Theatre, Sacrifice, Ritual: Exploring Forms of Political Theatre

Theatre, Sacrifice, Ritual: Exploring Forms of Political Theatre

<P>In this fascinating volume, acclaimed theatre historian Erika Fischer-Lichte reflects on the role and meaning accorded to the theme of sacrifice in Western cultures as mirrored in particular fusions of theatre and ritual. <EM>Theatre, Sacrifice, Ritual</EM> presents a radical re-definition of ritual theatre through analysis of performances as diverse as:</P> <UL> <LI>Max Reinhardt's new people's theatre</LI> <LI>the mass spectacles of post-revolutionary Russia</LI> <LI>American Zionist pageants</LI> <LI>the Olympic Games.</LI></UL> <P>In offering both a performative and a semiotic analysis of such performances, Fischer-Lichte expertly demonstrates how theatre and ritual are fused in order to tackle the problem of community-building in societies characterised by loss of solidarity and disintegration, and exposes the provocative connection between the utopian visions of community they suggest, and the notion of sacrifice. </P> <P>This innovative study of twentieth-century performative culture boldly examines the complexities of political theatre, propaganda and manipulation of the masses, and offers a revolutionary approach to the study of theatre and performance history.</P>