27114 - Scenography: Elements, Theory, History

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will be able to: - know in depth the historical and constructive evolution of the scenography and of the scenic space in the West; - analyze specific themes, models and aesthetic principles of scenography and scenic space, contextualize them in a historical-anthropological perspective and develop them using methods, tools and documentation typical of scientific research; - research autonomously a topic using different document sources; - knows how to critically interpret the relationship between ritual and performance, also in reference to extra-western traditions. 

Course contents

The course is divided into a Module corresponding to 60 hours of teaching and 12 credits (cfu).

Beginning: 27 January 2020

End: 15 April 2020

Hours: Monday 11 am-1pm; Tuesday 11 am-1pm; Wednesday 11 am-1pm(Aula Dioniso Fanciullo, Via Barberia 4)

In search of the origins ofpublic performances

The introductory part of the course concerns the history of schenography and the theories related to it and intends to provide the student with a guide for the knowledge of the evolution of the theatrical space and of the relative stagecraft from classical to contemporary theater.
We will analyze some crucial moments for the evolutionary process of staging: Greece of the fifth century BC, ancient Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the "Commedia dell'Arte", the Elizabethan period scene , the Baroque age and the century of Enlightenment, the nineteenth century and the revolutions of the theater, the historical avant-gardes of the early twentieth century, the New American theater, from the birth of "happening" to the "environmental theater", the theater of the second half of the twentieth century in Italy and scenarios for the 3^rdMillennium.

Monographic part: (Ritual) Performances and the Animals

The reference to animality is strongly present in the theater since the beginning of its history, the aim of the course will be to investigate theatrical civilizations in the light of this instance, from the animal choirs of the Greek tragedy to the contemporary scene.

Another point of analysis, of an anthropological nature, will be the reference to animality in shamanic practices and possession trance (the shaman's animal mimesis and possess, the incorporation of animal power).

 

Readings/Bibliography

1. Perrelli Franco, Storia della scenografia. Dall’antichità al XXI secolo, II ed., Roma, Carocci editore, 2013 (Students must read this particular edition of the book)
   
2. Budriesi Laura, Michel Leiris. Il teatro della possessione, Bologna, Pàtron Editore, 2017
3. T. Gusman, Una nota sull’estetica del performativo di Erika Fisher-Lichte, (pp 49-63) in “Comunicazioni Sociali”, Il teatro verso la performance, (a cura di) Annamaria Cascetta, 2014; H-T. Lehmann, Il teatro postdrammatico, Bologna, Cue-Press, 2017,  (only pp: 13-29 e 91-119); L. Mango, La scrittura scenica. Un codice e le sue pratiche nel teatro del Novecento, Roma, Bulzoni (limitatamente alle pp. 13-47); R. A. Ubersfeld, Leggere lo spettacolo, Roma , Carocci, 2018 (only pp. 53-107)
4. Un libro a scelta dall’elenco seguente:

• S.Allovio , Culture in transito. Trasformazioni, performance e migrazioni nell'Africa sub-sahariana, Milano, Franco Angeli, 2008 (prima ed. 2002)

• G.Azzaroni L.Budriesi, C Natali (a cura di) Danzare l’Africa oggi in: Arti della performance: orizzonti e culture, collana on line a cura di Casari Matteo, Guccini Gerardo.The book can be consulted and downloaded for free on the website: http://www.dar.unibo.it/it/ricerca/prodotti-della-ricerca/arti-della-performance-orizzonti-e-culture
• S.Casi, 600.000 e altre azioni teatrali per Giuliano Scabia, Pisa, ETS, 2012
• F. Cruciani, Lo spazio del teatro, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2005
• F. Marchiori (a cura di) Il teatro vagante di Giuliano Scabia, Milano, Ubulibri, 2005
• S.Margiotta, Il Nuovo teatro in Italia 1968-1975, Corazzano (Pisa), Titivillus, 2013
• M.Marino (a cura di) Teatro delle Ariette. La vita attorno a un tavolo, Corazzano (Pi), Titivillus, 2017
• O. Ponte Di Pino, Romeo Castellucci & Socìetas Raffaello Sanzio, Ateatro-Doppiozero, 2013 (formato ebook)
• A. Porcheddu, Teatro Stalla. Animali, uomini, dei, Bergamo, Moretti & Vitali Editori, 2014
• C.Valenti, Scenari del terzo millennio. L'osservatorio del Premio Scenario sul giovane teatro.Corazzano (Pi), Titivillus, 2018

Non-attending students will have to add :

• E. Barba, N. Savarese, I cinque continenti del teatro. Fatti e leggende della cultura materiale dell’attore, Modugno (Ba), Edizioni di pagina, 2017 (only pp. 88-157)
• E. Fischer-Lichte, Estetica del performativo. Una teoria del teatro e dell’arte(only pp.21-132)

Salvatore Margiotta, Il Nuovo teatro in Italia 1968-1975, Corazzano (Pisa), Titivillus, 2013

Useful iconographic in-depth tool (optional). Mazzoni, Atlante iconografico. Spazi e forme dello spettacolo in occidente dal mondo antico a Wagner, Pisa, Titivillus, 2003.

Teaching methods

In addition to lectures, the course includes the active participation of attending students who will be guided to the analysis of the scenographic elements through the commented vision of iconographic materials, shows, ethnographic documentaries. Meetings will be organized with artists and scholars who will present some of the essays in the program.

Attending students (who will bring a slightly reduced program) will also be required to attend at least five performance chosen during the course that can replace the fifth book of the list if the outcome of the project is positive.

There is an educational trip for attending students, at the end of the course, optional and a visit to one or more theatres. The students of the course 2017-18 and 2018-19 participated in the classical season of the theater of Syracuse with the vision of two tragedies. This year is expected a short stay in Naples during the “Napoli teatro Festival” that also includes the project “Pompeii Theatrum Mundi”.

Assessment methods

Partial tests consisting in the analysis of iconographic documents, videos or in the critical comment following specific participations in the current theater season which will be recommended by the teacher.

For students attending:

1. writing and presentation (Power Point) of a short critical analysis presented in class relative to one of the 5 shows chosen during the course that can replace the fifth book of the list if the outcome of the project is positive.
2. Final oral examination during the exam.

(attending students must be present with a maximum of 5 absences)

For non-attending students: oral examination.

The final interview will focus on the texts indicated in the program in order to ascertain the student's ability to orientate himself between the different types of stage and theatrical space in the various historical periods, managing to establish in-time continuity and changes of the scenographic forms ; to punctually comment on iconographic materials relating to the most significant moments in the history of theater from the Greek classics to contemporary theater with particular attention to the monographic part of the course itself.
The achievement of an organic vision of the topics addressed in class, the possession of an expressive and lexical mastery and the ability to orientate him/herself within the bibliography will be evaluated with marks of excellence. The mostly mechanical or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, a limited articulated and not always appropriate language will lead to discrete evaluations. Formal gaps, inappropriate language, limited knowledge of the exam material will lead to the threshold of insufficiency. Formal gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliography will be negatively evaluated.

Teaching tools

Videoprojections of iconographic materials, of plays, of ethnographic documentaries, visions of live shows, visits to one or more theaters.

Seminary activities (not optional) for attending students: a 2 days conference scheduled towards the end of the course (DamsLab Program).

Short Seminary for a critical theatre writing

Office hours

See the website of Laura Budriesi