Title: The Theatre of Bernard-Marie Koltès: Evolution and Revolution in Postmodern French Drama
Abstract: The Theatre of Bernard-Marie Koltes: Evolution and Revolution in Postmodern French Drama establishes an understanding of French playwright Bernard-Marie Koltes (1948-1989) as the most important figure in postmodern French drama. This dissertation also reflects the interdisciplinary dynamic of theatre, always taking into consideration both its literary and its performative aspects.
In the Introduction, I describe the noticeable divide between Koltes’ importance in the realm of late twentieth-century French theatre and the problematic way in which the playwright is portrayed—that is, clearly underrepresented—in the most recent edition of Oscar Brockett and Franklin J. Hildy’s widely used textbook, History of the Theatre (First published in 1968. 10th edition published in 2008).
In Chapter One, “Bernard-Marie Koltes, Heir to the Project of Decentralisation Theâtrale,” I explore the complex socio-cultural and political context that fostered the emergence of Koltes as one of the most celebrated French playwrights of the twentieth century. I then trace the development of public theatre in France through the contributions of five prominent figures, all of whom are known as distinguished authors and stage directors: Maurice Pottecher, Romain Rolland, Firmin Gemier, Jacques Copeau, and Charles Dullin. I also discuss cultural policies implemented in France after World War II, policies that facilitated the organization of a remarkable network of public theatres across the country, as well as the career of influential actor-director Hubert Gignoux, who became Koltes’ friend and mentor. Finally, I devote the end of this chapter to the gradual public acclaim of Koltes, through a largely biographical narrative that emphasizes the connections between the playwright’s professional and personal achievements and the complex structure of public theatres that characterize the French theatre scene since the 1950s.
Chapter Two, entitled, “The Language of the Deal: Multilingualism and Identity in Koltesian Theatre,” is rooted in Koltes’ belief that all dramatic action is always transactional because characters can only interact within the context of a form of negotiation. Using this approach as a primary framework, I explore two crucial and interconnected characteristics of Koltes’ plays: their linguistic and racial diversity. In fact, some of the most interesting Koltesian transactions—which have become known as his “deals”—encompass the results of the encounter between characters who speak different languages and belong to different races. I begin the chapter with a discussion regarding the nature of Koltesian language, of which multilingualism represents one of the most distinctive features. Next, I provide an overview of multilingual theatre—an increasing trend in contemporary dramatic literature—and I offer an analysis of the role of multilingualism and race in Combat de negre et de chiens. In the final part of Chapter Two, I discuss the challenges that emerge from the growing presence of multilingual drama, with special…
Publication Year: 2017
Publication Date: 2017-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot