the form of a dialogue, using the character of Socrates as his mouthpiece.
Many scholars think that Plato’s pupil, Aristotle, wrote hisPoeticsby way
of a response to Plato’s criticisms of theatre; certainly, Aristotle’sPoetics
was the single most influential theoretical treatise on theatre, interpreted
and reinterpreted by modern European playwrights in many traditions
and used to inform how they wrote their plays. It may be speculative–
but it really isn’t very speculative–to say that philosophy as we now
know it would be unrecognisable without theatre and that theatre as we
now know it would be unrecognisable without philosophy.
The case of Socrates also reminds us that the relationship between
philosophy and theatre has ranged from highly antagonistic to highly
collaborative–often at the same time, even in the same person. Plato,
who attacked the theatre, wrote his attacks in dialogue form; centuries
later, Rousseau would criticise the theatre–often adapting Plato’s argu-
ments–but he would also make his name as a playwright. So, although
it is easy tofind philosophers condemning the theatre and playwrights
mocking the pretensions of philosophers, it is just as easy tofind plays that
are informed by philosophical approaches and philosophers who are com-
mitted, in some way, to the theatre.
This book presents a series of philosophical topics, problems or ques-
tions that arise in relation to theatre and that, taken together, are meant
to offer a comprehensive overview and introduction. My hope, in each
case, is that readers will be presented with the main issues, that they will
come to know where the principal contributors stand and that they will
know where to look should they want to pursue these topics in more
detail. I do not assume background knowledge in the academic study of
philosophy or of theatre; hence, some material in this book may be
familiar to students of philosophy although completely unknown to stu-
dents of theatre, whereas the reverse is likely to be true for others. But for
those with a background in theatre, the book should offer a grounding in
the relevant philosophical discussions and the means to explore them
further. And for those with a background in academic philosophy, the
philosophical study of theatre–these days given relatively little airtime
compared withfine art, music, novels orfilms–will require looking at
otherwise unfamiliar topics and texts that bring to light new concerns or
that cast new light on old ones.
My approach to the topics in this book has been governed by two
major considerations. On the one hand, I have always tried to keep an eye
on the sorts of questions that everyday spectators and those who work in
theatre might ask–which, indeed, I have heard around me before and
after theatrical performances–and that philosophical approaches might
assist in answering or, at the very least, clarifying. At a production that
makes drastic alterations to a well-known play text:‘Should directors be
x Preface