need complete "eedom* ich impo'isation* no holdin+
bac!* no "alse espect>and at the same time (e must ta!e +eat
cae* "o all aound the popula scenes ae +eat aeas o" the play
that clumsiness could destoy0 As (e ente this holie land* (e
(ill "ind that Sha!espeae +i'es us a clea si+nal>the ou+h is in
pose* the est in 'ese0 2n the pose scenes* 'ey boadly
spea!in+* the (o! can be eniched by ou o(n in'ention>the
scenes need added e=tenal details to assue them o" thei "ullest
li"e0 2n the passa+es in 'ese (e ae aleady on ou +uad?
Sha!espeae needs 'ese because he is tyin+ to say moe* to
compact to+ethe moe meanin+0 <e ae (atch"ul? behind each
'isible ma! on pape lu!s an in'isible one that is had to sei@e0
Technically (e no( need less abandon* moe "ocus>less
beadth* moe intensity0
Ouite simply (e need a di""eent appoach* a di""eent style0
Thee is nothin+ to be ashamed o" in chan+in+ style>loo! at a
pa+e o" a 1olio (ith hal"8closed eyes and you see a chaos o"
ie+ulaly spaced symbols0 2" (e ion Sha!espeae into any one
typo+aphy o" theate (e lose the eal meanin+ o" the play>i" (e
"ollo( his e'e8shi"tin+ de'ices* he (ill lead us thou+h many
di""eent !eys0 2" (e "ollo( the mo'ement in Measure for
Measure bet(een the Rou+h and the Holy (e (ill disco'e a play
about Austice* mecy* honesty* "o+i'eness* 'itue* 'i+inity* se=
and death? !aleidoscopically one section o" the play mios the
othe* it is in acceptin+ the pism as a (hole that its meanin+s
eme+e0 <hen 2 once sta+ed the play 2 as!ed 2sabella* be"oe
!neelin+ "o An+eloBs li"e* to pause each ni+ht until she "elt the
audience could ta!e it no lon+e>and this used to lead to a t(o8
minute stoppin+ o" the play0 The de'ice became a 'oodoo pole>
a silence in (hich all the in'isible elements o" the e'enin+ came
-4 THE E3PT) SPACE
to+ethe* a silence in (hich the abstact notion o" mecy became
concete "o that moment to those pesent0
This Rou+hTHoly stuctue also sho(s clealy in the t(o pats of
Henry (*@1alsta"" and the pose ealism o" the inn scenes on the
one hand and the poetic le'els o" so much else>both elements
contained (ithin one comple= (hole0
2n A ,inter$s Tale a 'ey subtle constuction hin+es on the !ey
moment (hen a statue comes to li"e0 This is o"ten citici@ed as a
clumsy de'ice* an implausible (ay o" (indin+ up the plot* and it
is usually Austi"ied only in tems o" omantic "ictionC an a(!(ad
con'ention o" the times that Sha!espeae (as "oced to use0 2n
"act* the statue that comes to li"e is the tuth o" the play0 2n A
,inter$s Tale (e "ind a natual di'ision into thee sections0
7eontes accuses his (i"e o" in"idelity0 He condemns he to death0
The child is put to sea0 2n the second pat the child +o(s up* and
no( in a di""eent pastoal !ey the 'ey same action is epeated0
The man "alsely accused by 7eontes no( in tun beha'es Aust as
uneasonably0 The conse;uence is the same>the child a+ain
ta!es "li+ht0 He Aouney ta!es he bac! to 7eontesB palace and the
thid pat is no( in the same place as the "ist* but t(enty yeas
late0 A+ain* 7eontes "inds himsel" in simila conditions* in (hich
he could be as 'iolently uneasonable as be"oe0 Thus the main
action is pesented "ist "eociouslyC then a second time by
chamin+ paody but in a bold maAo !ey* "o the pastoal o" the
play is a mio as (ell as a stai+ht de'ice0 The thid mo'ement
is in anothe contastin+ !ey>a !ey o" emose0 <hen the youn+
lo'es ente 7eontesB palace the "ist and second sections o'elap?
both put into ;uestion the action that 7eontes no( can ta!e0 2" the
damatistBs sense o" tuth "oces him to ma!e 7eontes 'indicti'e
(ith the childen* then the play cannot mo'e out o" its paticula
(old* and its end (ould ha'e to be bitte and ta+ic? i" he can
tuth"ully allo( a ne( e;uality to ente 7eontesB actions* then the
THE ROU:H THEATRE -.
(hole time patten o" the play is tans"omed? the past and the
"utue ae no lon+e the same0 The le'el chan+es* and e'en i" (e
call it a miacle* the statue has none the less come to li"e0 <hen
(o!in+ on The ,inter$s Tale 2 disco'eed that the (ay to
undestand this scene is not to discuss it but to play it0 2n
pe"omance this action is stan+ely satis"yin+>and so it ma!es
us (onde deeply0
Hee (e ha'e an e=ample o" the Dhappenin+B e""ect>the moment
(hen the illo+ical bea!s thou+h ou e'eyday undestandin+ to
ma!e us open ou eyes moe (idely0 The (hole play has
established ;uestions and e"eences? the moment o" supise is a
Aolt to the !aleidoscope* and (hat (e see in the playhouse (e can
etain and elate to the playBs ;uestions (hen they ecu
tansposed* diluted and dis+uised* in li"e0
2" (e ima+ine "o a moment Measure for Measure and A ,inter$s
Tale (itten by Sate* it (ould be easonable to +uess that in the
one case 2sabella (ould not !neel "o An+elo>so that the play
(ould end (ith the hollo( cac!le o" the "iin+ s;uad>and in the
othe the statue (ould not come to li"e* so that 7eontes (ould be
"aced (ith the blea! conse;uences o" his actions0 Both
Sha!espeae and Sate (ould be "ashionin+ plays accodin+ to
thei sense o" tuth? one authoBs inne mateial contains di""eent
intimations "om the otheBs0 The mista!e (ould be to ta!e e'ents
o episodes "om a play and ;uestion them in the li+ht o" some
thid outside standad o" plausibility>li!e DealityB o Dtuth0B The
sot o" play that Sha!espeae o""es us is ne'e Aust a seies o"
e'ents? it is "a easie to undestand i" (e conside the plays as
obAects>as many "aceted comple=es o" "om and meanin+ in
(hich the line o" naati'e is only one amon+st many aspects>
and cannot po"itably be played o studied on its o(n0
E=peimentally* (e can appoach 7ea not as a linea naati'e*
-5 THE E3PT) SPACE
but as a cluste o" elationships0 1ist* (e ty to id ousel'es o"
the notion that because the play is called &ing 'ear it is pimaily
the stoy o" one indi'idual0 So (e pic! an abitay point in the
'ast stuctue>the death o" Codelia* say* and no( instead o"
loo!in+ to(ads the Kin+ (e tun instead to(ads the man (ho is
esponsible "o he death0 <e "ocus on this chaacte* Edmund*
and no( (e be+in to pic! ou (ay to and "o acoss the play*
si"tin+ the e'idence* tyin+ to disco'e (ho this Edmund is0 He is
clealy a 'illain* (hate'e ou standads* "o in !illin+ Codelia he
is esponsible "o the most +atuitous act o" cuelty in the play>
yet i" (e loo! at ou "ist impession o" him in the ealy scenes*
(e "ind he is by "a the most attacti'e chaacte (e meet0 2n the
openin+ scenes thee is a denial o" li"e in 7eaBs usty ionclad
po(eC :louceste is tetchy* "ussy and "oolish* a man blind to
e'eythin+ e=cept his in"lated ima+e o" his o(n impotanceC and
in damatic contast (e see the ela=ed "eedom o" his bastad
son0 E'en i" in theoy (e obse'e that the (ay he leads
:louceste by the nose is hadly moal* instincti'ely (e cannot
but side (ith his natual anachy0 Not only do (e sympathi@e (ith
:oneil and Re+an "o "allin+ in lo'e (ith him* but (e tend to
side (ith them in "indin+ Edmund so admiably (ic!ed* because
he a""ims a li"e that the scleosis o" the olde people seems to
deny0 Can (e !eep this same attitude o" admiation to(ads
Edmund (hen he has Codelia !illedG 2" not* (hy notG <hat has
chan+edG 2s it Edmund (ho has chan+ed* thou+h outside e'entsG
O is it Aust the conte=t that is di""eentG 2s a scale o" 'alue
impliedG <hat ae Sha!espeaeBs 'aluesG <hat is the 'alue o" a
li"eG <e "lic! thou+h the play a+ain and "ind an incident
impotantly situated* unelated to the main plot* o"ten ;uoted as
an e=ample o" Sha!espeaeBs slo'enly constuction0 This is the
"i+ht bet(een Edmund and Ed+a0 2" (e loo! closely* (e ae
stuc! by one "act>it is not the po(e"ul Edmund* but his
youn+e bothe (ho (ins0 2n the "ist scenes o" the play* Edmund
had no touble at all in out(ittin+ Ed+a>no( "i'e acts late in
THE ROU:H THEATRE -/
sin+le combat it is Ed+a (ho dominates0 Acceptin+ this as
damatic tuth athe than omantic con'ention* (e ae "oced to
as! ho( it has come about0 Can (e e=plain it all ;uite simply in
tems o" moal +o(th>Ed+a has +o(n up* Edmund has
decayed>o is the (hole ;uestion o" Ed+aBs undoubted
de'elopment "om naA#etB to undestandin+>and EdmundBs
'isible chan+e "om "eedom to entan+lement>"a moe comple=
than a cut8and8died ;uestion o" the tiumph o" the +ood0 AenBt
(e compelled in "act to elate this to all the e'idence connected
(ith the ;uestion o" +o(th and decline* i0e0 youth and a+e* i0e0
sten+th and (ea!ness0 2" "o a moment (e assume this point o"
'ie(* then suddenly the (hole play seems concened (ith
scleosis opposin+ the "lo( o" e=istence* o" cataacts that
dissol'e* o" i+id attitudes that yield* (hile at the same time
obsessions "om and positions haden0 O" couse the (hole play is
also about si+ht and blindness* (hat si+ht amounts to* (hat
blindness means>ho( the t(o eyes o" 7ea i+noe (hat the
instinct o" the 1ool appehends* ho( the t(o eyes o" :louceste
miss (hat his blindness !no(s0 But the obAect has many "acetsC
many themes ciss8coss its pismatic "om0 7et us stay (ith the
stands o" a+e and youth* and in pusuit o" them mo'e on to the
'ey last lines o" the play0 <hen (e ead o hea them "ist ou
eaction is* DHo( ob'ious0 <hat a tite end*B "o Ed+a says?
D<e that ae youn+
Shall ne'e see so much* no li'e so lon+0B
The moe (e loo! at them the moe toublin+ they become*
because thei appaent pecision 'anishes* ma!in+ (ay "o a
stan+e ambi+uity hidden in the naU'e Aan+le0 The last line is* at its
"ace 'alue* plain nonsense0 Ae (e to undestand that the youn+
(ill ne'e +o( up* o ae (e to undestand that the (old (ill
ne'e a+ain !no( old menG Both o" these seems a petty "eeble
(indin+ up by Sha!espeae o" a consciously (itten mastepiece0
-- THE E3PT) SPACE
Ho(e'e* i" (e loo! bac! thou+h Ed+aBs o(n line o" action* (e
see that althou+h Ed+aBs e=peience in the stom paallels 7eaBs*
it cetainly has not (ou+ht in him the intense inne chan+e that
has ta!en place in 7ea0 )et Ed+a ac;uied the sten+th "o t(o
!illin+s>"ist Os(ald* then his bothe0 <hat has this done to
him>ho( deeply has he e=peienced this loss o" innocenceG 2s he
still (ide8eyedG 2s he sayin+ in his closin+ (ods that youth and
a+e ae limited by thei o(n de"initions>that the only (ay to see
as much as 7ea is to +o thou+h 7eaBs mill* and then i0so facto
one is youn+ no lon+e0 7ea li'es lon+e than :louceste>in
time and in depth>and as a esult he undoubtedly DseesB moe
than :louceste be"oe he dies0 9oes Ed+a (ish to say that it is
e=peience o" this ode and intensity that eally means Dli'in+
lon+0B 2" so* the Dbein+ youn+B is a state (ith its o(n blindness>
li!e that o" the ealy Ed+a* and its o(n "eedom li!e that o" the
ealy Edmund0 A+e in tun has its blindness and decay0 Ho(e'e*
tue si+ht comes "om an acuteness o" li'in+ that can tans"om
the old0 2ndeed* it is clealy sho(n to us in the un"oldin+ o" the
play that 7ea su""es most and D+ets "athest0B Undoubtedly* his
bie" moment o" capti'ity (ith Codelia is as a moment o" bliss*
peace and econciliation* and Chistian commentatos o"ten (ite
as thou+h this (ee the end o" the stoy>a clea tale o" the ascent
"om the in"eno thou+h pu+ation to paadise0 Un"otunately "o
this neat 'ie( the play continues* pitilessly* a(ay "om
econciliation0
D<e that ae youn+
Shall ne'e see so much* no li'e so lon+0B
The po(e o" Ed+aBs distubin+ statement>a statement that
in+s li!e a hal"8open ;uestion>is that it caies no moal
o'etones at all0 He does not su++est "o one moment that youth
o a+e* seein+ o not seein+* ae in any (ay supeio* in"eio*
moe desiable o less desiable one than the othe0 2n "act (e ae
THE ROU:H THEATRE #&&
compelled to "ace a play (hich e"uses all moali@in+>a play
(hich (e be+in to see not as a naati'e any lon+e* but as a 'ast*
comple=* coheent poem desi+ned to study the po(e and the
emptiness o" nothin+>the positi'e and ne+ati'e aspects latent in
the @eo0 So (hat does Sha!espeae meanG <hat is he tyin+ to
teach usG 9oes he mean that su""ein+ has a necessay place in
li"e and is (oth culti'atin+ "o the !no(led+e and inne
de'elopment it bin+sG O does he mean us to undestand that the
a+e o" titanic su""ein+ is no( o'e and ou ole is that o" the
etenally youn+G <isely* Sha!espeae e"uses to ans(e0 But he
has +i'en us his play* and its (hole "ield o" e=peience is both
;uestion and ans(e0 2n this li+ht* the play is diectly elated to
the most bunin+ themes o" ou time* the old and the ne( in
elation to ou society* ou ats* ou notions o" po+ess* ou (ay
o" li'in+ ou li'es0 2" the actos ae inteested* this is (hat they
(ill bin+ out0 2" (e ae inteested* that is (hat (e (ill "ind0
1ancy dess* then* (ill be le"t "a behind0 The meanin+ (ill be "o
the moment o" pe"omance0 O" all the plays* none is so ba""lin+
and elusi'e as The Te20est) A+ain* (e disco'e that the only (ay
to "ind a e(adin+ meanin+ in it is to ta!e it as a (hole0 As a
stai+ht8"o(ad plot it is uninteestin+C as a pete=t "o costumes*
sta+e e""ects and music it is hadly (oth e'i'in+C as a potpoui
o" !noc!about and petty (itin+ it can at best please a "e(
matinee8+oes>but usually it only se'es to put +eneations o"
school childen o"" theate "o li"e0 But (hen (e see ho( nothin+
in the play is (hat it seems* ho( it ta!es place on an island and
not on an island* duin+ a day and not duin+ a day* (ith a
tempest that sets o"" a seies o" e'ents that ae still (ithin a
tempest e'en then the stom is done* that the chamin+ pastoal
"o childen natually encompasses ape* mude* conspiacy and
'iolenceC (hen (e be+in to uneath the themes that Sha!espeae
so cae"ully buied* (e see that it is his complete "inal statement*
and that it deals (ith the (hole condition o" man0 2n a simila
(ay* Sha!espeaeBs "ist play Titus Andronicus be+ins to yield its
#&# THE E3PT) SPACE
secets the moment one ceases to e+ad it as a stin+ o" +atuitous
sto!es o" melodama and be+ins to loo! "o its completeness0
E'eythin+ in Titus is lin!ed to a da! "lo(in+ cuent out o"
(hich su+e the hoos* hythmically and lo+ically elated>i"
one seaches in this (ay one can "ind the e=pession o" a po(e"ul
and e'entually beauti"ul babaic itual0 But in Titus this un8
eathin+ is compaati'ely simple>today (e can al(ays "ind ou
(ay to the 'iolent sub8conscious0 The Te20est is anothe matte0
1om "ist play to last* Sha!espeae mo'ed thou+h many limbos?
