Theatre of Reenactment.The Relation between Theatre and History in Theatrical Historicism and Contemporary Artistic Practice of Re-enactment

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Günther Heeg
• Subject Area: Theatre and Media Studies
• Term: from 2013 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 234966865

The research project explores theatrical historicism and contemporary artistic practice of re-enactment for the first time within the conjunctive frame of the theory of reenactment. It sheds new light on the relation between theatre and history exploring their double entanglement in modern times since 1800: in the shape of historicism in nineteenth century and in the metaphor of the spectacle of history, which is crucial to understanding history in the thought of important philosophers at the same time. Following these considerations the project conceptualizes the idea of history as theatre of reenactment referring to Deleuze and will test and develop it by analyzing two exemplaric theatrical modes to engage with history: theatrical historicism and re-enactments. Focusing on the scenes of Berlin, Paris and Meiningen in nineteenth century the project will elaborate different theatrical designs of the construction of community. Focusing on contemporary artistic re-enactments the project will analyze the different ways of collective reenacting of historical events from the history of dictatorship and liberation of (eastern) europe. The guiding principle is to reconstruct the collective historical images and conceptions being treated in both theatrical practices and to confront them with effects of insubstantiality, the return of the repressed and of theatricality likewise being present there. The method of investigation is to analyze the interplay of media and differences between image, costume, dramaturgy and physical movement. Theatrical historicism and the artistic practice of re-enactment are usually regarded as antipodes. In relating both theatrical practices for the first time systematically the project avoids falling into the trap of binary and expects a double gain: A re/discovery of theatrical historicism as a potentially ambiguous cultural practice open for future and the restatement of the theory of re-enactment, pulling off the slags of metaphysical presence and understanding re-enacting as gestural practice of Nach-Leben/survival and continued theatricalization i.e the transgression of stipulated historical discourses and images.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants