Theatre Studies Senior Lecturer and School of Performing Arts Director Dr Stefan Aquilina has recently published the book Modern Theatre in Russia: Tradition Building and Transmission Processes on Bloomsbury.
The book challenges conventional historiographical approaches by weaving contemporary theories on cultural transmission into its historical narrative. It argues that processes of transmission – training spaces, acting manuals, photographic evidence, newspaper reports, international networking, informal encounters, cultural memories – contribute to the formation and consolidation of theatre traditions.
Through English translations of rare Russian sources, the book expounds on:
* Asja Lacis's work with children, which contributes to current efforts to address the gender imbalance that is often characteristic of modernism.
This historical-theoretical investigation is combined with practical exercises that provide a more experiential understanding of the modern performance realities involved. In this way, the book speaks not only to theatre scholars and historians, but also to students and practitioners engaged in practical work.
Prof. Jonathan Chembers of Bowling Green State University, USA, described the book as follows: ‘In Modern Theatre in Russia:
Tradition Building and Transmission Processes, Stefan Aquilina offers a methodologically savvy and historiographically sophisticated consideration of modern Russian theatre, drawing into his consideration events and figures both well-known and heretofore neglected.
His findings enrich not only our understanding of 20th century modern Russian theatre, but also expose the complexity of modernism and its complicated relation to tradition.”
The book can be purchased here.