Performance Dynamics and the Amsterdam Werkteater

Dunbar H. Ogden

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9780520329652
• eBook ISBN: 9780520329676
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Theatre

Performance Dynamics and the Amsterdam Werkteater offers an in-depth exploration of one of the most innovative theater companies of the 20th century, charting its origins, methods, and profound impact on modern performance art. Founded in Amsterdam in 1970, the Werkteater broke with traditional theatrical norms, relying on collective improvisation and the lived experiences of its actors to create performances that resonated deeply with contemporary audiences. Rejecting elaborate sets, costumes, and traditional directorial hierarchies, the Werkteater instead prioritized raw, human connection, bringing to life narratives that addressed issues such as mental health, aging, and social taboos with honesty and emotional intensity.

The book not only documents the Werkteater's unique process of playmaking but also provides a rare, detailed account of their acclaimed production Twilight. Through firsthand descriptions, interviews with the actors, and insights from Professor Ogden’s extensive research, readers gain a nuanced understanding of the troupe's creative methodology and the profound interplay between actors and audiences. Beyond a mere chronicle, this study positions the Werkteater as a pivotal force in modern theater, embodying the dynamic possibilities of performance to challenge, engage, and transform. For theater practitioners, students, and enthusiasts, this volume is an invaluable resource, offering both inspiration and a roadmap to a theater that prioritizes authenticity and collective human experience.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1987.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents 1
• Illustrations
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• I The Werkteater’s Life and Work
• 1 Introduction
• 2 The Development of Twilight A Log of the Collective Working Process (1973-1975)
• 3 The Performance of Twilight Text, Actors’ Commentary, and Notes
• II Essays on Performance Dynamics in the Werkteater
• 4 Playmaking The Experience of the Actors
• 5 Metamorphosis The Actors and the Audience
• 6 Recognition The Experience of the Audience
• 7 Seven Characteristics of the Werkteater A Summary
• 8 Theater for Tomorrow
• Epilogue
• APPENDIX A Actors in the Company and Chronology of Works (by Season)
• APPENDIX B Performances in International Festivals and Awards Received
• APPENDIX c Dutch Text of the Rense-Helmert Scene in Twilight
• Index