B8712 - Philosophy and Aesthetics of Theatre (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student: - acquires basic critical and methodological tools for the study of works and authors linked in an interdisciplinary sense to the philosophies of theatre and to the theories of representation, in an intercultural context; - acquires advanced knowledge of the main historiographic, critical and aesthetic perspectives of theatre studies in the contemporary international scene, also thanks to the analysis and collective discussion of works that are paradigmatically susceptible to a philosophical reading; - arrives at a complete overview of the aesthetics and theories of theatre whose area of application includes both past theatre works and contemporary performances. In terms of skills, this knowledge provides the student with analytical and philosophical-aesthetic tools that enable him/her to inscribe past and present performances in a wide and conscious framework of meaning, within a polyphonic history of scenic culture marked by systemic continuities and paradigm shifts.

Course contents

Making Signs through the Flames.

Antonin Artaud between Philosophy and Theatre

The course begins by examining the theoretical role of some fundamental philosophical categories in the grammar of the theatrical event: space, time, body, and voice. These categories will be explored through specific historical case studies and tested against contemporary practices, including live productions that students may choose to attend on a voluntary basis and subsequently reflect upon through collective classroom discussion.

The second part of the course focuses on Antonin Artaud and his inexhaustible "philosophy" of the stage, suspended between spirit and matter, self and world, body and psyche. Artaud's vision pushes theatre beyond representation, dissolving the boundaries between aesthetics and existence.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities: are encouraged to contact both the University's Disability and SLD Support Office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and the course instructor as early as possible, so that appropriate strategies can be identified together to support class attendance and exam preparation.

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography for Attending Students

- F. Perrelli, Poetiche e teorie del teatro, Carocci, Roma 2018 (Italian edition, selected chapters as indicated in class);

- A. Artaud, Il teatro e il suo doppio, Torino, Einaudi, 2000;

- Handout consisting of extracts from essays analysed during lectures (Roland Barthes, Gilles Deleuze, Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Jean-Luc Nancy);

- Lecture notes.

Bibliography for Non-Attending Students

- F. Perrelli, Poetiche e teorie del teatro, Carocci, Roma 2018;

- A. Artaud, Il teatro e il suo doppio, Torino, Einaudi, 2000;

- Handout consisting of extracts from essays analysed during lectures (Roland Barthes, Gilles Deleuze, Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Jean-Luc Nancy);

- C. Piccione, Autoritratto senza organi. Scrittura e corpo-teatro in Antonin Artaud, Guida, Napoli 2020;

In addition, students must choose one text from the following list:

- Filosofie sull’attore, edited by K. Angioletti, Edizioni Universitarie di Lettere, Economia, Diritto, Milano 2013;

- J.-L. Nancy, Corpo teatro, Cronopio, Napoli 2010;

- M. Foucault, Utopie Eterotopie, Cronopio, Napoli 2006;

- J. Rancière, Lo spettatore emancipato, DeriveApprodi, Bologna 2018;

- F. Perrelli, Filosofie moderne del dramma antico, Edizioni di Pagina, Bari 2019;

- C. Sini, Le arti dinamiche. Filosofia e pedagogia, in Figure dell’enciclopedia filosofica, libro sesto, JacaBook, Milano 2004;

- A. Attisani, Logiche della performance. Dalla singolarità francescana alla nuova mimesi, Accademia University Press, Torino 2020;

- A. Tagliapietra, Il lettore e lo spettatore. Filosofia di due metafore dell’esistenza, Donzelli, Roma 2024.

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures. Selected excerpts from dramatic and philosophical works will be analyzed together. The active participation of the attending students will be solicited through classroom discussions. The lectures will occasionally include meetings with artists and scholars on topics close to those dealt with in the course.

Assessment methods

The final examination will consist of an oral interview that will focus on the topics covered in the lectures and on the texts in the bibliography in the case of those who attend; those who do not attend, on the other hand, will refer to the volumes indicated in the bibliography. The interview results in a grade in 30/30. No further papers are due before the oral examination interview. Active attendance of lectures is a relevant factor in the learning process and will therefore also influence the final assessment.

The learning of knowledge, the ability to analyse and synthesise, the organic view (and not the mechanical repetition) of the topics, lexical and expressive mastery, originality in the critical reworking of content will be taken into consideration for the assessment.

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) 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

Lectures accompanied by videos, iconographic material, textual sources.

Office hours

See the website of Caterina Piccione