maybe the conditions cannot be "ound today "o the playBs natue
to be e'ealed "ully0 Until* ho(e'e* a (ay o" pesentin+ it can be
"ound* (e can at least be (ay o" con"usin+ unsuccess"ul attempts
at (estlin+ (ith the te=t (ith the thin+ itsel"0 E'en i" unplayable
today* it emains an e=ample o" ho( a metaphysical play can "ind
a natual idiom that is holy* comic and ou+h0
S S S
So it is that in the second hal" o" the t(entieth centuy in En+land
(hee 2 am (itin+ these (ods* (e ae "aced (ith the in"uiatin+
"act that Sha!espeae is still ou model0 2n this espect* ou (o!
on Sha!espeae poduction is al(ays to ma!e the plays DmodenB
because it is only (hen the audience comes into diect contact
(ith the playsB themes that time and con'entions 'anish0 E;ually*
(hen (e appoach the moden theate* in (hate'e "om* (hethe
the play (ith a "e( chaactes* the happenin+* o the play (ith
hodes o" chaactes and scenes* the poblem is al(ays the same
>(hee ae the e;ui'alents to the Eli@abethan sten+ths* in the
sense o" an+e and stetch0 <hat "om* in moden tems* could
that ich theate ta!eG :oto(s!i* li!e a mon! (ho "inds a uni8
'ese in a +ain o" sand* calls his holy theate a theate o" po'ety0
The Eli@abethan theate that encompassed all o" li"e includin+ the
dit and the (etchedness o" po'ety is a ou+h theate o" +eat
ichness0 The t(o ae not nealy as "a apat as they mi+ht seem0
THE ROU:H THEATRE #&$
2 ha'e tal!ed a lot about inne and oute (olds* but li!e all
oppositions it is a elati'e one* a con'enience o" notation0 2 ha'e
tal!ed about beauty* ma+ic* lo'e? !noc!in+ these (ods (ith one
hand* seemin+ to each to(ads them (ith the othe0 And yet the
paado= is a simple one0 All that (e see connected (ith these
(ods seems deadly? (hat they imply coesponds to (hat (e
need0 2" (e do not undestand cathasis* that is because it has
become identi"ied (ith an emotional steam bath0 2" (e do not
undestand ta+edy* it is because it has become con"used (ith
Actin+ The Kin+0 <e may (ant ma+ic* but (e con"use it (ith
hocus8pocus* and (e ha'e hopelessly mi=ed up lo'e (ith se=*
beauty (ith aestheticism0 But it is only by seachin+ "o a ne(
discimination that (e (ill e=tend the hoi@ons o" the eal0 Only
then could the theate be use"ul* "o (e need a beauty (hich could
con'ince us? (e need despeately to e=peience ma+ic in so diect
a (ay that ou 'ey notion o" (hat is substantial could be
chan+ed0
2t is not as thou+h the peiod o" necessay debun!in+ (ee no(
o'e0 On the contay* all thou+h the (old in ode to sa'e the
theate almost e'eythin+ o" the theate still has to be s(ept a(ay0
The pocess has hadly be+un* and pehaps can ne'e end0 The
theate needs its pepetual e'olution0 )et (anton destuction is
ciminalC it poduces 'iolent eaction and still +eate con"usion0
2" (e demolish a pseudo8holy theate* (e must endea'ou not to
bamboo@le ousel'es into thin!in+ that the need "o the saced is
old8"ashioned and that cosmonauts ha'e po'ed once and "o all
that an+els do not e=ist0 Also* i" (e +et dissatis"ied (ith the
hollo(ness o" so much o" the theate o" e'olutionaies and
popa+andists* (e must not "o this eason assume that the need to
tal! o" people* o" po(e* o" money and o" the stuctue o" society
is a passin+ "ashion0
#&% THE E3PT) SPACE
But i" ou lan+ua+e must coespond (ith ou a+e* then (e must
also accept that today ou+hness is li'elie and holiness deadlie
than at othe times0 Once* the theate could be+in as ma+ic? ma+ic
at the saced "esti'al* o ma+ic as the "ootli+hts came up0 Today*
it is the othe (ay ound0 The theate is hadly (anted and its
(o!es ae hadly tusted0 So (e cannot assume that the
audience (ill assemble de'outly and attenti'ely0 2t is up to us to
captue its attention and compel its belie"0
To do so (e must po'e that thee (ill be no tic!ey* nothin+
hidden0 <e must open ou empty hands and sho( that eally thee
is nothin+ up ou slee'es0 Only then can (e be+in0
6
The 2mmediate Theate
THERE 2S no doubt that a theate can be a 'ey special place0 2t is
li!e a ma+ni"yin+ +lass* and also li!e a educin+ lens0 2t is a small
(old* so it can easily be a petty one0 2t is di""eent "om e'eyday
li"e so it can easily be di'oced "om li"e0 On the othe hand*
(hile (e li'e less and less in 'illa+es o nei+hbouhoods* and
moe and moe in open8ended +lobal communities* the theate
community stays the same? the cast o" a play is still the si@e that it
has al(ays been0 The theate nao(s li"e do(n0 2t nao(s it
do(n in many (ays0 2t is al(ays had "o anyone to ha'e one
sin+le aim in li"e>in the theate* ho(e'e* the +oal is clea0 1om
the "ist eheasal* the aim is al(ays 'isible* not too "a a(ay* and
it in'ol'es e'eyone0 <e can see many model social pattens at
(o!? the pessue o" a "ist ni+ht* (ith its unmista!able demands*
poduce that (o!in+8to+ethe* that dedication* that ene+y and
that consideation o" each otheBs needs that +o'enment despai
o" e'e e'o!in+ outside (as0
1uthemoe* in society in +eneal the ole o" at is nebulous0
3ost people could li'e pe"ectly (ell (ithout any at at all>and
e'en i" they e+etted its absence it (ould not hampe thei
"unctionin+ in any (ay0 But in the theate thee is no such
sepaation? at e'ey instant the pactical ;uestion is an atistic
one? the most incoheent* uncouth playe is as much in'ol'ed in
mattes o" pitch and pace* intonation and hythm* position*
distance* colou and shape as the most sophisticated0 2n eheasal*
the hei+ht o" the chai* the te=tue o" the costume* the bi+htness
o" the li+ht* the ;uality o" emotion* matte all the time? the
aesthetics ae pactical0 One (ould be (on+ to say that this is
#&6
#&4 THE E3PT) SPACE
because the theate is an at0 The sta+e is a e"lection o" li"e* but
this li"e cannot be e8li'ed "o a moment (ithout a (o!in+
system based on obse'in+ cetain 'alues and ma!in+ 'alue8
Aud+ements0 A chai is mo'ed up o do(n sta+e* because itBs
Dbette so0B T(o columns ae (on+>but addin+ a thid ma!es
them Di+htB>the (ods Dbette*B D(ose*B Dnot so +ood*B DbadB ae
day a"te day* but these (ods (hich ule decisions cay no
moal sense (hatsoe'e0
Anyone inteested in pocesses in the natual (old (ould be 'ey
e(aded by a study o" theate conditions0 His disco'eies (ould
be "a moe applicable to +eneal society than the study o" bees o
ants0 Unde the ma+ni"yin+ +lass he (ould see a +oup o" people
li'in+ all the time accodin+ to pecise* shaed* but un8named
standads0 He (ould see that in any community a theate has
eithe no paticula "unction>o a uni;ue one0 The uni;ueness o"
the "unction is that it o""es somethin+ that cannot be "ound in the
steet* at home* in the pub* (ith "iends* o on a psychiatistBs
couchC in a chuch o at the mo'ies0 Thee is only one inteestin+
di""eence bet(een the cinema and the theate0 The cinema
"lashes on to a sceen ima+es "om the past0 As this is (hat the
mind does to itsel" all thou+h li"e* the cinema seems intimately
eal0 O" couse* it is nothin+ o" the sot>it is a satis"yin+ and
enAoyable e=tension o" the uneality o" e'eyday peception0 The
theate* on the othe hand* al(ays assets itsel" in the pesent0 This
is (hat can ma!e it moe eal than the nomal steam o"
consciousness0 This also is (hat can ma!e it so distubin+0
No tibute to the latent po(e o" the theate is as tellin+ as that
paid to it by censoship0 2n most e+imes* e'en (hen the (itten
(od is "ee* the ima+e "ee* it is still the sta+e that is libeated
last0 2nstincti'ely* +o'enments !no( that the li'in+ e'ent could
ceate a dan+eous electicity>e'en i" (e see this happen all too
seldom0 But this ancient "ea is a eco+nition o" an ancient
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #&.
potential0 The theate is the aena (hee a li'in+ con"ontation
can ta!e place0 The "ocus o" a la+e +oup o" people ceates a
uni;ue intensity>o(in+ to this "oces that opeate at all times
and ule each pesonBs daily li"e can be isolated and pecei'ed
moe clealy0
No(* 2 must become unashamedly pesonal0 2n the thee
pecedin+ chaptes 2 ha'e dealt (ith di""eent "oms o" theate* in
+eneal* as they occu all o'e the (old* and natually as they
occu to me0 2" this "inal section* (hich ine'itably is a sot o"
conclusion* ta!es the "om o" a theate 2 appea to ecommend*
this is because 2 can only spea! o" the theate 2 !no(0 2 must
nao( my si+hts and tal! about theate as 2 undestand it*
autobio+aphically0 2 (ill endea'ou to spea! o" actions and
conclusions "om (ithin my "ield o" (o!? this is (hat constitutes
my e=peience and my point o" 'ie(0 2n tun* the eade must
obse'e that it is insepaable "om all the thin+s on my passpot>
nationality* date o" bith* place o" bith* physical chaacteistics*
colou o" eyes* si+natue0 Also* it is insepaable "om todayBs date0
This is a pictue o" the autho at the moment o" (itin+? seachin+
(ithin a decayin+ and e'ol'in+ theate0 As 2 continue to (o!*
each e=peience (ill ma!e these conclusions inconclusi'e a+ain0
2t is impossible to assess the "unction o" a boo!>but 2 hope this
one may pehaps be o" use some(hee* to someone else (estlin+
(ith his o(n poblems in elation to anothe time and place0 But
i" anyone (ee to ty to use it as a handboo!* then 2 can de"initely
(an him>thee ae no "omulas? thee ae no methods0 2 can
descibe an e=ecise o a techni;ue* but anyone (ho attempts to
epoduce them "om my desciption is cetain to be disappointed0
2 (ould undeta!e to teach anyone all that 2 !no( about theate
ules and techni;ue in a "e( hous0 The est is pactice>and that
cannot be done alone0 <e can Aust attempt to "ollo( this to a
limited de+ee i" (e e=amine the pepaation o" a play to(ads
pe"omance0
#&5 THE E3PT) SPACE
2n pe"omance* the elationship is actoTsubAectTaudience0 2n
eheasal it is actoTsubAectTdiecto0 The ealiest elationship is
diectoTsubAectTdesi+ne0 Sceney and costumes can sometimes
e'ol'e in eheasal at the same time as the est o" the
pe"omance* but o"ten pactical consideations o" buildin+ and
dess8ma!in+ "oce the desi+ne to ha'e his (o! cut and died
be"oe the "ist eheasal0 2 ha'e o"ten done my o(n desi+ns0 This
can be a distinct ad'anta+e* but "o a 'ey special eason0 <hen
the diecto is (o!in+ this (ay* his theoetical undestandin+ o"
the play and its e=tension in tems o" shapes and colous both
e'ol'e at the same tempo0 A scene may escape the diecto "o
se'eal (ee!s* one shape in the set may seem incomplete>then
as he (o!s on the set he may suddenly "ind the place o" the scene
that eludes himC as he (o!s on the stuctue o" the di""icult scene
he may suddenly +limpse its meanin+ in tems o" sta+e action o a
succession o" colous0 2n (o! (ith a desi+ne* a sympathy o"
tempo is (hat mattes most0 2 ha'e (o!ed (ith Aoy (ith many
ma'ellous desi+nes>but ha'e at times been cau+ht in stan+e
taps* as (hen the desi+ne eaches a compellin+ solution too "ast
>so that 2 "ound mysel" ha'in+ to accept o e"use shapes be"oe
2 had sensed (hat shapes seemed to be immanent in the te=t0
<hen 2 accepted the (on+ shape* because 2 could "ind no lo+ical
eason "o opposin+ the desi+neBs con'inction* 2 loc!ed mysel"
into a tap out o" (hich the poduction could ne'e e'ol'e* and
poduced 'ey bad (o! as a esult0 2 ha'e o"ten "ound that the set
is the +eomety o" the e'entual play* so that a (on+ set ma!es
many scenes impossible to play* and e'en destoys many
possibilities "o the actos0 The best desi+ne e'ol'es step by step
(ith the diecto* +oin+ bac!* chan+in+* scappin+* as a
conception o" the (hole +adually ta!es "om0 A diecto (ho
does his o(n desi+ns natually ne'e belie'es that the completion
o" the desi+ns can be an end in itsel"0 He !no(s that he is Aust at
the be+innin+ o" a lon+ cycle o" +o(th* because his o(n (o!
