{"product_id":"postdramatic-theatre-essential-study-of-contemporary-performance","title":"Postdramatic Theatre - Essential Study of Contemporary Performance","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNew English adaptation:\u003c\/strong\u003e The updated translation clarifies Lehmanns complex ideas for readers unfamiliar with the original, helping non-German speakers engage with a core contemporary-theatre text.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical scope:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book traces developments since the late 1960s, giving readers a chronological sense of how experimental forms emerged in response to cultural shifts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTheoretical engagement:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lehmann situates postdramatic trends in relation to classic and modern dramatic theorists, aiding readers who want conceptual frameworks for performance analysis.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCase studies of practitioners:\u003c\/strong\u003e Detailed discussion of artists such as Robert Wilson and the Wooster Group provides concrete examples that illustrate broader theoretical claims.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMedia and technology focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e The text frames the shift from text-based theatre to an age of image and sound, useful for those studying media influence on performance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePostdramatic 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConcise synthesis of a complex field that brings together theory and practice in a single volume.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe new adaptation improves readability for Anglophone audiences, lowering the barrier to Lehmanns ideas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRich examples of experimental practitioners make abstract points tangible for readers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe book is analytical rather than practical, so readers wanting staging techniques will need supplemental texts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePostdramatic Theatre\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHans-Thies Lehmann\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEdition\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNew adaptation for Anglophone reader\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubject\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eContemporary theatre history and criticism\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCoverage period\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDevelopments since the late 1960s\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFocus areas\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTheory, media, image and sound, selected practitioners\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePostdramatic 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this edition translated into English?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book is a newly adapted version for the Anglophone reader, improving accessibility for English-language audiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it include examples of real performances?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, Lehmann analyzes experimental practitioners such as Robert Wilson, Tadeusz Kantor, Heiner Muller, and the Wooster Group to illustrate his arguments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it suitable for beginners?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is readable thanks to the new adaptation, but it is primarily a theoretical and historical study rather than a beginner's staging manual.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hans-Thies Lehmann","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48762478985435,"sku":"0415268125","price":192.01,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/519WBSdzs9L._SL1360.jpg?v=1778485134","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/postdramatic-theatre-essential-study-of-contemporary-performance","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}