CONCEPT NOTE

Has theatre (as a form of literature or performing arts) always been ‘experimental’ to some extent? Describing the attempt to ‘situate the beginning of experimental theatre historically’ as ‘arbitrary,’ Professor Patrice Pavis has pointed out that all new forms of theatre ‘necessarily experiments as soon as it is no longer content to reproduce existing forms and techniques and no longer considers the meaning of its production as self-evident’ (133). It is important to note at this point that Pavis’s analysis does not depict the idea of Experimental theatre to be essentially ‘Eurocentric’. Rather it hints at the possible presence of Experimental theatre across cultures.

Existing research on the genealogy of Experimental theatre has likewise acknowledged the global nature of the form. For instance, the seminal monograph on the topic: Experimental theatre from Stanislavsky to Peter Brook by James Roose-Evans has explored the manifestations of Experimental theatre in both the Eastern and Western cultures. Yet, the mapping of Experimental theatres across cultures and time remains largely a new frontier for the academia today.

Taking up this potentially rewarding topic as its focus, this conference invites research papers, posters, and creative presentations that explore the various manifestations of Experimental theatre across cultures. While we are keen to receive proposals/abstracts focusing on the recent instances/exponents of Experimental theatres, we also encourage potential presenters to focus on Experimental theatre across the ages as well. In other words, we are interested in presentations that will explore any relevant aspect of Experimental theatre/ experimentations in theatre in general across time and cultures.

References:

Dictionary of the Theatre Terms, Concepts, and Analysis by Patrice Pavis, University of Toronto Press, 1988.

Experimental theatre from Stanislavsky to Peter Brook by James Roose-Evans, Routledge, Reprint edition 1996.

The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre Asia/Pacific edited by Don Rubin, Routledge, 2001.

 Sub-Themes

Abstracts are encouraged (yet not limited to) on the following topics:

• Defining Experimental Theatre
• Experimental Forms of Theatre (Poor Theatre, Third Theatre, Organic Theatre, etc.)
• Genealogical Studies on Experimental Theatre
• Politics of Experimental Theatre
• Aesthetics of Experimental Theatre
• Experimental Theatre in Production and Performance
• Exponents of Experimental Theatre
• Experimental Theatre and the Voicing of Dissent
• Experimental Theatre and Its Audience
• Experimental Theatre and Modernism
• Experimental Theatre and Postmodernism
• Experimental Theatre and Postcolonialism
• Experimental Theatre and the Decolonization of Theatre
• The Subaltern and Experimental Theatre
• Feminism and Experimental Theatre

• Environmentalism and Experimental Theatre
• Experimental Theatre as Counter-Culture
• Absurdism and Experimental Theatre
• Surrealism and Experimental Theatre
• Folk Theatre and Experimental Theatre
• Use of Technology in Experimental Theatre
• Use of Violence in Experimental Theatre
• Experimental Theatre in India
• Experimental Theatre in Bengal
• Experimental Theatre in the Global South
• Experimental Theatre in Europe
• Experimental Theatre and Magic Realism

*We have provision for online presentation and participation. In case you want to join as a listener, please drop an email at: manikchakcollegeenglish@gmail.com

Please click the link below to find out about our speakers and other details:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aqbKjHsCaT51kTpX5z0DHxaKGzboMKEu/view?u...