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Monday, January 23, 2017
The “Next Wave” of Theatre? Reflections on Avant-Garde Adaptations
HowlRound: The US economy may be (mostly) stable again for the moment, but that hasn't halted its interest in one European import: avant-garde theatrical adaptations. These productions take an old, perhaps even familiar text, and present it in a way that breaks free from all tradition and conventional readings. They aren’t necessarily new, but their popularity seems to be surging.
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To be honest, I’ve always been a little leery of Avant Garde theatre, and Avant Garde art in general. It’s always seemed a little too out of the box, a little too fluid in its form for me to really get into. I liked this article because of the tweak to avant garde theatre that it presents: “These productions take an old, perhaps even familiar text, and present it in a way that breaks free from all tradition and conventional readings. They aren’t necessarily new, but their popularity seems to be surging.” I think by latching the audience onto a story they already know is a good way to ground the production and make sure that your core plot is still being translated. I would be more willing to attend a theatre performance of a show I already know, than trying to make heads or tails of the plot while being assaulted by the more fluid avant garde designs.
Avant Garde art and theatre has always been a passion of mine. The idea that anything, no matter how simple or basic, can become a living piece of art is phenomenal. Anything is accepted in Avant Garde theatre as it is a place to test and try new ideas and techniques which is why I think it is a great tool for discovering what is going to be the new next thing in commercialized theatre. Im sure Media was once only considered an element of Avant Garde but now it is a staple piece of most major theatre shows. Who knows what is happening on Avant Garde stages across the globe that will one day be seen on every Broadway stage! That is why I think it is important to see Avant Garde theatre and appreciate it for what it is: a stepping stone to the new standard. I am looking forward to the future expansions to the world of Avant Garde theatre and art.
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