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #&/
lies be"oe him0 3any desi+nes* ho(e'e* tend to "eel that (ith
the deli'ey o" the sets and costume s!etches a maAo potion o"
thei o(n ceati'e (o! in +enuinely complete0 This paticulaly
applies to +ood paintes (o!in+ in the theate0 1o them* a
completed desi+n is complete0 At lo'es can ne'e undestand
(hy all sta+e desi+nin+ isnBt done by D+eatB paintes and
sculptos0 <hat is necessay* ho(e'e* is an incomplete desi+nC a
desi+n that has claity (ithout i+idityC one that could be called
DopenB as a+ainst Dshut0B This is the essence o" theatical thin!in+?
a tue theate desi+ne (ill thin! o" his desi+ns as bein+ all the
time in motion* in action* in elation to (hat the acto bin+s to a
scene as it un"olds0 2n othe (ods* unli!e the easel painte* in t(o
dimensions* o the sculpto in thee* the desi+ne thin!s in tems
o" the "outh dimension* the passa+e o" time>not the sta+e
pictue* but the sta+e mo'in+ pictue0 A "ilm edito shapes his
mateial a"te the e'ent? the sta+e desi+ne is o"ten li!e the edito
o" an Alice8Thou+h8the87oo!in+8:lass "ilm* cuttin+ dynamic
mateial in shapes* be"oe this mateial has yet come into bein+0
The late he ma!es his decisions* the bette0
2t is 'ey easy>and it happens ;uite o"ten>to spoil an actoBs
pe"omance (ith the (on+ costume0 The acto (ho is as!ed his
'ie(s about a costume desi+n be"oe eheasals stat is in a
simila position to the diecto (ho is as!ed "o a decision be"oe
he is eady0 He has not yet had a physical e=peience o" his ole>
so his 'ie(s ae theoetical0 2" the desi+ne s!etches (ith panache
>and i" the costume is beauti"ul in its o(n i+ht>the acto (ill
o"ten accept it (ith enthusiasm* only to disco'e (ee!s late that
it is out o" tune (ith all that he is tyin+ to e=pess0 1undamental
to the (o! o" desi+nin+ is the poblem>(hat should an acto
(eaG A costume doesnBt Aust come out o" the desi+neBs head? it
spin+s "om a bac!+ound0 Ta!e the situation o" a (hite
Euopean acto playin+ a Kapanese0 E'en i" e'ey conti'ance is
used* his costume (ill ne'e ha'e the allue o" a Samuai in a
#&- THE E3PT) SPACE
Kapanese "ilm0 2n the authentic settin+* the details ae i+ht and
elated to one anothe? in the copy based on a study o" documents*
thee is almost ine'itably a steady seies o" compomisesC the
mateial is only moe o less the same* the detail o" the cut
adapted and appo=imate* e'entually the acto himsel" is unable to
inhabit the costume (ith the instincti'e i+ht ness o" the men
close to the souce0
2" (e cannot pesent a Kapanese o an A"ican satis"actoily by
pocesses o" imitation* the same holds +ood "o (hat (e call
Dpeiod0B An acto (hose (o! seems eal in eheasal clothes
easily loses this inte+ity (hen dessed in a to+a copied "om a
'ase in the Bitish 3useum0 )et (eain+ e'eyday clothes is
seldom the ans(e* they ae usually inade;uate as a uni"om "o
pe"omance0 The Noh theate* "o instance* has pese'ed itual
pe"omin+ clothes that ae o" +eat beauty* and so has the
Chuch0 2n bao;ue peiods* a contempoay D"ineyB e=isted>and
so could be the base o" clothin+ "o play o opea0 The omantic
ball (as still ecently a 'alid souce "o ema!able desi+nes li!e
Oli'e 3essel o Chistian BLad0 2n the U0S0S0R0 a"te the
Re'olution* the (hite tie and tails* dopped "om social li"e* still
supplied the "omal basis "o clothin+ musicians aptly and
ele+antly in a manne that sepaated the pe"omance "om the
eheasal0
1o us e'ey time (e stat a ne( poduction (e ae compelled to
eopen this ;uestion as thou+h "o the "ist time0 <hat can the
actos (eaG 2s thee a peiod implied in the actionG <hat is a
DpeiodGB <hat is its ealityG Ae the aspects +i'en to us by
documents ealG O is some "li+ht o" "ancy and inspiation moe
ealG <hat is the damatic puposeG <hat needs clothin+G <hat
needs statin+G <hat* physically* does the acto e;uieG <hat
does the eye o" the spectato demandG Should this demand o" the
spectato be met hamoniously o opposed* damaticallyG <hat
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE ##&
can colou and te=tue hei+htenG <hat mi+ht they bluG
Castin+ ceates a ne( set o" poblems0 2" eheasals ae shot* type
castin+ is ine'itable>but e'eyone deploes it* natually0 2n e8
action* e'ey acto (ants to play e'eythin+0 2n "act* he canBt?
each acto is e'entually bloc!ed by his o(n tue limits* (hich
outline his eal type0 All one can say is that most attempts to
decide in ad'ance (hat an acto can not do ae usually aboti'e0
The inteest in actos is thei capacity "o poducin+ unsuspected
taits in eheasal? the disappointment in an acto is (hen he is
tue to "om0 To ty to cast D!no(in+lyB is usually a 'anity? it is
bette to ha'e the time and conditions in (hich it is possible to
ta!e is!s0 One may o"ten be (on+>but in e=chan+e these (ill
be ;uite une=pected e'elations and de'elopments0 No acto
stands completely still in his caee0 2t is easy to ima+ine that he
has +ot stuc! at a cetain le'el* (hen in "act a consideable unseen
chan+e is unde (ay inside him0 The acto (ho seems 'ey +ood
at an audition may be 'ey talented* but on the (hole this is
unli!ely>he is moe pobably Aust e""icient and his e""ecti'eness
is only s!in8deep0 The acto (ho seems 'ey bad at an audition is
most li!ely the (ost acto pesent* but this is not necessaily the
case* and it is Aust possible he is the best0 Thee is no scienti"ic
(ay ound this? i" the system dictates the employin+ o" actos one
doesnBt !no(* one is "oced to (o! la+ely by +uess(o!0
At the be+innin+ o" eheasals the actos ae the opposite o" the
ideally ela=ed ceatues they (ould li!e to be0 They bin+ (ith
them a hea'y ba++a+e o" tensions0 So 'aied ae these tensions
that (e can "ind some 'ey une=pected phenomena0 1o instance*
a youn+ acto playin+ (ith a +oup o" ine=peienced "iends may
e'eal a talent and a techni;ue that put po"essionals to shame0
)et ta!e the 'ey same acto (ho has* as it (ee* po'ed his
(oth and suound him (ith the olde actos he most espects*
and o"ten he becomes not only a(!(ad and sti""* but e'en his
### THE E3PT) SPACE
talent +oes0 Put him then amon+st actos he despises and he (ill
come into his o(n a+ain0 1o talent is not static* it ebbs and "lo(s
accodin+ to many cicumstances0 Not all actos o" the same a+e
ae at the same sta+e o" thei po"essional (o!0 Some ha'e a
blend o" enthusiasm and !no(led+e that is suppoted by a
con"idence based on pe'ious small successes and is not
undemined by "ea o" imminent total "ailue0 They stat
eheasals "om a di""eent position "om the pehaps e;ually
youn+ acto (ho has made a sli+htly +eate name and (ho is
aleady be+innin+ to (onde ho( much "athe he can +o>has he
eally +ot any(hee yet* (hat is his status* is he eco+ni@ed* (hat
does the "utue holdG The acto (ho belie'es he may one day play
Hamlet has endless ene+y? the one (ho sees that the outside
(old is not con'inced he (ill e'e play a lead is aleady tyin+
himsel" into pain"ul !nots o" intospection (ith a conse;uent need
"o sel"8assetion0
2n the +oup that +athes "o a "ist eheasal* (hethe a scatch
cast o a pemanent company* an in"inite numbe o" pesonal
;uestions and (oies han+ unspo!en in the ai0 O" couse* these
ae all enhanced by the pesence o" the diecto? i" he (ee in a
:od8sent state o" total ela=ation he could +eatly help* but moe
o" the time he too is tense and in'ol'ed (ith the poblems o" his
poduction and hee too the need publicly to deli'e the +oods is
"uel to his o(n 'anity and his sel"8absoption0 2n "act* a diecto
can ne'e a""od to be+in (ith his "ist poduction0 2 emembe
heain+ that a buddin+ hypnotist ne'e con"esses to a subAect that
he is hypnoti@in+ "o the "ist time0 He has Ddone it success"ully
many times0B 2 be+an (ith my second poduction* because (hen
at se'enteen 2 "aced my "ist +oup o" shap and citical amateus*
2 (as "oced to in'ent a non8e=istent Aust completed tiumph to
+i'e them and mysel" the con"idence (e both e;uied0
The "ist eheasal is al(ays to a de+ee the blind leadin+ the
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE ##$
blind0 On the "ist day a diecto may sometimes ma!e a "omal
speech e=plainin+ the basic ideas behind the comin+ (o!0 O
else he may sho( models o costume s!etches* o boo!s o
photo+aphs* o he may ma!e Ao!es* o else +et the actos to ead
the play0 Ha'in+ din!s o playin+ a +ame to+ethe o machin+
ound the theate o buildin+ a (all all (o! in the same (ay? no
one is in a state to absob (hat is said>the pupose o" anythin+
you do on the "ist day is to +et you thou+h to the second one0
The second day is aleady di""eent>a pocess is no( at (o!*
and a"te t(enty8"ou hous e'ey sin+le "acto and elationship
has subtly chan+ed0 E'eythin+ you do in eheasal a""ects this
pocess? playin+ +ames to+ethe is a pocess that has cetain
esults* li!e a +eate "eelin+ o" con"idence* "iendliness and
in"omality0 One can play +ames at auditions Aust to bin+ about
an easie atmosphee0 The +oal is ne'e in the +ame alone>in the
shot time a'ailable "o eheasin+ a play* social ease is not
enou+h0 A hao(in+ collecti'e e=peience>li!e the
impo'isations on madness (e had to do "o the Marat+"ade
bin+s about anothe esultC the actos ha'in+ shaed di""iculties
ae open to one anothe and to the play in a di""eent (ay0
A diecto leans that the +o(th o" eheasals is a0 de'elopin+
pocessC he sees that thee 2s a i+ht time "o e'eythin+* and his
at is the at o" eco+ni@in+ these moments0 He leans that he has
no po(e to tansmit cetain ideas in the ealy days0 He (ill come
to eco+ni@e the loo! on the "ace o" an appaently ela=ed but
innely an=ious acto (ho cannot "ollo( (hat he is bein+ told0 He
(ill then disco'e that all he needs is to (ait* not push too had0
2n the thid (ee! all (ill ha'e chan+ed* and a (od o a nod (ill
ma!e instant communication0 And the diecto (ill see that he too
does not stay still0 Ho(e'e much home8(o! he does* he cannot
"ully undestand a play by himsel"0 <hate'e ideas he bin+s on
the "ist day must e'ol'e continually* than!s to the pocess he is
+oin+ thou+h (ith the actos* so that in the thid (ee! he (ill
##% THE E3PT) SPACE
"ind that he is undestandin+ e'eythin+ di""eently0 The actosB
sensibilities tun seachli+hts on to his o(n>and he (ill eithe
!no( moe* o at least see* moe 'i'idly that he has so "a
disco'eed nothin+ 'alid0
2n "act* the diecto (ho comes to the "ist eheasal (ith his
scipt pepaed (ith the mo'es and business* etc0* noted do(n* is
a eal deadly theate man0
<hen Si Bay Kac!son as!ed me to diect 'o#e$s 'a-our$s 'ost
at Stat"od in #-64* it (as my "ist bi+ poduction and 2 had
aleady done enou+h (o! in smalle theates to !no( that actos*
and abo'e all sta+e mana+es* had the +eatest contempt "o
anyone (ho* as they al(ays put it* Ddid not !no( (hat he
(anted0B So the ni+ht be"oe the "ist eheasal 2 sat a+oni@ed in
"ont o" a model o" the set* a(ae that "uthe hesitation (ould
soon be "atal* "in+ein+ "olded pieces o" cadboad>"oty pieces
epesentin+ the "oty actos to (hom the "ollo(in+ monin+ 2
(ould ha'e to +i'e odes* de"inite and clea0 A+ain and a+ain* 2
sta+ed the 'ey "ist enty o" the Cout* eco+ni@in+ that this (as
(hen all (ould be lost o (on* numbein+ the "i+ues* da(in+
chats* manoeu'in+ the scaps o" cadboad to and "o* on and o""
the set* tyin+ them in bi+ batches* then in small* "om the side*
"om the bac!* o'e +ass mounds* do(n steps* !noc!in+ them all
o'e (ith my slee'e* cusin+ and statin+ a+ain0 As 2 did so* 2
noted the mo'es* and (ith no one to notice my indecision*
cossed them out* then made "esh notes0 The ne=t monin+ 2
ai'ed at eheasal* a "at pompt boo! unde my am* and the
sta+e mana+ement bou+ht me a table* eactin+ to my 'olume* 2
obse'ed* (ith espect0
2 di'ided the cast into +oups* +a'e them numbes and sent them
to thei statin+ places* then* eadin+ out my odes in a loud
con"ident (ay 2 let loose the "ist sta+e o" the mass entance0 As
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE ##6
the actos be+an to mo'e 2 !ne( it (as no +ood0 These (ee not
emotely li!e my cadboad "i+ues* these la+e human bein+s
thustin+ themsel'es "o(ad* some too "ast (ith li'ely steps 2
had not "oeseen* bin+in+ them suddenly on top o" me>not
stoppin+* but (antin+ to +o on* stain+ me in the "ace? o else
lin+ein+* pausin+* e'en tunin+ bac! (ith ele+ant a""ectations
that too! me by supise>(e had only done the "ist sta+e o" the
mo'ement* lette a on my chat* but aleady no one (as i+htly
placed and mo'ement b could not "ollo(>my heat san! and* de8
spite all my pepaation* 2 "elt ;uite lost0 <as 2 to stat a+ain*
dillin+ these actos so that they con"omed to my notesG One
inne 'oice pompted me to do so* but anothe pointed out that my
patten (as much less inteestin+ than this ne( patten that (as
un"oldin+ in "ont o" me>ich in ene+y* "ull o" pesonal
'aiations* shaped by indi'idual enthusiasms and la@inesses*
pomisin+ such di""eent hythms* openin+ so many une=pected
possibilities0 2t (as a moment o" panic0 2 thin!* loo!in+ bac!* that
my (hole "utue (o! hun+ in the balance0 2 stopped* and (al!ed
a(ay "om my boo!* in amon+st the actos* and 2 ha'e ne'e
loo!ed at a (itten plan since0 2 eco+ni@ed once and "o all the
pesumption and the "olly o" thin!in+ that an inanimate model can
stand "o a man0
O" couse* all (o! in'ol'es thin!in+? this means compain+*
boodin+* ma!in+ mista!es* +oin+ bac!* hesitatin+* statin+ a+ain0
The painte natually does this* so does the (ite* but in secet0
The theate diecto has to e=pose his uncetainties to his cast* but
in e(ad he has a medium (hich e'ol'es as it esponds? a
sculpto says that the choice o" mateial continually amends his
ceation? the li'in+ mateial o" actos is tal!in+* "eelin+ and
e=ploin+ all the time>eheasin+ is a 'isible thin!in+8aloud0
7et me ;uote a stan+e paado=0 Thee is only one peson as
e""ecti'e as a 'ey +ood diecto>and that is a otten one0 2t
##4 THE E3PT) SPACE
sometimes happens that a diecto is so bad* so completely
(ithout diection* so incapable o" imposin+ his (ill* that his lac!
o" ability becomes a positi'e 'itue0 2t di'es the actos to despai0
:adually his incompetence ma!es a +ul" that ya(ns in "ont o"
the cast* and as the "ist ni+ht appoaches insecuity +i'es (ay to
teo* (hich becomes a "oce0 2t has happened that in the last
moments a company "ound a sten+th and a unity as thou+h by
ma+ic>and they +a'e a "ist8ni+ht pe"omance "o (hich the
diecto +ot hi+h paise0 E;ually* (hen a diecto is "ied* the ne(
man ta!in+ o'e o"ten has an easy Aob? 2 once entiely e8sta+ed
someone elseBs poduction in the couse o" one ni+ht>and +ot
un"ai cedit "o the esult0 9espai had so pepaed the +ound
that a touch "om one "in+e (as all that (as e;uied0
Ho(e'e* (hen the diecto is plausible enou+h* sten enou+h*
aticulate enou+h to +et the actosB patial tust* then the esult can
mis"ie easiest o" all0 E'en i" the acto ends by disa+eein+ (ith
some o" (hat he is told* he still passes some o" the load on to the
diecto "eelin+ that Dhe may be i+ht*B o at least that the diecto
is 'a+uely DesponsibleB and (ill someho( Dsa'e the day0B This
spaes the acto the "inal pesonal esponsibility and pe'ents the
conditions "o the spontaneous combustion o" a company comin+
into bein+0 2t is the modest diecto* the honouable unassumin+
one* o"ten the nicest man* (ho should be tusted least0
<hat 2 am sayin+ can 'ey easily be misundestood>and
diectos (ho do not (ish to be despots ae sometimes tempted to
the "atal couse o" doin+ nothin+* culti'atin+ noninte'ention in
the belie" that this is the only (ay o" espectin+ the acto0 This is
a (etched "allacy>(ithout leadeship a +oup cannot each a
coheent esult (ithin a +i'en time0 A diecto is not "ee o"
esponsibility>he is totally esponsible>but he is not "ee o" the
pocess eithe* he is pat o" it0
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE ##.
