na(ar) het theater – after theatre?

172 Pages·2013·6.71 MB·English

post after theatre cover 2_post after theatre cover 2 22-04-13 09:34 Pagina 1
( )
NA A R
SUPPLEMENTS NA(AR)
HET
TO THE HET
editedbyMarijkeHoogenboom
andAlexanderKarschnia
THE ATER –
HANS-THIES LEHMANN INTERNATIONAL THEATER EDITED BY MARIJKE HOOGENBOOM ABOUT THE BOOK
In art, no experimentation is possible without risks, and we The term postdramatic has become a key reference point in inter national
should welcome even the failures as long as we sense an honest discussionsof contemporarytheatre.Itcoversawiderange of aesthetic
attempt to find a way beyond established forms that lack the power approaches and it is frequently used as an umbrella notion for a wealth
of conviction.Nogeneraljudgementispossible.Everythingdepends of new theatrical possibilities. It has brought about a groundbreaking
on the quality, the scope, the depth and the honesty of the individual shift in theatre’s dominant paradigm – away from the limitations
practice. The space in which these explorations take place must of exclusively dramatic representation. However, na(ar)hettheater–
be defended by society. after theatre? Supplements to the International Conference
on Postdramatic Theatre, is not concerned with giving postdramatic
explo rations their long-overdue cultural and intellectual legitimacy.
A F TER
FROM ‘THEATRE AFTER THEATRE’ CONFERENCE —AFTER AND ALEXANDER KARSCHNIA Rather,thisbookaimstomoveonandtoengageinthe fragilerelationship
between the past and the present.
Presented here is a collection of essays and other testimonies of theatrical
positions, originating within and beyond the postdramatic field,
that seeks to identify the state of theatre-making today. It asks what
itisthatkeepsusreturningtothetheatres.Wherearecontemporary
theatre makers heading? Exit drama. Where and how do we re-enter?
Have we come to terms with the postdramatic perspectives? Probably
not. Not yet. But we are joyfully moving beyond, back to and towards
THE ATR E ? theatre. And we remain curious about what will happen next – what
ON POSTDRAMATIC THEATRE
we will make happen next!
na(ar)hettheater–aftertheatre? Supplements to the International
Conference on Postdramatic Theatre is published as a response to the
exchange between practitioners, dramaturges, producers and theoreticians
thattookplaceinAmsterdamin2006.ItiseditedbyMarijkeHoogenboom
and Alexander Karschnia. The book contains contributions from
both editors, Marianne Van Kerkhoven, Hans-Thies Lehmann and Kathrin
Tiedemann,statementsfromtenperformingartists,andanon-hierarchical
representation of the conference.
THEATRE ?
post after theatre cover 2_post after theatre cover 2 22-04-13 09:34 Pagina 1
( )
NA A R
SUPPLEMENTS NA(AR)
HET
TO THE HET
editedbyMarijkeHoogenboom
andAlexanderKarschnia
THE ATER –
HANS-THIES LEHMANN INTERNATIONAL THEATER EDITED BY MARIJKE HOOGENBOOM ABOUT THE BOOK
In art, no experimentation is possible without risks, and we The term postdramatic has become a key reference point in inter national
should welcome even the failures as long as we sense an honest discussionsof contemporarytheatre.Itcoversawiderange of aesthetic
attempt to find a way beyond established forms that lack the power approaches and it is frequently used as an umbrella notion for a wealth
of conviction.Nogeneraljudgementispossible.Everythingdepends of new theatrical possibilities. It has brought about a groundbreaking
on the quality, the scope, the depth and the honesty of the individual shift in theatre’s dominant paradigm – away from the limitations
practice. The space in which these explorations take place must of exclusively dramatic representation. However, na(ar)hettheater–
be defended by society. after theatre? Supplements to the International Conference
on Postdramatic Theatre, is not concerned with giving postdramatic
explo rations their long-overdue cultural and intellectual legitimacy.
A F TER
FROM ‘THEATRE AFTER THEATRE’ CONFERENCE —AFTER AND ALEXANDER KARSCHNIA Rather,thisbookaimstomoveonandtoengageinthe fragilerelationship
between the past and the present.
Presented here is a collection of essays and other testimonies of theatrical
positions, originating within and beyond the postdramatic field,
that seeks to identify the state of theatre-making today. It asks what
itisthatkeepsusreturningtothetheatres.Wherearecontemporary
theatre makers heading? Exit drama. Where and how do we re-enter?
