Healing, Performance and Ceremony in the Writings of Three Early Modern Physicians: Hippolytus Guarinonius and the Brothers Felix and Thomas Platter by M. A. Katritzky (review)

In Healing, Performance and Ceremony in the Writings of Three Early Modern Physicians, M. A. Katritzky investigates the intersection between healing and performance in early modern Europe by means of a detailed and insightful consideration of the writings of three German-speaking early modern physicians: the Lutherans Felix (1536–1614) and Thomas Platter (1574–1628), and the Catholic Hippolytus Guarinonius (1571–1654). The cross-disciplinary approach provides important new insights into both theatre history and the history of medicine by focusing particularly on the ways medical practice was shaped by early modern performance culture. Katritzky critically analyses newly discovered archival material, and provides documentary evidence that has previously been inaccessible to non-German-literate scholars.

Katritzky begins by reminding us of the theatrical nature of healings rituals, such as the Royal Touch, public dissection, and public exorcisms, and their contribution to early modern political power systems. She gives particular attention to the intersection between the theatrical and scientific public display of so-called monstrous humans. This meeting of ceremony, spectacle, and healing is extended to cover the theatrical elements of the practices of astrologers, wise women, snake charmers, and the like. In particular, Katrizky’s analysis of the writings and observations of the three physicians provides crucial insights into fairground selling of medicines and miracle cures by itinerant quack troupes who travelled the continent in the early modern period. Here Katritzky’s study makes a valuable contribution to the growing scholarship on ‘quack performance’ as she provides a detailed analysis of the performances of commedia dell’arteand clarifies the connections between quack medical practice and performance.

Katritzky’s most valuable contribution in Healing, Performance and Ceremonyis her erudite interpretation of theatrical performance and spectacle witnessed by the three physicians. Her elucidation of their private journals and medical writings focuses on observations of carnivals, court festivals, Jewish ceremony, fairground displays, annual markets, theatrical performances, and the commedia dell’artein Europe. The physicians’ life writings also include a wealth of detail on theatrical costumes and stage practice, and illuminate observations on stage magic and the marketing of medicine. Felix Platter’s journal provides accounts of court spectacles witnessed during his duties as court physician to the Margrave of Baden. He provides rich insights into the festivals, ceremonies, and tournaments of early modern Protestant court life. Thomas Platter’s travels to England, France, and Spain in the late sixteenth century resulted in observations on and interpretation of theatrical events and include, among other aspects of theatre culture, depictions of magic, medicine, and gender on the Elizabethan stage. Guarinonius’s Grewel, published in 1610, provides details of the popular commedia dell’arte, and explains the stage routines of itinerant quack troupes within the context of public health and health-threatening sins and vices.

The contrasting medical interpretations of festive and theatrical culture of the Protestant Platter brothers, compared to those of the Catholic Guarinonius are especially revealing. Katritzky astutely shows how the different religious affiliations and social backgrounds of the physicians shaped their reactions to and perceptions of the festivals and performances that they observed and commented on. The more tolerant Platter brothers commended the therapeutic powers of spectacle and celebration, laughter, comedy, and music. They interpreted Carnival as a vibrant force capable of healing individuals and uniting a disparate society in joyous celebration. Guarinonius, on the other hand, feared the dangers to body and soul from the licentious behaviour and overindulgence encouraged by the ‘carnal, bestial Carnival’ (p. 73). Even so, when it came to his own health, Guarinonius acknowledged the healing power of laughter and admited that attending even the more dubious carnivals could precipitate a cure for melancholy.

Katritzky’s analysis of medical history, however, lacks a thorough understanding of...