Theatre Systems in German Speaking Theatres
Notes on a Fence discussion: Schauspeilhaus Graz
Marie Rotzer: Dramaturg:
- Subsidised theatres
- Authors very important: bring the basis to the theatre
- Authors made originally own theatre
- Troupes, produced and directed plays
- Fringe theatre still works in this way
- Authors have actors, produced their own plays
- IN Switzerland lots success and incorporated into state theatre
- Division of work in theatres:
- Director’s theatre
- Directors more important
- Authors pushed out of theatres.
- Verlag – agent, middle person, publisher
Plays into Theatres
- 1. Author sends play to publisher (Verlag)
- 2. Many different Verlage divide the authors up between them, eg by nationality.
Market is divided by Verlage (each doing their own thing).
Henschel, for example, traditionally have Eastern European authors.
- 3. Publishers publish book every year in advance of theatre seasons (September-June).
It contains information on new plays and their authors, including synopsis and cvs.
This is sent to the theatres who will then order copies of scripts from the list,
in order to properly judge them (not always possible from synopsis). Email has made
this process much easier.
New Playwrights, New Premieres
- 1. Premieres more expensive than classic
- 2. Audiences especially in provinces nervous of new plays.
- 3. Theatres fight for new plays and new authors
- 4. Theatres think young authors have fingers on pulse and want to act quickly (contemporary
situation and events)
- 5. Press – National Press pick up on new plays – want to be a part of discovering
new authors, new plays
- 6. Different journalists, critics only small travel budget to get to premieres.
This is more usual route: author – publisher - theatre
Another route is to send your play directly to the theatre.
Large theatres, problem, too many plays to read.
Author in residence: in England this has happened for many years, and its gradually
being considered within German speaking theatre. Exclusive rights to work when in
residence. Financially this is expensive for small theatres but bursaries are available
to help with this.
Advantage of playwright in residence: the input of writing of play but playwright
has exposure to theatre practise
Try outs of plays – and rehearsed readings
Cheap way of doing it
Also festival and competiion
Public awareness of theatres, press
Downside, so many festivals and villages all have them!
Theatre Heute
1. Introduces young authors
2. Publishes plays
3. Award for bes author: title guarantees your play will be performed in lots of
theatres
Part Two: How you become a writer
2.1: An author, writer, artist, genius fact
2.2 Possible to study to become a writer
- Courses in scenic writing
- Working on basics learn the craft of writing
2.3 Advantages: opportunitiy of being taught by well-known author and the connection
between that author and the theatre created by famous author.
2.4 using this system is a good way for actors to have learning on courses.
3 years ago writers night
4 writers from ?
2 from Edith
wrote mini-dramas, played all day
Good way to get to know new authors.
Beginning of collaborative process to bring writers back inot theatres.
G Steinberg: wrote full length play
Johannes: written full length play
Partnership with unit, Steirische Herbst very good
Process of working together. Theatre helps to guide play, make cuts etc
Ongoing working process is going to continue. The artist continuitng and ongoing
collaoration very important.
Cheap way of doing it
Also festival and competiion
Public awareness of theatres, press
Downside, so many festivals and villages all have them!
Theatre Heute
1. Introduces young authors
2. Publishes plays
3. Award for best author: title guarantees your play will be performed in lots of
theatres
Part Three: A good play for German Theatre
When you are writing about yourself own social reality, own view of the world.
More honest you are, the greater the chance theatre makers and audience believe
in your work.
Trend and longing is for story which is about people in contemporary situation
Not well made conventional writing or form
Expectation of audiences have changed film and TV have influenced this: short snappy
scenes.
Audiences long for social realism: unemployment, disorientation, theatres ant to
represent this.
4. National Tendencies
Themes are timeless – not specific in same way
Huge themes that are same: love, pain, aggression, violence
Of course important is individual versus Society.
Questions
Linda Brogan: How do you know what your audience want?
Difficult question. You can feel gradually if you’re in the same theatre for the
long time: eg. Audience in Graz like emotional plays, less Muller and Brecht, more
Schnitzler or Shakespeare
Lucas Bereforce – Sexual Neurosis of my Parents about girl backwards breaking sexual
taboos. Successful here because of her emotional play people liked it.
I didn’t know it – wonderful play.
Alan Lane: What make up is the core audience?
Audience are educated middle class audience. Battle to get younger students etc.
Alan Lane: Anything specific strategies?
Young actors, directors are younger, powerful way of making theatre
Riitta Seppela: Do Contemporary Plays make it onto the big stage?
20 performances if successful on big stage. Small stage 30.
Mahlgozarta Semil: How do you combine directors’ theatre and taking care of new
playwrights?
Thing about directors theatre is looking at where theatre has come from.
True. German directors have interpretive approach to text
Classical authors are unprotected
Premieres –protection of text by publishers
Entire text as written
Q: Is there a collision between writers and directors?
A; Yes, that’s why dramaturg so imporatn. Sits between author and director.