Have we come to terms with the postdramatic perspectives? Probably
not. Not yet. But we are joyfully moving beyond, back to and towards
THE ATR E ? theatre. And we remain curious about what will happen next – what
ON POSTDRAMATIC THEATRE
we will make happen next!
na(ar)hettheater–aftertheatre? Supplements to the International
Conference on Postdramatic Theatre is published as a response to the
exchange between practitioners, dramaturges, producers and theoreticians
thattookplaceinAmsterdamin2006.ItiseditedbyMarijkeHoogenboom
and Alexander Karschnia. The book contains contributions from
both editors, Marianne Van Kerkhoven, Hans-Thies Lehmann and Kathrin
Tiedemann,statementsfromtenperformingartists,andanon-hierarchical
representation of the conference.
THEATRE ?

NA(AR)HET THEATER–
AFTERTHEATRE?
SUPPLEMENTS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON POSTDRAMATIC THEATRE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ByWayofanIntroduction <Anarchiv/>
After theatre we go home A non-hierarchical
once more representation of the conference
byMarijkeHoogenboom page57
andAlexander Karschnia
page6 <Anarchiv/>
Colour-coded renderings
NA(AR)HETTHEATER – page58
AFTERTHEATRE?
Edited extracts from <Anarchiv/>
the conference transcript Scores
page8 page72
WhoNeedsResponsibility? <Anarchiv/>
On current (co-)production Conference database
conditions in Germany’s page74
independent theatre
byKathrinTiedemann ConferenceImages
page22 page82
Excerptfrom maatschappijdiscordia
StonesintheStream performs Katalogus(Catalogue)
An appeal for trust page118
byMarianneVanKerkhoven
page 28 War,Silence...
Reflections on tragedy,
Sketchesfrom politics and theatre
theTheoryTraining byMarianneVanKerkhoven
by AlexanderKarschnia page120
page32
Artists’Statements
TheDramaofDrama byLottevandenBerg,NicolaNord,
byAlexanderKarschnia AndreaBozic,DavidWeber-Krebs,
page34 IvanaMüller,BillAitchison,
Joachim Robbrecht, Edit Kaldor,
TheatreAfterTheatre JetseBatelaan,RitsaerttenCate
Mirror, mirror, fourth wall! page128
by Hans-Thies Lehmann
page47 Participants
page154
ConferenceProgramme
page158
Index
Index of <Anarchiv/>keywords
with editors’ additions
page160

(23) THEATRE
BY WAY OF AN
(08) INTERNATIONAL
(06) MICKERY
INTRODUCTION
(06) POSTDRAMATIC
(05) DUTCH
(05) LEHMANNAfter theatre we go home once more. by Marijke Hoogenboom
(04) AMSTERDA—M Jetse Batelaan and Alexander Karschnia
(04) HISTORY
(04) POSTDRAMATIC THEATRE
(03) HANS-THTIESh eL EiHnMtAeNNrnational conference na(ar) het theater – after theatre? 1.
(03) TIME in Amsterdam,was initially conceived by Nicola Nord,Marijke Hans-Thies Lehmann. Postdramatic
(02) ALEXANDHER oKoARgSeCnHNbIAoom and Alexander Karschnia to provide a platform Theatre, translated and with an
introduction by Karen Jürs-Munby,
(02) ARTS forPostdramaticTheatre,theinfluentialbookbyHans-ThiesLehmann.₁ Routledge, London and New York
(02) BOOK Seven years after its original German publication – and following 2006.
(02) EXPERIMEtNrTaAnLslations into French,Japanese and Slovenian – it was finally
2.
(02) EXPERIMEtNoT AbLe TcHoEmATReE available to an Anglophone readership. PostdramaticTheatrediscusses,among
(02) FABRE Astheatretheoreticians,dramaturgesandpractitioners,living others,JanFabre,JanLauwers/
Needcompany, Theater groep
(02) FLEMISHandworkingintheNetherlandsin2006,itnaturallyconcernedus that
Hollandia, maatschappij discordia,
(02) JAN FABDREutch and Flemish reception of the publication had, but for a few GerardjanRijnders,IvovanHove,
(02) JAN LAUeWExRcSeptions, been rather restrained. Up to this point, it had not received Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker,
DoodPaard,DitoDito,tgstan,
(02) KARSCHNtIAhe recognition it so richly deserves for the ambitious position
‘tBarre Land, Wim Vandekeybus
(02) LAUWERSit takes by placing Lowlands theatre practice of the 1980s and1990s and Michel Laub/Remote Control.
