The Integration of Theatre History and Theatre Practice in the University: A Case Study Using Ze života hmyzu (From the Life of the Insects) by Karel and Josef Čapek

The Integration of Theatre History and Theatre Practice in the University: A Case Study Using Ze zivota hmyzu (From the Life of theInsects)by Karel and Josef Capek Stephen Johnson In the university curriculum a tradition persists that tends to segregate the study of theatre history from the practice of theatrical production.1 This tradition may express the difference between a written and a performative culture. Certainly, a historian in the archive appears to be a long way from the stage, however passionate his effort becomes to understand and interpret a past theatrical event. Perhaps this tendency has become part of the traditional structure of the university, which defines theatre practice as extracurricular enjoyment, a minor appendage to the study of literature, or training for a commercial industry. I am not arguing that any of these defined relationships between theatre practice and the university setting is improper—theatre can be an enjoyment, a means to investigate literary value, and a practical skill. Nor do I wish to imply that the documents and skills of theatre history are not consulted when historical texts are produced at a university. Of course they are. I suggest, however, that the reading of such documents might be more rigorously incorporated into the curriculum, providing a pedagogical advantage for both theatre history and practice. This article describes the results of one recent effort at greater rigor in the use of historical documentation for the preparation of a student production. I teach in a small, "liberal arts" university program that offers, within an academic degree, a range of courses focusing on theatre practice. We make efforts to integrate the history, theory, and practice with some success. Since I am a theatre historian who directs, it makes sense that I should seek to combine these two aspects of my university job description. Recently, I directed my department's major production for the academic year—an event which encompasses the full range of traditional university attitudes toward theatre practice. The production served for many students as extracurricular enjoyment. For a core of independent study students, it provided a means to learn the skills of acting, design, production, management, and construction. For the introductory dramatic literature course, attendance was a requirement. My personal goal, however, was the attempt, with the aid of a portfolio of documents, to emphasize the connections between the original circumstances of production and our own.2 189 190 Stephen Johnson I chose as my source the original 1922-1923 productions of Ze zivota hmyzu (From the Life of the Insects) by Josef (1887-1945) and Karel Capek (1890-1938). The Capeks participated in the development of Czech experimental art and literature during and after World War I, Josef as a visual artist and Karel as a writer and translator of poetry. After their play Rossum's Universal Robots (R. U.R.) became an international commercial success, producers from London, New York, and the continent presented From the Life of the Insects, a satirical allegory with the following premise. A Tramp leaves the world of man behind and experiences a reverie of the insect world. The butterflies represent a sexually obsessed, narcissistic leisure class. The beetles represent a bourgeois capitalist class that are kind and loving to their own families but prosper from the misfortune of others. The ants represent a collective tyranny, clearly a reaction to the communist model, that turns into a militaristic bloodletting. The Tramp and an insect named Chrysalis, who repeatedly announces her imminent birth and great works, observe this episodic display of caricature. At the end of the play, a number of flying insects, called Ephemera, dance in anticipation of the birth of Chrysalis. All, including Chrysalis, die as they dance. The A Snail from the 1922 Prague production. Photo: National Museum, Prague. The Integration of Theatre History 191 Tramp wrestles with death himself and loses his life just as he realizes that life is worth living. At the end of the play, he reappears as a more contented Pilgrim. This piece seemed a pragmatic choice for the one full-length play produced each year at McMaster, a university of 11,000 students. The play had a large number of good, small...