Adolphe Appia: Theatre Artist (Directors in Perspective)

This is a critical evaluation of the work of the Swiss theatre designer and theorist, Adolphe Appia (1862-1928). Appia has long been revered as the most important innovator in the concept and use of stage lighting, but his imagination and work extended far beyond that to embrace fundamental reform of scenic design, the use of theatrical space, and a greatly expanded conception of the nature and limits of theatrical art. Many of his ideas, which were extremely advanced for his time, have now been widely accepted and put into practice, but frequently Appia has not received the credit and attention which he deserves, and much of his most important work remains unpublished, and largely unexplored. In preparing this book, Richard Beacham has had access to unpublished essays, scenarios and letters, as well as to many relatively unknown designs, here reprinted. He documents the collaboration between Appia and Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, the founder of eurhythmics, which culminated just prior to th