World Literature: Notes on Post Dramatic Theater and the America Play

Introduction

  • Professor David Kornhaber introduces the episode focusing on the America Play by Suzan-Lori Parks.

  • The theme of the episode revolves around post dramatic theater.

    • The question posed: "What comes after drama?"

    • Answer: Post dramatic theater.

Post Dramatic Theater

  • Definition:

    • Postdramatic theater refers to a form of theater that moves beyond the traditional narrative structure of dramatic theater. It often abandons plot, character development, and dialogue to focus on non-verbal forms of expression such as body movement, sound, and visual imagery.

  • Connection to Post Modernism:

    • Post dramatic theater is intertwined with postmodernism, which emphasizes fragmentation, intertextuality, and a questioning of traditional forms.

    • Acts as a critique of traditional theatrical norms.

Introduction to the Video Clip

  • Professor Kornhaber plays a video clip from a performance piece called Quizoola! by the British avant-garde theater company Forced Entertainment.

  • Describes components of Quizoola:

    • Two actors in clown makeup asking questions.

    • Over 10,000 questions in total, central to the performance but not disclosed to the audience.

    • Issues of truth and performance impact.

Explanation of Quizoola

  • Performance Structure:

    • One actor poses questions while the other answers, and this alternates continuously over a span of 24 hours.

    • Audience members may enter or leave at will.

  • Themes and Significance:

    • The draining nature of searching for meaning and answering questions reflects existential themes.

    • No straightforward narrative leading to a conclusion, reinforcing the post dramatic structure.

Relation of Quizoola to the America Play

  • Post Dramatic Theater Illustration:

    • Quizoola serves as an example of post dramatic theater with its focus on performance over narrative storytelling.

    • The absence of coherent storytelling reflects the essence of the America Play wherein traditional narratives are also veiled or fragmented.

Characteristics of Post Dramatic Theater

  • Distinct from Performance Art:

    • While performance art is often held in galleries or non-traditional settings, post dramatic theater primarily occurs in theatrical spaces, preserving a traditional audience-performer separation.

  • Lack of Traditional Storytelling:

    • No clear narrative takes precedence, highlighting instead a series of actions or scenarios that suggest rather than tell a complete story.

The America Play's Unusual Structure

  • Setting and Symbolism:

    • The play’s central set design includes a representation of "the great hole of history" representing a void in time and narrative.

    • The very nature of the set creates a physical impossibility in performance, contributing to its post dramatic quality.

Historical Context

  • Ford’s Theater Significance:

    • Ford's Theater as the assassination site of Abraham Lincoln contributes to the notion of American history intersecting with theatrical space.

    • The historical backdrop renders the act of performing the America Play as fraught with complications and significations.

The Foundling Father Concept

  • Name Significance:

    • The central character, the Foundling Father, represents both a connection to Lincoln and a disassociation from traditional patriarchal figures symbolizing America.

    • The use of the term "foundling" emphasizes abandonment and loss in the context of American history and identity.

Characters and Their Roles

  • Foundling Father:

    • Abraham Lincoln impersonator exploring his identity as a black man in post-emancipation America.

  • Lucy and Brazil:

    • Lucy, the Foundling Father’s wife, is a "whaler" (mourner) encapsulating the themes of grief and remembrance.

    • Brazil being a grave digger signifies the effort to memorialize and honor lost lives.

Thematic Exploration of Mourning

  • The Concept of Wailing:

    • Lucy’s role as a professional mourner represents societal loss and the need to grieve history's traumas.

  • Brazil’s Role:

    • The act of grave digging symbolizes the attempt to give dignity and recognition to those forgotten.

Language and Communication in the Play

  • Nature of Words:

    • Language in the America Play operates beyond conventional narrative requirements, often expressed in non-verbal ways or abstract imagery.

  • Example Speech by Foundling Father:

    • A depiction of Lincoln's assassination without verbs, emphasizing the calcification of action into mere facts and withering memory.

Reflection on Historical Absence

  • The Gaping Hole in Narrative:

    • The America play embodies the history and stories that have been erased or rendered invisible due to systemic oppression.

    • This absence signifies the ongoing impacts and legacy of slavery and disenfranchisement in American history.

Conclusion

  • Rebuilding Narratives:

    • The play ultimately questions how new narratives can be constructed from the remnants of a story that refuses to be fully told.

    • Reflects on moving forward despite historical traumas and losses, suggesting that new histories may be possible even in post dramatic spaces.