Welcome to Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art,

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art ›› 2021, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 86-96.

• Western Literary Theory • Previous Articles     Next Articles

“Re-Theatricalization” and “Re-Totalization”: The Historical Influence of Japanese Touring Troupes on the “Revitalization” of Western Theatre in the Early 20th Century

Gao Yang   

  1. School of Journalism and Communication, Yangzhou University
  • Online:2021-05-25 Published:2021-05-11
  • About author:Gao Yang, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the School of Journalism and Communication, Yangzhou University, with research focus on the comparative studies of Eastern and Western theatre and the study of the reception of Chinese and Japanese theatre in the West.

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Abstract: From the turn of the century to the 1930s, three Japanese theatre troupes successively toured the West spanning a long period of time and a large geographic area. During their overseas tours, the various “theatrical” and "total” qualities identified in the troupes’ stage performances highly fascinated and impressed the Westerners. Although the Westerners’ reception of the Japanese touring troupes’ performances was inevitably accompanied by some “(mis)interpretations”. Nonetheless, these “(mis)interpretations” could be regarded as a kind of positive “self-affirmation”, which greatly strengthened and reinforced the ideals and visions of some innovative Western theatre practitioners who had been aspiring to “revitalize” Western theatre by feasible means of “re-theatricalization” and “re-totalization”.

Key words: re-theatricalization, re-totalization; theatricality, total theatre, Japanese theatre