Athol Fugard: The playwright as director of his own works.
Item
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Title
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Athol Fugard: The playwright as director of his own works.
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Identifier
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AAI9029926
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identifier
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9029926
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Creator
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Creamer, Richard E.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Stanley Waren
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Date
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1990
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Theater | Literature, American | Biography
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Abstract
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Athol Fugard is among the very few playwrights who are consistently successful in directing their own works. In investigating his methods, approach, and philosophy of directing, the author of this study has paid particular attention to Fugard's 1984 world premiere production of The Road to Mecca at the Yale Repertory Theatre. The author was allowed to attend many rehearsals, pre-rehearsals, working lunches, and note-giving sessions of this production; and was thus enabled to observed day to day efforts as the play was brought to fruition. Besides interviewing Mr. Fugard, the writer was fortunate to have the opportunity to interview the actors, designers, production crew, and the Dean of the Yale School of Drama, Lloyd Richards. Moreover, Fugard made himself available months after the Yale production for further interviewing, and shared both his positive reactions to the production as well as his considerable disappointments.;This thesis investigates the themes of The Road to Mecca, as well as all of Fugard's other stage works up to that time, with some consideration of the two subsequent works, including the New York production in December, 1989, of My Children! My Africa!;Philosophical influences, such as that of Albert Camus, Samuel Beckett, Jerzy Grotowski--and of other literary and practical theatre personalities--are investigated. The primary focus of the thesis centers on Fugard's autobiographical foundation in the relationships and themes of his plays; and the concomitant effect of his own personality, problems, and growth as a playwright on his directing. Beginning in the formative years of his theatrical career (when simultaneously directing and acting in his own works was made imperative by the physical and artistic deprivations of non-White South African theatre), this study traces Fugard's growth as playwright, director, actor, producer, and theatre theorist: in short, as a "Man of the Theatre." Although Mr. Fugard has worked in the film medium as writer and actor, he has never directed in that medium. Therefore, his contributions in that field are considered only peripherally for drawing comparisons to theatrical endeavors, or in relation to historical or biographical elements.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