E'ey no( and then an acto tuns up (ho poclaims that
diectos ae unnecessay? actos could do it by themsel'es0 This
may be tue0 But (hat actosG 1o actos to de'elop somethin+
alone* they (ould need to be ceatues so hi+hly de'eloped that
they (ould hadly need eheasal eitheC they (ould ead the
scipt and in a (in! the in'isible substance o" the play (ould
appea "ully aticulated amon+st them0 This is uneal? a diecto is
thee to help a +oup e'ol'e to(ads this ideal situation0 The
diecto is thee to attac! and yield* po'o!e and (ithda( until
the inde"inable stu"" be+ins to "lo(0 The anti8diecto (ants the
diecto out o" the (ay "om the "ist eheasal? any diecto
disappeas* a little late* on the "ist ni+ht0 Soone o late the
acto must appea and the ensemble ta!e command0 The diecto
must sense (hee the acto (ants to +o and (hat it is he a'oids*
(hat bloc!s he aises to his o(n intentions0 No diecto inAects a
pe"omance0 At best a diecto enables an acto to e'eal his o(n
pe"omance* that he mi+ht othe(ise ha'e clouded "o himsel"0
Actin+ be+ins (ith a tiny inne mo'ement so sli+ht that it is
almost completely in'isible0 <e see this (hen (e compae "ilm
and sta+e actin+? a +ood sta+e acto can act in "ilms* not
necessaily 'ice 'esa0 <hat happensG 2 ma!e a poposition to an
actoBs ima+ination such as* DShe is lea'in+ you0B At this moment
deep in him a subtle mo'ement occus0 Not only in actos>the
mo'ement occus in anyone* but in most non8actos the
mo'ement is too sli+ht to mani"est itsel" in any (ay? the acto is a
moe sensiti'e instument and in him the temo is detected>in
the cinema the +eat ma+ni"ie* the lens* descibes this to the "ilm
that notes it do(n* so "o the cinema the "ist "lic!e is all0 2n ealy
theate eheasals* the impulse may +et no "uthe than a "lic!e>
e'en i" the acto (ishes to ampli"y it all sots o" e=taneous
psychic psycholo+ical tensions can inte'ene>then the cuent is
shot8cicuited* eathed0 1o this "lic!e to pass into the (hole
o+anism* a total ela=ation must be thee* eithe +od8+i'en o
##5 THE E3PT) SPACE
bou+ht about by (o!0 This* in shot* is (hat eheasals ae all
about0 2n this (ay actin+ is mediumistic>the idea suddenly
en'elops the (hole in an act o" possession>in :oto(s!iBs
teminolo+y the actos ae DpenetatedB>penetated by
themsel'es0 2n 'ey youn+ actos* the obstacles ae sometimes
'ey elastic* penetation can happen (ith supisin+ ease and they
can +i'e subtle and comple= incanations that ae the despai o"
those (ho ha'e e'ol'ed thei s!ill o'e yeas0 )et late* (ith
success and e=peience* the same youn+ actos build up thei
baies to themsel'es0 Childen can o"ten act (ith e=taodinay
natual techni;ue0 People "om eal li"e ae ma'ellous on sceen0
But (ith adult po"essionals thee has to be a t(o8(ay pocess*
and the stiin+ "om (ithin has to be aided by the stimulus "om
outside0 Sometimes study and thou+ht can help an acto to
eliminate the peconceptions that blind him to deepe meanin+s*
but sometimes it is the e'ese0 To each an undestandin+ o" a
di""icult ole* an acto must +o to the limits o" his pesonality and
intelli+ence>but sometimes +eat actos +o "athe still i" they
ehease the (ods and at the same time listen acutely to the
echoes that aise in them0
Kohn :iel+ud is a ma+ician>his "om o" theate is one that is
!no(n to each abo'e the odinay* the common* the banal0 His
ton+ue* his 'ocal chods* his "eelin+ "o hythm compose an
instument that he has consciously de'eloped all thou+h his
caee in a unnin+ analo+y (ith his li"e0 His natual inne
aistocacy* his oute social and pesonal belie"s* ha'e +i'en him a
hieachy o" 'alues* an intense discimination bet(een base and
pecious* and a con'iction that the si"tin+* the (eedin+* the
selectin+* the di'idin+* the e"inin+ and the tansmutin+ ae
acti'ities that ne'e end0 His at has al(ays been moe 'ocal than
physical? at some ealy sta+e in his caee he decided that "o
himsel" the body (as a less supple instument than the head0 He
thus Aettisoned pat o" an actoBs possible e;uipment but made
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE ##/
tue alchemy (ith the est0 2t is not Aust speech* not melodies* but
the continual mo'ement bet(een the (od8"omin+ mechanism
and his undestandin+ that has made his at so ae* so touchin+
and especially so a(ae0 <ith :iel+ud* (e ae conscious both o"
(hat is e=pessed and o" the s!ill o" the ceato? that a ca"t can be
so de"t adds to ou admiation0 The e=peience o" (o!in+ (ith
him has been amon+st my most special and ay +eatest Aoys0
Paul Sco"ield tal!s to his audience in anothe (ay0 <hile in
:iel+ud the instument stands hal"8(ay bet(een the music and
the heae* and so demands a playe* tained and s!illed>in
Sco"ield* instument and playe ae one>an instument o" "lesh
and blood that opens itsel" to the un!no(n0 Sco"ield* (hen 2 "ist
!ne( him as a 'ey youn+ acto* had a stan+e chaacteistic?
'ese hampeed him* but he (ould ma!e un"o+ettable 'ese out
o" lines o" pose0 2t (as as thou+h the act o" spea!in+ a (od sent
thou+h him 'ibations that echoed bac! meanin+s "a moe
comple= than his ational thin!in+ could "ind? he (ould
ponounce a (od li!e Dni+htB and then he (ould be compelled to
pause? listenin+ (ith all his bein+ to the ama@in+ impulses stiin+
in some mysteious inne chambe* he (ould e=peience the
(onde o" disco'ey at the moment (hen it happened0 Those
bea!s* those sallies in depth* +i'e his actin+ its absolutely
pesonal stuctue o" hythms* its o(n instincti'e meanin+s? to
ehease a pat* he lets his (hole natue>a milliad o" supe8
sensiti'e scannes>pass to and "o acoss the (ods0 2n
pe"omance the same pocess ma!es e'eythin+ that he has
appaently "i=ed come bac! a+ain each ni+ht the same and
absolutely di""eent0
2 use t(o (ell8!no(n names as illustations* but the phenomenon
is thee all the time in eheasal* and continually eopens the
poblem o" innocence and e=peience* o" spontaneity and
!no(led+e0 Thee ae also thin+s youn+ actos and un!no(n
##- THE E3PT) SPACE
actos can do that ha'e passed beyond the each o" "ine actos
(ith e=peience and s!ill0
Thee ha'e been times in theate histoy (hen the actoBs (o!
has been based on cetain accepted +estues and e=pessions?
thee ha'e been "o@en systems o" attitudes (hich (e eAect today0
2t is pehaps less ob'ious that the opposite pole* the 3ethod
ActoBs "eedom in choosin+ anythin+ (hatsoe'e "om the
+estues o" e'eyday li"e is e;ually esticted* "o in basin+ his
+estues on his obse'ation o on his o(n spontaneity the acto is
not da(in+ on any deep ceati'ity0 He is eachin+ inside himsel"
"o an alphabet that is also "ossili@ed* "o the lan+ua+e o" si+ns
"om li"e that he !no(s is the lan+ua+e not o" in'ention but o" his
conditionin+0 His obse'ations o" beha'iou ae o"ten
obse'ations o" poAections o" himsel"0 <hat he thin!s to be
spontaneous is "ilteed and monitoed many times o'e0 <ee
Pa'lo'Bs do+ impo'isin+* he (ould still sali'ate (hen the bell
an+* but he (ould "eel sue it (as all his o(n doin+? D2Bm
dibblin+*B he (ould say* poud o" his dain+
Those (ho (o! in impo'isation ha'e the chance to see (ith
"i+htenin+ claity ho( apidly the boundaies o" so8called
"eedom ae eached0 Ou e=ecises in public (ith the Theate o"
Cuelty ;uic!ly led the actos to the point (hee they (ee
ni+htly in+in+ 'aiations on thei o(n clichLs>li!e 3acel
3aceauBs chaacte (ho bea!s out o" one pison to "ind himsel"
(ithin anothe0 <e e=peimented "o instance (ith an acto
openin+ a doo and "indin+ somethin+ une=pected0 He had to
eact to the une=pected sometimes in +estue* sometimes in
sound* sometimes (ith paint0 He (as encoua+ed to e=pess the
"ist +estue* cy o splash that came to him0 At "ist* all this
sho(ed (as the actoBs stoc! o" similes0 The open mouth o"
supise* the step bac! in hoo? (hee did these so8called
spontaneities come "omG Clealy the tue and instantaneous inne
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #$&
eaction (as chec!ed and li!e li+htnin+ the memoy substituted
some imitation o" a "om once seen0 9abbin+ the paint (as e'en
moe e'ealin+? the haiBs8beadth o" teo be"oe the blan!ness*
and then the eassuin+ eady8made idea comin+ to the escue0
This 9eadly Theate lu!s inside us all0
The aim o" impo'isation in tainin+ actos in eheasal* and the
aim o" e=ecises* is al(ays the same? it is to +et a(ay "om
9eadly Theate0 2t is not Aust a matte o" splashin+ about in sel"8
indul+ent euphoia as outsides o"ten suspectC "o it aims at
bin+in+ the acto a+ain and a+ain to his o(n baies* to the
points (hee in place o" ne(8"ound tuth he nomally substitutes a
lie0 An acto playin+ a bi+ scene "alsely appeas "alse to the
audience because* instant "o instant* in his po+ession "om one
attitude o" the chaacte to anothe* he is substitutin+ "alse details
"o eal ones? tiny tansitional phoney emotions thou+h imitation
attitudes0 But this cannot be +appled (ith (hile eheasin+ bi+
scenes>too much is +oin+ on* it is "a too complicated0 The
pupose o" an e=ecise is to educe and etun? to nao( the aea
do(n and do(n until the bith o" a lie is e'ealed and cau+ht0 2"
the acto can "ind and see this moment he can pehaps open
himsel" to a deepe* moe ceati'e impulse0
Similaly* (hen t(o actos play to+ethe0 <hat (e !no( most is
e=tenal ensemble playin+? much o" the team(o! o" (hich the
En+lish theate is so poud is based on politeness* coutesy*
easonableness* +i'e8and8ta!e* you tun* a"te you* and so on>a
"acsimile (hich (o!s (hene'e the actos ae in the same an+e
o" style>i0e0 olde actos play beauti"ully to+ethe* and so do
'ey youn+ onesC but (hen they ae mi=ed up* "o all thei cae
and mutual espect* the esult is o"ten a mess0 1o a poduction 2
did o" :enetBs The 1alcony in Pais it (as necessay to mi= actos
o" 'ey di""eent bac!+ounds>classically tained* "ilm tained*
ballet tained and simple amateu0 Hee* lon+ e'enin+s o" 'ey
#$# THE E3PT) SPACE
obscene bothel impo'isations se'ed only one pupose>they
enabled this hybid +oup o" people to come to+ethe and be+in to
"ind a (ay o" espondin+ diectly to one anothe0
Some e=ecises open the actos to one anothe in a ;uite di""eent
(ay? "o e=ample* se'eal actos may play completely di""eent
scenes side by side* but ne'e spea!in+ at the same moment* so
that each has to pay close attention to the (hole* in ode to !no(
Aust (hat moments depended on him0 O else de'elopin+ a
collecti'e sense o" esponsibility "o the ;uality o" an
impo'isation* and s(itchin+ to ne( situations as soon as the
shaed in'ention "la+s0 3any e=ecises set out "ist to "ee the
acto* so he may be allo(ed to disco'e by himsel" (hat only
e=ists in himsel"? ne=t* to "oce him to accept blindly e=tenal
diections* so that by coc!in+ a sensiti'e enou+h ea he could hea
in himsel" mo'ements he (ould ne'e ha'e detected any othe
(ay0 1o instance a 'aluable e=ecise is di'idin+ a Sha!espeae
solilo;uy into thee 'oices* li!e a canon* and then ha'in+ the thee
actos ecite at bea!nec! speed o'e and o'e a+ain0 At "ist* the
technical di""iculty absobs all the actosB attention* then
+adually as they maste the di""iculties they ae as!ed to bin+
out the meanin+ o" the (ods* (ithout 'ayin+ the in"le=ible "om0
Because o" the speed and the mechanical hythm this seems
impossible? the acto is pe'ented "om usin+ any o" his nomal
e=pessi'e e;uipment0 Then suddenly he busts a baie and
e=peiences ho( much "eedom thee can be (ithin the ti+htest
discipline0
Anothe 'aiant is to ta!e the t(o lines DTo be o not to be* That is
the ;uestionB and +i'e them to ten actos* one (od each0 The
actos stand in a closed cicle and endea'ou to play the (ods
one a"te the othe* tyin+ to poduce a li'in+ phase0 This is so
di""icult that it instantly e'eals e'en to the most uncon'inced
acto ho( closed and insensiti'e he is to his nei+hbou0 <hen
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #$$
a"te lon+ (o! the sentence suddenly "lo(s* a thillin+ "eedom
is e=peienced by e'eyone0 They see in a "lash the possibility o"
+oup playin+* and the obstacles to it0 This e=ecise can be
de'eloped by substitutin+ othe 'ebs "o Dbe*B (ith the same
e""ect o" a""imation and denial>and e'entually it is possible to
put sounds o +estues in place o" one o all o" the (ods and still
maintain a li'in+ damatic "lo( bet(een the ten paticipants0
The pupose o" such e=ecises is to lead actos to the point (hee
i" one acto does somethin+ une=pected but tue* the othes can
ta!e this up and espond on the same le'el0 This is ensemble
playin+? in actin+ tems it means ensemble ceation* an a(esome
thou+ht0 2t is no use thin!in+ that e=ecises belon+ to school and
only apply to a cetain peiod o" the actoBs de'elopment0 An
acto li!e any atist* is li!e a +aden and it is no help to pull out
the (eeds Aust once* "o all time0 The (eeds al(ays +o(* this is
;uite natual* and they must be cleaned a(ay* (hich is natual
and necessay too0
Actos must study by 'ayin+ means? an acto has mainly an act
o" elimination to ma!e0 Stanisla's!yBs title DBuildin+ a ChaacteB
is misleadin+>a chaacte isnBt a static thin+ and it canBt be built
li!e a (all0 Reheasals donBt lead po+essi'ely to a "ist ni+ht0
This is somethin+ 'ey had "o some actos to undestand>
especially those (ho pide themsel'es most on thei s!ill0 1o
medioce actos the pocess o" chaacte buildin+ is as "ollo(s?
