Adolphe Appia's Directorial Concepts As Footnote for Performing African
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Journal of Fine Arts Volume 2, Issue 1, 2019, PP 17-27 ISSN 2637-5885 Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism Canice Chukwuma Nwosu* Department of Theatre and Film Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria *Corresponding Author: Canice Chukwuma Nwosu, Department of Theatre and Film Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT Theatre directing in the real sense of it is a modern theatre concept influenced by interplay of nineteenth and twentieth centuries’ societal and theatrical forces. Hence, Periodization motivates new directing theories that modify existing practices. Postmodernism as an era is gradually gaining prominence in Africa but approaches and theories that condition the performance of African postmodernism are still embryonic. Consequently, problem of study is lack of theorization of African postmodern theatre directing. Theorization of African postmodern theatre directing through appropriation of Adolphe Appia’s directorial concepts is attempted. Objectives include evolving African postmodern play production approaches and weaving African postmodern theatre directing into utilization of prevalent electronic postmodern performance culture. Compatibility of Appia’s directorial theory with African postmodern directing is examined and appropriated using Whitmore’s postmodern theory as framework. Qualitative research method was adopted. Findings indicated that, Appia’s theory is capable of providing footnote for African postmodern directorial theory. Comparative, but intercultural directorial approaches for performing African postmodernism is recommended. INTRODUCTION influence of Western modernism on African modernism is not in doubt. Western modernism Victorianism captures the earliest theatrical is a rugged ism apart from producing notable forms; while Modernism as a periodic and Theorists, Playwrights, Directors and Designers philosophical ismprecedes postmodernism. in the West; it also influenced evolution of both Modernism changed the outlook of the theatre African modernism and postmodernism. and interplayed with societal forces to produce Directing as a modern theatre concept is traced innovations in Theory and Criticism, to the experiments of Duke of Saxe Playwriting, Acting, Scenography and Meinienigen. The Duke was a Russian director especially Theatre Directing. Dated around late th th who assembled armature actors and turned them 19 and 20 centuries, modernism produced new into superstars through strenuous rehearsals and directing theories and modified prevalent training. He also influenced other modern approaches to play production. Hence: directors like: Adolphe Appia, Constantine The period was one of great performers, Stanislavsky, Nemivorich Danchenko, Antoine from Garrick to Bernhardt; of smaller, Artaud and so on. more numerous theatres and growing Adolphe Appia was to a large extent influenced audiences; and of the introduction of by Wagnerian ideals, eventually, he became one foot lights, box sets, and historical of the most popular modern directors. Appia‟s accuracy in costume and setting. It is interest in the actor, space, lighting and music important in the history of the theatre makes his directorial theory unique. However, (Otto Reinert xviii). in its uniqueness, the theory shows some Thus, the impact of periodic isms like semblance with emerging African postmodern Victorianism, Modernism, and Postmodernism theatre‟s directorial concepts. Therefore, the across major world theatres of European, focus of this paper is on Appia and his American, Asian and African regions cannot be directorial concepts, as they relate to African ignored in comparative analysis of major postmodern theatre with emphasis on directing developments in these regions. For instance, the African postmodernism. Journal of Fine Arts V2 ● I1 ● 2019 17 Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism African theatre like the Western theatre has AFRICAN POSTMODERN THEATRE DIRECTING passed through eras and periods beginning from AND THE ELECTRONIC CULTURE the traditional, modern and eventually the controversial postmodern era. However, unlike Directing is an area in African theatre that still requires exploration, especially postmodern the Western theatre, Directing as an art of the directing. Though, modern African theatre put theatre in traditional African theatre; which is African theatre on the global map because of its the oldest form of theatre in Africa is not achievements in the area of playwriting, acting distinct from the entire ensemble theatrical and so on, the pioneer artists documented very process. This is because traditional African little in the area of directing. Worst still, the theatre adopts a holistic approach that takes into epileptic development and skepticism that consideration man‟s primordial education that characterize postmodernism in Africa has not bifurcates into cultic and secular educations. helped the theorization and maturation of Hence, evolutionary trends in African drama African postmodern theatre directing. Hence, and theatre provide strong indicators that what is there is need for the exploration of African referred to today as modern African theatre is a postmodern theatre directing in this study. The product of interplay of several forces and first issue that quickly comes to mind in this paradigm shifts. Chukwuma Okoye posits that; section of the study is that the paper presupposes acceptance of a controversial African theatre, practitioners have postmodernism in Africa. Justification of this created, and continue to create telling supposition is however hinged on Mark and widely acknowledged theatrical Fortier‟s discourse on postmodernism where he forms and narratives, and demonstrated says: their absolutely unpretentious and unprogrammatic syncretist and popular … if postmodernism is the condition of traditions. Although working somewhat contemporary culture, all culture within the Western paradigm, most of produced in our time is by definition these practitioners continuously postmodern. To try and single out (any incorporate indigenous and popular forms more than provisionally) certain works of performances, and often engage with for stylistic reasons as postmodern social and political critique (20). while ignoring others is empirically unsound and limiting (120). The emergence of the electronic culture during the modern theatre further widened the creative The earliest beginning of Western post- canvas for the African theatre practitioner for modernism was in form of individual reactions against Euro-American modernism; literally, it more creative experimentations. However, could be interpreted as a movement after African theatre practitioners‟ inability to fully modernism especially with organized explore alongside its experimentations the philosophies that championed the end of emergent electronic culture in Africa gave modernism. Postmodernism as a contemporary modernism the impetus to overstay its welcome. ism, is not limited to philosophical movements. Postmodern theatre practice thrives more with It cuts across Architecture, Music and Dance, the electronic culture for its pastiche and meta- Graphic Arts, Literature and literary theory. narrative approach of fragmentations and Clive Beck says, “It‟s a general cultural mediations. Dearth of postmodern theories that phenomenon.” He posits that postmodernism; can inject new blood into the peoples‟ art is “Have such features as the challenging of another factor to contend with. Consequently, as conventions, the mixing of styles, tolerance of the West transited from modernism to ambiguity, and emphasis on diversity, postmodernism, Africa is still grappling with the acceptance (indeed celebration) of innovation problems of modern to postmodern transition. and change and stress on the constructedness of Changes introduced by the electronic culture reality” (2). especially the proliferation of electronic media Hence, postmodernism could be said to mean that requires digital directing are yet to be post World War II intellectual and cultural harnessed through the praxis of postmodernism. summersault, lacking hierarchical or organized Therefore, this study attempts an appropriation conventions and methodological approaches. of Western postmodernism through the nexus of Postmodernism‟s creative methodology electronic culture for the purpose of directing embodies pastiche, contradiction; as well as end African postmodernism. of an era and the beginning of another just like 18 Journal of Fine Arts V2 ● I1 ● 2019 Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism the “post” in post-colonialism, post- narrative tenets of modernism, postmodernism structuralism and post colonialism. Therefore, in its meta-narrative technique favours parody, there will be no post colonialism without pastiche of media (stage and electronic) and colonialism or postmodernism devoid of recognition of the little in the other. African modernism. Thus, post-modernism is a frantic modernism‟s literary careerism tendency is but determined effort to end the impact of the bereft of essential survivalist and self- grand narratives, and domineering monocultural sustainability potentials as portrayed in their tendencies of modernism which in itself failure to induce a vibrant live theatre in fragmented until it outlived itself. contemporary Africa. Thus, upon the foundation of coeternity of reality