Postdramatic Theatre - Essential Study of Contemporary Performance

In this review of Postdramatic Theatre, the reviewer finds a rigorous, readable guide to the radical shifts in contemporary performance since the late 1960s. Newly adapted for the Anglophone reader, this edition makes Hans-Thies Lehmanns argument accessible to students, scholars, and practitioners who want a clear account of how theatre moved from text-centered drama toward a media-driven, image-and-sound culture; the single biggest reason to buy is its status as a foundational, historically informed synthesis of recent experimental practices.

Key Features

• New English adaptation: The updated translation clarifies Lehmanns complex ideas for readers unfamiliar with the original, helping non-German speakers engage with a core contemporary-theatre text.
• Historical scope: The book traces developments since the late 1960s, giving readers a chronological sense of how experimental forms emerged in response to cultural shifts.
• Theoretical engagement: Lehmann situates postdramatic trends in relation to classic and modern dramatic theorists, aiding readers who want conceptual frameworks for performance analysis.
• Case studies of practitioners: Detailed discussion of artists such as Robert Wilson and the Wooster Group provides concrete examples that illustrate broader theoretical claims.
• Media and technology focus: The text frames the shift from text-based theatre to an age of image and sound, useful for those studying media influence on performance.

Who It's For

Postdramatic Theatre is best for graduate students, theatre scholars, and practitioners who need a compact but comprehensive account of late 20th-century experimental theatre; the clear translation makes it suitable for Anglophone readers encountering Lehmann for the first time. Its balance of theory and examples helps readers design courses, inform practice, or situate contemporary performances within a broader history.

Readers seeking a beginner's how-to on staging or a purely practical handbook should look elsewhere, as this is a critical study focused on theory, historical context, and analysis rather than step-by-step production guidance.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Concise synthesis of a complex field that brings together theory and practice in a single volume.
• The new adaptation improves readability for Anglophone audiences, lowering the barrier to Lehmanns ideas.
• Rich examples of experimental practitioners make abstract points tangible for readers.

Cons

• The book is analytical rather than practical, so readers wanting staging techniques will need supplemental texts.

Specifications

Title	Postdramatic Theatre
Author	Hans-Thies Lehmann
Edition	New adaptation for Anglophone reader
Subject	Contemporary theatre history and criticism
Coverage period	Developments since the late 1960s
Focus areas	Theory, media, image and sound, selected practitioners

Our Verdict

Postdramatic Theatre remains a must-read critical study for those studying or working in contemporary performance, giving excellent value through its compact synthesis of theory and practice. Students, researchers, and theatre makers who want a historically grounded framework for post-1960s experimental forms will find it indispensable; those needing practical production instruction should pair it with technical guides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this edition translated into English?
The book is a newly adapted version for the Anglophone reader, improving accessibility for English-language audiences.

Does it include examples of real performances?
Yes, Lehmann analyzes experimental practitioners such as Robert Wilson, Tadeusz Kantor, Heiner Muller, and the Wooster Group to illustrate his arguments.

Is it suitable for beginners?
It is readable thanks to the new adaptation, but it is primarily a theoretical and historical study rather than a beginner's staging manual.