Theatre Is More Beautiful Than War: German Stage Directing in the Late Twentieth Century (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781587298141)

In almost every area of production, German theatre of the past forty years has achieved a level of distinction unique in the international community. This flourishing theatrical culture has encouraged a large number of outstanding actors, directors, and designers as well as video and film artists. The dominant figure throughout these years, however, has remained the director. In this stimulating and informative book, noted theatre historian Marvin Carlson presents an in-depth study of the artistic careers, working methods, and most important productions of ten of the leading directors of this great period of German staging.

Beginning with the leaders of the new generation that emerged in the turbulent late 1960s--Peter Stein, Peter Zadek, and Claus Peymann, all still major figures today--Carlson continues with the generation that appeared in the 1980s, particularly after reunification--Frank Castorf, Anna Viebrock, Andrea Breth, and Christoph Marthaler--and concludes with the leading directors to emerge after the turn of the century, Stefan Pucher, Thomas Ostermeier, and Michael Thalheimer. He also provides information not readily available elsewhere in English on many of the leading actors and dramatists as well as the designers whose work, much of it for productions of these directors, has made this last half century a golden age of German scenic design.

During the late twentieth century, no country produced so many major theatre directors or placed them so high in national cultural esteem as Germany. Drawing on his years of regular visits to the Theatertreffen in Berlin and other German productions, Carlson will captivate students of theatre and modern German history and culture with his provocative, well-illustrated study of the most productive and innovative theatre tradition in Europe.


Author: Marvin Carlson
ISBN-10: 1587298147
ISBN-13: 9781587298141
Publisher: University of Iowa Press
Language: English
Published: 09/01/2009
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 9.50h x 6.30w x 0.90d

Review Citation(s):
Chronicle of Higher Education 09/25/2009 pg. 20
Choice 02/01/2010