they ha'e an acute moment o" atistic an+uish* at the 'ey stat
>D<hat (ill happen this timeGB>D2 !no( 2B'e played many
success"ul pats be"oe but* this time* (ill inspiation comeGB This
acto comes in teo to the "ist eheasal* but +adually his
standad pactices "ill the 'acuum o" his "ea? as he Ddisco'esB a
(ay o" doin+ each section* he battens it do(n* elie'ed that once
a+ain he has been spaed the "inal catastophe0 So on the "ist
ni+ht althou+h he is ne'ous* his ne'es ae those o" the
#$% THE E3PT) SPACE
ma!sman (ho !no(s he can hit the ta+et but is a"aid he (onBt
+et a bullBs8eye a+ain (hen his "iends ae (atchin+0
The eally ceati'e acto eaches a di""eent and "a (ose teo
on the "ist ni+ht0 All thou+h eheasals he has been e=ploin+
aspects o" a chaacte (hich he senses al(ays to be patial* to be
less than the tuth>so he is compelled* by the honesty o" his
seach* endlessly to shed and stat a+ain0 A ceati'e acto (ill be
most eady to discad the hadened shells o" his (o! at the last
eheasal because hee* (ith the "ist ni+ht appoachin+* a billiant
seachli+ht is cast on his ceation* and he sees its piti"ul
inade;uacy0 The ceati'e acto also lon+s to clin+ on to all heBs
"ound* he too (ants at all costs to a'oid the tauma o" appeain+
in "ont o" an audience* na!ed and unpepaed>still this is
e=actly (hat he must do0 He must destoy and abandon his esults
e'en i" (hat he pic!s up seems almost the same0 This is easie "o
1ench actos than "o En+lish ones* because tempeamentally
they ae moe open to the idea that nothin+ is any +ood0 And this
is the only (ay that a pat* instead o" bein+ built* can be bon0 The
ole that has been -uilt is the same e'ey ni+ht>e=cept that it
slo(ly eodes0 1o the pat that is bon to be the same it must
al(ays be ebon* (hich ma!es it al(ays di""eent0 O" couse*
paticulaly in a lon+ un* the e""ot o" daily e8ceation becomes
unbeaable and unthin!able* and this is (hee the e=peienced
ceati'e atist is compelled to "all bac! on a second le'el called
techni;ue to cay him thou+h0
2 did a play (ith that pe"ectionist Al"ed 7unt0 2n the "ist act* he
had a scene sittin+ on a bench0 2n eheasal* he su++ested* as a
piece o" natual business* ta!in+ o"" his shoe and ubbin+ his "oot0
Then he added shadin+ the shoe to empty it be"oe puttin+ it bac!
on a+ain0 One day (hen (e (ee on tou in Boston* 2 (al!ed past
his dessin+8oom0 The doo (as aAa0 He (as pepain+ "o the
pe"omance* but 2 could see that he (as loo!in+ out "o me0 He
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #$6
bec!oned e=citedly0 2 (ent into the dessin+8oom* he closed the
doo* as!ed me to sit do(n0 DTheeBs somethin+ 2 (ant to ty
toni+ht*B he said0 DBut only i" you a+ee0 2 (ent "o a (al! on
Boston Common this a"tenoon and "ound these0B He held out his
palm0 2t contained t(o tiny pebbles0 DThat scene (ee 2 sha!e out
my shoe*B he continued* Dits al(ays (oied me that nothin+ "alls
out0 So 2 thou+ht 2Bd ty puttin+ the pebbles in0 Then (hen 2 sha!e
it* youBd see them dop>and youBd hea the sound0 <hat do you
thin!GB 2 said it (as an e=cellent idea and his "ace lit up0 He
loo!ed deli+htedly at the t(o little stones* bac! at me* then
suddenly his e=pession chan+ed0 He studied the stones a+ain "o
a lon+ an=ious moment0 D)ou donBt thin! it (ould be bette (ith
oneGB
The hadest tas! o" all "o an acto is to be sincee yet detached>
it is dummed into an acto that sinceity is all he needs0 <ith its
moal o'etones* the (od causes +eat con"usion0 2n a (ay* the
most po(e"ul "eatue o" the Becht actos is the de+ee o" thei
insincerity) 2t is only thou+h detachment that an acto (ill see his
o(n clichLs0 Thee is a dan+eous tap in the (od sinceity0 1ist
o" all* a youn+ acto disco'es that his Aob is so e=actin+ that it
demands o" him cetain s!ills0 1o instance* he has to be head?
his body has to obey his (ishes? he must be a maste o" his
timin+* not the sla'e o" hapha@ad hythms0 So he seaches "o
techni;ue? and soon he ac;uies a !no(8ho(0 Easily* !no(8no(
can become a pide and an end in itsel"0 2t becomes de=teity
(ithout any othe aim than the display o" e=petise>in othe
(ods* the at becomes insincee0 The youn+ acto obse'es the
insinceity o" the old8time and is dis+usted0 He seaches "o
sinceity0 Sinceity is a loaded (od? li!e cleanliness it caies
childhood associations o" +oodness* tuth8tellin+ and decency0 2t
seems a +ood ideal* a0 bette aim than ac;uiin+ moe and moe
techni;ue* and as sinceity is a "eelin+* one can al(ays tell (hen
oneBs bein+ sincee0 So thee is a path one can "ollo(C one can
#$4 THE E3PT) SPACE
"ind oneBs (ay to sinceity by emotional D+i'in+*B by bein+
dedicated* by honesty* by ta!in+ a no8holds8baed appoach and
by* as the 1ench say* Dplun+in+ into the bath0B Un"otunately* the
esult can easily be the (ost !ind o" actin+0 <ith any o" the othe
ats* ho(e'e deep one plun+es into the act o" ceatin+* it is
al(ays possible to step a(ay and loo! at the esult0 As the painte
steps bac! "om his can'as othe "aculties can spin+ into play and
(an him at once o" his e=cesses0 The tained pianistBs head is
physically less in'ol'ed than his "in+es and so ho(e'e Dcaied
a(ayB he is by the music* his ea caies its o(n de+ee o"
detachment and obAecti'e contol0 Actin+ is in many (ays uni;ue
in its di""iculties because the atist has to use the teacheous*
chan+eable and mysteious mateial o" himsel" as his medium0 He
is called upon to be completely in'ol'ed (hile distanced>
detached (ithout detachment0 He must be sincee* he must be
insincee? he must pactise ho( to be insincee (ith sinceity and
ho( to lie tuth"ully0 This is almost impossible* but it is essential
and easily i+noed0 All too o"ten* actos>and it is not thei "ault*
but that o" the deadly schools (ith (hich the (old is litteed>
build thei (o! on "a+8ends o" doctine0 The +eat system o"
Stanisla's!y* (hich "o the "ist time appoached the (hole at o"
actin+ "om the point o" 'ie( o" science and !no(led+e* has done
as much ham as +ood to many youn+ actos* (ho misead it in
detail and only ta!e a(ay a +ood hated o" the shoddy0 A"te
Stanisla's!y* AtaudBs e;ually si+ni"icant (itin+s* hal"8ead and
a tenth di+ested* ha'e led to a nai'e belie" that emotional
commitment and unhesitatin+ sel"8e=posue ae all that eally
count0 This is no( "ed "uthe by ill8di+ested* misundestood bits
o" :oto(s!i0 Thee is no( a ne( "om o" sincee actin+ (hich
consists o" li'in+ e'eythin+ thou+h the body0 2t is a !ind o"
natualism0 2n natualism* the acto ties sinceely to imitate the
emotions and actions o" the e'eyday (old and to li'e his ole0 2n
this othe natualism the acto +i'es himsel" o'e Aust as com8
pletely to li'in+ his unealistic beha'iou* thou+h and thou+h0
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #$.
This is (hee he "ools himsel"0 Kust because the type o" theate
heBs connected (ith seems poles emo'ed "om old8"ashioned
natualism* he belie'es that he* too* is "a "om this despised style0
2n "act* he appoaches the landscape o" his o(n emotions (ith the
same belie" that e'ey detail must be photo+aphically
epoduced0 So he is al(ays at "ull "lood0 The esult is o"ten so"t*
"labby* e=cessi'e and uncon'incin+0
Thee ae +oups o" actos* paticulaly in the United States*
nouished on :enet and Ataud* (ho despise all "oms o"
natualism0 They (ould be 'ey indi+nant i" they (ee called
natualistic actos* but this is pecisely (hat limits thei at0 To
commit e'ey "ibe o" oneBs bein+ into an action may seen a "om
o" total in'ol'ement>but the tue atistic demand may be e'en
moe stin+ent than total in'ol'ement>and need "e(e
mani"estations o ;uite di""eent ones0 To undestand this* (e
must see that alon+ (ith the emotion thee is al(ays a ole "o a
special intelli+ence* that is not thee at the stat* but (hich has to
be de'eloped as a selectin+ instument0 Thee is a need "o
detachment* in paticula* thee is a need "o cetain "oms? all o"
(hich is had to de"ine* but impossible to i+noe0 1o instance*
actos can petend to "i+ht (ith total abandon and +enuine
'iolence0 E'ey acto is pepaed "o death scenes>and he tho(s
himsel" into them (ith such abandon that he does not eali@e he
!no(s nothin+ at all about death0
2n 1ance an acto comes to an audition* as!s to be sho(n the
most 'iolent scene in the play and (ithout a ;ualm plun+es into it
to demonstate his paces0 The 1ench acto playin+ a classical pat
pumps himsel" up in the (in+s then plun+es into the scene? he
Aud+es the success o "ailue o" the e'enin+ by the de+ee he can
suende to his emotions* (hethe his inne cha+e is at its
ma=imum pitch and "om this comes a belie" in the 3use* in
inspiation and so on0 The (ea!ness o" his (o! is that this (ay
#$5 THE E3PT) SPACE
he tends to play +eneali@ations0 By this 2 mean that in an an+y
scene he +ets on to his note o" an+e>o athe he plu+s into his
an+e8point and this "oce di'es him thou+h the scene0 This may
+i'e him a cetain "oce and e'en at times a cetain hypnotic
po(e o'e the audience* and this po(e is "alsely consideed to
be DlyicalB and Dtanscendental0B 2n "act* such an acto in his
passion becomes its sla'e and is unable to dop out o" the passion
i" a subtle chan+e o" te=t demands somethin+ ne(0 2n a speech
that contains both natual and lyical elements he declaims
e'eythin+ as thou+h all the (ods (ee e;ually pe+nant0 2t is
this clumsiness that ma!es actos appea stupid and +and actin+
seem uneal0
Kean :enet (ishes the theate to come out o" the banal* and he
(ote a seies o" lettes to Ro+e Blin (hen Blin (as diectin+
The "creens! u+in+ him to push the actos to(ads Dlyicism0B
This sounds (ell enou+h in theoy but (hat is lyicismG <hat is
Dout o" the odinayB actin+G 9oes it dictate a special 'oice* a
hi+h8blo(n manneG Old classical actos seem to sin+ thei lines*
is this the elic o" some 'alid old taditionG At (hat point is a
seach "o "om an acceptance o" ati"icialityG This is one o" the
+eatest poblems (e "ace today* and so lon+ as (e etain any
snea!in+ belie" that +otes;ue mas!s* hei+htened ma!e8ups*
hieatic costumes* declamation* balletic mo'ement ae someho(
DitualisticB in thei o(n i+ht and conse;uently lyical and
po"ound>(e (ill ne'e +et out o" a taditional at8theate ut0
At least one can see that e'eythin+ is a lan+ua+e "o somethin+
and nothin+ is a lan+ua+e "o e'eythin+0 E'ey action happens in
its o(n i+ht and e'ey action is an analo+y o" somethin+ else0 2
cumple a piece o" pape? this +estue is complete in itsel"? 2 can
stand on a sta+e and (hat 2 do need be no moe than (hat appeas
at the moment o" the happenin+0 2t can also be a metapho0
Anyone (ho sa( Patic! 3a+ee slo(ly teain+ stips o"
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #$/
ne(spape pecisely as in li"e and yet uttely itualistically in
PinteBs The 1irthday Party (ill !no( (hat this means0 A
metapho is a si+n and is an illustation>so it is a "a+ment o"
lan+ua+e0 E'ey tone o" speech* e'ey hythmic patten is a
"a+ment o" lan+ua+e and coesponds to a di""eent e=peience0
O"ten* nothin+ is so deadly as a (ell8schooled acto spea!in+
'ese? thee ae o" couse academic la(s o" posody and they can
help to clai"y cetain thin+s "o an acto at a cetain sta+e o" his
de'elopment* but he must e'entually disco'e that the hythms o"
each chaacte ae as distincti'e as thumbpints? then he must
lean that e'ey note in the musical scale coesponds>(hat toG
That also he must "ind0
3usic is a lan+ua+e elated to the in'isible by (hich a
nothin+ness suddenly is thee in a "om that cannot be seen but
can cetainly be pecei'ed0 9eclamation is not music* yet it
coesponds to somethin+ di""eent "om odinay speech?
"0rechgesang alsoC Cal O"" has set :ee! ta+edy on to a
hei+htened le'el o" hythmic speech suppoted and punctuated by
pecussion and the esult is not only sti!in+* it is essentially
di""eent "om ta+edy spo!en and ta+edy sun+? it spea!s o" a
di""eent thin+0 <e can sepaate neithe the stuctue no the
sound o" 7eaBs DNe'e ne'e ne'e ne'e ne'eB "om its
comple= o" meanin+s* and (e cannot isolate 7eaBs D3onste
2n+atitudeB (ithout seein+ ho( the shotness o" the line o" 'ese
bin+s a temendous thic! emphasis on to the syllables0 Thee is a
mo'in+ beyond (ods in D3onste 2n+atitude0B The te=tue o"
lan+ua+e is eachin+ to(ads the e=peiences that Beetho'en
imitated in pattens o" sound>yet it is not music* it cannot be
abstacted "om its sense0 Hese is decepti'e0
An e=ecise (e once de'eloped in'ol'ed ta!in+ a scene o"
Sha!espeaeBs* such as RomeoBs "ae(ell to Kuliet* and tyin+
Iati"icially o" couseJ to disentan+le the di""eent intet(inin+
#$- THE E3PT) SPACE
styles o" (itin+0 The scene eads?

3ulietC <ilt thou be +oneG 2t is not yet nea day0
2t (as the ni+htin+ale* and not the la!*
That pieced the "ea"ul hollo( o" thine ea0
Ni+htly she sin+ on yond pome+anate tee0
Belie'e me* lo'e* it (as the ni+htin+ale0
8o2eoC 2t (as the la!* the heald o" the monC
No ni+htin+ale0 7oo!* lo'e* (hat en'ious stea!s
9o lace the se'ein+ clouds in yonde East0
Ni+htBs candles ae bunt out* and Aocund day
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountains tops0
2 must be +one and li'e* o stay and die0
3ulietC )ond li+ht is not dayli+ht C 2 !no( it* 20
2t is some meteo that the sun e=hales
To be to thee this ni+ht a tochbeae
And li+ht thee on thy (ay to 3antua0
Thee"oe stay yet0 Thou needest not to be +one0
8o2eoC 7et me be taBen* let me be put to death0
2 am content* so thou (ilt ha'e it so0
2Bll say yon +ey is not the monin+Bs eyeC
DTis but the pale e"le= o" CynthiaBs bo(0
No that is not the la! (hose notes do beat
The 'aulty hea'en so hi+h abo'e ou heads0
2 ha'e moe cae to stay than (ill to +o0
Come* death* and (elcomeM Kuliet (ills it so0
Ho( isBt* my soulG 7etBs tal!0 2t is not day0
The actos then (ee as!ed to select only those (ods that they
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #%&
could play in a ealistic situation* the (ods that they could use
unsel"consciously in a "ilm0 This poduced?

