HANS THIES LEHMANN - The position of the spectator in theatre today
 
The spectator has become the central focus of reflection on performance and theatre since the theoretical/practical shift to the problem of what is the experience of an artistic (or artistically-motivated) gesture. This shift brings into focus the fundamental questions of spectating as an activity. This lecture will focus on several examples of different spectating as an activity. This lecture will focus on several examples of different spectating positions, and will in particular concentrate on a re-reading of the ancient concept of Anagnorisis, in the light of the debate around the polemics against »theatralicality«, which in a different understanding has become accepted as a positive qualification of performance art practice.

HANS THIES LEHMANN is Professor of Theatre Studies at Johan Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt on Main, Germany and directs Master Program in Dramaturgy there. His numerous publications include: Theater und Mythos, Essays zu Theatertexten ... His seminal work Postdramatisches Theater has been translated into many languages, and he has also been widely publication on literary theory, contemporary theatre aestetics, and film.