The Theatre of Anxiety
The Theatre of Anxiety

Author: Leila Michelle Vaziri

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2024-10-21

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 3111555089

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We are living in times when populism, war and climate change are all sources of anxiety caused by overlapping crises. Anxiety is a phenomenon that is not just reflected everywhere around us but is also increasingly manifesting itself in contemporary drama: particularly in the last five to ten years many new British dramas and theatre productions have given a stage to anxiety. Given this central role of anxiety, the aim of this study is to outline the interplay of theatre and anxiety on both a thematic and aesthetic level. It argues that a strand of contemporary theatre that combines topics of social, ecological, technological and pandemic importance with investigations into the philosophical and aesthetic implications of anxiety has come to prominence in recent years: the theatre of anxiety. This is traced across exemplary readings of a number of contemporary British plays by playwrights such as Caryl Churchill, Zinnie Harris, Alistair McDowall and others. They show that contemporary drama and performance both aesthetically and thematically reflect and comment on global crises and catastrophes through the lens of anxiety as a feeling that 'colours' the perception of and reaction to these social and political conditions.

The Proscenium Arch - A Representation of our Anxiety within the Theatre?
The Proscenium Arch - A Representation of our Anxiety within the Theatre?

Author: Francis Grin

Publisher: GRIN Verlag

Published: 2008-12-17

Total Pages: 15

ISBN-13: 3640234278

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Scientific Essay from the year 2008 in the subject Theater Studies, Dance, grade: H1, University of Melbourne, course: Architecture, Space, and Theatre, language: English, abstract: The frontal set-up of the proscenium arch now marks a central point of debate regarding the nature of representation within the theatre. The proscenium’s frontal architectural form seems to have little room for discussion as it detaches the spectator from the performance through the employment of the fourth wall. This lack of discussion has repeatedly been blamed for the reestablishment of traditional bourgeois values and hegemonic sign-systems within the theatre. (Heuvel 1992) Hence, the 20th century was more than happy to embrace the multitude of theatrical innovations as new staging concepts stirred away from the ‘antiquity’ of the proscenium arch, moving into a new and exciting artistic terrain that involved theatre in the round, environmental theatre, etc. (Heuvel 1992) These innovations celebrated the theatre as an interactive experience between the actors and the audience, liberating the stage from the ‘dull’ frontal viewing that the proscenium arch had seemed to chain itself to. Representation within these emerging theatre styles evolved into a state of ‘experiencing the image’ rather than merely ‘viewing it’ and the audience was now able to play an active role, allowing them to interact/question the sign systems on stage. Oddly enough, the proscenium still seems to be the most common form of staging within our Western theatre culture. Realistic, Epic, and the Post-modern Theatre of Images mark three of the most historically significant genre’s within the theatrical movement, yet, these three styles predominantly employ the proscenium arch as a theatre space. Their regressive use of this staging has at times been considered reactionary, leading to anxieties about a backlash within the theatrical movement. While for some, the use of the proscenium may signify an artistic backlash, I would argue that the proscenium has undergone a crucial range of adaptations; signifying the constant evolution of representation within the theatre. Through a discussion regarding the development of the proscenium arch within the genre’s of Realistic, Epic, and post-modern theatre, we can see how this staging has been able to manipulate its frontal frame as it, often successfully, responds to our constantly changing environment.

Theaters Of The Mind
Theaters Of The Mind

Author: Joyce McDougall

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-10-28

Total Pages: 309

ISBN-13: 1135888280

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Using the theatre as a central metaphor, this text provides a flexible framework to explore the psychic realities of the characters within us. Case studies underscore how different kinds of patients construct particular fantasies as a response to the pain of earlier life scenarios.

The Concept of Anxiety: A Simple Psychologically Oriented Deliberation in View of the Dogmatic Problem of Hereditary Sin
The Concept of Anxiety: A Simple Psychologically Oriented Deliberation in View of the Dogmatic Problem of Hereditary Sin

Author: Søren Kierkegaard

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2014-03-03

Total Pages: 114

ISBN-13: 087140771X

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The first new translation of Kierkegaard's masterwork in a generation brings to vivid life this essential work of modern philosophy. Brilliantly synthesizing human insights with Christian dogma, Soren Kierkegaard presented, in 1844, The Concept of Anxiety as a landmark "psychological deliberation," suggesting that our only hope in overcoming anxiety was not through "powder and pills" but by embracing it with open arms. While Kierkegaard's Danish prose is surprisingly rich, previous translations—the most recent in 1980—have marginalized the work with alternately florid or slavishly wooden language. With a vibrancy never seen before in English, Alastair Hannay, the world's foremost Kierkegaard scholar, has finally re-created its natural rhythm, eager that this overlooked classic will be revivified as the seminal work of existentialism and moral psychology that it is. From The Concept of Anxiety: "And no Grand Inquisitor has such frightful torments in readiness as has anxiety, and no secret agent knows as cunningly how to attack the suspect in his weakest moment, or to make so seductive the trap in which he will be snared; and no discerning judge understands how to examine, yes, exanimate the accused as does anxiety, which never lets him go, not in diversion, not in noise, not at work, not by day, not by night."

