Russian Theatre and Performance

The course aims to provide advanced knowledge in the field of drama and theatre studies and to strengthen skills in the analysis of dramatic texts and stage practices in the historical and cultural context of Russia, approached from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. The course encourages reflection on the mutual influence between contemporary theatre and other languages of expression, focusing on different authors, periods or key issues such as interactions with other media, the balance between innovation and tradition, and the aesthetic, social and political implications.

Knowledge: Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of the development of stage practices, expressive techniques, and the main methods of acting and directing in contemporary Russian theatre. They will also be introduced with some of the most significant reinterpretations of Russian classics presented by Russian and Italian directors in recent years.

Skills: Students will develop their ability to analyse and interpret dramatic texts and stage productions, to discuss and critically engage with course materials, and to apply the methods learnt to other examples. They will be able to place authors, movements and key works of the period studied in their historical context. Students will be able to use theatre studies vocabulary appropriately, to highlight similarities and differences between the texts, and to identify the main interpretive approaches of the productions analysed, linking them to their historical, political and social contexts. They will also be able to identify and examine the processes of the development of theatre in the digital space.