<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>How do the professionals of the theatre of the real deal with the dilemmas raised by the techniques and ethics of representation that lie at the heart of this particular drama genre? There is little in the available scholarship to provide much guidance in this regard. This article addresses the question and the gap encased within it by examining the critical case of Nicoleta Esinencu, one of the most high profile contemporary drama directors of this kind in Eastern and Central Europe. Focused on the work done by Esinencu at the avant-garde Laundry-Theatre in Kishinev, the analysis dwells on the ethics of documentary work and of representing real life people, the information-gathering process, the choice of topics and the societal implications of the performance. Furthermore, the article captures the bespoke interdisciplinarity of ethnographic research and drama studies while unearthing unsuspected tensions between the claims about representing authentic experiences made by the theatre of the real and the actual perceptions of the professionals.</p></abstract>

How do the professionals of the theatre of the real deal with the dilemmas raised by the techniques and ethics of representation that lie at the heart of this particular drama genre? There is little in the available scholarship to provide much guidance in this regard. This article addresses the question and the gap encased within it by examining the critical case of Nicoleta Esinencu, one of the most high profile contemporary drama directors of this kind in Eastern and Central Europe. Focused on the work done by Esinencu at the avant-garde Laundry-Theatre in Kishinev, the analysis dwells on the ethics of documentary work and of representing real life people, the information-gathering process, the choice of topics and the societal implications of the performance. Furthermore, the article captures the bespoke interdisciplinarity of ethnographic research and drama studies while unearthing unsuspected tensions between the claims about representing authentic experiences made by the theatre of the real and the actual perceptions of the professionals.

Tortuously Turning Reality into Theatre: The Case of Nicoleta Esinencu

Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Sociologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Tortuously Turning Reality into Theatre: The Case of Nicoleta Esinencu"}

How do the professionals of the theatre of the real deal with the dilemmas raised by the techniques and ethics of representation that lie at the heart of this...

Tortuously Turning Reality into Theatre: The Case of Nicoleta Esinencu

Published Online: Feb 17, 2020

Page range: 41 - 62

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/subbs-2019-0009

Keywords
documentary theatre, ethics of representation, performative practices, Laundry-Theatre, Nicoleta Esinencu

© 2019 Iulia Popovici, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Tortuously Turning Reality into Theatre: The Case of Nicoleta Esinencu

Published Online: Feb 17, 2020

Page range: 41 - 62

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/subbs-2019-0009

Keywordsdocumentary theatre, ethics of representation, performative practices, Laundry-Theatre, Nicoleta Esinencu

© 2019 Iulia Popovici, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
documentary theatre, ethics of representation, performative practices, Laundry-Theatre, Nicoleta Esinencu