The article focuses on three subjects: First, the theatrical aspects of possession in Michel Leiris (1901-1990) who studied the rites which were the base of possession in Ethiopia in the ‘30’s (Gondar), upon which he elaborated in the essay ‘Possession and its ritual aspects in today’s Ethiopia’ (1958) emphasizing the aspect of the autonomy of the aesthetics of the zar cults which should not be separated from their therapeutic and social value. Furthermore, the relation between this essay and that of Alfred Metraux on ritual comedy in the Voodoo of Haiti (1955) was highlighted. Secondly: in part responding to the questions asked by two people studying the subject on the mechanisms that generate trance, we have looked into the altered states of consciousness in the light of recent lived experiences and multidisciplinary scientific contributions on the phenomenon (psychology, neurosciences, hypnotherapy, etc). Thirdly we have enquired into the role that trance has played in the theatrical practice of Jerzy Grotowski, teacher of Performance, in the search of effectiveness, understood as the real action of the actor on the spectator, of man on man and as work on themselves.
Trance e teatro, teatro e trance: divagazioni
Laura Budriesi
2018
Abstract
The article focuses on three subjects: First, the theatrical aspects of possession in Michel Leiris (1901-1990) who studied the rites which were the base of possession in Ethiopia in the ‘30’s (Gondar), upon which he elaborated in the essay ‘Possession and its ritual aspects in today’s Ethiopia’ (1958) emphasizing the aspect of the autonomy of the aesthetics of the zar cults which should not be separated from their therapeutic and social value. Furthermore, the relation between this essay and that of Alfred Metraux on ritual comedy in the Voodoo of Haiti (1955) was highlighted. Secondly: in part responding to the questions asked by two people studying the subject on the mechanisms that generate trance, we have looked into the altered states of consciousness in the light of recent lived experiences and multidisciplinary scientific contributions on the phenomenon (psychology, neurosciences, hypnotherapy, etc). Thirdly we have enquired into the role that trance has played in the theatrical practice of Jerzy Grotowski, teacher of Performance, in the search of effectiveness, understood as the real action of the actor on the spectator, of man on man and as work on themselves.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
