Pražské quadriennale 1979

 

 

 

 

We have many good theatres and many interesting and capable stage designers. How should the most typical, the most remarkable be chosen - that is a question which any important exhibitions poses.

In recent years Soviet stage design has been developing in the context of ideas which, by the early seventies, had already fully asserted themselves. The concept of the stage as a medium in the visual arts has continued to be developed. Attempts have appeared to represent the time and space of the action on stage in a supremely objective and natural manner. Our exposition

tends to place the artist above any such objectives. A comparatively small number of stage designers have been selected to present their work. They differ in age and represent varied national schools and different theatres, some of which represent the theatre as an art.

We have before us masterly, innovative stylizations, as well as programmed rationalism, conscious intentions to highlight the dramatic conflict in the spatial dimension, as well as deliberate limitations imposed by the artist upon himself by aiming at a highly authentic presentation of the temporal and spatial aspects of the action and the ability to make scenic space really dramatic. Thus we see on the one hand extreme clarity in concept, combined with an intuitive approach and intriguing uninterpretability on the other. The striving for improvisation is accompanied by highly refined and architecturally tried forms. The desire to produce an affect by the use of authentic materials and textiles is accompanied by playing a theatre which is 'unreal " and "make believe ". Behind all this one senses not only the existence of varied stages of development and different attitudes towards the theatre, but also varied and imaginative approaches to aspects of life and art.

The exhibition of our puppet theatres is well supplemented by stage designs from our designers in theatres for children. The latter is one of the most important sections of our theatre. We do not wish in this context to accent the specific aspects of a stage designer’s mission in this particular area. Let it suffice to note that successful attempts to capture the attention of young audiences typically stress colour, visual experience and fun which cause the child to open its eyes to the beauty, magic and joy of the world.

Stage design has been opened to the most varied experiments and has thus brings led to new ideas and innovations which make it possible to change the method by which the content of a play is conveyed to the audience in a theatrical language. In Italy a new, distinctive approach which provides sufficient space for the demands of the theatre to experiment with various forms, to alter the means of expression in the course of the performance and to provide the possibility of playing on tour in the far corners of the country, has been developed only partially. Moreover, in view of the decentralization of the theatre which has taken place, there is a demand for adapting stage designs to the immediate needs of various stages or auditoriums while only partially keeping in mind the place where the action is located. Thus scenic space with only basic and inconspicuous decorations is usually used, making it possible to constantly move surfaces , structures and even the position vis-?-vis the audience. A different stage designing approach requires a movable area with constant modifications in the width of the stage, accompanied by a revival of dramatic effects together with a seeking of non-traditional spatial solutions. One of the reasons for experimenting is the endeavor to utilize all empty spaces so that actors and various objects are constantly transforming the stage. A design which is closely linked with scenic space and material may often takes upon itself a basic function which becomes separate and symbolic. Due to this the actor's voice attains expressive nuances so that it is transformed into phonemic speech which helps to constantly renew and regenerate the rendering of the text. In theatrical troupes which function on the cooperative principle and use collective methods of work, which usually also have very limited resources, stage designs must be based on simple means and spontaneous invention. At this Quadrennial, professional stage designers are exhibiting their work for the traditional theatre, but they span various approaches : from the traditionalistic to the avant-garde. Some of these designers produce sets which use innovative approaches based on classical painting, while others stress experimentation. Stage design is a part of the culture it is closely affiliated with stage direction and together with it determines the critical outcome of a performance.

Under the term stage designer in Finland we have in mind the creator of the visual aspects of a performance. In other words his denotes at present the designer of both the sets and costumes.

Finland is a country of theatres. With 4.5 million inhabitants, we have a total of over 59 permanent professional theatres. If we classify these theatres according to various criteria, we obtain the following table:

Permanent theatres playing in the Finnish language 31

Permanent theatres playing in the Swedish language 4

Traveling drama troupes 7

Traveling dance troupes 2

Opera 1

Operetta 1

Summer stock companies with their own stage 10

Amateur theatres with professional guidance 3

Besides these troupes there are many amateur groups functioning in various workers' and youth associations and also in other organizations.

The Finnish theatre is. a truly popular theatre. Working people and their organizations have, from the very beginning, formed the foundation of all theatrical activities. It has been found that the theatre is an ideal mediator in forming the ideas of people and gaining their convictions. From its very beginnings the spirit of the Finnish theatre has been collectively orientated.

A typical aspect of Finnish popular theatre is its sparse outer form. The grand manner of the court theater, so typical for southern and central Europe, have been quite alien to the Finnish theatre. The Finnish theatre could never count on the so called: Deus ex machina. It has always typically been steeped in realism, a cold headed seriousness end a hearty sense of humor. The position of Finland on the northern tip of Europe has led to the situation where the cultural activities of the Swedish upper classes, who ruled the country until the founding of the Republic in 1917, did not have any influence upon our popular culture. It was only at the end of the 19th century, at a time when one could already speak of a national revival in politics and about national romanticism in the arts, that the spiritual potential of the Finnish people made an impact upon the development of their own national culture.

This development had both its positive and negative aspects. Finnish popular culture has thus maintained its specific style and its strength. The human soul has remained protected against the trite pressures of commercial "reproduced“ culture. On the other hand, however, this to a certain extent contributed to the negative isolation of the theatre, especially in the technical field. Theatres whose current expenses were often covered by the small contributions of workers, rarely has sufficient money to spend on proper facilities. One might even say that these factors, which influence Finnish theatrical art even today, are the causes of the fact that the Finnish theatre is more similar to the stage used by Hans Sachs than to the one used by Gaily Babied.

After World War II the Finnish theatre made contact with the world the Fins were from the very beginning active members of international theatrical organizations. The activities of the International Theatrical Institute / ITI / and the international organization of stage designers and theatrical technicians / OISTT / have in many aspects served as an incentive for the development of the theatrical culture of individual member countries and thus for theatrical culture as a whole. Thus also thanks to the activities of these organizations the stage design and technical aspects of the Finnish theatre have improved proved and have led to the forming of a state approaching equilibrium, as far as the relation between art and technology are concerned.

Rumanian stage designers are participating in the Prague Quadrennial for the third time.

In an attempt to present the most representative selection, the Rumanian national section has conceived its exposition is such a manner, that it does not give well-known artists predominance, but places them together with the others, in order to stress the fact that in the course of the recent four year period certain specific trends have been manifest, which deserve to be examined.

These are:

- a differentiation of artistic expression}

- unity in concepts.

These characteristic trends are especially stressed in designs which always have the same criteria as their foundation: the shaping of ideas, collaboration with other artists who participate in the making of a performance, a rejection of the use of the visual arts as an end to itself and subjecting technology to artistic aims.

Set designs for television, which are represented in our national section for the first time, form a part of the whole they serve to supplement end confirm the dominant characteristics of Rumanian stage design, while at the same time demonstrating the endeavors of their creators to find in this field specific me - thuds for the television productions of tomorrow.

Special attention is devoted to stage designs for the puppet theatre their presence in our national exposition clearly demonstrates the opportunities of selection and synthesis open to Rumanian stage designers, which are in accord with the existing state of their creative work in this field} in their work they have achieved significant successes both at home and abroad. The selection of exhibits and the method of their representation aims at acquainting the public both with collectives and individuals, with their innermost manner of artistic expression and their new means of realization.

Our national section also includes the designs of students which have been produced in various stages of their study. Our aim is to demonstrate the contribution which Rumanian stage design schools have made to the prestige of our theatre, as well as the methodology they use and how they are able to teach the profession to young and talented people, while at the same time

artistically influencing and forming them into really creative people. A substantial part of our exposition is devoted to stage and television sets which the students must, according to the curriculum, design during their last year of study, before they obtain a degree. In our opinion it is our obligation to discover talent and initiative among the members of the new generation of creative artists, as they are manifest in their actual work, as well as to see to it that they master all technical aspects already during their studies. These practical activities undertaken in connection with an actual theatrical performance, provide the young generation with the opportunity to verify its aspirations during contacts with collaborators of the same generation and under actual working conditions}together with the future users of their stage designs they thus form criteria for the future according to which young artists will be able to judge the work they will be called upon to do in the theatre.

The Czechoslovak exposition at the Prague Quadrennial represents only a narrow selection from the extensive work of Czechoslovak stage designers. That this is so can be documented by the fact that during the last four years, since the last Prague Quadrennial, a total of 105 Czechoslovak theatrical companies

have produced approximately 2500 premiers. This is testimony on the one hand to the extent to which the theatre is popular in Czechoslovakia, and on the other hand to the important and irreplaceable role our socialist society has ascribed to the theatre. The great variety of genres - we have a total of 54

drama theatres, 15 opera and 8 operetta troupes, 14 ballet and pantomime troupes and 14 puppet theatres - as well as the variety of their repertoires / because all theatres in Czechoslovakia play an alternating repertoire/, the variety of styles seen in our smaller, experimental theatres, the variety of staging procedures used by our larger companies, as well as the variety of means of expression used by our puppet theatres, all lead to a colorful and complex scale of Czechoslovak theatrical art, which for a number of decades has been characterized by the high artistic level of its design elements.

The exhibits shown in the Czechoslovak exposition document the productions of various theatre companies, but above all in their sum, they make it possible to trace the trends of development of our contemporary theatrical art, in which a constantly more important role is being played by the young generation which it characterized by a clear world outlook and extensive professional training and which has entered the arena of artistic struggles during the last two decades, This generation, which in accord with the present period of highly developed technology, has strict and rational thinking and is ridding the theatre of everything non-functional, while at the same time it has sufficient imagination to Imprint to its work the rhythm of the poetry of our times* Especially the puppet theatre has found in the young generation its venturesome artists, who with tools technically adequate to the times, create for their youngest audiences a colorful and joyful world of magic, imagination

beauty and nobility of mind.

Czechoslovak stage designers, together with all Czechoslovak theatrical artists which by their work, as well as by their PQ 79 exposition, to make an active contribution toward our better mutual knowledge* to international understanding and thus to permanent peace, which la the only way of ensuring happy future for mankind.

