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Italian Futurist Theatre, 1909-1944

Günter Berghaus

Price: £128.00 (hardback)
ISBN-13: 978-0-19-815898-1
Publication date: 3 September 1998
616 pages, 101 illus., 234x156 mm

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Reviews

'... Gunter Berghaus has filled a gap, giving at the same time a very sound account of the evolution of the ideas that Futurism engendered. The book is well designed, offering short chronological chapters with good illustrations and notes at the end of each./ Masolino D'Amico, TLS, 14/05/99.' -

Description

The first comprehensive study of the theatrical activities of the Italian Futurist movement in the English language, based on unknown documents discovered during extensive investigations in Italian archives, libraries, and private collections.
The significance of Futurism for the cultural study of this century is universally acknowledged, but little attention has been paid to Futurist theatre. No other art form better demonstrates the movement's concept of 'art as action', propagate its anti-traditionalist stance and demonstrate its modernist aims and aesthetics.
Analyses the theory and practice of Futurist performance, covering the theatre work of the leading artists and writers of the movement, and discussing their aims and achievements.
Reconstructs the performance history of Futurist theatre, as well as incorporating aspects of dramatic writing, stage and costume design, theatre architecture, dance and opera, with numerous illustrations.

Italian Futurist Theatre provides an overview of the theatrical activities of the Italian Futurist movement, headed by F. T. Marinetti. It analyses the theory and practice of Futurist performance, covers the theatre work of all leading artists and writers of the movement, and discusses the principal aims and achievements of their theatrical experiments. The main focus of the study is directed towards reconstructing the performance history of Futurist theatre. But it also incorporates aspects of dramatic writing, stage and costume design and theatre architecture, and is heavily illustrated.

Although the significance of Futurism for the art and culture of this century is universally acknowledged today, relatively little research has been undertaken with regard to the form of expression that was dearest to the Futurists: theatre. No other art could better demonstrate the movement's concept of 'art as action', propagate its anti-traditionalist stance and demonstrate its modernist aims and aesthetics. Yet the myriads of Futurist experiments in the performing arts have been neglected by scholars, partly because documentation is not easily available, partly because of the inherent problems of reconstructing performances of the past.

This volume is the first comprehensive study of Italian Futurist theatre in the English language. It is the result of a major research project, supported by the British Academy, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage. This highly original book is predominantly based on documents discovered in the course of ten years of extensive investigations in Italian archives, libraries, and private collections.

Readership: Students and scholars of Italian literature and culture, modern art, and theatre studies.

Contents

List of Illustrations

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Part I: Introduction

1. Futurist Theatre: A Preliminary Characterization

2. The State of Italian Theatre Before the Advent of Futurism

3. Marinetti's Early Writings and Aesthetics: A Prelude to Futurism

4. The Founding of the Futurist Movement and the First Manifestos

Part II: The Birth of a Futurist Theatre

1. Political Action Theatre as a Performative Genre

2. The Beginnings of a Futurist Performance Art: The Early serate

3. Futurist Dramatic Theory: The Early Manifestos

4. Futurism and the Professional Theatre: The First Companies Touring with a Futurist Repertoire

5. Theatre Performances in Art Galleries

6. The Stage Works of Giacomo Balla

7. Enrico Prampolini's Early Futurist Career

8. Fortunato Depero's Theatrical Experiments of the 1910s

Part III: The Second Futurist Movement, 1920-30

1. Futurism Under the Fascist Regime

2. The Revival of Futurist Theatre in the 1920s

3. Futurist Cabaret, Artists' Festivals, and Banquets

4. From the Religion of Speed to the Cult of the Machine

5. The machine Art of Vinicio Paladini and Ivo Pannaggi

6. Fillia's Theatrical Experiments in the 1920s

7. Enrico Prampolini's Theatrical Career in the 1920s

8. Fortunato Depero's Contribution to a Futurist Mechanical Theatre

9. Fedele Azario and Futurist Aerial Theatre

10. Vasari's Apocalyptic Vision of the Futurist Machine Age

Part IV: Epilogue: Futurism in the 1930s and 1940s

1. Futurism Tied to the Procustrean Bed of the Fascist State

2. The Last Signs of Life in Futurist Theatre

Bibliography

Index

Authors, editors, and contributors

Günter Berghaus, Reader in Theatre History and Performance Studies in the Department of Drama, University of Bristol

Links to web resources and related information

More in the same subject area:
Theatre, drama
Plays & playwrights: from c 1900 -
Cultural studies

The specification in this catalogue, including without limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations, and month of publication, was as accurate as possible at the time the catalogue was compiled. Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory. Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.