La communauté absente : Enquête sur le choeur dans le théâtre contemporain
Institution:
Paris 3Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
Il s agit d une enquete sur les identites et fonctions du choeur au theatre et sur sa presence depuis les annees 1950. Dans une premiere partie, on a procede a l elaboration du concept de choeur tel que l histoire de l esthetique, de platon a brecht, artaud et bataille, a pu le faire evoluer jusqu a nous. Le choeur est apparu a la fois concept et operateur, representant d une collectivite sans jamais pouvoir globalement figurer la "citoyennete". Comme voue a representer la marge, le choeur pose, exemplairement, la question des limites du representable au theatre. Son mode d expression est a la fois lyrique et epique, et le mode lyrique sert a relayer par l expressivite ce que par le mode epique on ne peut dire ni representer. Dans une seconde partie, on a procede a une analyse du choeur dans le repertoire c0ntemporain: on a pu constater sa presence dans le theatre de la decolonisation (cesaire, yacine) et chez le canadien michel tremblay: pour eux, la "cite" demeure encore a construire, et le choeur peut en refleter l image, en revanche, dans le theatre des pays d europe, le choeur est problematise. Objet de parodie chez frisch, durrenmatt, muller, ou recours du dramaturge afin que s exprime une nostalgie de la communaute ideale (shaffer), la collectivite que figure le choeur est explicitement presentee comme inaccessible: les trois versants du choeur (dramatique, celebratoire et lyrique), qui coexistent aujourd hui permettent la figuration d un manque proprement moderne: celui du desir communautaire.
Abstract FR:
This is an inquiry on the identities and functions of chorus in drama, in particular since the 1950s in western drama. At first, i have initiated a study of chorus in the history et esthetics, from plato to brecht, artaud and bataille chorus appears to be both a concept and a function: it represents a collectivity but it seems that it never figures citizenship as a whole, it always represents a marginal group of people; moreoverit remains in the margin of the stage. Is modes of expressiveness are both lyric and epic, and the lyric mode helps to express what the epic mode can't tell nor represent. In a second part, i analysed some twenty plays in which a chorus appears. I could notice its presence in dramas of former french colonies (algeria, antilles). For such dramatists as cesaire, yacine, senghor or even tremblay in canda, a "city" is to be built, some time in the future, and the chorus represents it. On the other hand, in the drama of european countries, the chorus is constantly used as a critical instrument. Used in a parodical way (frisch, durrenmatt, muller), or in a "utopical" way (shaffer), it always represents a community out of reach. It is a if, for most of modern dramatists, using a chorus were a way to indicate a fundamental lack in modern mentality: the lack of communitarian desire, which we can believe is part of the definition of modernity.