The Unapologetic Seduction of Form : texts as pretexts in postmodern versions of(f) Greek tragedy
Part of : Γράμμα : περιοδικό θεωρίας και κριτικής ; Vol.22, No.1, 2014, pages 53-62
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53-62
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This paper explores the ways in which contemporary directors-adapters of Greek tragedy have confronted the ancient text, tracing a propensity for an ambivalent —if nonchalant — attitude towards the past and its infiltration into today's sensibilities. It points out the need for both artists and spectators to look deeper into the classical work in order to develop a critical stance vis-à-vis the assumed textual significance, understood as the impact of the source play to its original audience. Indeed, the notions of stature, communion, and transcendence, inherent in the "Classics" are often buried or rendered irrelevant in various productions of strong formalist foundations and markedly visual emphasis, which end up deflating, depoliticizing, and ultimately devaluing the plays' dialectic as well as affective nature. Laying out the premises whereby the application of form can bring fascinating results in performances of Greek tragedy, in the end, the paper argues that the dangers embedded in the overly aestheticized mindset of avant-garde directors should also be viewed and investigated within the framework of a broader unease towards the modern relevance and adapt-ability of the ancient text.
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References (1):
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