Call for Papers
Ruskinian Theatre: The Victorian Theatre and the Visual Arts (Lancaster
University, 13-15 July 2006)

Proposals are invited for papers and respondents for a 2 day colloquium
sponsored by the History Department and the Ruskin Programme at
Lancaster University, and the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts,
University of Birmingham.

This colloquium is part of the AHRC funded project: Ruskinian Theatre:
the Aesthetics of the Nineteenth Century London Popular Stage,
1870-1900, which seeks to investigate the interrelationships and
influences of John Ruskin's aesthetic and social theories on the popular
London stage in the late nineteenth century. Our meeting in 2005
focussed on "Ruskin, Shakespeare, and the Victorian Theatre" and was
part of the "Victorian Life Writing" conference at Lancaster University.
In 2007, we will meet at the University of Birmingham for a symposium on
"Contemporary Issues in Theatre History & Historiography."

In 2006, our focus is on the popular stage as a meeting place for the
contemporary arts, particularly for the interconnections between the
visual and the performing arts. We are also continuing our investigation
of the possibilities of the late nineteenth century popular theatre as a
site for aesthetic and ethical education, propaganda, debate, or
controversy. We seek to revise the standard narratives of theatre and
cultural history in this period which ignore the popular theatre through
the focus of standard theatre histories on the 'literary drama' and an
emergent Modernist aesthetic.

Plenary speakers are expected to include Professors Jim Davis, Shearer
West, Jeffrey Richards, and Kate Newey. We seek proposals and
expressions of interest from theatre and art historians, and historians
of popular culture and the fin de siècle. We are particularly interested
in contributions which rethink the relationship between visual culture
and the stage.

Papers are invited which address these themes (either in negotiation
with John Ruskin's work, or not), and might cover (but are not limited to):
* debates over the 'literary' and/or 'legitimate' drama vs the popular
and the spectacular
* relationships of practice between literary theatre, Modernist theatre,
and popular and spectacular theatre
* the relationships between popular theatre and visual culture
* the concept of a 'National Theatre' and/or a 'National Drama'
* studies of the interactions of theatre managements and contemporary
artists
* the iconography of actors and actresses
* the self-representation of women theatre practitioners
* theatre historiography and visual culture

Proposals should reach the convenors by 30 April 2006.

All papers submitted will be considered for publication as part of the
project.

Further enquiries and proposals should be directed to:
Dr Anselm Heinrich, Ruskinian Theatre Research Associate, Department of
History, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YG
a.heinrich_at_lancaster.ac.uk

Convenors:
Anselm Heinrich
Kate Newey
Jeffrey Richards

--(Dr) Kate NeweyDepartment of Theatre StudiesLancaster UniversityLancaster, LA1 4YWk.newey_at_lancaster.ac.uk+ 44 (0)1524 594 163fax: + 44 (0)1524 39021 ========================================================== From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List CFP_at_english.upenn.edu Full Information at http://cfp.english.upenn.edu or write Jennifer Higginbotham: higginbj_at_english.upenn.edu ==========================================================Received on Sun Jul 24 2005 - 16:36:30 EDT