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The Director's Prism: E. T. A. Hoffmann and the Russian Theatrical Avant-Garde

Dassia N. Posner 2016

The Director's Prism investigates how and why three of Russia's most innovative directors— Vsevolod Meyerhold, Alexander Tairov, and Sergei Eisenstein—used the fantastical tales of German Romantic writer E. T. A. Hoffmann to reinvent the rules of theatrical practice. Because the rise of the director and the Russian cult of Hoffmann closely coincided, Posner argues, many characteristics we associate with avant-garde theater—subjective perspective, breaking through the fourth wall, activating the spectator as a co-creator—become uniquely legible in the context of this engagement. Posner examines the artistic poetics of Meyerhold's grotesque, Tairov's mime-drama, and Eisenstein's theatrical attraction through production analyses, based on extensive archival research, that challenge the notion of theater as a mirror to life, instead viewing the director as a prism through whom life is refracted. A resource for scholars and practitioners alike, this groundbreaking study provides a fresh, provocative perspective on experimental theater, intercultural borrowings, and the nature of the creative process.

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978-0-8101-3356-3 (hardcover)
978-0-8101-3355-6 (paper)
978-0-8101-3357-0 (e-book)

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Photo of Meyerhold as Pierrot in Balaganchik

From Chapter 1: Meyerhold-Dapertutto: Framing the Grotesque and Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Vsevolod Meyerhold as Pierrot in Balaganchik, directed by Vsevolod Meyerhold, Vera Komissarzhevskaia Dramatic Theatre, Saint Petersburg (premiere: December 30, 1906). НВ 1567. Copyright © A. A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, Moscow.

In the design for this wedding-ball setting, the deep red curtains, borders, and entrances from Pierrot’s room remain, but the space now is flooded with color from the costumes of the guests, decked out primarily in warm oranges and reds. Musicians play on a cramped stage, center, conducted by the Kapellmeister/Pianist in blue, his baton aloft.

Scene design for the wedding ball, Columbine’s Veil

From Chapter 1: Meyerhold-Dapertutto: Framing the Grotesque and Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Nikolai Sapunov, scene design for act 2 wedding ball, Columbine’s Veil, based on the pantomime Pierrette’s Veil by Arthur Schnitzler, music by Ernő Dohnányi, adapted by Doctor Dapertutto (Vsevolod Meyerhold), directed by Vsevolod Meyerhold, House of Interludes, Saint Petersburg (premiere: October 12, 1910). КП 176534. Copyright © A. A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, Moscow.

In this photograph of the biomechanics exercise “The Horse,” also called “Three as a Horse,” one actor holds on to the shoulders of another while a third, one leg aloft, “rides” the horse formed by the lower two.

Photo of the biomechanics exercise "The Horse"

From Chapter 1: Meyerhold-Dapertutto: Framing the Grotesque and Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Photograph of Meyerhold’s students performing the biomechanics exercise “The Horse” (“The Ring”). State Higher Theatre Workshops (GVYTM), Moscow (1922). TWS FIN05844. Copyright © Theaterwissenschaftliche Sammlung, University of Cologne.

Costume design of the ornate gold and blue gown to be worn by Princess Turandot.

Costume design for Turandot, Princess Turandot (Sapunov)

From Chapter 1: Meyerhold-Dapertutto: Framing the Grotesque and Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Nikolai Sapunov, costume design for Princess Turandot in Princess Turandot, by Carlo Gozzi, adapted by Friedrich Schiller, directed by Fedor Komissarzhevsky, Nezlobin Theatre, Moscow (premiere: October 23, 1912). КП 189959. Copyright © A. A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, Moscow.

In this photograph, Pierrette (Koonen), her hair in braids, supports the dead Pierrot (Tseretelli), both lovers in all white.

Pierrette and Pierrot in Pierrette’s Veil

From Chapter 2: Tairov-Celionati: Mime-Drama and Kaleidoscopic Commedia and Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Pierrette (Alisa Koonen) and Pierrot (Nikolai Tseretelli) in Pierrette’s Veil, by Arthur Schnitzler, music by Ernő Dohnányi, directed by Alexander Tairov, Moscow Kamerny Theatre (remount premiere: October 6, 1916). Photograph collection of A. B. Chizhov.

In this production photograph from Tarelkin’s Death, Brandakhlystova’s children ride on a broad, short seesaw.

Photo of a scene from Tarelkin's Death

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Brandakhlystova’s children, played by Vladimir Liutse (left) and E. Bengis (right), in Tarelkin’s Death, based on the play by Sukhovo-Kobylin, directed by Vsevolod Meyerhold, designed by Varvara Stepanova, State Higher Theatre Workshops (GVYTM) (premiere: November 24, 1922). Negative reproduction, 11.7 × 8.7 cm. ГИК 9302/39, ОН 16024. Copyright © Saint Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music.

Constructivist portrait of Eisenstein, his hair on end, one arm extended into the air above him.

Portrait of Sergei Eisenstein

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Yutkevich, portrait of Sergei Eisenstein (1926). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 3070, op. 1, ed. khr. 433: 1.

Handwritten note in pencil on a scrap of paper from Zinaida Raikh to Sergei Eisenstein.

Note from Zinaida Raikh to Sergei Eisenstein

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Zinaida Raikh, note to Sergei Eisenstein, [November 1922]. Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1 ed. khr. 2062:1–1 verso.