(02) MAKERS in the context of a truly inter national avant-garde.₂ Relevant responses to the book
include Erwin Jans, ‘Theater voorbij
(02) MEANING In the prologue to the German version, Lehmann acknowledges
hetdrama?’(‘Theatrebeyonddrama’),
(02) NETHERLtAhNDeS crucial role in this process of ‘one person and one place’– referring in Etcetera 73, October 2000,
(02) PERSPECtToIV Ethe Mickery Theater in Amsterdam and its director Ritsaert pp.54–59, written following the
inter nationalcolloquiumNewTheatre
(02) POSITIONtenCate.HeseesTenCateasacreative,daringandvisionaryproducer
Concepts, organised in September
(02) PRACTICEof experimental theatre,and Mickery as the forerunner of many 2000by the Flemish initiative
(01) ANALYSISvenues that would become co-producers of the independent European Aisthesis and the Centre for Art
and Philosophy at the Erasmus
(01) ART theatrescene.InaperiodwhentheartscommunityintheNetherlands
University, Rotterdam. Luk Van den
(01) ARTISTIChas tended to isolate itself from the rest of the world, we wanted Dries, Jan Fabre, Jan Lauwers and
(01) AUDIENCEto remind ourselves of the unique artistic capital built up by this man Henk Oosterling, ‘Reflecting (on)
conceptuality’, InterAkta #4,
(01) BATELAAaNnd this place, and to ensure their legacy. Furthermore, we sought
Rotterdam 2001. Luk Van den Dries,
(01) CO-PRODtUhCEeR Sreturn to Amsterdam of the discussion surrounding new forms ‘Valindeleegte’,inEtcetera92,
(01) CONTEXTof theatre. For this is where Mickery trained, challenged and seduced June 2004, pp.71–74. Maaike Bleeker,
‘Look who’s looking!: perspective
(01) CREATINGits audience for around twenty years. As Lehmann writes, ‘Between
andtheparadoxofpost dramatic
(01) CRITICAL1975and 1991almost the entire usand European avant-garde appeared subjectivity’,in Theatre Research
(01) CURIOSITaYt Mickery, creating a potential for perception that can no longer International vol.29, 2004, pp.29–41.
(01) CURRENTbe excluded from the theory and practice of experimental theatre. 3.
(01) DEVELOPAt the same time it made it possible for new theatre to develop its own Hans-Thies Lehmann.
(01) DIRECTORtradition.’₃Buttheneedtorelateto(andunderstandandlearnfrom) Post dramatisches Theater, Verlag
derAutoren,Frankfurt1999,p.39.
(01) DISCUSSItOhNerecentpastwasnotonlytriggeredbylocalconcerns,andneitherwas For an extensive history of Mickery
(01) DOCUMENiTt limited to our curiosity about aesthetic developments.₄The Dutch see Mickery Pictorial 1965–1987.
(01) DRAMATUpRGaErSt of the conference title, na(ar) het theater, is a play on words A Photographic Historyand Pictorial
ii1988–1991. A Photo graphic History,
(01) DUTCH TtHhEAaTtR Esuggests expansions: naar, meaning ‘to(wards)’, connotes a sense Inter national Theatre Bookshop,
(01) EXCEPTIOoNfS place(going to the theatre), and na, meaning ‘after’, a sense of time Amsterdam 1988and 1991.
(01) FORM (the time after the event of theatre).Hence,the conference posed
4.
(01) FORMS OtFh TeHEqATuReEstion: what is it that keeps us returning to the theatres? Foracriticalanalysisofthecurrent
(01) FRANKFUBRTut it asked other questions,too.Where has this perspective taken position of Dutch arts and cultures
(01) HOME us? What comes after postdramatic theatre? Where are theatre in the international arena see
All That Dutch. Over inter nationaal
(01) INITIATIVmEakers heading? cultuurbeleid (On international
(01) LIMITED cultural policies), Ben Hurkmans,
(01) LONDON The term postdramatichas become a key point of reference in inter - George Lawson, Gitta Luiten,
Taco de Neef, Henk Pröpper,
(01) MICKERY nTaHEtAioTEnRal discussions of contemporary theatre.₅It covers a wide range Femke van Woerden-Tausk(eds.),
(01) NEEDCOMoPAfNYaestheticapproachesandanumberofanalyticaldescriptionsand nai Publishers, Rotterdam 2005.