3ulietC <ilt thou be +oneG 2t is not yet nea day0 2t (as the
ni+htin+ale D0auseE not the la! D0auseE
8o2eoC 2t (as the la! D0auseE no ni+htin+ale0 7oo!* lo'e
D0auseE 2 must be +one and li'e* o stay and die0
3ulietC )ond li+ht is no dayli+htC D0auseE thee"oe stay yet0 Thou
needest not to be +one0
8o2eoC 7et me be taBen* let me be put to death0 2 am content* so
thou (ilt ha'e it so0 D0auseE Come* death and (elcomeM Kuliet
(ills it so0 Ho( isBt* my soulG 7etBs tal!0 2t is not day0
Then the actos played this as a +enuine scene "om a moden
play "ull o" li'in+ pauses>spea!in+ the selected (ods out loud*
but epeatin+ the missin+ (ods silently to themsel'es to "ind the
une'en len+ths o" the silences0 The "a+ment o" scene that
eme+ed (ould ha'e made +ood cinema* "o the moments o"
dialo+ue lin!ed by a hythm o" silences o" une;ual duation in a
"ilm (ould be sustained by close shots and othe silent* elated
ima+es0
Once this cude sepaation had been made* it (as then possible to
do the e'ese? to play the eased passa+es (ith "ull eco+nition
that they had nothin+ (hatsoe'e to do (ith nomal speech0 Then
it (as possible to e=ploe them in many di""eent (ays>tunin+
them into sounds o mo'ements>until the acto sa( moe and
moe 'i'idly ho( a sin+le line o" speech can ha'e cetain pe+s o"
natual speech ound (hich t(ist unspo!en thou+hts and "eelin+s
#%# THE E3PT) SPACE
endeed appaent by (ods o" anothe ode0 This chan+e o" style
"om the appaently collo;uial to the e'idently styli@ed is so
subtle that it cannot be obse'ed by any cude attitudes0 2" the
acto appoaches a speech loo!in+ "o its "om* he must be(ae
not to decide too easily (hat is musical* (hat is hythmic0 2t is not
enou+h "o an acto playin+ 7ea in the stom* to ta!e a unnin+
Aump at the speeches* thin!in+ o" them as splendid slabs o" stom
music0 No is it any use spea!in+ them ;uietly "o thei meanin+
on the +ounds that they ae actually ta!in+ place inside his head0
A passa+e o" 'ese can be undestood moe li!e a "omula
cayin+ many chaacteistics>a code in (hich each lette has a
di""eent "unction0 2n the stom speeches* the e=plosi'e
consonants ae thee to su++est by imitation the e=plosi'e patten
o" thunde* (ind and ain0 But the consonants ae not e'eythin+?
(ithin these cac!lin+ lettes (ithes a meanin+* a meanin+ thatBs
e'e on the chan+e* a meanin+ thatBs caied by meanin+Bs beae*
ima+es0 Thus* Dyou cataacts and huicanes spoutB is one thin+
DAll +emens spill at once That ma!e 2n+ate"ul man*B is ;uite
anothe0 <ith (itin+ as compact as this* the last de+ee o" s!ill is
needed? any loud acto can oa both lines (ith the same noise*
but the atist must not only pesent to us (ith absolute claity the
Hieonymous Bosch>3a= Enst8li!e ima+e in the second line o"
the hea'ens spillin+ thei spemato@oa* he must pesent this
(ithin the conte=t o" 7eaBs o(n a+e0 He (ill obse'e a+ain that
the 'ese +i'es +eat (ei+ht to DThat ma!e 2n+ate"ul man*B this
(ill each him as a 'ey pecise sta+e diection "om Sha!espeae
himsel"* and he (ill sense and +ope "o a hythmic stuctue that
enables him to +i'e to these "ou (ods the sten+th and (ei+ht o"
a lon+e line and in so doin+ hul on to the lon+shot o" man in
stom a temendous close8up o" his absolute belie" in human
in+atitude0 Unli!e a close8up in the cinema* this sot o" close8up*
close8up (ith an idea* "ees us "om an e=clusi'e pe8occupation
(ith the man himsel"0 Ou comple= "aculties en+a+e moe "ully
and in ou minds (e place 2n+ate"ul man o'e 7ea and o'e the
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #%$
(old* his (old* ou (old* at one and the same time0
)et this is the point (hee (e most need to !eep touch (ith
common8sense* (hee the i+ht ati"ice tuns stilted o bombastic*
DHa'e a (his!yB>the content o" this phase dealy is bette
endeed by a con'esational tone o" 'oice than by son+0 DHa'e a
(his!y*B this phase (e (ould a+ee has only one dimension* one
(ei+ht* one "unction0 )et in Mada2e 1utterfly these (ods ae
sun+ and indiectly PucciniBs one phase has bou+ht the (hole
"om o" opea into idicule0 D9inne* hoMB in 7eaBs scene (ith his
!ni+hts is simila to DHa'e a (his!y0B 7eas o"ten declaim this
phase* bin+in+ the play into ati"icialities* yet (hen 7ea says
the (ods* he is not actin+ in a poetic ta+edy* he is simply a man
callin+ "o his dinne0 D2n+ate"ul manB and D9inne* hoMB ae both
lines by Sha!espeae in a 'ese ta+edy* but in "act they belon+ to
;uite di""eent (olds o" actin+0
2n eheasal* "om and content ha'e to be e=amined sometimes
to+ethe* sometimes sepaately0 Sometimes an e=ploation o" the
"om can suddenly open us up to the meanin+ that dictated the
"om>sometimes a close study o" content +i'es us a "esh sound
o" hythm0 The diecto must loo! "o (hee the acto is messin+
up his o(n i+ht u+es>and hee he must help the acto to see
and o'ecome his o(n obstacles0 All this is a dialo+ue and a
dance bet(een diecto and playe0 A dance is an accuate
metapho* a (alt@ bet(een diecto* playe and te=t0 Po+ession
is cicula* and decidin+ (hoBs the leade depends on (hee you
stand0 The diecto (ill "ind that all the time ne( means ae
needed? he (ill disco'e that any eheasal techni;ue has its use*
that no techni;ue is all8embacin+0 He (ill "ollo( the natual
pinciple o" otation o" cops? he (ill see that e=planation* lo+ic*
impo'isation* inspiation* ae methods that apidly un dy and
he (ill mo'e "om one to the othe0 He (ill !no( that thou+ht*
emotion* and body canBt be sepaated>but he (ill see that a
#%% THE E3PT) SPACE
petended sepaation must o"ten ta!e place0 Some actos do not
espond to e=planation* (hile othes do0 This di""es in each
situation* and one day it is une=pectedly the non8intellectual acto
(ho esponds to a (od "om the diecto* (hile the intellectual
undestands all "om a +estue0
2n ealy eheasals* impo'isation* e=chan+e o" associations and
memoies* eadin+ o" (itten mateial* eadin+ o" peiod
documents* loo!in+ at "ilms and at paintin+s can all se'e to
stimulate the mateial ele'ant to the theme o" a play inside each
indi'idual0 None o" these methods means much in itsel">each is
a stimulus0 2n the Marat+"ade! as !inetic ima+es o" insanity ose
up and possessed the acto and as he yielded to them in
impo'isation* the othes obse'ed and citici@ed0 So a tue "om
(as +adually detached "om the standadi@ed clichLs that ae pat
o" an actoBs e;uipment "o mad scenes0 Then as he poduced an
imitation o" madness that con'inced his "ello(s by its seemin+
eality* he had to come up a+ainst a ne( poblem0 He may ha'e
used an ima+e "om obse'ation* "om li"e* but the play is about
madness as it (as in #/&/>be"oe du+s* be"oe teatment* (hen
a di""eent social attitude to the insane made them beha'e
di""eently* and so on0 1o this* the acto had no outside model>
he loo!ed at "aces in :oya not as models to imitate but as pods to
encoua+e his con"idence in "ollo(in+ the ston+e and moe
(oyin+ o" his inne impulses0 He had to allo( himsel" to se'e
these 'oices completelyC and in patin+ "om outside models* he
(as ta!in+ +eate is!s0 He had to culti'ate an act o" possession0
As he did so* he "aced a ne( di""iculty* his esponsibility to the
play0 All the sha!in+* Auddein+ and oain+* all the sinceity in
the (old can still +et the play no(hee0 He has lines to spea!>i"
he in'ents a chaacte incapable o" spea!in+ them he (ill be
doin+ his Aob badly0 So the acto has to "ace t(o opposite
e;uiements0 The temptation is to compomise>to tone do(n
the impulses o" the chaacte to suit the sta+e needs0 But his eal
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #%6
tas! lies in the opposite diection0 3a!e the chaacte 'i'id>and
"unctional0 Ho(G 2t is Aust thee that the need "o intelli+ence
aises0
Thee is a place "o discussion* "o eseach* "o the study o"
histoy and documents as thee is a place "o oain+ and ho(lin+
and ollin+ on the "loo0 Also* thee is a place "o ela=ation*
in"omality* chumminess* but also thee is a time "o silence and
discipline and intense concentation0 Be"oe his "ist eheasal
(ith ou actos* :oto(s!i as!ed "o the "loo to be s(ept and "o
all clothes and pesonal belon+in+s to be ta!en out o" the oom0
Then he sat behind a des!* spea!in+ to the actos "om a distance*
allo(in+ neithe smo!in+ no con'esation0 This tense climate
made cetain e=peiences possible0 2" one eads Stanisla's!yBs
boo!s* one sees that some o" the thin+s said ae puely to e'o!e a
seiousness "om an acto at a time (hen the maAoity o" theates
(ee slipshod0 )et at times* nothin+ is moe libeatin+ than in"o8
mality and the chuc!in+ a(ay o" all holy* hi+h8minded (ays0
Sometimes all the attention must be +i'en to one actoC at othe
times the collecti'e pocess demands a halt to the indi'idualBs
(o!0 Not e'ey "acet can be e=ploed0 To discuss e'ey possible
(ay (ith e'eyone can be Aust too slo( and so it can be
destucti'e to the (hole0 Hee the diecto has to ha'e a sense o"
time? it is "o him to "eel the hythm o" the pocess and obse'e its
di'isions0 Thee is a time "o discussin+ the boad lines o" a play*
thee is a time "o "o+ettin+ them* "o disco'ein+ (hat can only
be "ound thou+h Aoy* e=ta'a+ance* iesponsibility0 Thee is a
time (hen no one must (oy himsel" about the esults o" his
e""ots0 2 hate lettin+ people (atch eheasals because 2 belie'e
that the (o! is pi'ile+ed* thus pi'ate? thee must be no concen
about (hethe one is bein+ "oolish o ma!in+ mista!es0 Also a
eheasal may be incompehensible>o"ten e=cesses can be le"t o
encoua+ed e'en to the ama@ement and dismay o" the company
until the moment is ipe to call a halt0 But e'en in eheasal thee
#%4 THE E3PT) SPACE
is a time (hen one needs outside people (atchin+* (hen (hat
al(ays seem to be hostile "aces can ceate a +ood ne( tension and
the tension a ne( "ocus? the (o! must all the time set ne(
demands0 Thee is anothe point the diecto must sense0 He must
sense the time (hen a +oup o" actos into=icated by thei o(n
talent and the e=citement o" the (o! loses si+ht o" the play0
Suddenly one monin+ the (o! must chan+e? the esult must
become all impotant0 Ko!es and emboideies ae then uthlessly
paed a(ay and all the attention put on to the "unction o" the
e'enin+* on the naatin+* the pesentin+* the techni;ue* the
audibility* the communicatin+ to the audience0 So it is "oolish "o
a diecto to ta!e a doctinaie 'ie(C eithe tal!in+ technical
lan+ua+e about pace* 'olume* etc0>o a'oidin+ one because it is
inatistic0 2t is (oe"ully easy "o a diecto to +et stuc! in a
method0 Thee comes a moment (hen tal! about speed* pecision*
diction is all that counts0 DSpeed up*B D+et on (ith it*B DitBs boin+*B
D'ay the pace*B D"o ChistBs sa!eB is then the patte* yet a (ee!
be"oe such old8time tal! could ha'e stulti"ied all ceati'ity0
The close the acto appoaches the tas! o" pe"omin+* the moe
e;uiements he is as!ed to sepaate* undestand and "ul"ill
simultaneously0 He must bin+ into bein+ an unconscious state o"
(hich he is completely in cha+e0 The esult is a (hole*
indi'isible>but emotion is continually illuminated by intuiti'e
intelli+ence so that the spectato* thou+h (ooed* assaulted*
alienated and "oced to eassess* ends by e=peiencin+ somethin+
e;ually indi'isible0 Cathasis can ne'e ha'e been simply an
emotional pu+e? it must ha'e been an appeal to the (hole man0
No( the moment o" pe"omance* (hen it comes* is eached
thou+h t(o passa+e(ays>the "oye and the sta+edoo0 Ae
these* in symbolic tems* lin!s o ae they to be seen as symbols
o" sepaationG 2" the sta+e is elated to li"e* i" the auditoium is
elated to li"e* then the openin+s must be "ee and open
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #%.
passa+e(ays must allo( an easy tansition "om outside li"e to
meetin+ place0 But i" the theate is essentially ati"icial* then the
sta+edoo eminds the acto that he is no( entein+ a special place
that demands costume* ma!e up* dis+uise* chan+e o" identity>
and the audience also desses up* so as to come out o" the
e'eyday (old alon+ a ed capet into a place o" pi'ile+e0 Both
o" these ae tue and both must be cae"ully compaed* because
they cay ;uite di""eent possibilities (ith them and elate to
;uite di""eent social cicumstances0 The only thin+ that all "oms
o" theate ha'e in common is the need "o an audience0 This is
moe than a tuism? in the theate the audience completes the
steps o" ceation0 2n the othe ats* it is possible "o the atist to
use as his pinciple the idea that he (o!s "o himsel"0 Ho(e'e
+eat his sense o" social esponsibility* he (ill say that his best
+uide is his o(n instinct>and i" he is satis"ied (hen standin+
alone (ith his completed (o!* the chances ae that othe people
(ill be satis"ied too0 2n the theate this is modi"ied by the "act that
the last lonely loo! at the completed obAect is not possible>until
an audience is pesent the obAect is not complete0 No autho* no
diecto* e'en in a me+alomaniac deam* (ould (ant a pi'ate
pe"omance* Aust "o himsel"0 No me+alomaniac acto (ould
(ant to play "o himsel"* "o his mio0 So "o the autho o the
diecto to (o! "o his o(n taste and his o(n Aud+ement* he must
(o! appo=imately "o himsel" in eheasal and only tuly "o
himsel" (hen he is hemmed in by a dense ban! o" audience0 2
thin! any diecto (ill a+ee that his o(n 'ie( o" his o(n (o!
