Physical Theatre Analytical Essay
Zen Zen Zo, founded in 1992, is an Australian Physical Theatre company. Asian-theatre traditions (Butoh and Noh), and pop culture, where stagecraft, music and movement create meaning, forged the company’s unique style. Physical Theatre can be defined as, a genre of theatrical performance that pursues storytelling through physical means, rather than, spoken text. Zen Zen Zo’s interpretation of the Tempest encompasses themes (dramatic meaning) which have a modern context, including, Colonialism (the political exploitation and defeat of the traditional custodians) and Incarceration (slavehood) while maintaining its Elizabethan charm. The Tempest is staged on a remote island, where the sorcerer Prospero, plots …show more content…
While the Director included spoken text, it merely supplemented the movements in conveying the dramatic themes. To explain the Colonialist Discourse, Prospero’s brutal conquest to sustain an environment where he could raise his daughter and conspire against his brother Alonso, consequently, caused Ariel and Caliban (rightful custodians of the island) to be politically exploited. Firstly in order, to institute this discourse Prospero’s exploitive and dictatorial nature had to be established. This element of his character is communicated upon commencement when Prospero hammers his staff against the stage and his continually furrowed facial features. To support this notion, Prospero predominantly remains to stand with a stiff posture and seldom creates eye contact with anyone. Hence, Prospero believed he had racial superiority over the natives, particularly Caliban. Even Caliban’s natural skin was seen as racially inferior, and his inhuman status communicated. In order, to culture Caliban and other natives, Prospero attempted to reconfigure his lifestyle to mimic his. In correspondence, Ariel continually paints Caliban’s skin, the same colour as
Zen Zen Zo, founded in 1992, is an Australian Physical Theatre company. Asian-theatre traditions (Butoh and Noh), and pop culture, where stagecraft, music and movement create meaning, forged the company’s unique style. Physical Theatre can be defined as, a genre of theatrical performance that pursues storytelling through physical means, rather than, spoken text. Zen Zen Zo’s interpretation of the Tempest encompasses themes (dramatic meaning) which have a modern context, including, Colonialism (the political exploitation and defeat of the traditional custodians) and Incarceration (slavehood) while maintaining its Elizabethan charm. The Tempest is staged on a remote island, where the sorcerer Prospero, plots …show more content…
While the Director included spoken text, it merely supplemented the movements in conveying the dramatic themes. To explain the Colonialist Discourse, Prospero’s brutal conquest to sustain an environment where he could raise his daughter and conspire against his brother Alonso, consequently, caused Ariel and Caliban (rightful custodians of the island) to be politically exploited. Firstly in order, to institute this discourse Prospero’s exploitive and dictatorial nature had to be established. This element of his character is communicated upon commencement when Prospero hammers his staff against the stage and his continually furrowed facial features. To support this notion, Prospero predominantly remains to stand with a stiff posture and seldom creates eye contact with anyone. Hence, Prospero believed he had racial superiority over the natives, particularly Caliban. Even Caliban’s natural skin was seen as racially inferior, and his inhuman status communicated. In order, to culture Caliban and other natives, Prospero attempted to reconfigure his lifestyle to mimic his. In correspondence, Ariel continually paints Caliban’s skin, the same colour as