Scenarist of the exhibition: Friedrich Dieckmann

Just like its predecessors, this year's GDR contribution to the fourth Prague 'Quadrennial endeavors to provide some insight into the methods and techniques of a stage design aimed at close cooperation with the stage director. The stage designer as a co-director, who does not simply surround the director's, the actors, the singer's craftsmanship with effective stage properties, but who develops the sets on the basis of the characters and their relationships - this idea of a stage designer’s task is no longer the exclusive property of one school or country} it has gained ground and influences much of the world's theatrical life in diverse methodological and stylistic variations. Our contribution to the PQ exhibition attempts to investigate the extent to which this concept has been implemented in our country} it differs from its predecessors insofar as it relinquishes attempts to represent in a more or less cross-sectional manner the often ramified theatrical activities of the GDR} rather it concentrates on only a few productions, mostly originating in the GDR's capital, whose stage designs as much as possible demonstrate genetic aspects, i. e. provide an insight into working procedures. Besides those artists who have taken part in every Prague Quadrennial since 1967 - like Kark von Appen, Franz Havemann, Pieter Hein, Otto Kahler, Falk von Wangelin, Wilfried Werz, Reinhart Zimmermann - there are those who are represented for the first time, as well as those exhibiting for the second or third time. Continuity and renewal: both are reflected in the list of GDR participants, in an exhibition that has become an institution not only of European, but of world theatrical life.

Scenarist: Ro Matsušita

We, the members of the Japanese Stage and Television Designers Association, would like to greet you with the opening of the Prague Quadrennial of 1979. We, from the Far East, are very happy to be able to participate

The situation in Japan's theatrical world has remained relatively without change since 1975. However, chronic economic depression due to the oil crisis of 1973 continues to influence all theatrical activities, including our activities as stage designers the financial difficulties seem to be common to all the world.

Our Japanese Stage and Television Designer Association /JASTA/ celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding last year. This joint organization, which includes both stage and TV designers end is actively supported especially by young TV staff members, is not actually a trade union, but rather an association of free lance artists who work under contracts with producers- It

nevertheless endeavors to improve the status of stage and TV designers, to further mutual contacts among members and to contribute to an improvement of techniques used by members.

In 1977 the TV section of JASTA published the first Yearbook of TV Design in Japan. In 1976 and again in January in this year we organized a "JASTA All-Nippon Interior Design Exhibition "and "The 7th Japanese Stage and TV Design Exhibition“ on an exhibition area of 500 m2 with 152 exhibit panels and 27

models} part of this exhibition will now be shown at the PQ 79. In view of the fact that the 5th OISTT General Assembly has decided to contribute to International Children’s Year, Japanese puppeteers will for the first time participate in the PQ. At present the puppet theatre in Japan is mainly represented by 6 puppet theatre troupes which specialize in the traditional Bunraku puppet theatre. More than 100 puppeteers are members of the Japanese Puppet Artists Association and half of these are members of UNIMA, the international puppetry organization and thus contribute to international exchanges in this field. The PQ 79 participants from Japan are M. Sakurai, T. Hoshino, S.Yoshida, K. Takedy, Y. Tanaka, S. Uchiyama, K. Kawamoto, B. Noda and H. Táni.

The PQ stage design exposition is this time characterized by the participation of the young generation of artists, born in the fifties, such as K. Hoshino /stage designs/, R. Komine /costume designs/, H. Wada /stage designs for opera/, H. Hatano /stage design/. Also for the first time TV designers who are active both in TV broadca8ting and in designing for the stage, such as M. Okada, K. Nemoto, A. Sahara, Y. Mihara and H. Takahashl will participate.

S. Askura, K. Kanamori and I. Takada, a talented trio in the AKT group, are well-known for their interesting work for drama, opera and musical productions, both in large and small theatres. In addition, Kanamori also works for the Japanese OISTT section as its secretary general. S. Kawamori is the winner of a Gold Medal at the PQ 75 and he will also exhibit his outstanding designs at the PQ 79. The name of K. Nishimara, who designs costumes for local theatres, and those of T. Magofuku, Y. Ishii, Y. Soňo and R. Matsuahita, who all design interesting stage sets for modern drama and for musicals, should not be overlooked.

On the other hand T. Tada, S. Uchiyama, S. Itesaka and G. Sakamoto play an important role in the field of modern drama in the commercial theatre, as well as in the experimental theatre of various regions. T. Maeda is well-known as a professional designer for modern dance productions.

At present JASTA has 110 stage designers and 150 TV art designers among its members. At the 5th OISTT Congress, JASTA was elected as one of the countries whose representative serves on the Executive Committee.

We, the members of JASTA, should like to express the wishes of the Far East to improve international understanding and friendship in harmony with our slogan “with the Theatre for Peace and Mutual Understanding ".

Architect of the exhibition: M. Zoran Badnjević

Scenarist of the exhibition: Jan Fiebelkorn

On the Situation of the Theatre in the Federal Republic and

the Concept of Our Exposition

The theatre in the Federal Republic has, for a number of years, been inspired by the fruitful tensions which exist between the concepts of stage directors and the visual and scenic concepts of set and costume designers. This development has occurred only after traditional stage designs have been transformed into scenic and spatial creations and have became a purposefully developed element of work in the theatre.

