{"id":579,"date":"2020-12-01T19:12:15","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T19:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/22\/?p=579"},"modified":"2022-02-05T09:49:31","modified_gmt":"2022-02-05T09:49:31","slug":"fabulamundi-workbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/22\/fabulamundi-workbook\/","title":{"rendered":"Contemporary Playwriting and Theatre Translation Cultures in Europe: A Report on Current Systems, Conventions and Perceptions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Margherita Laera<\/strong>*<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abstract<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Commissioned by the E.U.-funded project, Fabulamundi: Playwriting Europe Beyond Borders<\/a>, this report assesses current practices, perceptions and norms in the field of contemporary playwriting and the translation of contemporary plays in nine different European countries: Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain and the U.K. Mapping different national ecologies, structures and traditions enabling the production and mobility of plays through the use of questionnaires and one-to-one interviews with key stakeholders in each context, the report presents qualitative and quantitative data gathered on how each theatre culture supports living dramatists, how it organises its education system, what conventions drive the production and translation of contemporary plays and what perceptions are held by gatekeepers, theatre-makers and other cultural operators about the theatre system in which they work. Drawing on the existing network of partners, venues, playwrights, translators, directors and performers working with the Fabulamundi network, I evaluate and compare cultural practices and institutional habits in the field, and conclude with a list of best practices for a sustainable field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The complex and historically layered ecologies of contemporary European theatre practices\u2014shaped by such factors as economic and social conditions, ideological discourses, taste and other professional conventions\u2014informed local performance cultures abiding by very different written and non-written rules. While a large number of academic research within Theatre Studies have focused on national contexts within Europe, there is little research being carried out in English that programmatically approaches contemporary continental practices from a supranational perspective (see European-wide studies such as Delgado, Lease and Rebellato; Delgado and Rebellato; Ridout and Kelleher).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also very little qualitative research being undertaken\u2014at least in English\u2014around theatre practices, and even less qualitative research that aims to compare theatre cultures and traditions in Europe. Moreover, to my knowledge, an assessment of different attitudes towards, and approaches to, the translation of plays in Europe has never been attempted. As a result, resources for those wishing to navigate theatre systems across European borders are few and far between.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The present report addresses a gap in research by focusing on contemporary playwriting and the staging of contemporary plays in their original language or in translation in Europe, taking nine countries as case studies. For the purposes of this study, I define contemporary playwriting as inclusive of both plays by living authors and plays written in the past 20\u201330 years. However, the focus has been on the systems and practical conventions that shape the careers of living theatre writers in each country. Driven by the desire to map and evaluate different structures and norms in support of intercultural understanding, exchange and cooperation, the report is both aimed at, and draws from the expertise of, scholars, critics, theatre-makers, translators, dramaturgs, literary managers and producers based in these countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This report was commissioned by the Creative Europe-funded large-scale international cooperation project, \u201cFabulamundi Playwriting Europe: Beyond Borders<\/a>?\u201d (2017\u201320), a network of European organisations supporting living playwrights and promoting the circulation of their work across European languages through a mobility programme for writers, a series of events and networking opportunities, as well as speculative translations, readings, workshops and full-blown productions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Led by Claudia di Giacomo of PAV<\/a>, a performing arts production company based in Rome, the network includes thirteen core partners<\/a> in nine countries which contributed to the project budget (Wiener Worstaetten in Austria; Theatre Let\u00ed in the Czech Republic; La Mousson d\u2019\u00c9t\u00e9 and Th\u00e9\u00e2tre Ouvert in France; the Interkulturelles Theater Zentrum in Germany; Teatro i, Short Theatre and PAV in Italy; Teatr Dramatyczny in Poland; Teatrul Odeon and the University of T\u00e2rgu-Mure\u0219 in Romania; Sala Beckett in Spain; and the Gate Theatre in the U.K.). I want to acknowledge the crucial support of my commissioners and the generosity of those who offered their time and expertise to the project. I also want to thank the project\u2019s Research Assistant, Lianna Mark, for her work on data gathering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The present report, nicknamed \u201cFabulamundi Workbook,\u201d was conceived to empower Europe-based playwrights, playwriting institutions and organisations with concrete knowledge gathered from experts in playwriting and theatre translation practice in order to learn about and from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this report, my aim is to present a comparative evaluation of qualitative and quantitative findings for every country. More analysis of this data will appear in my upcoming monograph for Routledge, due to be published in late 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Structure of the Report and Research Questions<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

This report is mainly based on qualitative data, that is, on the knowledge, perceptions and opinions offered by the experts who took part in this study. Despite our efforts to be representative and speaking to a variety of different voices, the findings on each country should be taken as a snapshot of what the experts we talked to have shared, rather than as statistically representative data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This study is structured around eight national reports: one for each country, with Austria and Germany in a single report. Each national report features three key areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Key players. We asked our respondents to name the most prestigious and influential venues and festivals working in their country to offer a map of their perceptions. For lack of space, we have had to limit the number of institutions we can present in this report to the few most consistently mentioned.<\/li>
  2. Systems and practical conventions. My hypothesis is that what I call a \u201ccontemporary playwriting and theatre translation culture\u201d is constituted by a system of interconnected practices in the theatre industry, as well as in arts funding, gatekeeping structures, education, press, publishing, audience interest\/taste and so on. Conventions and norms in each of these areas will have an effect on other areas of the system.<\/li>
  3. The last section included in this report is advice for foreign playwrights. Respondents provided short but specific advice for foreign playwrights wishing to have their plays staged in that country. The most useful suggestions have been included.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    Partners\u2019 fifth meeting in Rome, Nov. 7, 2019. Photo: Fabulamundi site<\/a>. Accessed Nov. 12, 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    Methodology<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

    The project employed research methods borrowed from sociology and theoretical underpinnings from theatre studies, as well as practical knowledge of theatre-making, playwriting and theatre translation. Each survey respondent and interviewee who took part in the study gave us informed consent to quote their words anonymously. This study\u2019s design was approved by the University of Kent\u2019s Ethics Committee on November 16, 2019 (Ref: 0221920).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The research process was carried out in stages as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n