With premiere text you start to discover places in rehearsal which are redundant.
Relationship between author and theatre develop.
Q: Is there a new writing theatre in Austria?
A: No but big theatres have an interest
Q: do you think there should be?
A: Tendency is going to author in residence. But don’t know if we have possibility
to have a complete emphasis authors theatre.
Q: Fringe groups – author led – is this still happening?
A: It system in Switzerland, subsidised theatre but also also give sponsorship
But this text rarely goes to publishers. So not seen as part of mainstream focus
is more physical.
Fringe groups subsidised.
Q: How many openings how many new plays?
10 big, 6 small
Q: How many contemporary Austrian plays:
Usually one, but not dogmatic
Q: Does a playwright in Austria make living?
Depends. You can live from writing but writes novels also
Bernhard Stuttler – translated Andrei’s play
I tried to live off theatre and can for three yesr: translations, novel. Catalge
but focus
Studied in Berlin
Edith: Scholarships and prizes, if you are successful you can earn money
I have to convince the AD
Q: Why is it important to have new writing theatre in Austria?
Tradional Audience max 20% of th epopulation< these people want to see what they
know.
Q: General still no clear how plays get developed yet, is there relationship with
university? Small productions? Readings?
A to a small extend, theatres are trying to bind authors. We simply don’t have authors
theatre
Q: Uni-T doing programme
Not sure I fit’s best to have education
Q: Not necessarily teaching way to write a good play – more forum for writer. Went
to see devised play by company
20-25 new writers now – support each other, develop on their own.
Needs more input
Lots of workshops now
Situation must be better than 10 years ago.
Q: How successful are new plays and new writers?
A: Depends on themes, what new author Writers at Mundic Nation Johannes Shcrteell:
Dein Projekt Leib Dich: Ironic, humous play director used videa etc, supported humour.
People liked it so very successful/
Q: Marlghorzata: Classics unprotected, local playwight protected for playwriting?
A: Protected by publisher. Can’t make too many cuts.
Q: Translator involved?
A: Usually not.
Q: It feels that there is an emerging new writing culture in Graz? What other elements
are needed to help grow and develop that culture?
A: Education: how to get audience in in general. Lots of work about how to bring
people in. Young people, theatres competes with ots of stuff, have to try to get
these people. Contemporary plays, it’s still very difficult. Austirans are very
conservative. Honour to have new plays in the programme. 3 or 4 world premiers,
but it’s a risk.
Q: Oliver: Have play in Vienna, audience was very young, seeing that work. It’s
interesting when I talk to audiences there is hunger for that writing something
for them.
A; you have networking of teachers there. If teachers excitied.
Q: Is there all education department?
Have a teacher who goes round. Audience development – do you explain what you’re
doing? Went to school but was ery hard to organise. Schools work 8am – 2pm. Offered
post show discussion.
Alan: Same companies in the UK. Under 26 deal.
Q: Alex: Able to develop regional writers. Audience development followed the plays.
Complete unknown not great audience. Investment in work led to audience. Maybe the
playwright is th eperson who tells story around a regional tribe.
Q: Jackie: dramaturg in rehearsal? Is playwright there?\
A: Depends. Not all time because don’t want ot feel too close maybe. Johannes didn’t
want to. Always lots of reasons.
Q: When author dead is dramaturg still author’s agent?
A: Complicated – why do we want to peform this play now? Big plays need cutting
but each word is important, so cutting it is 1st move towards interpretation. Conversation
between dramaturg and director.
Q: So skills are needed not just directors?
A: Sometimes director cuts and dramaturg check it. Once dramaturh and director are
team they do and work together on text.
In best cases a dramaturg is person with all information and is interllectual policeman
to play. High sensibility of working gin this way. Sometimes big rows.
Coversation at the moment between director theatre and loyalty to the text.
How far should director deconstruct text?
Recently directed grabbed critic because he could see th critic didn’t belie in
theatre that wasn’t loyal to the text.
Famous director in berlin who pionners deconstruction
We have production of Macbeth which split the audience. Naked actors, conversed
in blood, lady Macbeth is man with little eapron. If actors only are doing it because
director says yu can it in audience.
Q: Andreas: When it comes to contemporary playwrights do you have othe rlanguage
productions?
A: France (contemporary?), Simon Stephens (English), Bukowski
Not many which aren’t English, German
Q: You are moving to Somewhere else?
Me and 2 dramaturgs and actors and artistic director. Whole team moving! Work real
trust in misu. I am planning how things with contemporary authors an dbring in authrogs
and ave wnidows on world. British, Swedish, more international authors.
Q; where do Austrian authors come from?
A: Aistria dramaturgs don’t writer, actors and directors don’t write generally,
more and more dramatic writers.
Want to bea writern. Then why not a playwighrt.
Riittaa: In finland, theatre schools, 60 premiers, each year. Everyone at theatre
school writers plays and professional actors at theatre school. How maintain originality
through training? Depends on nature of training training supports.