Theatre and Adaptation

Margherita Laera is a lecturer in Drama and Theatre at the University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. She specialises in contemporary European theatre, translation and transnational performance, and is also a professional arts journalist and theatre translator. Her publications include Reaching Athens: Community, Democracy and Other Mythologies in Adaptations of Greek Tragedy (2013).

In Theatre and Adaptation: Return, Rewrite, Repeat, Margherita Laera has compiled seventeen interviews with adaptors of theatre from around the world, including the adaptation work of directors, actors, translators, and more. … The international scope of these interviews makes for a noteworthy read, and the language is clear and easy to follow. A brief introduction by each interviewer is included to give the reader a sense of the subject’s work and any theoretical background needed to understand the content. This clarity and explanation makes this book accessible even to undergraduate student readers. This book is a useful addition to the conversation surrounding adaptation because it broadens the idea of what adaptation is and can be on a global scale. … These interviews are a great start for practitioners and students who want to investigate how the theatrical skill-set might be used in a globalized world. … As a whole, Theatre and Adaptation is delightfully diverse, interesting, and inspiring and a helpful addition to a teacher’s bookshelf.

• Acknowledgements Introduction: Return, Rewrite, Repeat: The Theatricality of AdaptationMargherita LaeraPart 1: Return, Rewrite, Repeat1. ‘It’s Very Tied to the Content of the Play’: Adrian Kohler, Basil Jones, Mervyn Millar and Jane Taylor of Handspring Puppet Company in Conversation with Nadia Davids2. Social and Theatrical Adaptation: Grzegorz Jarzyna in conversation with Paul Allain3. Creating X-Rays of the Text to Dissect the Present: Ivo van Hove of Toneelgroep Amsterdam in Conversation with Peter M. Boenisch 4. ‘Something New Is Sure To Happen’: Daniel Veronese in Conversation with Jean Graham-Jones5. Conservative Adaptation in Japanese Noh: Udaka Michishige in Conversation with Diego PellecchiaPart 2: Defusing Tradition6. On Literality and Limits: Romeo Castellucci of Socìetas Raffaello Sanzio in Conversation with Nicholas Ridout 7. The Subtle Aggressors: Julia Bardsley and Simon Vincenzi in Conversation with Dominic Johnson8. Between Radical Adaptation and Strategic Adaptability: Ki Catur ‘Benyek’ Kuncoro in Conversation with Miguel Escobar 9. Beg, Borrow or Steal: Lois Weaver in Conversation with Jen Harvie Part 3: Intercultural Encounters10. Shakespeare/Two Gents Productions: Denton Chikura, Tonderai Munyevu and Arne Pohlmeier of Two Gents Productions in Conversation with Penelope Woods11. Being Affected: Ong Keng Sen of TheatreWorks Singapore in Conversation with William Peterson 12. Hello Darkness My Old Friend: Alvis Hermanis in Conversation with Alan Read Part 4: Crafting Adaptations13. The Novel as Obstacle: John Collins of Elevator Repair Service in Conversation with Aoife Monks14. Doing the Impossible: Katie Mitchell in Conversation with Dan Rebellato15. ‘There Are No Formulas’: Emma Rice of Kneehigh in Conversation with Martin Welton 16. ‘Expert’ Dramaturgies: Helgard Haug of Rimini Protokoll in Conversation with Margherita Laera17. Theatre as an Intellectual Concertina: Simon Stephens in Conversation with Duška Radosavljevic Notes on ContributorsIndex