The stage designers of the Federal Republic have found a source of inspiration and support for their emancipation in theatrical experiments which took place abroad, especially in Italy and France and also from the artistic experiments of the visual arts in the Federal Republic. The latter began to realize happenings and other activities already during the sixties, which aimed against a traditionally bourgeois and static approach to art. Such artists as Beuys, Vostell and Brock used theatrical factors and thus entered into an aggressive and finally active relationship with the theatre.

Artistic developments within end outside the theatre became a source of encouragement for those working in the theatre to forsake existing traditional stage spaces and to seek unusual, ordinary places, such as abandoned factory or trade fair halls, old slaughter-houses or sports stadiums.

Typical examples of the aesthetical and spatial transformations which have taken place in theatrical work can be found in a number of theaters in the Federal Republic, especially in Bochum, Stuttgart, Cologne, Frankfurt and Hamburg.

The exposition of the ^federal -republic attempts to capture and reflect these changes in the work of our theatres.

Changes in the concept of the theatre have led to a situation where an exposition containing only photographs and drawings would be of doubtful value. It was thus necessary to find a different, more modern form for the exposition: foremost stage designers, using their newest methods of work in the theatre, have designed spaces which represents brief sections of theatrical productions. The visitor to the exhibition will have the opportunity of gaining an immediate look of those stage design and stage direction methods, which in recent years have gained exceptional significance in the Federal Republic.

In our opinion, this form of our exposition makes it possible for us to provide at the Prague Quadrennial a real and immediate presentation of the theatrical work now done in the federal Republic.

The stage design from the whole world shown at Prague Quadrennial provide an excellent opportunity to survey and compare various ideas and forms by which the visual arts contribute to the theatre.

Allow us a moment to concentrate upon the fleeting phenomenon of a theatrical performance. We shall of course be unsuccessful in capturing the full impact of the theatre, where the written word, music, songs all combine to produce a moving and penetrating whole which can provoke both smiles and tears. It may well be that by exposing the craftsmanship which is necessary for a production we shall be unmasking theatrical magic, thus causing it to disappear. On the other hand this will enable us to examine costumes and sets from the footlights or from the wings.

Our exposition aims at showing the specific qualities and variety of Polish stage designs, their individual aspects, their preference for metaphors and the pugnacity of their grotesque or ironic elements.

It has been our aim to make this survey as colourful and multivarious as possible, and to present modern formal approaches. We consider the initiative of the PQ organizers to contribute to

the celebration of International Children's Year by exhibiting the work and achievements of puppet theatres, to be en excellent idea.

The essence of the puppet theatre lies in its artificially constructed actors, its puppets and marionettes, whose expressions and acting are conveyed by their movement and by the spoken word. The very shape end color of the puppet already expresses an artistic message. For this reason puppets should, in our opinion, be judged on the basis of the same criteria applied to other

works of art.

The aim of our puppetry exposition, which ranges from those produced by naive artists to those made by professional puppet designers, is to show the tradition of folk art which has a very

specific place in our theatre. Many of our stage designers draw their inspiration from our folk and national culture} they are fascinated by its sincerity and simplicity.

We suggest that the Cracow Nativity, this austere, naive mystery play, full of humorous interludes, could very well serve as the symbol of our whole exposition. But on the other hand this symbol might also be provided by the magnificent end monumental theatre with its lyrical and mystical strains, which strives to convey immortal socio-political messages.

Under the term stage designer in Finland we have in mind the creator of the visual aspects of a performance. In other words his denotes at present the designer of both the sets and costumes.

Finland is a country of theatres. With 4.5 million inhabitants, we have a total of over 59 permanent professional theatres. If we classify these theatres according to various criteria, we obtain the following table:

Permanent theatres playing in the Finnish language 31

Permanent theatres playing in the Swedish language 4

Traveling drama troupes 7

Traveling dance troupes 2

Opera 1

Operetta 1

Summer stock companies with their own stage 10

Amateur theatres with professional guidance 3

Besides these troupes there are many amateur groups functioning in various workers' and youth associations and also in other organizations.

The Finnish theatre is. a truly popular theatre. Working people and their organizations have, from the very beginning, formed the foundation of all theatrical activities. It has been found that the theatre is an ideal mediator in forming the ideas of people and gaining their convictions. From its very beginnings the spirit of the Finnish theatre has been collectively orientated.

A typical aspect of Finnish popular theatre is its sparse outer form. The grand manner of the court theater, so typical for southern and central Europe, have been quite alien to the Finnish theatre. The Finnish theatre could never count on the so called: Deus ex machina. It has always typically been steeped in realism, a cold headed seriousness end a hearty sense of humor. The position of Finland on the northern tip of Europe has led to the situation where the cultural activities of the Swedish upper classes, who ruled the country until the founding of the Republic in 1917, did not have any influence upon our popular culture. It was only at the end of the 19th century, at a time when one could already speak of a national revival in politics and about national romanticism in the arts, that the spiritual potential of the Finnish people made an impact upon the development of their own national culture.

This development had both its positive and negative aspects. Finnish popular culture has thus maintained its specific style and its strength. The human soul has remained protected against the trite pressures of commercial "reproduced“ culture. On the other hand, however, this to a certain extent contributed to the negative isolation of the theatre, especially in the technical field. Theatres whose current expenses were often covered by the small contributions of workers, rarely has sufficient money to spend on proper facilities. One might even say that these factors, which influence Finnish theatrical art even today, are the causes of the fact that the Finnish theatre is more similar to the stage used by Hans Sachs than to the one used by Gaily Babied.

