نمایش چیست

by Martin Esslin, شیرین تعاونی (Translator)

ادعا نمی کنم که حاصل این تلاش تفاوتی اساسی با اصول تعالیم آکادمیکی مقبول داشته باشد. لکن شاید در جریان استدلال و استنتاج و یادآوری تجربیاتی که منشاء و مآخذ آن است، پرتو تازه ای بر بینش های مستقر دیرین فرو افتد و حتی نظرگاه های تازه ای برای درک آنها افزوده شود. شاید هر کجا نتیجه گیری های من با نظرات مستقر آکادمیک اختلاف داشته باشد چشم انداز تازه ای بر روی برخی جوانب آن گشوده گردد؛ به هر حال، لازم است نظریه های مختلف را هرازچندگاهی به محک تجربیات علمی زد.

درعین حال، از آنجا که کوشیده ام به ملاحظات ساده و بنیادی بپردازم، امیدوارم این کتاب به عنوان مقدمه ای بر بررسی و همچنین کاربرد نمایش مفید افتد.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theatre, Plays, Writing, Art

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Martin Julius Esslin OBE (6 June 1918 – 24 February 2002) was a Hungarian-born English producer and playwright dramatist, journalist, adaptor and translator, critic, academic scholar and professor of drama best known for coining the term "Theatre of the Absurd" in his work of that name (1961).

Born Julius Pereszlényi (Hungarian: Pereszlényi Gyula Márton) in Budapest, Esslin moved to Vienna with his family at a young age. He studied Philosophy and English at the University of Vienna and also graduated from the Reinhardt Seminar as a producer. Of Jewish descent, he fled Austria in the wake of the Anschluss of 1938.

Esslin defined the 'Theatre of the Absurd' as that which

"The Theatre of the Absurd strives to express its sense of the senselessness of the human condition and the inadequacy of the rational approach by the open abandonment of rational devices and discursive thought."

Esslin's definition encompassed not only Beckett's works but those of Sławomir Mrożek, Eugène Ionesco, Harold Pinter, Jean Genet, Günter Grass and Edward Albee amongst others.

He began working for the BBC in 1940, serving as a producer, script writer and broadcaster. He was head of BBC Radio Drama 1963-77, having previously worked for the external European Service. After leaving the BBC he held senior academic posts at Florida State and Stanford Universities.

He also adapted and translated many works from the original German, for example many plays of Wolfgang Bauer between 1967 and 1990. Original works included the seminal Theatre of the Absurd, and The Field of Drama.

Esslin died in London on February 24, 2002 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Pooya Kiani · Rating 3 out of 5]

به نظرم می‌تونه برای فهم بهتر هنر نمایش، نمایشنامه‌نویسی، سینما و تلویزیون منبع خوبی باشه، و از سوگرایی فکری-نوشتاری و از فرم و بازی ناتوان و ترسو پیشگیری بکنه.
نمایش چیست - مارتین اسلین - نشر نیلوفر

[Samir Rawas Sarayji · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy and accessible first book to understanding drama. Reads quickly and uses simple examples from plays once in a while to illustrate the authors points. It's certainly out-dated though when it comes to television since that was, in the time of the books publication, a prominent advancement. But theater, radio and television aside, internet and graphics technology - not to mention the decline in Universities funding literature - should also be factored into discussions of how it affects drama, both in terms of production and frequency.

I particularly enjoyed the insights into stage performance - from text to stage transitions. Also the insights on how playwrights are inspired by each others works and how certain themes are transformed from one genration to another or from one medium to another were interesting.

[Dana Safian · Rating 3 out of 5]

به فصل‌های یک تا شش چهار ستاره و به فصل‌های هفت تا یازده دو ستاره می‌دم. ترجمه‌‌اش دقیق نیست‌.

[Siobhán Antoinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun little read that I picked up in-between cues during the rehearsal of an Ionesco play (which was pleasantly referenced a number of times in this book).I found Esslin informed and direct. He managed to explain himself in very simple, but passionate terms. Would recommend for anyone curious about theatre or working in the biz and with time during rehearsal ;)

[Alyce Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be mandatory reading for anyone studying drama. I'm currently exploring theatre for one of my English Literature units at university, and this has been an invaluable - and brief - introduction that has allowed me to fully grasp the key concepts.
If you want to work in theatre or the media, read this. Even if you're just a fan of watching plays, this has some delightful insights that will deepen your enjoyment of the theatrical experience.

[Joseph]

A good overview of drama in all of its various forms.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good structure and well written. A pretty good guide for beginners and everyone interested in stage plays.

[Hind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frankly, this read was purely done throughout one of my current literature classes and if it weren't for the professor I wouldn't have known of such remarkable work.
It is a rewarding read indeed and it's rather comprehensive and easy even for a layman willing to know more about the art of Drama and anyone interested in an enjoyable dissection of it.

[rania · Rating 3 out of 5]

outdated in some places, making redundant points in others - but useful nonetheless.

just didn't get why he kept insisting certain features only appear in drama when they clearly come in literature as a whole - i.e. works being open to interpretation or narrative structure affecting the work like Bro Read A Book

[Almendra Esperanza · Rating 4 out of 5]

siento que al leerlo comprendí muchas cosas que daba por hecho, pero que necesitaba que alguien me las dijera. el hablar de la importancia de los actores y la potencia que le dan al drama o como el drama en el cine, tiene muchas mas herramientas para darle potencia y énfasis a la narración, a diferencia que el teatro.

[Nima ُShoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

خیلی اتفاقی تو این روزایی که در مورد نمایش مطالعه میکنم، به دستم رسید. کتاب قابل قبولی هم بود، فهرست نسبتا کاملی داره که در حد خودش به شناخت شناسی نمایش می پردازه و به اندازه ی یک کتاب 140 صفحه ای، خوب از عهده ی کار بر اومده به نظرم

[Julian Munds · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is no wonder to me that this book is so central to dramatic theory. It is a succinct and thorough analyses of the medium. A good easy straightforward work.

[Ariel Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start this review w/a quick recap of how I came into possession of this book: I was walking to work thru Chelsea, NYC & I saw a pile of books outside what appeared to be a school. Since they were close (but not in) to a pile of trash, I assumed they were there for the next round of garbage pick-up. All the books were older pieces about the theater, drama, etc., & I didn't quite know what to expect when I took them. I can only hope that they were being replaced by newer texts, as these proved to be well over 20 years old.

In the first few pages, I thought that this book was extremely dry. Then, as I continued reading, I realized that the text is quite engaging & interesting. However, b/c the author is not a native English speaker, it may come across as a little "stiff" at first. Mr. Esslin also tends to use large words & long sentences that, while in many cases are technically correct, might be difficult for modern readers to grasp.

Unfortunately, whomever edited "An Anatomy of Drama" missed quite a number of typographical errors. At one point, the word "vein" and the subsequent period appear twice in a blatant mistake. To me, this careless sort of copyediting detracts from the substance of the book. Additionally, Mr. Esslin constantly uses "which" instead of "that" in his writing. This may/may not be due to the fact that his native language, again, isn't English. However, I feel that it could have been remedied by a decent editor carefully reviewing the book prior to publication.

Mr. Esslin, at one point, uses some diagrams that are very helpful in explaining his point. Even though he never references them directly (for example, by writing, "See fig. A"), it goes a huge way in making his point of view crystal clear.

Finally, I understand that Mr. Esslin has made it his life's work to produce, direct, teach, & lead programs dealing w/drama; however, at times his love of drama & the theater is over-the-top. It seems that he holds drama as the highest form of art. While he does make some viable points as to the power & mimetic power of the theater, it strikes me as a little "too much."