Theatricality of Public Events

Since 2010, there has been continuous research into the theatricality of public events has been under way at the Department of Theatre Studies at the Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University. Theatricality as a research field focuses on the use of processes and time in public spaces. From the anthropological point of view, they can be categorised as “cultural performances” to them. A research team has formed around Associate Professor Martina Musilová who regularly organizes the Theatricality of Public Events course and supervises a number of diploma and dissertation theses on the theme of performativity and theatricality.

The field of interest and methods

We have a particularly wide scope of interest in researching theatricality and performativity. This ranges from the research of theatricality in the Middle Ages, to political-cultural performances, folk festivals, judicial proceedings and more aestheticized art performances. This scope of interest corresponds with the methodological variety of our research, which is based on a wide interdisciplinary range. In this respect we proceed partly from the tradition of German theatrology (first of all, from Joachim Fiebach´s concept of theatricality and Erika Fischer-Lichte´s performance theory) and at the same time we have built on Richard Schechner´s performance studies, Victor Turner´s anthropology and Erving Goffman´s dramaturgical sociology.

Apart from academics a number of PhD students are involved in researching theatricality and performativity. Since the seminar Theatricality of Public Events takes place continuously, even the students themselves are involved. Since 2010, there has been a database of cultural performances that we have participated in during our field research.

Involvement in international research

Research is carried out in connection with Czech and foreign scientific groups and centres. In addition to the collaboration with the Department of Theatre and Film at Palacký University Olomouc, we closely cooperate with the Institute of Polish Culture at Warsaw University. We work with these institutes to organize an international interdisciplinary Jaroměř-Josefov Summer School, which apart from educating students has the aim to deepen international scientific cooperation. Results of the research are presented as publications and conference platforms on national and international levels.

Topics we cover:

Theatricality of the Middle Ages

Research into the theatricality of the Middle Ages has expanded the scope of research into medieval theatre with other phenomena such as the monarch’s entry, weddings, liturgy of the mass and tournaments, i.e. various types of events from the liturgical, aristocratic and municipal milieu. These cultural performances are researched by means of the theory of performativity, which makes it possible to show that even these represented theatre sui generis for medieval people.