After World War II the Finnish theatre made contact with the world the Fins were from the very beginning active members of international theatrical organizations. The activities of the International Theatrical Institute / ITI / and the international organization of stage designers and theatrical technicians / OISTT / have in many aspects served as an incentive for the development of the theatrical culture of individual member countries and thus for theatrical culture as a whole. Thus also thanks to the activities of these organizations the stage design and technical aspects of the Finnish theatre have improved proved and have led to the forming of a state approaching equilibrium, as far as the relation between art and technology are concerned.

For the Netherlands exposition at the Prague Quadrennial wehave chosen the work of stage designers such as Floris Guntanaar, Paul Gallis, Leonie Polák, Paul van den Perg and the stagedesigners of the Independent Theatre.

This selection was more or less determined by the fact that these stage designers have a number of characteristics in common:

1/ They all use constructivism as a source of inspiration. This constructivist trend is manifest for instance in experiments with lighter constructions, with geometrical shapes and in a clear prediliction for the use of technology. We find these traits especially in the stage designs of Floris Guntenaar, Paul van den Berg and the stage designers of the Independent Theatre.

2/ They use all traditional theatrical forms such as decorative elements, but at the same time they use them is such a manner as to implicitly criticize them. Compare for instance the designs for Hedda Gabler in the Independent Theatre and The Divorce as staged by the Centrum troupe.

3/ Since all these stage designers are forced to stage plays in theatrical auditoriums which greatly differ one from the other, they have arrived at the idea of making mobile sets, as is the case for instance in the Electric Circus at the Metropole in Rotterdam.

4/ All are members of the same generation, of approximately the same age.

This year Great Britain is presenting the work of 18 designers - designers who are of all age groups and work in many theatres, large and small, throughout the country.

The exhibits which you see here were selected from a larger exhibition of Contemporary Theatre Design which was held in London earlier this year. The purpose of this selection was not to present an anthology of the various styles and techniques used in the British Theatre, but rather to focus on the most clearly defined tendency of our current work, a tendency both in the design of settings and costume, towards a clarity of vision, a creative economy and a cutting back of inessentials. Comment is inherent rather than explicit. The actor takes the centre of our stage - his presence is necessary to complete the design.

We try to bring you work which is at once serious and beautiful - work from new drama in our country and work from the classics of world theatre. We hope that through our work you will understand more about our theatre.

British designers greet their colleagues in Prague at the PQ 79. We are happy to be here - thank you!

In selecting plays and stage designs which might represent theatrical art in France, we have attempted to show performances whose existence and significance lies in the fact that they strive to provide testimony of our contemporary reality, while at the same time bearing the symbols which we require for our existence and for the accommodation of man to the rapidly changing and developing world which surrounds him.

In our opinion, the need which exists for the theatre in present day France cannot be fully understood without understanding at the same time, that its sources exist in our contemporary problems. We do not intend to deny the existence of other reasons for the existence of the theatre, but in an attempt to be as broadly and thoroughly communicative as possible, we this time have given priority to such theatres whose aim It is to be a witness to the changes of our times.

Between 1965 and 1975 Jorge Carrozzino and Carmen Prieto have realized extensive stage designs both in their native land and abroad. They have contributed to the forming of scenic space which is not only visually attractive, but also conveys a profound understanding of the idea in each play. They first participated in the Prague Quadrennial in 1971, where they received an Honorable Mention. At the Prague Quadrennial in 1975 their

contribution stressed new experiences and discoveries in the dramatic message of their designs and also their concept of a "perceptive environment ". Together with other artists, such as Alejandro Gabay, Jose Gamarra, Bolivar Gaudin, and Jorge Mendy they found the MAG group in Paris in 1977. This group is attempting to combine various forma of artistic expression - images, apace, signals, words, gestures - into a visual and dramatic whole. Their first projects were aimed at essentially random audiences they organized "improvised interventions " on squares, in parks, etc. . . . Every such "intervention "dealt with a-single aspect of reality} through integrated and polemical action they endeavor to search for the sensibility of a destructive world. Their most frequent subject-meter concern censorship and repression. Both artists have worked abroad, in France, Italy and Switzerland.

Scenarst of the exhibition: Katalin Teleki

Hungarian stage design has in the last fifteen years undergone a substantial development. It has become independent, more ideologically committed and has achieved a significant place in an international context. The determining factor of this development is the flourishing of our cultural life in the broadest sense of the word, as well as our theory. A new generation has come to the forefront, which has at its disposal more modern means of expression and has proved itself capable of providing the Hungarian theatre with new energy. Also the fact that new creative workshops have come into existence should be mentioned. The stage designers of the older generation found themselves faced with new tasks. At the beginning of the sixties the graduates of the Academy of Decorative Arts began to play an important role in Hungarian stage design. They were joined by several specialists in other fields, for instance by engineers and their ranks were further expanded by those who has studied abroad and who contributed to Hungarian theatrical development the experiences and styles of Prague, Leningrad and Bratislava. Now our stage designers are increasingly traveling to foreign countries and also foreign theatrical ensembles come to Hungary and provide us with a concrete notion of the development of stage design throughout the world.

