The Unconscious
The Unconscious
This year Freud* comes out with Three Contributions to the Theory of Sex.* In this (and other of his works) he is trying to analyze the functions and structure of the mind so that abnormal behavior can be treated. His revolutionary emphasis on the unconscious and on dreams as a key to understanding suppressed desires really give a lot of authority to Strindberg's* plays. Freud* emphasizes internal, unconscious and psychological causation in direct contrast to the naturalists who looked to the environment for causes affecting behavior. The taboos against using aggression and sexuality as subject matter for plays are gradually breaking down (but not without a lot of resistance.) Terrific possibilities are opened up by the notion that culturally unacceptable instincts, feelings and behavior are buried in the subconscious, because this means that there are great disparities between surface appearances and suppressed realities. The whole idea of truth becomes extremely complex (maybe even not capable of being known) because of how difficult it is to penetrate our own, as well as other people's, masks. The unacknowledged and unspoken (subtext) becomes even more important than the conscious, stated (text.) The chasm between realistic and unrealistic drama is being bridged by Freud*'s conception of reality which intermingles rational and irrational, conscious and unconscious, objective and subjective, real and fantastic.
1905-6 The European powers are busy with the Moroccan crisis (letting the French extend its influence in Morocco) which involves Spain, France, Italy and Great Britain. The Germans, however, are not happy with this, but the French, etc. are not happy with Germany. This disagreement will escalate.
In America William Vaughn Moody* (1869-1910) is providing the best examples of American realism in his play The Great Divide*. In Russia, Vsevold Meyerhold* just can't get In America William Vaughn Moody* (1869-1910) is providing the best examples of American realism in his play The Great Divide*. In Russia, Vsevold Meyerhold* just can't get
In Italy, Craig* designs a production for Duse* of Ibsen*'s Rosmerholm*. In Germany, Reinhardt* opens a small theatre, the Kammerspiele*, in conjunction with his
larger theatre. This gives him tremendous flexibility in arranging a program of plays in very different styles. His productions will influence all the state theatres in Germany and, later, all over Europe and America. Now, for Reinhardt*, each play presents a new opportunity to try a different style, specifically worked out for that particular production and based on clues found in the play itself. He's off on a wide range of experimentation like staging Oedipus* in a circus (1910) and The Miracle* in a cathedral (1911.) He's really big on the director controlling every thing concerned with the production and he makes a Regiebuch* (a complete prompt-book) that includes the smallest detail of movement, sets, lights, costumes, props, sound, etc. He will become famous for helping actors achieve stylistic excellence. He also works very closely with his scene designers, often establishing a central motif or ruling idea for each production.
In England, John Galsworthy* (1867-1933) turns from his success as a novelist to playwrighting, with The Silver Box*. He is big on social problems in a realistic vein.
In Europe Appia* meets Dalcroze*, who will be a great influence on his (Appia's) work. Appia* had started under the influence of Wagner*'s "total theatre" idea (the basis of his operas), insisting that all the elements of a theatre work should make up a totality, instead of a patchwork of script, music, set, costumes, etc. Dalcroze* provides Appia* with an understanding of how the rhythm embedded in a theatre script can provide a unifying force for the spatial and temporal elements to create a harmonious whole. Appia* works with Dalcroze* on a few productions and designs for his school the first modern theatre to be built without a proscenium arch and with a completely open stage.
Georg Fuchs* (1868-1949) founds the Kunstlertheater* (also known as the Munich Art Theatre*) in Munich which embodies his ideas about the relation between the audience and the actors in removing the proscenium arch and providing a sort of indoor amphitheater with a projecting stage. He is assisted in this by a designer, Fritz Erler* (1868-1940.) This open stage* kind of theatre will be the coming thing in new theatre architecture.
Max Littmann* (1862-1931) designs a theatre for this project. It is similar to the theatre at Bayreuth with an acting area that can be extended into the auditorium by covering the sunken orchestra pit and an adjustable inner proscenium. It has a stage floor that is made up of sections which are elevators (so you can arrange different levels on the stage) and four different cycloramas* (each a different color) that can be changed electrically. The whole thing works backwards from the emphasis Craig* and Appia* are giving to a total, three- dimensional theatre because in Fuchs* theatre the actors are put in front of the set instead of being included as part of it.
By this time the filaments of incandescent lamps are good enough to make it possible to create the first spotlights (not as bright as the older carbon arc and limelights.)
In Stockholm, Strindberg* founds the Intimate Theatre*, under the direction of August Falck*, to produce his plays. It has a tiny stage (20x13 feet) and is patterned after the Theatre Libre*. It will have three active seasons (1907-10).
In Moscow, Stanislavsky* is busy doing an abstract, expressionistic production of The Life of Man* (by Leonid Andreyev*, 1871-1919). This is a morality play summarizing human existence by one of the currently popular playwrights. Andreyev* reflects the pessimistic mood of the Russian intelligentsia after the failed revolution, but, since he is strongly anti- communist, his plays will not survive. Actually, they're too dated to appeal to later audiences.
In St. Petersberg, when Meyerhold* leaves the Komisarjevskaya Theatre* this year, he is replaced by Vera's brother, Theodore Komisarjevskaya* (1882-1954) and Nikolai Evreinov* (1879-1953.)
In Manchester, England, the first important provincial repertory company starts up at the Gaiety Theatre* under the direction of Miss A.E.F. Horniman* (1860-1937.) This will become known as one of the best companies in England, encouraging local writers, who will come to be known as the "Manchester School."
In Dublin Synge* comes out with one of his best known and most often revived plays, The Playboy of the Western World*.
In New York, David Belasco* opens the Stuyvestant Theatre* which he has remodeled with every modern improvement. He is busy fighting the Syndicate*, staging more impressive naturalistic details, and being a "star-maker." He is a careful acting coach and depends, for the success of his shows, on the stars. He's not one of those working for ensemble acting or building a company. He works one show at a time, with total control (he's much like Reinhardt* in this aspect.)
1907 Great Britain, France and Russia join together in a Triple Entente to contain Germany (they think Germany is out to dominate the European continent.)