Episode 7 of TVT, presented in Persian, begins with a fundamental question about performance: where is the boundary between theatre and anti-theatre?
Does anti-theatre represent a rejection of theatre itself, or can it be understood as an attempt to challenge established theatrical forms, conventions, and expectations? This episode explores the idea and its relationship to experimentation in theatrical performance.
We also consider the role of the audience. What makes someone an engaged and experienced theatre-goer? Can continued exposure to theatre, together with greater knowledge and experience, change the way an audience member encounters and evaluates a performance?
In our “Remembering Artists” segment, we turn to Arby Ovanessian, a director and filmmaker associated with experimental and modernist developments in Iranian theatre. We look at his artistic career and approach to theatre and directing.
Our book segment introduces the two-volume The Origin of Life by Firouz Jahani, a work concerned with questions surrounding the emergence of life and the origins of the living world.
Finally, our international theatre report takes us back to Hamburg, this time to the St. Pauli Theater, where we explore the history and character of this long-established theatre.
What do you think? Can anti-theatre itself be understood as part of the evolution and expansion of theatre?
Share your perspective in the comments and join the conversation with other TVT viewers.
Video language: Persian (Farsi)
