A Postdramatic Reading: Misogyny in Simon Stephens’s Play Three Kingdoms

Abstract

In Poetics, Aristotle explains the first known framework of dramatic theatre in history, basing it on certain principles. The restrictive structure of these principles makes playwrights apply an understanding that prioritizes performance, and seek a theatrical aesthetic shaped according to the mentality of the present. In this sense, Postdramatic Theater (2006), which Lehmann puts forward, shows the realities of postmodern society and highlights the performance text created with active participation of audience and reader. Contemporary British playwright Simon Stephens, who presents the lives of postmodern individuals in his plays, draws attention as a leading playwright of the Postdramatic theatre. Stephens’s play Three Kingdoms, which was staged in three different countries and in three different languages, stands out as it contains the postdramatic elements put forth by Lehmann. The aim of this article is to examine the play Three Kingdoms by Simon Stephens, focusing on Postdramatic theater principles determined by Lehmann.

Keywords

• Postdramatic Theatre
• Aristotle
• Three Kingdoms
• Consumption
• Misogyny

Postdramatik Bir Okuma: Simon Stephens’ın Üç Krallık Oyununda Mizojini

Öz

Aristoteles Poetika adlı eseri ile dramatik tiyatronun tarihte bilinen ilk çerçevesini belli ilkelere dayandırarak açıklar. Bu ilkelerin uzun yıllar süren sınırlayıcı yapısı, oyun yazarlarını performansa öncelik tanıyan bir anlayışı uygulamaya ve günün anlayışına göre biçimlenen yeni bir tiyatro estetiği aramaya iter. Bu anlamda Lehmann’ın ortaya attığı, Postdramatik Tiyatro (2006) postmodern toplumun gerçeklerini açık bir şekilde göstermeye çalışır ve izleyici ile okuyucunun da aktif katılımıyla oluşturulan performans metnini öne çıkarır. Oyunlarında günümüz postmodern bireylerinin gerçek yaşamlarından kesitler sunan çağdaş İngiliz oyun yazarlarından Simon Stephens, Postdramatik tiyatronun önde gelen oyun yazarlarından biri olarak dikkat çeker. Stephens’ın üç farklı ülkede ve üç farklı dilde sergilenen Üç Krallık oyunu, kurgulanmasında Lehmann’ın belirlediği postdramatik ögeleri barındırması açısından incelemeye değer bir eser olarak göze çarpar. Bu makalenin amacı, Simon Stephens’ın Üç Krallık oyununu Lehmann’ın belirlediği Postdramatik tiyatro ilkelerini merkeze alarak incelemektir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Postdramatik Tiyatro
• Aristoteles
• Üç Krallık
• Tüketim
• Mizojini

Kaynakça

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