‘A Question of Location’: Theatrical Space and Political Choice in The Plough and the Stars

Extract

Space is the essence of theatre, for while we may have theatre without text we can have none without space. This, however, is only to refer to the architectonic space itself, while the problematic concern is not with the space in which we have theatre, but with the space from which the dynamic of the drama itself is derived, particularly as it is located in the analysable dramatic text. This, of course, leads to the contentious question as to whether text or performance has primacy in determining understanding; an issue dismissed by Jiři Veltruský as ‘perfectly futile’ as, in his view, ‘Drama is a work of literature in its own right; it does not need anything but simple reading to enter the consciousness of the public.’ While Veltruský locates the essence of drama in the dialogue, and so argues for ‘Dramatic Literature’, he does acknowledge the dimension of performance in a highly significant qualification to the self-sufficiency of the text: ‘Consequently, the individual arts in their turn influence the development of dramatic literature through the intermediary of theatre. Indeed, when he writes a play, the dramatist is not unaware of the existing theatrical structure and of the various openings it presents to new developments. This is true even though the play is a self-sufficient work of literature which does not necessarily require theatrical performance; the creating subject usually feels, though often unconsciously, the possible applications of his work.’