Asian Theatre

 

Founded by Yasushi Nagata (Osaka University), the Asian Theatre Working Group (ATWG) intends to broadly explore scholarly research on Asian theatre and performance. ATWG not only studies Asian theatre and performance but also investigates their influence on and relationship to world theatre. The group aims to discuss the technological and theoretical perspectives of Asian theatre in its entirety, including, but not limited to, authentic traditional forms, global contemporary applications and Asian Western-style theatre. Most Asian theatres have experienced the clash between tradition and westernization, and now intend to dredge new methodologies and scholarly theories from their painful experiences. 

 

The vast diversity of Asian performance provides many comparative perspectives and will inspire new theories on theatre. It is difficult to clearly define Asian theatrical plays and performance. It is not significant to lump together Asia, which varies so greatly both geographically and historically. Neither can the region be simply lumped together. It is also meaningless to seek alternative features without proper consideration by highlighting distinctive Asian attributes in sharp contrast to Western concepts. 

 

This attempt just works to place what has long been marginalized in the center, which ends up producing one alternative after another. However, it is undeniable that Asian plays and performances are characterized by their unique aesthetics and concepts. These aesthetics and concepts have not been focused on in Western theatre, but they certainly exist in Western theatre as well. From this perspective, the ATWG focuses on the distinctive aesthetics and concepts intrinsic to Asian theatrical performance and incorporates them in the existing concepts behind Western theatre. This approach will contribute to gradually transforming the whole thinking framework of global plays.  

 

 

ATWG Winter / Spring Meetings (Colloquiums / Conferences):

 

National Chung Cheng University

“Theatre, War, Memory”

Taiwan, 2023 

18 – 19 February 2023

 

University of the Philippines Diliman 

“Towards a Post-COVID-19 Asian Theatres”

Virtual Meeting and Conference, Philippines

2 – 4 March 2022

 

Osaka University 

“Asian Theatres and Wars” 

Virtual Meeting, Japan 

9 January 2021

 

Korea National University of the Arts

“Asian Theatre and Beyond” 

Seoul, South Korea

21 – 22 February 2019

 

University of the Philippines Diliman

“Bodies in/and Asian Theatres”

First Transregional IFTR Conference

Quezon City, Philippines

21 – 23 February 2018

 

Manipal University

“Theatre and Hybridity”

Jaipur, India

18 – 19 February 2017

 

Nanyang Technological University

“Asian Theatre and Modernity Part 2”

Singapore

March 2016

 

Osaka University

“Asian Theatre and Modernity Part 1”

Japan

March 2014

 

 

Conveners:

Sir Anril P. Tiatcosptiatco@up.edu.ph

University of the Philippines Diliman

 

Liyang Xialiyang.xia@ibsen.uio.no

University of Oslo



ATWG Sessions at IFTR Accra 2023, University of Ghana

ATWG Sessions at IFTR Accra 2023, University of Ghana

30 July, 2023 by Sir Anril Tiatco | 0 comments

Presentations at the Asian Theatre Working Group meting at the University of Ghana, 24 - 28 July 2023. Read more

Modernization of Asian Theatres: Process and Tradition

Modernization of Asian Theatres: Process and Tradition

03 July, 2023 by Sir Anril Tiatco | 0 comments

Provides little known information on modernization of theatres across Asia in the early 20th century and discusses the modernization process through case studies from the Asian regions. Read more

Asian Theatre Working Group call for papers

Asian Theatre Working Group call for papers

25 December, 2016 by Yasushi Nagata | 0 comments

Asian Theatre Working Group will be meeting at the IFTR Conference in Sao Paulo, 10-14 July 2017. In connecting to the Conference theme, ‘Unstable Geographies, Multiple Theatricalities’, we would like Read more

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