What Is the Evidence on the Role of the Arts in Improving Health and Well-Being
What Is the Evidence on the Role of the Arts in Improving Health and Well-Being

Author: Daisy Fancourt

Publisher:

Published: 2019-06

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 9789289054553

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Over the past two decades, there has been a major increase in research into the effects of the arts on health and well-being, alongside developments in practice and policy activities in different countries across the WHO European Region and further afield. This report synthesizes the global evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being, with a specific focus on the WHO European Region. Results from over 3000 studies identified a major role for the arts in the prevention of ill health, promotion of health, and management and treatment of illness across the lifespan. The reviewed evidence included study designs such as uncontrolled pilot studies, case studies, small-scale cross-sectional surveys, nationally representative longitudinal cohort studies, community-wide ethnographies and randomized controlled trials from diverse disciplines. The beneficial impact of the arts could be furthered through acknowledging and acting on the growing evidence base; promoting arts engagement at the individual, local and national levels; and supporting cross-sectoral collaboration.

Anxious
Anxious

Author: Joseph LeDoux

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2016-08-23

Total Pages: 482

ISBN-13: 0143109049

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“A rigorous, in-depth guide to the history, philosophy, and scientific exploration of this widespread emotional state . . . [LeDoux] offers a magisterial review of the role of mind and brain in the generation of unconscious defense responses and consciously expressed anxiety. . . . [His] charming personal asides give an impression of having a conversation with a world expert.” —Nature A comprehensive and accessible exploration of anxiety, from a leading neuroscientist and the author of Synaptic Self Collectively, anxiety disorders are our most prevalent psychiatric problem, affecting about forty million adults in the United States. In Anxious, Joseph LeDoux, whose NYU lab has been at the forefront of research efforts to understand and treat fear and anxiety, explains the range of these disorders, their origins, and discoveries that can restore sufferers to normalcy. LeDoux’s groundbreaking premise is that we’ve been thinking about fear and anxiety in the wrong way. These are not innate states waiting to be unleashed from the brain, but experiences that we assemble cognitively. Treatment of these problems must address both their conscious manifestations and underlying non-conscious processes. While knowledge about how the brain works will help us discover new drugs, LeDoux argues that the greatest breakthroughs may come from using brain research to help reshape psychotherapy. A major work on one of our most pressing mental health issues, Anxious explains the science behind fear and anxiety disorders. Praise for Anxious: “[Anxious] helps to explain and prevent the kinds of debilitating anxieties all of us face in this increasingly stressful world.” —Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organized Mind and This Is Your Brain on Music “A careful tour through the current neuroscience of fear and anxiety . . . [Anxious] will reward the informed reader.” —The Wall Street Journal “An extraordinarily ambitious, provocative, challenging, and important book. Drawing on the latest research in neuroscience (including work in his own laboratory), LeDoux provides explanations of the origins, nature, and impact of fear and anxiety disorders.” —Psychology Today

Playing Scared
Playing Scared

Author: Sara Solovitch

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2015-07-02

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 1408854562

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Stage fright is one of the human psyche's deepest fears. Over half of British adults name public speaking as their greatest fear, even greater than heights and snakes. Laurence Olivier learned to adapt to it, as have actors Salma Hayek and Hugh Grant. Musicians such as Paul McCartney and Adele have battled it and learned to cope. Playing Scared is Sara Solovitch's journey into the myriad causes of stage fright and the equally diverse ways we can overcome it. As a young child, Sara studied piano and fell in love with music. As a teen, she played Bach and Mozart at her hometown's annual music festival, but was overwhelmed by stage fright, which led her to give up aspirations of becoming a professional pianist. In her late fifties, Sara gave herself a one-year deadline to tame performance anxiety and play before an audience. She resumed music lessons, while exploring meditation, exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, biofeedback and beta blockers, among many other remedies. She practiced performing in airports, hospitals and retirement homes. Finally, the day before her sixtieth birthday, she gave a formal recital for an audience of fifty. Using her own journey as inspiration, Sara has written a thoughtful and insightful cultural history of performance anxiety and a tribute to pursuing personal growth at any age.

Women’s Amateur Theatre in Rural Britain, 1919–1945
Women’s Amateur Theatre in Rural Britain, 1919–1945

Author: Bonnie White

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-11-30

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1000997952

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Women’s Amateur Theatre in Rural Britain is the first book-length study of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes’ amateur drama groups, which served as an umbrella organisation for women’s amateur drama. This work addresses a key historical gap by covering the activities, lives, and labour of women in rural England, Wales, and Scotland. It challenges gender-based assumptions about the value of women’s amateur theatre, highlighting the need for leisure opportunities and social connections in rural villages. The rapid expansion of women’s amateur drama groups is assessed in conjunction with major developments of the period, including the effect of post-1918 reconstruction efforts in rural regions, the revaluation of informal adult education schemes, the law’s influences and restrictions on amateur performances, and the impact of the Second World War on the ability of the Women’s Institutes to carve out a space for all-women’s drama groups that empowered women through education and skill-building programmes to aid in personal and community development. The broad scope of this research will appeal to undergraduates, postgraduates, scholars, and non-specialists interested in cultural history and the lives of rural women after the First World War.