An intensive dialogue: New British drama and Bulgarian theatre Cover Image
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Един интензивен диалог: новата британска драма и българският театър
An intensive dialogue: New British drama and Bulgarian theatre

Author(s): Kamelia Nikolova
Subject(s): Theatre, Dance, Performing Arts
Published by: Институт за изследване на изкуствата, Българска академия на науките

Summary/Abstract: New British drama is an important partner and active participant in the construction of theatre in Bulgaria after the politic change in the country in 1989. The texts for theatre written in the United Kingdom in the postmodern age i.e. from the end of the sixties of the last century till the present day turned out to be the most demanded foreign drama by Bulgarian companies in the last two decades. Almost unknown to the Bulgarian theatre before 1989 in the following years the new British drama is introduced in its showbill with exceptional intensity and with symptomatic programme consistence – from Samuel Beckett through Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard and Caryl Churchill to Sarah Kane, Martin McDonagh and Conor McPherson. The last two decades demonstrate essential changes in the dramaturgical text and in theatre performance and definitely in the relation between them. These changes have already started at the end of the 60s and the beginning of 70s of ХХ century and as a whole are a product of postmodern age. In the 90s of the last century and the first decade of the present century they reach their most distinctive and characteristic aspect. The mentioned changes are determining for the contemporary Bulgarian theatre where they receive additional characteristics from overall socio-cultural transformations in the country after the political turn in the end of 80s. The article comments on these changes in maximum concrete focus – the reception of new British drama in Bulgaria after 1989. It follows and analyses the way in which contemporary plays from the United Kingdom have been perceived by the teams that have staged them and the audience and it distinguishes the changes in the spectacle and the overall theatre situation, caused by the aesthetics of the chosen texts.

  • Issue Year: 2013
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 10-20
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: Bulgarian