This rare photograph of Eisenstein and Meyerhold together in rehearsal depicts a bustling creative atmosphere with Meyerhold, center, pointing out something on a piece of paper and Eisenstein, left, sitting behind a round table. Those in the photograph—all men—are in jackets and ties, except Meyerhold, who wears a striped sweater under his open blazer.

Photo of Meyerhold and Eisenstein at rehearsals for The Prelude

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Vsevolod Meyerhold (center) and Sergei Eisenstein (left) at rehearsals for The Prelude, by Yury German, directed by Vsevolod Meyerhold, Meyerhold Theatre (GosTIM) (premiere: January 28, 1933). КП 295518/108. Copyright © A. A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, Moscow.

This unfinished scene design, partly drawn in pencil, partly painted, hearkens directly to medieval "mansions," side-by-side settings that depict multiple locations simultaneously.

Simultaneous setting design for Comedy of the Black Goat

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, simultaneous setting, inspired by medieval scene design conventions, for Comedy of the Black Goat, a play that Eisenstein penned as Peregrinus Tyss. (March–June 1920). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 736: 12.

This pencil sketch features several figures in turbans and robes, center, framed by commedia dell'arte characters that include Pantalone (left) and Harlequin (right).

Costume design for Amusements on the Water and in a Field

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, costume design for Amusements on the Water and in a Field (c. 1917–18). “Harlequin’s entrance.” Signed “Sir Gay.” Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 698: 31

Scene design in red, purple, and blue for The Snake Woman, created in three parts: a front elevation, ground plan, and a detail of the curtain mechanism and attendants. Emphasis in these designs is on the forestage as a primary playing area and on the fully visible attendants who pull back the stage curtain.

Stage designs for The Snake Woman

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, stage designs for Gozzi’s The Snake Woman (February 26, 1918). From top to bottom: stage-within-a-stage, ground plan of the forestage, and forestage “attendants” pulling back the curtain. Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 698: 11.

$In this design sketch of a city street, created for Gozzi’s Green Bird, Eisenstein experiments with refracting Sebastiano Serlio’s 1545 comedy stage design (from On Perspective, his second architecture book). Onlooking framing figures are sketched into several of the balconies.$

Scene design for The Green Bird

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, scene design for Gozzi’s The Green Bird (c. 1917–19). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 698: 28.

Scene design for Four Harlequins with a generous forestage, onstage balconies, and bridge arches beyond which the canals of Venice can be glimpsed.

Scene design for Four Harlequins

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, scene design for Four Harlequins (c. 1917–1918). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 698: 36.

In this costume design, Olimpia, the beautiful automaton in Tales of Hoffmann, is assembled from unnatural cubist shapes that together create a vague impression that she is on the verge of breaking, despite the cheerful look on her doll-like face.

Costume design for Olimpia in Tales of Hoffmann (Eisenstein)

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, Costume design for Olimpia in Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann (1921). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 735: 14.

In this scene design for Tales of Hoffmann, the black-and-white checkerboard floor and successive side wings (yellow wall sections with furniture and windows painted on them) together create an impression of sharply forced perspective.

Scene design for act 2 wings, Tales of Hoffmann (Eisenstein)

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, scene design for act 2 of Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann (March 12, 1920). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 735: 4.

In this scene design for Tales of Hoffmann, the black-and-white checkerboard floor remains, but the "wings," actually periaktoi––three-sided, reconfigurable scenic elements––are placed in new configurations that allow actors to interact with, hide behind, and even climb on them.

Scene design for act 2 periaktoi, Tales of Hoffmann (Eisenstein)

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, periaktoi for act 2 of Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann (1920). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 735: 5.

This sketch, the reverse side of Scene design for act 2 periaktoi, Tales of Hoffmann (Eisenstein), shows the measurements of the periaktoi along with several views from above of the periaktoi configurations. According to this drawing, the configuration in Scene design for act 2 wings, Tales of Hoffmann (Eisenstein) was to be used when the guests first entered.

Periaktoi configuration sketches for Tales of Hoffmann (Eisenstein)

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, periaktoi configuration sketches for act 2 of Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann (1920). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 735: 5 verso.

In this costume design for act 2 of Tales of Hoffmann, a female guest wears a purple and orange striped gown, the skirt of which curves out sharply then in again at the base, making her look like a vanka-vstanka (a doll with a rounded base that always returns to its upright position) or an enormous jug. The impression of the latter is strengthened by her vivid green headdress and hair, which together resemble a spout.

Female costume design for act 2 of Tales of Hoffmann (Eisenstein)

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, costume design for act 2 of Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann (September 17, 1921). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 735: 10.

In this costume design for act 2 of Tales of Hoffmann, a male guest appears to be part insect, part bird: while his enormous eyes are solid blue, his red on-end hair fans out like feathers. His blue jacket is a deep yellow underneath, and his green-clad calves trail away into nothingness.

Male costume design for act 2 of Tales of Hoffmann (Eisenstein)

From Chapter 3: Peregrinus Tyss Meets Pipifax: Eisenstein, the Grotesque, and the Attraction

Sergei Eisenstein, costume design for act 2 of Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann (1921). Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, f. 1923, op. 1, ed. khr. 735: 11.