Postdramatic Theatre

Hans-Thies Lehmann (2006, p. 2) asserts that ‘to call theatre ‘postdramatic’ involves subjecting the traditional relationship of theatre to drama to deconstruction and takes account of the numerous ways in which this relationship has been refigured in contemporary practice since the 1970s’. Postdramatic theatre reconfigures the traditional conventions of theatre through evolving performative aesthetics in relation, sometimes, to deconstruction of a text. Postdramatic theatre is primarily ‘...dominated by mediation, gestuality, rhythm, tone. Moreover: nihilistic and grotesque forms, empty space, silence’ (Lehmann, 2006, p. 25).

 

Through the use of physical theatre, ‘...the fading of all signification occurs – in favour of a fascination beyond meaning, of an actor’s “presence”, of charisma or “vibrancy”. Theatre conveys meaning that cannot be named, or at least is always “waiting” to be named, to use an expression by Lyotard’ (Lehmann, 2006, p. 95). Most audiences or spectators will always be subjected to the traditional conventions of the representation of narrative therefore, will naturally interpret any performance piece they see. Physical theatre opens up a lot of possibilities for the performers as well as the spectators in terms of exploration and interpretation. As Lehmann (2006, p. 163) argues, ‘...the body opens the pleasure and fear of a gaze into the paradoxical emptiness of possibility. Theatre of the body is a theatre of potentiality...’ Physical theatre has the potential to explore many different attributes within theatre, whether it is movement, language, musicality, and so on. It is a form of art which enables performers to take risks and go beyond their limits.