chan+es completely (hen he is sittin+ suounded by people0
Seein+ a "ist public pe"omance o" a play one has diected is a
stan+e e=peience0 Only a day be"oe* one sat at a un8thou+h
and (as completely con'inced that a cetain acto (as playin+
(ell* that a cetain scene (as inteestin+* a mo'ement +ace"ul* a
passa+e "ull o" clea and necessay meanin+0 No( suounded by
audience pat o" onesel" is espondin+ li!e this audience* so it is
#%5 THE E3PT) SPACE
onesel" (ho is sayin+ D2Bm boed*B DheBs said that aleady*B Di" she
mo'es once moe in that a""ected (ay 2Bll +o madB and e'en D2
donBt undestand (hat theyBe tyin+ to say0B Apat "om the o'e8
sensibility bou+ht about by ne'es* (hat actually is happenin+ to
ma!e such a statlin+ chan+e in the diectoBs 'ie( o" his o(n
(o!G 2 thin! that it is abo'e all a ;uestion o" the ode in (hich
the e'ents no( occu0 7et me e=plain this by a sin+le e=ample0 2n
the "ist scene o" a play a +il meets he lo'e0 She has eheased
(ith +eat tendeness and tuth and in'ests a simple +eetin+ (ith
an intimacy that touches e'eyone>out o" conte=t0 2n "ont o" an
audience* it suddenly becomes clea the the pecedin+ lines and
actions ha'e in no (ay pepaed "o this? in "act* the audience
may be busy tyin+ to pic! up ;uite di""eent tails elatin+ to
othe chaactes and themes>then suddenly it is "aced (ith a
youn+ actess mumuin+ hal" inaudibly to a youn+ man0 2n a late
scene* the se;uence o" e'ents could ha'e led to a hush in (hich
this mumuin+ (ould be e=actly i+ht>hee it seems hal"8
heated* the intention unclea and e'en incompehensible0
The diecto ties to pese'e a 'ision o" the (hole* but he
eheases in "a+ments and e'en (hen he sees a un8thou+h it is
una'oidably (ith "oe!no(led+e o" all the playBs intentions0
<hen an audience is pesent* compellin+ him to eact as an
audience* this "oe!no(led+e is "ilteed a(ay and "o the "ist
time he "ind himsel" ecei'in+ the impessions +i'en by the play
in thei pope time8se;uence* one a"te anothe0 Not supisin+ly
he "inds that e'eythin+ appeas di""eent0
1o this eason any e=peimente is concened (ith all aspects o"
his elationships (ith an audience0 He ties by placin+ the
audience in di""eent positions to bin+ about ne( possibilities0
An apon sta+e* an aena* a "ully lit house* a camped ban o
oom>aleady these condition di""eent e'ents0 But the
di""eence may be supe"icial? a moe po"ound di""eence can
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #%/
aise (hen the acto can play on a chan+in+ inne elationship
(ith the spectato0 2" the acto can catch the spectatoBs inteest*
thus lo(e his de"ences and then coa= the spectato to an
une=pected position o an a(aeness o" a clash o" opposin+
belie"s* o" absolute contadictions* then the audience becomes
moe acti'e0 This acti'ity does not demand mani"estations>the
audience that ans(es bac! may seem acti'e* but this may be
;uite supe"icial>tue acti'ity can be in'isible* but also
indi'isible0
The one thin+ that distin+uishes the theate "om all the othe ats
is that it has no pemanence0 )et it is 'ey easy to apply>almost
"om "oce o" citical habit>pemanent standads and +eneal
ules to this ephemeal phenomenon0 One ni+ht in an En+lish
po'incial to(n* Sto!e8on8Tent* 2 sa( a poduction o"
Pyg2alion! sta+ed in a theate8in8the8ound0 The combination o"
li'ely actos* li'ely buildin+* li'ely audience* bou+ht out the
most spa!lin+ elements o" the play0 2t D(entB ma'ellously0 The
audience paticipated "ully0 The pe"omance (as tiumphantly
complete0 The cast (ee all too youn+ "o thei pats? they had
uncon'incin+ +ey lines painted on thei hai and 'ey ob'ious
ma!e8ups0 2" by ma+ic they had been tanspoted that 'ey instant
to the <est End o" 7ondon and "ound themsel'es suounded by a
7ondon audience in a con'entional 7ondon buildin+ they (ould
ha'e seemed uncon'incin+ and the audience (ould ha'e been
uncon'inced0 Ho(e'e* this does not mean that the 7ondon
standad is bette o hi+he than the po'incial one0 2t is moe
li!ely to be the e'ese* because it is unli!ely that any(hee in
7ondon that e'enin+ the theatical tempeatue (as nealy so hi+h
as in Sto!e0 But the compaison can ne'e been made0 The
hypothetical Di" can ne'e be put to the test* (hen itBs not Aust the
actos o the scipt* but the (hole o" the pe"omance that one is
assessin+0
#%- THE E3PT) SPACE
At the Theate o" Cuelty pat o" ou study (as the audience* and
ou 'ey "ist public pe"omance (as an inteestin+ e=peience0
The audience that came to see an De=peimentalB e'enin+ ai'ed
(ith the usual mi=tue o" condescension* play"ulness and "aint
disappo'al that the notion o" the a#ant9garde aouses0 <e
pesented to them a numbe o" "a+ments0 Ou o(n pupose (as
uni;uely sel"ish>(e (anted to see some o" ou e=peiments in
pe"omance conditions0 <e did not +i'e the audience a
po+amme* list o" authos* o" names* o" items* no any
commentay o e=planation o" ou o(n intentions0
The po+amme be+an (ith AtaudBs thee8minute play* The
"0urt of 1lood! made moe Ataud than Ataud because his
dialo+ue (as entiely eplaced by sceams0 Pat o" the audience
(as immediately "ascinated* pat +i++led0 <e meant it seiously*
but ne=t (e played a little intelude that (e ousel'es consideed
a Ao!e0 No( the audience (as lost? the lau+hes did not !no(
(hethe to lau+h any moe* the seious8minded (ho had
disappo'ed o" thei nei+hbousB lau+hte no lon+e !ne( (hat
attitude to ta!e0 As the pe"omance continued* the tension +e(?
(hen :lenda Kac!son* because a situation demanded it* too! o""
all he clothes a ne( tension came into the e'enin+ because the
une=pected no( mi+ht ha'e no bounds0 <e could obse'e ho( an
audience is in no (ay pepaed to ma!e its o(n instant
Aud+ements second "o second0 At the second pe"omance the
tension (as no lon+e the same0 Thee (ee no e'ie(s* and 2 do
not belie'e that many people on the second ni+ht had been pimed
by "iends (ho had come the ni+ht be"oe0 )et the audience (as
less tense0 Rathe 2 thin! that othe "actos (ee at (o!>they
4ne (e had aleady pe"omed once be"oe and the "act that
thee (as nothing in the papes in itsel" tele+aphed a eassuance0
The ultimate hoos could not ha'e ta!en place>i" one o" the
audience had been inAued>i" (e had set "ie to the buildin+* then
it (ould ha'e been on the "ont pa+e0 No ne(s (as +ood ne(s0
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #6&
Then as the un (oe on* (od o" mouth +ot aound that thee
(ee impo'isations* some dull bits* a chun! o" :enet* a sha!e8up
o" Sha!espeae* some loud sounds and so the audience ai'ed*
selected* because o" couse some no( pe"eed to stay at home*
and +adually only the enthusiasts o the detemined sco""es
"ilteed thou+h0 <hene'e one has a eal citical "lop* "o the
emainde o" the un thee is al(ays a small audience o" +eat
enthusiasm>and on the last ni+ht o" a D"ailueB thee ae al(ays
chees0 E'eythin+ helps to condition an audience0 Those (ho +o
to a theate despite bad notices +o (ith a cetain (ish* a cetain
e=pectationC they ae pepaed* i" only "o the (ost0 Almost
al(ays (e ta!e ou places in a theate (ith an elaboate set o"
e"eences conditionin+ us be"oe the pe"omance be+ins? (hen
the play ends* (e ae automati@ed into +ettin+ up and lea'in+
stai+ht a(ay0 <hen at the end o" DU SB (e o""eed the audience
the possibility o" silence* o" sittin+ still "o a (hile i" it (anted>it
(as inteestin+ to see ho( this possibility o""ended some and
+ati"ied othes0 2n "act* thee is no eason (hy one should be
hustled "om a theate the moment the action is done* and a"te DU
SB many people sat still "o ten minutes o moe* then be+an
spontaneously to spea! to one anothe0 This seems to me to be
moe natual and moe healthy an end to a shaed e=peience then
ushin+ a(ay>unless the ushin+ a(ay is also an act o" choice*
not o" social habit0
Today* the ;uestion o" the audience seems to be the most
impotant and di""icult one to "ace0 <e "ind that the usual theate
audience is usually not a 'ey li'ely one* cetainly not a
paticulaly loyal one* so (e set o"" in seach o" a Dne(B audience0
This is suely undestandable>and yet at the same time athe
ati"icial0 On the (hole it is tue that the youn+e an audience* the
moe s(i"t and "ee its eactions0 2t is tue that on the (hole (hat
alienates youn+ people "om the theate is (hat is bad in theate
any(ay* so in chan+in+ ou "oms to (oo the youn+ (e (ould
#6# THE E3PT) SPACE
seem to be !illin+ t(o bids (ith one stone0 An obse'ation that
can easily be chec!ed at "ootball matches and do+ aces is that a
popula audience is "a moe 'i'id in its esponses than a middle8
class one0 So a+ain it (ould seem to ma!e sense to (oo the
popula audience thou+h a popula idiom0
But this lo+ic easily bea!s do(n0 The popula audience e=ists
and yet it is somethin+ o" a (ill8oB8the8(isp0 <hen Becht (as
ali'e* it (as the intellectuals o" <est Belin (ho "loc!ed to his
theate in the East0 Koan 7ittle(oodBs suppot came "om the <est
End* and she ne'e "ound a (o!in+8class audience "om he o(n
distict la+e enou+h to cay he thou+h di""icult times0 The
Royal Sha!espeae Theate sends +oups out to "actoies and
youth clubs>"ollo(in+ Continental pattens>to sell the notion
o" theate to those sections o" society (ho ha'e pehaps ne'e set
"oot in a theate and ae pehaps con'inced that theate is not "o
them0 These commandos aim at e'o!in+ inteest* bea!in+ do(n
baies* ma!in+ "iends0 This is splendid* stimulatin+ (o!0 But
behind it lu!s an issue pehaps too dan+eous to touch>(hat
tuly ae they sellin+G <e ae implyin+ to a (o!in+ man that
theate is pat o" Cultue>that is to say* pat o" the bi+ ne(
hampe o" +oods no( a'ailable to e'eyone0 Behind all attempts
to each ne( audiences thee is a secet patona+e>Dyou too can
come to the patyB>and li!e all patona+e* it conceals a lie0 The
lie is the implication that the +i"t is (oth ecei'in+0 9o (e tuly
belie'e in its (othG <hen people* (hose a+e o class has !ept
them a(ay "om theates* ae lued into them* is it enou+h to +i'e
them Dthe bestGB The So'iet Theate attempts to +i'e Dthe best0B
National Theates o""e Dthe best0B At the 3etopolitan Opea in
Ne( )o! in a band8ne( buildin+ the best o" EuopeBs sin+es
unde the baton o" the best 3o@at conducto* and o+ani@ed by
the best poduce* play a Magic Flute) Apat "om the music and
the actin+* on a ecent occasion the cup o" cultue (as eally "illed
to the bim because a splendid seies o" paintin+s by Cha+all (ee
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #6$
also displayed scene by scene at the same time0 Accodin+ to the
addicti'e 'ie( o" cultue* it (ould be impossible to +o "uthe>
the youn+ man pi'ile+ed to ta!e his +il to the Magic Flute
eaches the pinnacle o" (hat his community can o""e in tems o"
the ci'ili@ed li"e0 The tic!et is DhotB>but (hat is the e'enin+
(othG 2n a sense* all "oms o" audience (ooin+ "lit dan+eously
(ith this same poposition>come and shae in the +ood li"e
(hich is +ood* because it has to be +ood* because it contains the
best0
This can ne'e eally chan+e so lon+ as cultue o any at is
simply an appenda+e on li'in+* sepaable "om it and* once
sepaated* ob'iously unnecessay0 Such at then is only "ou+ht "o
by the atist to (hom* tempeamentally* it is necessay* "o it is
his li"e0 2n the theate (e al(ays etun to the same point? it is not
enou+h "o (ites and actos to e=peience this compulsi'e
necessity* audiences must shae it* too0 So in this sense it is not
Aust a ;uestion o" (ooin+ an audience0 2t is an e'en hade matte
o" ceatin+ (o!s that e'o!e in audiences an undeniable hun+e
and thist0
A tue ima+e o" necessay theate8+oin+ 2 !no( is a psychodama
session in an asylum0 7et us e=amine "o a moment the conditions
that pe'ail thee0 Thee is a small community* (hich leads a
e+ula* monotonous li"e0 On cetain days* "o some o" the
inmates* thee is an e'ent* somethin+ unusual* somethin+ to loo!
"o(ad to* a session o" dama0 <hen they come into the oom
(hee the session is to ta!e place* they !no( that (hate'e is
+oin+ to happen is di""eent "om (hat happens in the (ads* the
+aden* the tele'ision oom0 They all sit in a cicle0 At the stat*
they ae o"ten suspicious* hostile* (ithda(n0 The docto in
cha+e ta!es the initiati'e and as!s the patients to popose themes0
Su++estions ae made* they ae discussed and slo(ly thee eme+e
points that inteest moe than one patient* points that liteally
#6% THE E3PT) SPACE
become points o" contact0 Con'esation de'elops pain"ully aound
these subAects and the docto (ill at once pass to damati@in+
them0 2n the cicle* soon* e'eyone (ill ha'e his ole>but this
does not mean that e'eyone is pe"omin+0 Some (ill natually
step "o(ad as pota+onists* (hile othes (ill pe"e to sit and
(atch* eithe identi"yin+ (ith the pota+onist* o "ollo(in+ his
actions* detached and citical0
A con"lict (ill de'elop? this is tue dama because the people on
thei "eet (ill be spea!in+ about tue issues shaed by all pesent
in the only manne that can ma!e these issues eally come to li"e0
They may lau+h0 They may cy0 They may not eact at all0 But
behind all that +oes on* amon+st the so8called insane* lu!s a 'ey
simple* 'ey sane basis0 They all shae a (ish to be helped to
eme+e "om thei an+uish* e'en i" they donBt !no( (hat this help
may be* o (hat "om it could ta!e0 At this point* let me ma!e it
clea that 2 ha'e no 'ie(s at all on the 'alue o" psychodama as a
teatment0 Pehaps it has no lastin+ medical esult at all0 But in the
immediate e'ent thee is an unmista!able esult0 T(o hous a"te
any session be+ins all the elations bet(een the people pesent ae
sli+htly modi"ied* because o" the e=peience in (hich they ha'e
been plun+ed to+ethe0 As a esult* somethin+ is moe animated*
somethin+ "lo(s moe "eely* some embyonic contacts ae bein+
made bet(een pe'iously sealed8o"" souls0 <hen they lea'e the
oom* they ae not ;uite the same as (hen they enteed0 2" (hat
has happened has been shattein+ly uncom"otable* they ae in8
'i+oated to the same de+ee as i" thee ha'e been +eat outbusts
o" lau+hte0 Neithe pessimism no optimism apply? simply* some
paticipants ae tempoaily* sli+htly* moe ali'e0 2"* as they +o out
o" the doo* this all e'apoates* it does not matte eithe0 Ha'in+
had this taste* they (ill (ish to come bac! "o moe0 The dama
session (ill seem an oasis in thei li'es0
This is ho( 2 undestand a necessay theateC one in (hich thee is
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #66
only a pactical di""eence bet(een acto and audience* not a
"undamental one0
As 2 (ite* 2 do not !no( (hethe it is only on a tiny scale* in tiny
communities* that dama can be ene(ed0 O (hethe it is
possible on a la+e scale* in a bi+ playhouse in a capital city0 Can
(e "ind* in tems o" pesent need* (hat :lyndeboune and
Bayeuth achie'ed in ;uite othe cicumstances* (ith ;uite
di""eent idealsG That is to say* can (e poduce homo+eneous
(o! that shapes its audience be"oe it has e'en passed thou+h its
doosG :lyndeboune and Bayeuth (ee in tune (ith thei
society and the classes to (hom they cateed0 Today* it is had to
see ho( a 'ital theate and a necessay one can be othe than out
o" tune (ith society>not see!in+ to celebate the accepted
'alues* but to challen+e them0 )et the atist is not thee to indict*
no to lectue* no to haan+ue* and least o" all to teach0 He is a
pat o" Dthem0B He challen+es the audience tuly (hen he is the
spi!e in the side o" an audience that is detemined to challen+e
itsel"0 He celebates (ith an audience most tuly (hen he is the
mouthpiece o" an audience that has a +ound o" Aoy0
<ee ne( phenomena to come into bein+ in "ont o" an audience*
and (ee the audience open to them* a po(e"ul con"ontation
(ould occu0 <ee this to occu* the scatteed natue o" social
thin!in+ (ould +athe ound cetain bass notesC cetain deep aims
(ould be e"elt* ene(ed* easseted0 2n this (ay the di'isions
bet(een positi'e and ne+ati'e e=peience* bet(een optimism and
pessimism* (ould become meanin+less0
At a time (hen all sands ae shi"tin+* the seach is automatically a
seach "o "om0 The destuction o" old "oms* the e=peimentin+
(ith ne( ones? ne( (ods* ne( elationships* ne( places* ne(
buildin+s? they all belon+ to the same pocess* and any indi'idual
poduction is Aust a sepaate shot at an unseen ta+et0 2t is "oolish
#64 THE E3PT) SPACE
today to e=pect any sin+le poduction* +oup* style o line o" (o!