The modernization and emancipation of Hungarian stage design is based above all on the intensive work of creative workshops. The number of exhibitions held in the course of the last few years has greatly increased, there 18 an increased interest in stage design theory and a number of monographs and studies have been written which sum up and analyze existing problems. Hungarian stage design has been gaining a good reputation throughout the world, as can be demonstrated on the basis of the medals and prizes gained at the Prague Quadrennial 1975 and at the Triennials at Novi Sad /1966, 1969, 1978/.

The development of our stage design had been multifarious. The stage sets designed by Gábor Szinte for the Madách Theatre, by László Drégely for the Comedy Theatre and the Budapest Theatre, as well as the stage designs by Emil Vata for the National Theatre at Pécs have been received exceptionally favorably. The doyen of Hungarian stage designers, Mátyás Varga, has introduced new elements into the techniques he uses - let us cite at least one

example - his compositions for the Festival at Szeged. The most important characteristics of the stage sets designed by István Kopeczi Bócze are strong effects combined with a solid mastering of the trade and the capability of expressing an intellectual atmosphere, which sometimes uses symbolism.

Varied experiences which are based on combined methods of illumination, projections and the use of stereoscopic effects are coming to the forefront. Arpád Csányi has been getting very good results in this area at the National Theatre, as have Miklós Fehér at the Comedy Theatre and other theatres found in the capital city and outside it and László Székely at the Szigligeti Theatre at Szolnok, which has achieved fame as an excellent creative workshop

of drama. György Rajkai, the stage designer at the Thalia Theatre since it was founded, is another very constructive artist and one of the masters of Hungarian stage design, who often uses special lighting effects.

Also a number of other artists are seeking methods of achieving special effects. Let us mention in this context Agnes Gyarmathy who in her stage designs has been attempting to conquer theatrical space in a more elementary manner - for instance in her stage designs for the National Theatre at Szeged. The talents of Gyuly Pauer from the theatre at Kaposvár are developing in a similar direction.

The best Hungarian stage designers have been successful in overcoming naturalism and the use of details. They sometimes go as far as to essentially recreate theatrical space} these who believe in various modern schools /the simplified theatre, the open theatre, the theatre as a workshop, the theatre as an arena/ have been forming a more pure, elemental space, a sort of arena, in which various concepts can be implemented. This is for instance typical of the work done by Lajos Jánoš, one of the most out - standing members of the middle generation. Due to his unerring modern artistic feeling and his capability of an unusual ordering of theatrical space, he has been successful in designing sets of great expressiveness and rich intellectual content.

Ilona Keser, a former painter of oils and frescos, who has become a stage designer deserves special mention. Her designs of sets and costumes have led to the creation of an original picture style which is essentially abstract art, sometimes influenced by cubism, but always closely linked to the content of the play, its situations and characters. Also László Najmányl, who is a former engineer, now works as a stage designer far a number of theatres, both in the capital and in other places. He has been designing original sets which form the illusion of a laboratory, of a theatre rid of all details.

Among the youngest generation and among those who studied abroad, some have an inclination towards folklore /Judit Kállai, Sándor Korosi/, while others use original spatial compositions and use unusual materials /Judit Zimmer/. The set designers of Hungarian Television, who often collaborate with various theatres, also belong to the dynamic trend in our stage designing. Let us mention Robert Wegenast who has designed sets full of poetry, Gábor Balló, Barna Tóth, Judit Szekulesz, Sándor Nagy and Sándor Lévai.

Costume designers have come to play a foremost role in Hungarian stage design. In this area one can speak of a ''Hungarian school which is headed by the costume designer of the National Theatre, Judit Schaffer /who is also an outstanding professor/. Her numerous designs for the theatre and for Hungarian films are specific and elegant, they express a certitude of taste, a commitment to ideas and a force of expression. Her costumes designed for Layos Maróti's play The Night Before Last, played at the National Theatre, received a Silver Medal at the last Prague Quadrennial. J. Schaffer, as well as other costume designers - Marianne Wieber, who works for télévision, as well as theatre, Nelli Vágó from the National Theatre and Marta Jánoskuti from the Comedy Theatre - all design so-called "dynamic costumes. Each of them has her own personal style and uses original means /they differ in their choice of materials and the way they are used/, but their costumes provide various possibilities of multiple combinations and this stresses their dynamism. The costumes designed by Erzsébet Mialkovszky are also very original.

A very special place belongs to Hungarian puppet makers who are well-known throughout the world. Let us name above all Ivan Kóos and Vera Brody and their inimitable work at the Budapest Puppet Theatre which has breathed life into the magical world of fairy tales for children, as well as the modern and classical drama and opera.

As far as lyrical theatre is concerned, it also deserves a special chapter we must, however, limit ourselves to name only three artists who all work both for lyrical theatres and for others. They are Tivadar Márk, the creator of beautiful expressive costumes, Gábor Forray, for whom perfect taste and a high commitment to ideas are typical and finally Peter Makal, the tireless seeker

of new means of expression.

