Bookvica

[FIRST BOOK] O teatre [i.e. About Theatre]

Meyerhold, V.

Item #2103

St. Petersburg: Prosveschenie, 1913. V, [2], 208 pp. 24,5x17 cm. In modern binding, marbled paper boards. Publisher’s wrapper bound in. Wrapper slightly restored, mild foxing in the beginning of the block, otherwise in very good condition. Contemporary reader’s marginalia and underlining in pencil and pen throughout – expressive witnesses to the effect the book made on the theatre public of the day.

Wrapper design by Yuri Bondi (1989-1926), best-known for his later work in ROSTA windows, he has also collaborated with Meyerkhold on a number of projects as a stage designer and playwright.

First book by Vsevolod Meyerhold (1874-1940), one of the most well-known figures in Russian avant-garde theatre, his experiments with symbolism and expressionism secured him the place in the modernisation of the theatre worldwide, and his tragic death in 1940 during the Purge has made his legacy even more crucial.
He has started as an actor, but already in 1900s has had a number of plays directed by him, or in collaboration with the others. Meyerhold became famous early playing leads in Chekhov lifetime adaptations, alongside with Chekhov’s wife, Olga Knipper, and would have a career ahead of him in the best theatre of the country, Moscow Art Theatre, under the guidance of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko. However, he has set on reforming the old theatre tradition, that was represented by these masters. In 1900-1910s his
experimental outlook has been formed, and by the 1920s it was allowed to flourish on the bigger scale – Meyerhold theatre still remains one of the main highlights of Russian theatre history.
In this book the principles of Meyerhold’s vision are formulated. Meyerhold tried to return acting to the traditions of Commedia dell'arte, rethinking them for the contemporary theatrical reality. His theoretical concepts of the "conditional theatre" were met with understanding and support of the Symbolist poets and playwrights of the day, including Zinaida Gippius, Alexander Block and Fyodor Sollogub. Around the time a teenage Sergei Eisenstein would be inspired by the works of Meyerhold.
In this work Meyerhold gives a detailed overview of his experiments to the day, theorizes about the aims of the theatre as he saw it, outlines the plans for the future of his work. The list of director’s work by him followed by author’s notes on the productions. Altogether book reads not quite the manifesto usually associated with avant-garde personalities of the day, but rather a very meticulous CV of a working artist, who explains his process and means in details and gives the references to the work concluded.

Price: $900.00