Cultural Equality in the World of ‘No Place Theatre’. An Analysis of Peter Brook’s ‘The Tragedy of Hamlet’ ,Complicite’s ‘Mnemonic’ and Song of the Goat’s ‘Macbeth’

Essay , 2011 , 15 Pages , Grade: A

Cultural Studies - European Studies

Through a discussion of Peter Brook’s The Tragedy of Hamlet (2000), Complicite’s Mnemonic (1999), and Song of the Goat’s Macbeth (2010), we see clear examples of how these productions are using ‘no-place’ theatre as a site for embracing cultural equality (rather than cultural ambiguity) on stage as these productions all search for the universal values which bond different cultures together.

The expansion of the global market has inevitably had an incredible impact on the shaping of contemporary theatre. This can especially be felt through the rising popularity of ‘no-place’ theatre, which often strips back cultural specificity and replaces it with spectacle. Dan Rebellato refers to this theatre as “McTheatre”, a genre under which he includes big brand productions such as The Blue Man Group, Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. These productions often embrace cultural ambiguity in a way which allows them to both move anywhere and (even more importantly) sell anywhere. Their ‘no-place’ quality allows for their ‘every-place’ relevance, as they and sometimes even profit more from their merchandise than their actual shows
Hence, the values of these productions are very much the values of the global market, to sell as broadly and quickly as possible.

While such a discussion may give the label of ‘no-place’ theatre a negative association, globalization has also led to another strand of theatre, one which becomes a response to (rather than the result of) globalization. This is the theatre produced by artists such as Peter Brook, Complicite theatre, and Song of the Goat theatre, companies who go against the grain of the global market by using ‘no-place’ theatre as a site for returning to cosmopolitan and Universalist values, rather than the global market values. Unlike globalized commercial theatre, the ‘no-place’ quality produced by these artists is in no way the result of cultural ambiguity; instead, these companies chose to represent a variety of different cultures on stage, linking these productions to a place that is both here and there. But above all, by striving to represent different cultures on stage, these companies return to a sense of cultural equality, one which embraces Universalist values, which Zygmunt Bauman notes.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Cultural Equality in the World of ‘No Place Theatre’
• Introduction: The Global Market and 'No-Place' Theatre
• Cultural Equality and the Theatre of Peter Brook, Complicite and Song of the Goat
• The Tragedy of Hamlet: A Universal Language
• Transcendent Signs in Hamlet
• The Body as a Transcultural Sign
• Set Design and the Creation of a Transcultural Space
• Conclusion: Beyond Cultural Ambiguity

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This text examines the concept of cultural equality in contemporary theatre, particularly within the context of "no-place" theatre. It analyzes three productions - Peter Brook's "The Tragedy of Hamlet", Complicite's "Mnemonic", and Song of the Goat's "Macbeth" - to demonstrate how these productions utilize "no-place" theatre as a platform to embrace cultural equality, as opposed to cultural ambiguity.

• The impact of globalization on contemporary theatre
• The rise of "no-place" theatre and its cultural implications
• The concept of cultural equality in theatre
• The use of universal signs and transcultural language in theatre
• The role of the body and set design in conveying cultural meaning

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: The Global Market and 'No-Place' Theatre: This chapter introduces the concept of "no-place" theatre, a genre characterized by its stripped-back cultural specificity and emphasis on spectacle. It explores how globalization has influenced this trend, often leading to productions designed to appeal to a broad international market.
• Cultural Equality and the Theatre of Peter Brook, Complicite and Song of the Goat: This chapter contrasts "no-place" theatre's global market values with a different strand of theatre exemplified by artists like Peter Brook, Complicite, and Song of the Goat. These companies use "no-place" theatre to embrace universalist values and promote cultural equality.
• The Tragedy of Hamlet: A Universal Language: This chapter focuses on Peter Brook's "The Tragedy of Hamlet" and explores how Brook utilizes language, body language, and set design to create a transcultural performance space. It examines the concept of transcendent signs and how Brook transforms culturally specific elements into universally legible ones.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Key concepts and terms explored in this text include: "no-place" theatre, cultural equality, cultural ambiguity, universalism, cosmopolitanism, transcendent signs, transcultural language, body language, set design, globalization, global market, and theatrical productions such as "The Tragedy of Hamlet," "Mnemonic," and "Macbeth."

• College: University of London
• Course: MA WRITING FOR PERFORMANCE
• Grade: A
• Author: Francis Grin (Author)
• Publication Year: 2011
• Pages: 15
• Catalog Number: V1033197
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346442024
• ISBN (Book): 9783346442031
• Language: English
• Tags: cultural, equalitiy, world, place, theatre’, analysis, peter, brook’s, tragedy, hamlet’, complicite’s, song, goat’s