SLA342H1

Theatricality and Spectacle in the History of Russian Culture: From Jesters to Meyerhold

We will study Russian public spectacles from the eighteenth century imperial court festivities all the way through the Revolutionary festivals of the 1920s. We will also look at the 2003 celebration of the 300 year anniversary of St. Petersburg and the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Special emphasis on those figures who influenced twentieth century theatre and film in the West (such as Konstantin Stanislavsky, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Sergei Diaghilev). All readings in English. No knowledge of Russian required.