(01) NEW FORcMSategories, and it is frequently used as an umbrella notion for a wealth Forarecentattempttodocument
Dutchtheatrehistoryandan
(01) NEW FORoMSf nOFe wTH EtAhTeREatrical possibilities. It has brought about a groundbreaking intro duction totheatre makers
(01) NEW YORK
(01) NOTION
(01) PARADOX < 6>
(01) U.S.
POSTDRAMATIC (09)
POSTDRAMATIC THEATRE (07)
LEHMANN (04)
BRUSSELS (03)
RESEARCH (03)
from the 1960stothepresent shift in theatre’s dominant paradigm – away from the limitations AMSTERDAM (02)
seeAnjaKrans’ VertraagdEffect. of exclusively dramatic representation. Theatre no longer represents CHANGE (02)
Hedendaagstheater in1inleiding the world through the speeches and deeds of dramatis personae; DANCE (02)
en18interviews (Delayed Effect.
Contemporary theatre in it is no longer the privileged mirror of society.₆Theories of theatre DRAMA (02)
1introduction and 18interviews), reflect on and react to new creations by providing a vocabulary INTERVIEWS (02)
Theater Instituut Nederland, to grasp the developments that break out of the frameworks of past PAST (02)
Amsterdam 2005.
categorisations. But behind every change in practice, there is a chanPgEeRFORMANCE (02)
5. in the circumstances of production.₇ PRESENT (02)
The term ‘postdramatic’ figures, PRODUCERS (02)
for example, in essays and criticism,
firt(International Federation It is ironic that while postdrama is gaining widespread acceptance, PRODUCTION (02)
for Theatre Research) conferences, the original players, venues, producers and networks that made these VENUES (02)
amongothers,andinatheatre forms of production and reception possible have now disappeared 1968 (01)
dictionary.Repeatedreference
ismadetoLehmann’sbookin from the scene, either by ceasing operations or by entering the establish - ACT (01)
Qu’est-ce que le theatre?byChristian ment. Mickery closed down fifteen years ago and tat(Theater amACTIVE POOLING (01)
Biet and Christophe Triau, and Turm) in Frankfurt finally closed its doors in 2004after a long struggle ARTISTS (01)
itisdiscussedextensivelyinan issue
of Critique. for survival.On the other hand,in 2007 Kaaitheater in Brussels BOOK (01)
celebrated its thirtieth anniversary and Needcompany, its twentiethCO.₈NSTRUCTION (01)
6. The same principle applies to the educational frameworks that CONTEXT (01)
For a definition of postdramatic
theatre see Hans-Thies Lehmann’s came into existence in response to innovative movements importanCtONVERSATION (01)
‘Postdramatic theatre’ in Allsopp, for the rise of postdramatic theatre and dance, for they can no longerCRITICISM (01)
Ric and David Williams (eds.), be considered pioneering. Although co-founded by leading practi - DANGER (01)
Performance Research Lexicon,
Performance Research,Volume11, tioners,theMimeSchool(foundedin1968),theSchoolforNewDance DEFINITION (01)
no. 3, 2006, p.98. Development (1975), DasArts (1994, by Ritsaert ten Cate) in AmsterdaDmEVE,LOPMENT (01)
p.a.r.t.s.(1995, by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker) in Brussels and even DRAMATIC (01)
7.
In 1993, an early attempt was the Institute for Applied Theatre Studies in Giessen (1982, by AndrzeDRjAMATURGE (01)
made by Elske van de Hulst and Wirth) have been practicing their distinct pedagogical approaches DRAMATURGES (01)
Marijke Hoogenboom to compile for many years,and are,themselves,in danger of being subsumed DRAMATURGY (01)
an Intersubjective Encyclopedia
of Contemporary Theatreat the by the higher education establishment. ENGAGE (01)
conference Context 01: Active These developments on an institutional level – however complex EXIT (01)
Pooling New Theatre’s WordPerfect. the reasons for them – testify to the fact that although newnessis a FLEMISH (01)
See ‘On dramaturgy’ in
Theaterschrift 5–6, Brussels 1994. desirable quality, it is not of itself sufficient; newness always pre supposeFsRANKFURT (01)
the end of something. Postdramatic theatre marks a turning point in GERMANY (01)
8. theatre history, but we find ourselves involved in a very fragile relation -GIESSEN (01)
Only the Hebbel Theater has
been relaunched, as hau, a fusion shipbetweenthepastandthepresent;weneedtoplaceourselveHsANiSn- THIES LEHMANN (01)
of three houses, making it one a new world. The conference na(ar) het theater – after theatre? HAU (01)
of the most important independent grew from the idea that we are in the middle of something – HISTORY (01)
venues in Germany.
