Approaches to physical theatre during the 20th century through the teachings of Jacques Lecoq

Abstract

Born in 1921 and died in 1999 in Paris, Jacques Lecoq can be said as being one of the most significant theatre practitioners of the twentieth century. From a very young age Lecoq decided to lead a path in sports focusing on gymnastics. It is through gymnastics that Lecoq grew all the more interested in the movement and geometry of the human body. Through this newly found interest Lecoq worked to become one of the leading practitioners in Western physical theatre. Lecoq was introduced to the theatre world around a time when the significance of the body in the Western culture started to gain importance yet again. By the end of the nineteenth century, two major events had shed new light on the body; these being the invention of chronophotography and the renaissance of physical exercise; both events manifesting the body in grand ways. Chronophotography is an old photographic technique - which emerged during the Victorian era, in 1868 – which captures movement is several frames of print. The term was coined by French physicist Étienne-Jules Marey. The term explains photographs portraying actions, from which the study of movement could be adopted. Also in 1821 the Greeks showed interest to revive the Olympic games and in 1859 the first Olympic games were held in a city square in Athens, which led Zappas to fund the restoration of the old Panathenaic Stadium. In 1890, the International Olympic Committee was established by Baron Pierre de Coubertin - who grew inspired to do so after attending the Olympic Games – with the aim that the Olympic Games would happen every four years; which aim is still ongoing.