Physical theatre tells stories primarily through performers’ physical movement. This lesson introduces its defining features, common practices, and the care needed when using the term.
Physical theatre is a genre of theatrical performance in which performers rely on physical motion, either instead of text or alongside it, to convey a story. The body can communicate actions, relationships, ideas, and emotions. For example, a performer might use a curled posture and hesitant steps to suggest fear without explaining the feeling in words.
All flashcards
What is corporeal mime?
A theatre tradition associated with Étienne Decroux that uses the actor’s physicality to create meaning, including metaphorical meaning.
What is Total Theatre associated with Jean-Louis Barrault?
An approach in which movement, music, visual image, and text can all contribute without one element automatically dominating.
How did Rudolf von Laban contribute to movement practice?
He developed ways to examine movement beyond codified dance, making movement concepts useful to actors as well as dancers.
What is one connection between Noh and Jacques Lecoq’s work?
Lecoq based his neutral mask on the calm mask of Noh.
What are the origins of modern physical theatre?
They include multiple traditions, such as mime, clowning, contemporary dance, and theatre traditions from around the world.
Quiz questions
What was Étienne Decroux’s central aim in developing corporeal mime?Answer: To build theatre around the actor’s physicality and its capacity for metaphorical meaning.
Which principle is associated with Jean-Louis Barrault’s idea of Total Theatre?Answer: Movement, music, image, and text can contribute without one element automatically dominating.
How did Rudolf von Laban’s work contribute to actor training?Answer: It offered ways to examine movement beyond codified dance for actors as well as dancers.
What theatrical change did Antonin Artaud advocate?Answer: Rejecting the primacy of written text and seeking a more direct performer-audience relationship.
What influence did Japanese Noh have on Jacques Lecoq’s work?Answer: Lecoq based his neutral mask on the calm mask of Noh.
Based on the Wikipedia article Physical theatre, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.