Welcome!
We two students at Colorado College, Anubrat Prasai ’17 and Soeren Walls ’17, have been graciously awarded a 2015 Keller Family Venture Grant after approval from the Dean’s Advisory Committee to conduct research with the goal of understanding the prevalence and influence of Theatre in modern society, from a European standpoint. This blog will feature posts of our very biased, raw, untainted individual reactions and analyses of the performances we see as part of our research, complete with as many photos as are possible for us to take without disrupting the performances or being yelled at. Typically, Soeren will write from a more purely analytical and theoretical perspective, while Anubrat may write with more of an entrepreneurial twist.
As two relatively inexperienced theatre lovers, we hope that this blog may provide other novices a window through which to catch a glimpse of great works of art which may otherwise be inaccessible to them, and also inspire our peers to explore theatre as a medium for introspection and change.
Overview of Proposed Research
To complete our experiences abroad, we propose a plan to attend a dozen performances of eight different theatrical styles at world-renowned theaters in five European countries. The plays we have selected to attend were recommended to us by professors of the Theatre Department at Colorado College as “must-see” theatrical works, which are not only prime examples of a wide variety of important theatrical eras and styles like Greek, Shakespearean, and Epic theatre, but are also overflowing with rich imagery, social commentary, and insightful themes for our academically oriented minds to dissect.
As students majoring in Theatre (Soeren) and Economics (Anubrat), we believe we are academically prepared to analyze these plays within their respective cultural and historical contexts, keeping in mind both our passion for art and our yearning for academic insight. Soeren’s classes at CC like “Modern Theatre” and “Ritual, Theatre, and Performance” introduced him to the world of theatre from a theoretical standpoint, which he can now use to explore it from a practical one. Anubrat, on the other hand, has already witnessed the power of street dramas in Nepal to impact societal change, which has shaped his interest in exploring theatre’s potential for dissolving intercultural conflicts.
Together, we plan to use the insights we gain to aid us in our upcoming business venture, a mobile application for actors and directors that combines all three of our previously mentioned disciplines in a unique and exciting way. Upon our return to CC, the first “alpha” users of our app will be the faculty and students of the Theatre Department. Ultimately, by viewing theatre through this lens, we hope to develop a worldlier understanding of culture, history, and modern political issues, such as the refugee crisis unfolding right before our eyes.
Why theatre? Theatre is an old and illustrious art form that never stops evolving. Humans have been performing ceremonial dances and theatrical rituals for tens of thousands of years, but theatre as we know it today didn’t really begin until about 2,500 years ago in Greece. Since then, theatrical performance and spectacle have grown inseparably intertwined with our cultural identities, providing both a means for self-evaluation and a motivator for external change.
“Who is your favorite actor?” is as commonplace a question as “What is your favorite food?” Yet, this unique form of storytelling continues to evolve in unpredictable ways as it influences and imbibes changes in history, politics, art, science, culture, religion, and technology. Theatre differs from other performing arts like dance, mime, and puppetry in its unique ability to alienate audiences through spectacle and absurdism, while simultaneously providing comfort and assurance through speech and portrayal of emotion. Not only is this dynamic empowering to both actors and spectators, but it also bears psychological implications that may have profound effects on the way societies, markets, and political systems operate. These relationships are worth exploring from different academic viewpoints.
Plays to be Seen
- …como el musguito en la piedra, ay si, si, si… by Pina Bausch @ Festspielhaus, St. Poelten, Austria
- Hans in Luck by Bertolt Brecht @ Berliner Ensemble, Berlin
- The Good Person of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht @ Berliner Ensemble, Berlin
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë @ Lyttelton Theatre (National Theatre), London
- Husbands and Sons by Ben Power and D.H. Lawrence @ Dorfman Theatre (National Theatre), London
- Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare @ Temporary Theatre (National Theatre), London
- Oresteia @ Trafalgar Studios, London
- Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare @ Young Vic, London
- As You Like It by William Shakespeare @ Olivier Theatre (National Theatre), London
- Filumena @ National Theater of Greece, Athens
- Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett @ Bouffes du nord, Paris
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare @ Comedie Francaise, Paris
We hope you’ll enjoy our commentary.
With love,
Soeren and Anubrat
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