The second section is focussed on the theorisation of movement in relation to systems of actor training and novel ways to embody action in modern drama. The fascination with more realistic portrayals of character as well as contrasting symbolic and ideological approaches to attitudes expressed on stage have in turn been related to theories of psychology, sociology and philosophy during the twentieth century.
The chapter considers three main ideas of influence in this avant garde history, those of plasticity, dynamics, and ecstatic movement, and follows their articulation through the approaches developed by key figures in theatre, such as Stanislavski, Meyerhold, Brecht, and Grotoswki. Each of them experimented with the ways in which the actor could acquire new possibilities for expression in and through embodied movement, and their contributions still underpin many systems of theatre training and production in use today.
The case studies examine productions of Hedda Gabler, The Constant Prince, and Mother Courage and About Kazuo Ohno, that illuminate theories about how the organic and machinic have been important oppositions in movement theory. In addition, the contrasts between the symbolic chorus and crowd movement are examined in the contemporary European productions of Operation Orfeo and Audience.
