1st Edition
The First German Theatre (Routledge Revivals) Schiller, Goethe, Kleist and Büchner in Performance
First published in 1990. The book surveys of the development of German theatre from a market sideshow into an important element of cultural life and political expression. It examines Schiller as ‘theatre poet’ at Mannheim, Goethe’s work as director of the court theatre at Weimar, and then traces the rapid commercial decline that made it difficult for Kleist and impossible for Büchner to see their plays staged in their own lifetime. Four representative texts are analysed: Schiller’s The Robbers, Goethe’s Iphigenia on Tauris, Kleist’s The Prince of Homburg, and Büchner’s Woyzeck. This title will be of interest to students of theatre and German literature.
List of illustrations; Acknowledgements; Preface; Introduction. German Theatre in the Eighteenth Century; 1 Schiller at Mannheim: The Robbers; Acting style at Mannheim The première of The Robbers Iffland’s performance of Franz Moor Conclusion: some ideas of Schiller on the theatre; 2 Goethe at Weimar: Iphigenia on Tauris; Misconceptions Goethe as theatre director Iphigenia on Tauris in performance The amateur staging of Iphigenia on Tauris Professional productions of Iphigenia on Tauris The dramatic structure of Iphigenia on Tauris Verse structure Actual stage directions Implied stage directions Conclusion; 3 From the Eighteenth to the Nineteenth Century; Ludwig Tieck; 4 Kleist in Performance: The Prince of Homburg; The early stage history of The Prince of Homburg The Prince of Homburg as a piece for the theatre; 5 Büchner in Performance: Woyzeck; The text of Woyzeck The structure The characters The setting The language Conclusion; Conclusion; Appendix 1 Theatre rules for the Mannheim National Theatre (1780); Appendix 2 Instructions regarding committee meetings (1782); Chronology 1767-1837; Notes; Bibliography; Sources of illustrations; Index
Biography
Patterson, Michael