In view of all that has already been done, we can in conclusion and full justification say that Hungarian stage designs are constantly developing and advancing.

Norwegian Stage Design

Before the year 1930 Norwegian fine art was in no way remarkable. It suffered from academism and a lack of vitality and was more or less a reflection of European models which were adapted to the tastes of the bourgeoisie. Nevertheless, something was in the making. Our oldest history was so dramatic, our folklore so rich and our natural environment so exceptional, that suddenly all artists were captured by a mighty wave of patriotism. The most significant period in the history of Norwegian art began with what we call the period of national romanticism. The young Ibsen, living in poverty, wanted to become a painter and was literally the first to undertake a journey of discovery throughout his native country, armed only with a pen and notebook. His first plays were picture stories from Norwegian sagas. In Ibsen s later plays - Peer Gynt, Brand Rosmersholm and the Lady From the Sea - the characters are not only influenced, but literally become part of the endless fjords, narrow valleys, wild rivers, waterfalls and the endless sea coast of our country.

Ibsen's social dramas are realistic reflections of the safe and closed homes of the bourgeoisie, full of worldly goods and the decorative symbols of their social status. Ibsen had two basic demands concerning the staging of his plays: They should strive either to heights and depths - with unlimited imagination, or they should build on the greatest possible number of details and thus produce absolute realism. From the time when Ibsen worked as a stage director, we have not only his own sketches for stage sets, but also the plans for the layout of the stage, which are very carefully executed. Ibsen opened a new era in the staging of drama. The actors began to play among themselves within the decoration, instead of merely reciting their roles in the direction of the audience, in front of the decorations. I would go so far as to say that Ibsen, who became the greatest playwright of our times, is also the most significant and most inspiring factor in the development of Norwegian stage design} this is so not only because he rejected the existing standard sets of Danish origin, but also because he took into consideration psychological aspects and was convinced that the characters in the play are formed by their environment and moreover, that the performance to a great extent depends upon its visual aspects.

The first Norwegian stage designer, working in the Christiania Theatre /1889/, designed the stage sets for a number of Ibsen's dramas, and as we know, the playwright was satisfied with the results. But what he saw was a picture stage, rigid under the influence of a tradition going all the way back to the Baroque era.

Today we look upon photographs of these stage designs from the turn of the century with nostalgia forbearance. Indoor sets have high fiat walls made of fabric} doors, curtains and friezes are painted on the set, while light and shade are cleverly stressed by the painting. Outdoor sets have the same fiat tree trunks with cut-out leaves} they are placed in profile, as lateral scenery. There is one thing we must admit: these designers really were masters of their craft. The paintbrush was for the designer an extension of his own hand.

Our artists have always been in close contact with the foremost artistic centers of Europe - above all with France and Germany and they were understandably influenced by the most varied "-isms", the majority of which later also flowered in our cold Norwegian climate.

When in 1906 Max Reinhardt decided to open a new theatre in Berlin with Ibsen's drama Ghosts, to honor the memory of the playwright who had died that same year, he asked Edvard Munch to design the stage sets. The result was what was probably the first symbolist stage design in Europe. Until his death Munch in his dramatic paintings was preoccupied with Ibsen s characters and their symbolic significance.

Our two foremost theatrical buildings, The National Theatre in Oslo and the National Stage in Bergen, were both built at the turn of the century. Both these theatres have rather large stages with modern technical and lighting facilities. These facts have provided broad possibilities, but at the same time they placed new technical demands upon stage designs. Those few artists who became professional stage designers had some knowledge of the revolutionary theories being implemented by Appius, Craige and Saxe - Meiningen. Stairs and patches of various colors and sizes were placed on the stage proportionally and in mutual relation, thereby extending a two-dimensional scenic picture and transforming it, to an increasing extent, into three-dimensional plastically formed scenic space.

During the thirties it was more or less the usual thing for foremost painters in Norway to design stage decorations, mostly for specific, selected performances. With some exceptions, the results were always such, as could be expected. Too much stress was placed on decorative elements and decorations became magnified pictures, painted in solid "natural ' colours.

Only after World War II did a fundamental change take place and stage designers won their own independent creative prestige, which is a necessary prerequisite for a relationship of equality with the stage director and thus also for foreign the artistic unity of the performance. Since this time, Norwegian stage design has proven that it has strong roots in the realism of life, but that at the Same time, we are easily influenced by all types of art and by impulses from the whole world. We have accepted almost all forms of scenic expression - from pure abstract constructivism up to a lonely chair ' against a black background.

As professional stage designers we are no better and no worse than our colleagues elsewhere. We accept and borrow ideas and thoughts and we transform their for our own use. I must, however, on behalf of all of us say that we try to do so discreetly and honorably.

We have an Association, which has a membership of approximately 50 stage and costume designers. Entry into the profession can be achieved either through practical experience or by studying at an art school. Several students have obtained specialized training abroad. About fifteen of us work permanently for various state or municipal theatres. Another group works for Norwegian Television and several designers work predominantly for films. The remainder are free lance artists.

In recent years stage designing is becoming fashionable – many art students are fascinated by Thalia. In view of the fact that our theatres often invite colleagues from abroad competition is stiff. It should continue to be so. To design good stage sets is no easy matter.

