Theatre in Europe

Ive been travelling this year to European theatre festivals.

To Theatertreffen in Berlin, where the ten most notable German productions of the past year are
showcased for two weeks in May. To the eclectic mashup of genre and scale that is Sibfest
international festival, consuming the beautiful Romanian town of Sibiu each June. And, in October,
to the Dialog festival in Wroclaw, where established directors present pairs of work in dialogue.

Ive encountered only a small sample of the varied world of European theatre, but, among the best
work, there are some obvious unifying themes.

The intellectual rigour is startling. From the selection of plays, to the form of the presentation, to the
ingenuity of interpretation, the work feels fresh and thoroughly considered. There are few rules, and
therefore no sturdy performance histories to adopt at the conception of a new production.

The work demands a similar rigour of its audience as each production leaves room for interpretation
and ambiguity. Often, two unrelated elements (the text and the set, the acting style and the
costumes, an emotional action and a physical gesture) will be presented simultaneously with little
comment. The actors face out to the audience and demand a critical response.

Audiences, for the most part, do just that. Most theatres dont allow drinks or snacks into the
auditorium. Instead, people sit forward, elbows on knees, actively engaging with an artwork that is
challenging them directly, now.

Its a world away from the bourgeois entertainment of the West End. And, as the same relationship
is renegotiated in another, broader context, Im interested to see how British theatre can learn from
the European theatre culture.

Three years ago, when Ivo van Hoves A View from the Bridge exploded onto that white (and red)
cage at The Young Vic, a generation of British theatre makers caught the European theatre bug.

Bridge played out on a minimalist, abstract set. Most of its dialogue was underscored by Faures
Requiem. The actors were barefoot, the only prop was that chair, the ceiling rained blood. The
success of that production posed a direct challenge to a British theatrical establishment for whom
Directors Theatre is still a dirty, continental concept (see this absurd piece by David Hare).

Three years in a theatre ecology is not a long time. Large scale productions take eighteen months to
programme and longer still to conceive. That we have already seen the effect of A View from the
Bridge in the work of the artists it inspired is a staggering, hugely encouraging development.

But. But, but, but.

The gap is still vast. The group of directors who regularly bring European work to London is small: Ivo
van Hove, Thomas Ostermeier, Katie Mitchell, recently Simon Stone. They exist on the most
naturalistic, character-based end of the European spectrum and should not be treated, as they often
are, as representative of the entirety of European theatre. Whats more, when British theatre
makers attempt to emulate these directors, they tend to import the aesthetic without the rigour.

Our audiences are still resistant to non-narrative theatre, or productions without a fourth wall.
There is an interesting and tricky question about how we can gently nurture them towards an
appreciation of a theatrical form that exists in violent confrontation with its audience.
This audience development is crucial as Arts Council cuts push London theatre towards an ever more
commercial model. If audiences arent guaranteed to love it, producers wont programme it. The
tide is turning slowly, but itll be a long time before we see a theatre maker like Vegard Vinge on the
main stage at the National Theatre. And, until we do, I'll be petitioning Jeremy Corbyn to nationalise
the West End.

In the meantime, here are a few picks for some of the best, most European theatre coming to
London in the next few months.

Ellen McDougalls first season as Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre. More info on this
excellent podcast.
Forced Entertainment tour their spellbinding Real Magic.
All eyes on the international-looking Young Vic to see who will be appointed as its next
Artistic Director. In the meantime, Natalie Abrahami directs Wings and Ramin Grays Actors
Touring Company present The Suppliant Women.
Ivo van Hove returns to the Barbican with After the Rehearsal/Persona, and to the National
Theatre with Network
Milo Raus Five Easy Pieces (selected for this years Theatertreffen) comes to the Unicorn
Theatre, where Tim Crouchs new play Beginners is also set to premiere.
And read http://postcardsgods.blogspot.co.uk where the superb Andrew Haydon reviews
both British and European theatre from a sophisticated European viewpoint.