www.hebbel-theater.de something different. HOUSES (01)
INTERNATIONAL (01)
9. Lehmann suggests that his study is designed for the reader to, IRONIC (01)
See Lehmann’s preface to the English
edition of Postdramatic Theatre. mutatis mutandis, translate and transfer the discussions of productions ISSUE (01)
and artists to other work in the theatre.₉ Likewise,the Flemish KAAITHEATER (01)
10. dramaturge Erwin Jans concludes that Postdramatic Theatredoes not MAKING (01)
Erwin Jans. ‘Theater voorbij het
drama?’(‘Theatre beyond drama?’), present a theory built up from a central point, but that it generously MICKERY (01)
in Etcetera 73, October 2000, p.55. provides a number of ‘construction sites’ where everybody is invited MIME (01)
to continue working.₁₀ MIRROR (01)
11.
Karen Jürs-Munby in her intro - However, in both the conference andthispublication,wehave MOVE (01)
duction to Post dramatic Theatre, p.9. not been overly concerned with giving post dramatic explorationNsEEDCOMPANY (01)
‘their long-overdue cultural and intellectual legitimacy’.₁₁ Rather, NETWORKS (01)
we have aimed to move on and to passionately engage the partici - NOW (01)
pating practitioners, dramaturges, producers and theoreticians PARADIGM (01)
in conversation about the state of theatre-making today. exitdrama. PLAYERS (01)
Where and how do we re-enter? PRACTICE (01)
PRESUPPOSES (01)
PRINCIPLE (01)
< 7> continued on page10 PRIVILEGED (01)
PRODUCTIONS (01)
NA(AR)HETTHEATER – AFTERTHEATRE?
ritsaerttencateI was living in a farmhouse in Loenersloot,
a village fifteen kilometres from Amsterdam. It had a stable.
MickeryopenedtherewithIf there weren’t any blacks,you’d have
to invent them, a play written by Johnny Speight. It was like
a key to the whole programme for over 25 years.
marijkehoogenboomCan you elaborate?
ritsaerttencateBasically, the world is yours to invent things
in, and that’s what we did with 800programmes. An example
is the artists’ association Frau Holle, which was a Mickery project.
At the time, there was a lot of moaning and complaining that
young theatre makers didn’t have a place – or sufficient choices
of places – to go to. Essentially, we gave the theatre to those
people. It was a total failure! So it was probably the wrong way
to do it. But we really did just give them our theatre venue.
We said, ‘It’s yours, go ahead!’ Frau Holle was a test. I mean,
there’s a limit to how much you can complain about not having
facili ties! Suddenly everyone – a selected group of people,
anyway – had access to all the facilities they could wish for.
But they had to learn that whenever you switch on a light,
it costs something; if you use a lamp and it blows, you have to
buy a new one. In the end it failed because the gift of that theatre
was too expensive for them. So I’d like to add two words
to your idea of a new theatre encyclopaedia: love and passion.
Without them, you wouldn’t survive.
marijkehoogenboomLove?
ritsaerttencateLove Love Love! Life – preferably with love
and passion – is essential to whatever theatre you’re involved
in. I say ‘love and passion’ because in retrospect I don’t under -
stand how else we could have managed it. Of course, there
must have been a lot of energy and a lot of conviction around
to make an international theatre in a stable in Loenersloot.
But you need love and passion to do it and you have to know
why you’re doing it. Never, ever, make theatre just because
a deal’s been made. If you’re not bursting with passion to make
the next play or be part of the next creative act, then forget
about it, don’t do it. It’ll die on opening night.
marijkehoogenboomBack then, there weren’t many
international collaborations. That was Mickery’s main focus
in the beginning, wasn’t it?
ritsaerttencateA very old public relations lady from the
HollandFestivalsaid,‘GotoEdinburgh,there’sthisfantasticlittle
theatre called The Traverse and they make wonderful theatre.’
So I went there, I was blown away and I said, ‘Could you come
to Loenersloot?’ I mean, it was as simple as that. It was as simple
< 8>