1. Jacques Copeau in tune with romanticism, hand in hand with Rousseau: from the myth of child's innocence to the problems of actor's consciousness.
- Author
-
Scalari, Rodrigo
- Subjects
ROMANTICISM ,STAGE actors & actresses ,ACTING education - Abstract
The article examines the relationship between Jacques Copeau's innovative approach to actor training and the romantic ideals associated with the figure of the child that prevailed at the turn of the twentieth century. Initially, the article explores how Copeau's veneration of the child reflects his yearning for 'untouched beings' – individuals who are malleable and free from previous experiences. It then elucidates the explicit connections between Copeau's perception of the child's 'unconscious genius' and the myth of the child-artist, capable of marvelling at the world and perceiving hidden connections and insights that escape others. This highlights the French director's belief that the source of artistic creation and the actor's dramatic vocation reside, to some extent, beyond the realm of conscious perception. Subsequently, the article draws on Rousseau's Émile ou De l'éducation to highlight the striking parallels between Rousseau's principles for the education of children and the fundamental principles proposed by Copeau in the realm of actor training, parallels hitherto strikingly little explored in texts on the French director. In conclusion, the text shows that the child model, despite its idealization for innocence, facilitates transformative practices integrating the actor's unconscious and embracing the unknown in training. This departure from traditional stage reconstructions ushers in a discovery-based logic through improvisation that we can recognise in the work of pedagogues and directors such as Jacques Lecoq, Philippe Gaulier and Ariane Mnouchkine. By engaging with the child model, Copeau's actors embraced curiosity, fostering a dynamic shift towards fluid and exploratory artistic expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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