Maagerø Lars Harald: Istorija pozorišta

Lars Harald Maagerø: History of theater - theater in the West from antiquity to our time

Theatre has been a part of European and Western culture for more than 2,500 years, from the Dionysus festivities in ancient Athens to today's digital theater, as well as that in the era of the recent pandemic and "lockdown". 
This history of theater by Lars Harald Maagerø, a Norwegian theater historian and director, is intended for those who want to understand what theater is and what it has represented throughout history - whether they are students, teachers, journalists, professionals involved in theater or simply theater lovers. 
The book provides an introduction to Western theater history and talks about important events, ideas and personalities that have shaped theater throughout the centuries. Theater is seen as a part of society, and different theatrical forms are presented in the light of the culture of which they were an integral part. Throughout history, the relationship between the actor and the audience has been realized in different ways. By learning about the history of the theater, the reader can gain a deeper understanding of the theater landscape even in our time. "This book is an introduction to the theater history of the West from antiquity to the present. Its content is based on two essential principles in accordance with the previously mentioned discussions. First, we always consider theater in the context of overall social and cultural development. Most chapters begin with a brief introduction to the historical context that covers a particular chapter, and theater is always discussed within that historical context. Second, we consider theater as a broad term, so different chapters deal with its development within different areas that it encompasses, such as philosophy of art, theater architecture and of the dramatic text. We do not talk about all these elements in each chapter, but we highlight the most important theater trends and creators in the given time frames. The goal is to give a clear introduction to different theater cultures and to present their most important phenomena. Therefore, we encourage the reader to look at theater in a wider social context, and the book provides everyone with a thorough introduction to the theater history of the West. 

Lars Harald Maagerø was born in 1991 in Norway. He received his PhD from the University of Kent and is currently a fellow at the Sidney De Haan Research Center at Canterbury Christ Church University. He researches contemporary theater and theater in a historical perspective and regularly works as a director in theater and opera.