B8708 - History of Directing (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course aims at providing the students with the following competences and skills: - An in-depth knowledge of the history of stage direction and of some relevant events leading up to its birth; - A good knowledge of the historiography and critical literature on stage direction and its theories - A good mastery of a method of analysis of stage direction in performance.

Course contents

Course title: The sublime in theatrical form

The sublime, as an aesthetic concept, defines the experience of awe felt when faced with something mysterious and ineffable. This experience is adopted by theatre direction as its own form of expression.

Starting from this notion, this course aims to analyse the phenomenon of twentieth-century theatre direction in its various poetic forms, focusing particularly on the image, in constant dialogue with the visual arts, from Tadeusz Kantor to Federico Tiezzi, via Robert Wilson, Lola Arias, Jan Fabre and Romeo Catellucci. It will therefore be an opportunity to attempt, on a diachronic level, to rethink the entire evolutionary parabola of theatre direction and, on a synchronic level, to identify the main trends and dominant codes of contemporary directorial language.

 

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevantUniversity office [https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ]and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

1)- A book of your choice from

a)- M. Schino, La nascita della regia teatrale, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2003.

b)- Umberto Artioli (a cura di), Il teatro di regia: genesi ed evoluzione (1870-1950), Roma, Carocci, [2004] 2018.

c)- Lorenzo Mango, La scrittura scenica. Un codice e le sue pratiche nel teatro del Novecento, Roma, Bulzoni, 2004

d)- Annalisa Sacchi, Il posto del re. Estetiche della regia teatrale nel modernismo e nel contemporaneo, Roma, Bulzoni, 2012.

e)- M. De Marinis, Ripensare il Novecento teatrale. Paesaggi e spaesamenti, Roma, Bulzoni, 2018.

f)- Mirella Schino, L’étà dei maestri, Viella, 2017.

g)- Lorenzo Mango, Il Novecento del teatro. Una storia, Roma, Carocci, 2019.

2)- A book of your choice from

a)- A. Appia, Attore, musica e scena: la messa in scena del dramma wagneriano, la musica e la messa in scena, l’opera d’arte vivente, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1975.

b)- G. Craig, Il mio teatro, a cura di F. Marotti, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1971;

c)- A. Artaud, «Il teatro e il suo doppio» con altri scritti teatrali, Torino, Einaudi, 1968;

d)- V.E. Mejerchol´d, L'attore biomeccanico, Milano, Ubulibri, 1993;

e)- J. Beck e J. Malina, Il lavoro del Living Theatre (materiali, 1952-1962), Milano, Ubulibri, 1982;

f)- P. Brook, Il punto in movimento 1946-1987, Milano, Ubulibri, 1988;

g)- G. Strehler, Per un teatro umano: pensieri scritti, parlati e attuati, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1974;

h)- E. Barba, La canoa di carta. Trattato di antropologia teatrale, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1993;

i)- T. Kantor, Il teatro della morte, Milano, Ubulibri, 2000;

3)- A book of your choice from

a)- F. Quadri, Robert Wilson e il teatro del tempo, MNilano, Ubulibri, 1999

b)- V. Valentini (a cura di), Eimuntas Nekrosius, Soveria Mannelli (CZ), Rubettino, 1999;

c)- Societas Raffaello Sanzio, Epitaph, Milano, Ubulibri, 2003;

d)- G. Manzella, La bellezza amara. Il teatro di Leo De Berardinis, Lucca, La Casa Usher, 2010.

e)- E. Montanari, E . Pitozzi, Cellula. Anatomia dello spazio scenico, Macerata, Quodlibet, 2021.

f)- J. Fabre, Dall'azione alla recitazione. Linee guida di Jan Fabre per il performer del XXI secolo, Milano, Franco Angeli, 2023.

g)- L. Mango, Federico Tiezzi, Roma, Carocci, 2025.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, with analysis and deepening of the concepts treated, guided analysis of the audiovisual works of the theatre.

Other bibliographical indications, in a foreign language, will be provided and discussed during the course, so as to frame the issues raised in a broader analytical framework.
In-depth analyses and critical readings, as well as a card with an indication of the materials discussed during each lesson, will be uploaded to the "Virtuale" platform of the teaching.

Assessment methods

The evaluation of the course will be carried out according to the ways, timing and guidelines established by the course of study. It will be based on an oral interview. Students may also agree with the Lecturer to prepare an essay on the aspects developed within the module. The written text shall be approx 10 pages and shall be provided to the Lecturer one week before the oral test date. Evaluation will be according to the modes, timing and directive set up for the course and will be based on an oral test.

The final exam will be an oral one, with questions aimed to verify the student's knowledge of the themes discussing during frontal lectures (only for attending students) as well as those treated in the program's texts. Attending students may, alternatively, present a written work agreed with the teacher.

The assessment will concentrate particularly on the skill displayed by the student in handling the material in the exam bibliography and his ability to find and use information and examples to illustrate and correlate the various themes and problems addressed in the course.

The assessment will thus examine the student's:

- factual knowledge of the subject;

- ability to summarise and analyse themes and concepts;

- familiarity with the terminology associated with the subject and his ability to use it effectively.

Top marks will be awarded to a student displaying an overall understanding of the topics discussed during the lectures, combined with a critical approach to the material and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology (30 cum laude and 30).

Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the material and is able to summarise them satisfactorily and provide an effective critical commentary, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology (29-27).

A mnemonic knowledge of the subject, together with the capacity for synthesis and analysis articulated in a correct language, but not always appropriate, will lead to discreet evaluations (26-24).

Gaps in training and/or imprecise language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the examination material - will lead to sufficient marks (23-21).

Training gaps and/or imprecise language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the examination material - will lead to just enough grades (20-18).

Insufficient training, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic material will be evaluated negatively (<18).

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office [https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ] with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Audiovisual material from theatre, digital archives; platforms and websites.

Office hours

See the website of Enrico Pitozzi