Host of the time when commentators analyze the origins and development of the arts in Canada, they tend to arrive at much the same conclusion: if it is a unique Canadian character, it is influenced by the vast geography of this country, its relatively young age, and the multi-cultural composition of its population. This is decidedly true. The arts in Canada can well be described as diverse and eclectic.

However, when looking at the present state of the Canadian theatre and theatre architecture, one discovers a curious fact which indicates that there are certain unique conditions shaping the development of this segment of Canada's cultural spectrum. The fact is that, in the past four years, a very small

number of original theatre buildings have been completed, whereas significantly a large number of performance spaces has been created by the restoration and conversion of older and different types of buildings. Financial restrictions are partially responsible for the trend in Canadian theatre architecture towards renovation rather than new construction. 'What this situation indicates is the existence of a distinctly Canadian attitude to the theatre. That attitude is a pioneering spirit and an eternal sense of optimism which leads our artists to see in an old barn or warehouse, a potential theatre and to realize that vision by taking whatever available funds, and transforming an abandoned, lifeless shell into a home for the performing arts.

While Canada does not have a long history in the performing arts, we have reached, in a brief time span, the point where the quantity and quality of theatre in this country is as impressive as anywhere else in the world. Twenty-five years ago, theatrical activity was dominated by touring productions of Broadway plays. There were only a handful of professional companies using Canadian talent and staging original work. The Theatre du Nouveau-monde in Montreal, the Jupiter Theatre in Toronto, the Canadian Repertory Theatre in Ottawa and the Shakespearian Festival at Stratford, all were founded in the early fifties, in what is now considered the blossoming of professional theatre in Canada. During the early years, the Stratford Festival was producing in a circus tent, while the others worked out of cinema houses or rented auditoria. These companies were founded with that pioneering spirit, and they have had to rely upon that hardy optimism to remain through the years since.

And yet, despite what may look like an inauspicious beginning a brief two and a half decades later, those theatres have now grown to over 1.50 professional producing houses. Since it’s founding in 1953 the Stratford Festival has built a 2.250 seat theatre with a unique design that has been acclaimed and copied in several parts of the world. Other companies such as the Shaw Festival, the Manitoba Theatre Centre, and the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton - which began in borrowed spaces - have since built their own theatres. Many of what are now regarded as major companies in Canada - in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Halifax - are still producing in converted spaces. And 100 other companies which constitute the ''alternative theatre ''are thriving in every kind of space from warehouses to coffee bars. In London, Ontario, a local amateur theatre company decided to become professional, and has just completed renovations of their' home, a former cinema and vaudeville theatre. In Toronto, three small companies - the Open Circle, the New Theatre and the Theatre du Petit Bonheur - joined forces to convert a former courthouse into a multi-theatre complex.

If there are now 15 or 20 established leading professional companies across the country, there is also a significant body of smaller adventurous companies filling the experimental ranks. In many cases, these "alternate“theatres have little more to operate on than that optimism which seems to be our theatre? From all this, there seems a lesson to be learned. If theatre in Canada has reached its present level by virtue of pioneering and optimism, we should have every hope that these qualities will stimulate the growth of an even more dynamic theatre in the years to come.

Reinforcing this hope for the continued growth of our theatre is the confidence in the proven excellence of the people who made it grow - such as the five designers whose work is being shown in this Quadrennial exhibit. These designers' work extends to both costumes and settings, and represents the diversity of theatre activity in Canada* Robert PR5V0ST is one of that rare breed - a total theatre artist - whose concept of a production is realized not only through his design elements, but also through his capacity as a director.

Michel EAGEN is an extremely active free lance designer whose adaptability is continually challenged by working in a range of theatres* from the largest to the smallest - whose budgets vary as widely as their sizes. Mr. Eagen is also one of those few who works consistently in both French and English language theatres.

Sussan BENSON works extensively for one of the country's major theatres, Stratford, which has pioneered the use of the thrust stage. Ms. Benson’s designs reflect the demand of this state and the surround-type placement of the audience, which places heavy responsibility on the importance of the costume design.

Cameron PORTEOUS is one of the few resident designers in s major Canadian company, The Playhouse in Vancouver. This situation enables him to work with the same technicians on a succession of productions, end he is able to originate designs of s more exploratory nature.

Astrid JANSON's exciting end kinetic designs developed both from the collective approach espoused by Toronto Workshop productions and by their need to rely more on human resources than on large budgets.

The individual work of these five designers demonstrates a totally different set of working conditions, design styles, and approaches to the solution of design problems - it is for this reason that we have chosen their work for this exhibit. Regretfully, because of limitations of time and space, we are unable to exhibit the work of many other fine Canadian designers. While this exhibit features five people, there are roughly 100 professional theatre designers in Canada} each of them is an original creative artist.

Just as the total activity of theatre production has grown immensely in recent years, so too theatre designers have increased in numbers and range of -work. And Just as Canadian theatre companies have discovered varied styles of production, dependent on the physical condition of their buildings, so Canadian designers have developed a wide variety of individual styles end approaches to design selections, motivated only by the desire to excel.

We sincerely hope that you will enjoy this exhibition of Canadian theatre design, and that it will be fitting demonstration of the Canadian spirit.