International
Theatre Conference: Directing and Authorship in Western Drama
Panel
Four
Friday, October 24th, 4:15-5:45pm
Dr.
Greg Doran, St. Mary's U
Abstract: Interpretation and Meaning: Textual Theory and the Director
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Few art or
literary forms are as collaborative as theatre. A playwright must rely
on a production team to bring his or her work to an audience, so the play
is often subject to many differing opinions. Within the production team,
it is the director's responsibility to act as sole interpreter of the
text. As sole interpreter, therefore, the director should strive to be
as faithful to the original intention of the text as possible. I believe
the use of scholarly editions and bibliographic theory can assist a director
to present a more faithful representation of the text.
For example, a director's understanding of a text can be enchanced by
a scholarly edition that charts the development of the text. Whether the
scholarly edition follows the scientific theory, put forward by Gregg
and Bowers, or the socialized theory of McGann, is unimportant because
the edition will provide the director will a wealth of information to
inform his or her interpretation. From a scholarly edition, a director
can see what does and does not change during the play's development. While
a playwright may alter style and structure, there is usually a central
idea or theme that remains constant. A scholarly edition will provide
the director with an insight into that constant idea or theme, which will
affect the director's understanding and interpretation of the text. The
more information available to the director, the clearer her or his interpretation
of the text.
As
well, a director could also return to early drafts of a text that were
excised due to external political influences that altered the play's original
intention. By restoring scenes or speeches from an earlier draft, the
director may be moving the text closer to its original intention. Therefore,
I believe that the use of scholarly editions and textual theories will
help directors to be better interpreters of dramatic texts.
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