to e'eal (hat (eBe loo!in+ "o0 The theate can only ad'ance
cab(ise in a (old (hose mo'in+ "o(ad is as o"ten side(ays
as bac!(ads0 This is (hy "o a 'ey lon+ time thee cannot
possibly be a (old style "o a (old theate>as thee (as in the
theates and opea houses o" the nineteenth centuy0
But all is not mo'ement* all is not destuction* all is not
estlessness* all is not "ashion0 Thee ae pillas o" a""imation0
Those ae the moments o" achie'ement (hich do occu* suddenly*
any(hee? the pe"omances* the occasions (hen collecti'ely a
total e=peience* a total theate o" play and spectato ma!es
nonsense o" any di'isions li!e 9eadly* Rou+h and Holy0 At these
ae moments* the theate o" Aoy* o" cathasis* o" celebation* the
theate o" e=ploation* the theate o" shaed meanin+* the li'in+
theate ae one0 But once +one* the moment is +one and it cannot
be ecaptued sla'ishly by imitation>the deadly ceeps bac!* the
seach be+ins a+ain0
E'ey cue to action has a call bac! to inetia (ithin it0 Ta!e that
holiest o" e=peiences>music0 3usic is the one thin+ that ma!es
li"e toleable "o a +eat numbe o" people0 So many hous o"
music a (ee! emind people that li"e could be (oth li'in+>but
these instants o" solace blunt the ed+e o" thei dissatis"action and
so ma!e them moe eady to accept an othe(ise intoleable (ay
o" li"e0 Ta!e the shoc!in+ atocity stoies* o the photo o" the
napalmed child* these shoc!s ae the ou+hest o" e=peiences>
but they open the spectatosB eyes to the need "o an action (hich
in the e'ent they someho( sap0 2t is as thou+h the "act o"
e=peiencin+ a need 'i'idly ;uic!ens this need and ;uenches it in
the same beath0 <hat then can be doneG
2 !no( o" one acid test in the theate0 2t is liteally an acid test0
<hen a pe"omance is o'e* (hat emainsG 1un can be "o+otten*
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #6.
but po(e"ul emotion also disappeas and +ood a+uments lose
thei thead0 <hen emotion and a+ument ae hanessed to a (ish
"om the audience to see moe clealy into itsel">then somethin+
in the mind buns0 The e'ent scoches on to the memoy an
outline* a taste* a tace* a smell>a pictue0 2t is the playBs cental
ima+e that emains* its silhouette* and i" the elements ae i+htly
blended this silhouette (ill be its meanin+* this shape (ill be the
essence o" (hat it has to say0 <hen yeas late 2 thin! o" a
sti!in+ theatical e=peience 2 "ind a !enel en+a'ed on my
memoy? t(o tamps unde a tee* an old (oman da++in+ a cat*
a se+eant dancin+* thee people on a so"a in hell>o
occasionally a tace deepe than any ima+ey0 2 ha'enBt a hope o"
emembein+ the meanin+s pecisely* but "om the !enel 2 can
econstuct a set o" meanin+s0 Then a pupose (ill ha'e been
se'ed0 A "e( hous could amend my thin!in+ "o li"e0 This is
almost but not ;uite impossible to achie'e0
The acto himsel" is hadly e'e scaed by his e""ots0 Any acto
in his dessin+8oom a"te playin+ a temendous* hoi"yin+ ole is
ela=ed and +lo(in+0 2t is as thou+h the passa+e o" ston+ "eelin+s
thou+h someone en+a+ed in ston+ physical acti'ity is 'ey
healthy0 2 belie'e it is +ood "o a man to be an ochestal
conducto* +ood "o him to be a ta+edian? as a ace* they seem
consistently to each a ipe old a+e0 But 2 also thin! that thee is a
pice0 The mateial you use to ceate these ima+inay people (ho
you can pic! up and discad li!e a +lo'e is you o(n "lesh and
blood0 The acto is +i'in+ o" himsel" all the time0 2t is his possible
+o(th* his possible undestandin+ that he is e=ploitin+* usin+ this
mateial to (ea'e these pesonalities (hich dop a(ay (hen the
play is done0 Ou ;uestion hee is (hethe anythin+ at all can pe8
'ent the same thin+ happenin+ to the audience0 Can the audience
etain a ma! o" its cathasis>o is a +lo( o" (ell8bein+ the 'ey
best it can e'e eachG
#65 THE E3PT) SPACE
E'en hee thee ae many contadictions0 The act o" theate is a
elease0 Both lau+hte and intense "eelin+s clea some debis "om
the system>in this (ay they ae the opposite o" tacema!es* "o
li!e all pu+ations they ma!e all clean and ne(0 )et ae the
e=peiences that "ee and the e=peiences that emain so
completely di""eentG 2snBt it a 'ebal naU'ety to belie'e that one
is opposed to the otheG 2snBt it tue to say that in a ene(al all
thin+s ae possible a+ainG
Thee ae many pin! old men and (omen0 Thee ae those (ho
ha'e astonishin+ 'i+ou* but (ho ae +eat babies? un8lined in
"ace and natue? Aolly* but not +o(n8up0 Thee ae also othe old
people* not cabbed* not decepit? lined* ma!ed* used>(ho ae
+lo(in+* ene(ed0 E'en youth and a+e can supeimpose0 The eal
;uestion "o the old acto is (hethe in an at that so ene(s him
he could also* i" he acti'ely (ished* "ind anothe +o(th0 The
;uestion "o the audience* happy and e"eshed by a Aoyous
e'enin+ at the theate* is also the same one0 2s thee a "uthe
possibilityG <e !no( a "leetin+ libeation can happenC can
somethin+ also stayG
Hee the ;uestion comes bac! to the spectato0 9oes he (ant any
chan+e in his cicumstancesG 9oes he (ant anythin+ di""eent in
himsel"* his li"e* his societyG 2" he doesnBt* then he doesnBt need
the theate to be an acid* a ma+ni"yin+ +lass* a seachli+ht o a
place o" con"ontation0
On the othe hand* he may need one o all o" these thin+s0 2n this
case* he not only needs the theate* he needs e'eythin+ he can +et
thee0 He despeately needs that tace that scoches* he
despeately needs it to stay0
<e ae on the 'e+e o" a "omula* an e;uation that eads Theatre
F 8 r a) To ai'e at these lettes (e ae "oced to da( "om an
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #6/
une=pected souce0 The 1ench lan+ua+e does not contain the
(ods ade;uate "o the tanslation o" Sha!espeae* yet stan+ely it
is Aust in this lan+ua+e that (e "ind thee (ods used e'ey day
(hich e"lect the poblems and the possibilities o" the theate
e'ent0
Repetition* epesentation* assistance* The (ods (o! Aust as
(ell in En+lish0 But (e nomally spea! o" a eheasal? re0etition
say the 1ench* and thei (od conAues up the mechanical side o"
the pocess0 <ee! a"te (ee!* day a"te day* hou a"te hou*
pactice ma!es pe"ect0 2t is a dud+e* a +ind* a disciplineC it is a
dull action that leads to a +ood esult0 As e'ey athlete !no(s*
epetition e'entually bin+s about chan+e? hanessed to an aim*
di'en by a (ill* epetition is ceati'e0 Thee ae cabaet sin+es
(ho pactise a ne( son+ a+ain and a+ain "o a yea o moe
be"oe 'entuin+ to pe"om it in public? then they may epeat this
son+ to audiences "o a "uthe "i"ty yeas0 7auence Oli'ie
epeats lines o" dialo+ue to himsel" a+ain and a+ain until he
conditions his ton+ue muscles to a point o" absolute obedience>
and so +ains total "eedom0 No clo(n* no acobat* no dance
(ould ;uestion that epetition is the only (ay cetain actions
become possible* and anyone (ho e"uses the challen+e o"
epetition !no(s that cetain e+ions o" e=pession ae
automatically baed to him0 At the same time* epetition is a
(od (ith no +lamou* it is a concept (ithout (amth? the
immediate association is a deadly one0 Repetition is the piano
lessons (e emembe "om childhood* the epeated scalesC
epetition is the touin+ musical comedy epeatin+ automatically*
(ith its "i"teenth cast* actions that ha'e lost thei meanin+ and lost
thei sa'ou0 Repetition is (hat leads to all that is meanin+less in
tadition? the soul8destoyin+ lon+ un* the undestudy eheasals*
all that sensiti'e actos dead0 These cabon8copy imitations ae
li"eless0 Repetition denies the li'in+0 2t is as thou+h in one (od
(e see the essential contadiction in the theate "om0 To e'ol'e*
#6- THE E3PT) SPACE
somethin+ needs to be pepaed and the pepaation o"ten
in'ol'es +oin+ o'e the same +ound a+ain and a+ain0 Once
completed* this needs to be seen and may e'o!e a le+itimate
demand to be epeated a+ain and a+ain0 2n this epetition* lie the
seeds o" decay0
<hat can econcile this contadictionG Hee* the 1ench (od "o
pe"omance>re0resentation@contains an ans(e0 A
epesentation is the occasion (hen somethin+ is epesented*
(hen somethin+ "om the past is sho(n a+ain>somethin+ that
once (as* no( is0 1o epesentation it is not an imitation o
desciption o" a past e'ent* a epesentation denies time0 2t
abolishes that di""eence bet(een yesteday and today0 2t ta!es
yestedayBs action and ma!es it li'e a+ain in e'ey one o" its
aspects>includin+ its immediacy0 2n othe (ods* a
epesentation is (hat it claims to be>a ma!in+ pesent0 <e can
see ho( this is the ene(al o" the li"e that epetition denies and it
applies as much to eheasal as to pe"omance0
The study o" (hat e=actly this means opens a ich "ield0 2t
compels us to see (hat li'in+ action means* (hat constitutes a
eal +estue in the immediate pesent* (hat "oms the "a!es
assume* (hat is patially ali'e* (hat is completely ati"icial>
until slo(ly (e can be+in to de"ine the actual "actos that ma!e
the act o" epesentation so di""icult0 And the moe (e study this
the moe (e see that "o a epetition to e'ol'e into a
epesentation* somethin+ "uthe is called "o0 The ma!in+
pesent (ill not happen by itsel"* help is needed0 This help is not
al(ays thee? yet (ithout this tue aid* the tue ma!in+ pesent
(ill not ta!e place0 <e (onde (hat this necessay in+edient
could be* and (e loo! at a eheasal* (atchin+ the actos toilin+
a(ay at thei pain"ul epetitions0 <e eali@e that in a 'acuum thei
(o! (ould be meanin+less0 Hee (e "ind a clue0 2t leads us
natually to the idea o" an audienceC (e see that (ithout an
THE 233E92ATE THEATRE #4&
audience thee is no +oal* no sense0 <hat is an audienceG 2n the
1ench lan+ua+e amon+st the di""eent tems "o those (ho (atch*
"o public* "o spectato* one (od stands out* is di""eent in
;uality "om the est0 Assistance@2 (atch a play? >$assiste G une
0iHce) To assist>the (od is simple? it is the !ey0 An acto
pepaes* he entes into a pocess that can tun li"eless at any
point0 He sets out to captue somethin+* to ma!e it incanate0 2n
eheasal* the 'ital element o" assistance comes "om the diecto*
(ho is thee to aid by (atchin+0 <hen the acto +oes in "ont o"
an audience* he "inds that the ma+ic tans"omation does not (o!
by ma+ic0 The spectatos may Aust stae at the spectacle* e=pectin+
the acto to do all the (o! and be"oe a passi'e +a@e he may "ind
that all he can o""e is a epetition o" eheasals0 This may distub
him deeply* he may put all his +ood(ill* inte+ity* adou into
(o!in+ up li'eliness and yet he senses all the time a lac!0 He
tal!s about a DbadB house0 Occasionally* on (hat he calls a D+ood
ni+ht*B he encountes an audience that by chance bin+s an acti'e
inteest and li"e to its (atchin+ ole>this audience assists0 <ith
this assistance* the assistance o" eyes and "ocus and desies and
enAoyment and concentation* epetition tuns into epesentation0
Then the (od epesentation no lon+e sepaates acto and
audience* sho( and public? it en'elops them? (hat is pesent "o
one is pesent "o the othe0 The audience too has unde+one a
chan+e0 2t has come "om a li"e outside the theate that is
essentially epetiti'e to a special aena in (hich each moment is
li'ed moe clealy and moe tensely0 The audience assists the
acto* and at the same time "o the audience itsel" assistance
comes bac! "om the sta+e0
Repetition* epesentation* assistance0 These (ods sum up the
thee elements* each o" (hich is needed "o the e'ent to come to
li"e0 But the essence is still lac!in+* because any thee (ods ae
static* any "omula is ine'itably an attempt to captue a tuth "o
all time0 Tuth in the theate is al(ays on the mo'e0
#4# THE E3PT) SPACE
As you ead this boo!* it is aleady mo'in+ out o" date0 2t is "o
me an e=ecise* no( "o@en on the pa+e0 But unli!e a boo!* the
theate has one special chaacteistic0 2t is al(ays possible to stat
a+ain0 2n li"e this is a mythC (e ousel'es can ne'e +o bac! on
anythin+0 Ne( lea'es ne'e tun* cloc!s ne'e +o bac!* (e can
ne'e ha'e a second chance0 2n the theate the slate is (iped clean
all the time0
2n e'eyday li"e* Di"B is a "iction* in the theate Di"B is an
e=peiment0
2n e'eyday li"e* Di"B is an e'asion* in the theate Di"B is the tuth0
<hen (e ae pesuaded to belie'e in this tuth* then the theate
and li"e ae one0
This is a hi+h aim0 2t sounds li!e had (o!0
To play needs much (o!0 But (hen (e e=peience the (o! as
play* then it is not (o! any moe0
A play is play0
PETER BROOK
Pete Boo! (as bon in 7ondon and ecei'ed his 30 A0 at O="od*
(hee he "ounded the O="od Uni'esity 1ilm Society0 He has been
a diecto o" the Royal Sha!espeae Company and cuently heads
the 2ntenational Cente o" Theate Reseach in Pais0
He has diected o'e "i"ty poductions* amon+ them V7o'eBs
7abouBs 7ost*E VThe Tempest*E and VKin+ 7eaE in Stat"od8
upon8A'onC VRin+ Aound the 3oon*E VOedipus*E VA Hie( "om
the Bid+e*E and VHamletE in 7ondonC VSe+eant 3us+a'eBs
9ance*E VThe Con"eence o" the Bids*E VTo 3oan o" Athens*E
VThe 3ahabhaata*E VThe Chey Ochad*E and VThe TempestE in
PaisC VThe Hisit*E V3aatTSade*E VA 3idsumme Ni+htBs
9eam*E and VThe Ta+edy o" Camen*E in Ne( )o!0 His most
ecent poduction VThe 3an <hoE be+an a (old(ide tou in
#--%0
His "ilms include V7od o" the 1lies*E VKin+ 7ea*E and V3eetin+s
(ith Rema!able 3en*E amon+ othes0 His opeas include VThe
3aia+e o" 1i+ao*E and VBois :oduno'E at Co'ent :aden and
V1austE and VEu+ene One+inE at the 3etopolitan Opea* and
most ecently* V2mpessions dePelleas0E
2n addition to THE E3PT) SPACE and THE OPEN 9OOR Ipub8
lished in En+land in #-/5 as THE SH21T2N: PO2NTJ* he has
(itten numeous aticles0