CMU School of Drama


Friday, November 15, 2019

Strange Plays for Strange Times

The New York Times: Picture this holiday season scenario. After an indulgent lunch, stomach discomfort turns into uncontrollable gas; you’re forced to excuse yourself repeatedly to stagger to the bathroom, all the while trying to maintain some composure. It’s the stuff of nightmares — and a gold mine of comedy for the French theater company Les Chiens de Navarre.

1 comment:

Claire Duncan said...

I feel like I often gravitate toward these articles that focus on theatre abroad. I have always had a great interest in how different countries and cultures approach this art form, but it is very difficult to learn about or experience without buying a plane ticket and shipping yourself on over there to see a show. So these articles provide some really good insight into that unexplored world. The globe is filled with unique, dynamic, theatre and we cannot forget how much we can learn from those other styles. I think the French have always had a really interesting view on all kinds of art and it is so interesting to take a glance at how that impacts their theatre world. I believe the French have a much stronger grasp on the abstract and how to push an audience’s limits just enough, without losing the meaning of their piece. As American theatre heads in this abstract direction, I believe there is a lot we could learn from how the French approach this style.