The Theatre Of Spontaneity

J. L. Moreno wrote books, chapters and articles about psychodrama. His writing, like the method he pioneered, is rich and complex. Many students, practitioners and participants around the world have encountered Moreno's work in action; however, fewer people may have had the opportunity to read and think about the 'words of the father' due to the limited availability of key texts. A desire to ensure Moreno's work is available to the widest possible audience inspired members of the North West Psychodrama Association to work together to re-publish the books in this series. We hope by doing so J. L. Moreno's words will continue to reverberate across time and space: inspiring new generations of practitioners to be as creative and spontaneous as is possible whilst managing the complexity of modern day practice.

Doctoral Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, 1995ABSTRACT: Jacob Moreno, MD (1889-1974) is known today as the founder of psychodrama, which he defined as "the science which explores the 'truth' by dramatic methods." This dissertation investigates Moreno primarily as a theatre artist. It starts with a philosophical analysis of the concepts of acting, improvisation and spontaneity and then consolidates the elements of Moreno's theory of the nature and function of theatre, which are dispersed throughout his writings and have never been thoroughly collected in one place. It also examines how Moreno discovered the healing power of drama while he directed his Theatre of Spontaneity in Vienna 1920s and in New York 1930s. The appendix contains Moreno's earliest theatrical text, The Godhead as Comedian, translated for the first time in its entirety from the 1919 German edition. (325 pages, including 19 p. of German and English references, chronology) www.scheiffele.com

Keith Johnstone's involvement with the theatre began when George Devine and Tony Richardson, artistic directors of the Royal Court Theatre, commissioned a play from him. This was in 1956. A few years later he was himself Associate Artistic Director, working as a play-reader and director, in particular helping to run the Writers' Group. The improvisatory techniques and exercises evolved there to foster spontaneity and narrative skills were developed further in the actors' studio then in demonstrations to schools and colleges and ultimately in the founding of a company of performers, called The Theatre Machine. Divided into four sections, 'Status', 'Spontaneity', 'Narrative Skills', and 'Masks and Trance', arranged more or less in the order a group might approach them, the book sets out the specific techniques and exercises which Johnstone has himself found most useful and most stimulating. The result is both an ideas book and a fascinating exploration of the nature of spontaneous creativity.

Sonia Moore reveals the subtle tissue of ideas behind what Stanislavski regarded as his "major breakthrough," the Method of Physical Actions. Moore's exhaustive analyses of Stanislavski's original texts, letters, journals and production notes have yielded a revised understanding of Stanislavki's method - and his secret of inspiration - the key to spontaneity on the stage and the path to fresh and naturalistic performance.

Cecily O'Neill has had a formative impact on the evolution of the creative and dynamic mode of teaching called process drama. This book is a compilation of the formative articles of O'Neill along with significant commentaries from leaders in the field.

Again available! This handy volume collects the best and most important writings of J.L. Moreno in one concise and accessible place. This unique collection explores Moreno's thought in developing psychodrama and sociometry, with his strong emphasis on spontaneity and creativity. The book discusses both basic and advanced concepts and techniques of psychodramatic treatment. Thte reader will find extensive examples from Moreno's own cases containing verbatim transcripts that illustrate the give-and-take between Moreno, his patients, and the audience observers. Jonathan Fox introduces the book with a brief overview of Moreno's life and ideas and places him in the context of his time and in the field of psychotherapy. Fox's notes throughout underscore significant aspects of the selections for the practitioner and student.

Alan Read asserts that there is no split between the practice and theory of theatre, but a divide between the written and the unwritten. In this revealing book, he sets out to retrieve the theatre of spontaneity and tactics, which grows out of the experience of everyday life. It is a theatre which defines itself in terms of people and places rather than the idealised empty space of avant garde performance. Read examines the relationship between an ethics of performance, a politics of place and a poetics of the urban environment. His book is a persuasive demand for a critical theory of theatre which is as mentally supple as theatre is physically versatile.