1st International Academic Conference:*
*Theatricality ??? Antitheatricality:* *Transdisciplinary and Scenological
Studies on Contemporary Theatre* .
*20th – 22nd November 2019, University of Bielsko-Bia??a, Poland.***
**The topic of the conference*Theatricality???
Antitheatricality:**Transdisciplinary and Scenological Studies on
Contemporary Theatre*leads us directly to a fundamental question: What
is theatre? Finding an answer to this question is obviously not an easy
task. However, the very act of posing a question does not require an
immediate answer, let alone an explicit one. As a natural consequence of
exploring this subject, there appear undoubtedly other queries and
possible responses. That is why, instead of asking questions concerning
the essence of theatre, we will try to enter the ground which in itself
is more and more fluid and changeable. Possibly, as a result of our
investigation, the foundations of what we call theatre will be
undermined. Even in the eyes of those who incline towards its
contemporary definitions. It is not also about reaching a final decision
whether theatre should be pioneering or not. Theatre does not strive for
stability which would let it avoid the blurring of its boundaries. The
one and only thing that seems to be evident here is that this
metaphysics, which aims at defining theatre, does not pass any more
because of an objective to consecrate its own activity. In other words,
theatre is no longer obliged to call itself theatre and makes with its
structures whatever it wants. These displacements, sometimes temporary
and sometimes permanent, lead us to another issue underlying the proper
definition of theatre, namely theatricality. Furthermore, there would
not be theatricality if it did not have its counterpoint, which is
antitheatricality. Our conference is intended to investigate and discuss
this ???ubiquity??? considering that theatre is all around us (even though
not everything that we perceive in our surroundings is theatre). In that
sphere, notions evolve regardless of their antecedents. Originally,
theatre formed a monolithic unit of expression. Currently, the
boundaries, theatricality, as well as this very field which were
previously announced the ???everlasting theatre??? – monolithic like Greek
theatre or the theatre by Shakespeare, Beckett, Strindberg, Chekhov,
among others, or in its own scenic field: Stanis??awski, Grotowski,
Brecht, Brook or Strehler, reveal a very dynamic space for creation and
research on the basis of which new stage representations are produced.
In modernity, the space of theatre and research constituted
theatricality, but it was even earlier when this space allowed for
finding other areas of stage creations extending to antitheatricality.
For this reason, we would like to foster an international
cross-disciplinary exchange of pertinent ideas and observations which
accompany us today. We would like to invite all scholars, critics,
actors, directors, theoreticians and playwrights to contribute and share
their reflections on the topic which include, but are not limited to,
the following perspectives: dramatics, acting, direction, stage space,
theatre criticism, theatre culture, classical theatre, theatre studies
(e.g. Latin American, Asian, European, African), etc. The only binding
guidelines are the two notions which should form the core of
reflections: Theatricality and Antitheatricality.
Seminar, Discussion panels, Open debates, Presentation of authors???
monographs and journals (we invite theatre publishers and individual
authors to present their publications).
_Plenary speakers_
Prof. Paul Fryer (Director, Stanislavsky Research Centre, University of
Leeds, U.K)
Dr Lucas Margarit (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Witold Mazurkiewicz (Dyrektor Teatr Polski ??? Bielsko-Bia??a, Poland) /
For confirmation
Janusz Opry??ski (Regisseur / Teatru Provisorium) / For confirmation
_Special events_
Pau Freixa (University of Barcelona) and Dorota Mas??owska – a meeting
between a translator and an author
Conference working languages: English, Spanish, Polish.
Conference fee: *140 EURO / 600 PLN*. The fee includes a banquet, coffee
breaks, and conference materials. A selection of papers will be
published by a prestigious publishing house.
Proposals for papers with abstracts (ca. 250-300 words) should be
submitted electronically by 31st June 2019.
Length of presentations: 20 minutes.
Please send proposals to: iconf.theatre.antitheatre@gmail.com
<mailto:iconf.theatre.antitheatre>
Notifications of acceptance will be sent out by mid-July. Then further
information will be distributed.
The conference will be held at the *University of Bielsko-Bia??a*, Poland
(Willowa 2, Bielsko-Bia??a, Poland).
—
Prof. Paul Fryer PhD, FRSA, FHEA.
Visiting Professor, School of Performance and Creative Industies, University of Leeds.
Visiting Professor, School of Arts & Creative Industries, London South Bank University.
Director, The Stanislavsky Research Centre.
Editor-in-Chief, Stanislavski Studies (Taylor & Francis).