Theatre Design & Technology - May 1965 - 31

For thirty years the chapters on theatrical hi story
in Parts II and III have offered a most useful
source of information for American students who
could not read a foreign language or who did not
have access to the scarce, out of print books
consulted by the author. In fact, it is only in the
past two or three year s that the Rare Book s of
the Theatre Project of the American Educational
Theatre Association has providedus with English
translations of the works by Serlio and Appia and
Max Grube's study of the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
which Simonson summari zed and interpreted in
this volume. From his prodigious reading in
economics, architecture, sociology, literary criticism and several other fields besides drama he
compiles an impressive array of facts. His quotations from hi storical books, letters and documents are often so intriguing they should encourage students to go back to read the original
source s. Wh i Ie severa lather more deta i led theatre
histories have appeared since 1932, this remains
among the best written and most controversial
accounts of historical staging methods.
The 1932 annotated bibliography is still essentially helpful, particularly for the beginning research student. There are also footnotes, an
index, and 103 illustrations reproduced from the
first edition. His choice of pictures to show
artistic influences and comparable staging methods at various periods furnishes a useful teaching device. Now that this book is available as a
paperback, although a rather expensive one, it
undoubtedly wi II become required reading for
courses in theatre history and scene design.
Wendell Cole, Stanford Un ivers ity

STAGE DESIGN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
SINCE 1950. Texts and Illustrations collected
by the National centers of the International
Theatre Institute. Chosen and presented by Rene
Hainaux with the technical advice of YvesBonnat. 276 pp. New York: Theatre Arts Books.
$25
Robert Edmond Jones noted in The Dramatic
Imagination that youthful scene designers spent
much of their meager incomes on fine art books
and other artistic materials they could clearly
not afford and just as clearly could not live without' Such a volume is Stage Design Throughout
the World Since 1950, a companion and continuation of the earlier Stage Design throughout the
World since 1935. The latter title is 01 so published in the United States by Theatre Arts
Books and sells for $17.50. The $7.50 difference
in cost between the two volumes is due to: 1.
an increase of 54 pages devoted to illustrations,
2. the inclusion of a large section in the text on
new material s and scenic methods used in stage

MAY, 1965

design, 3. a complete who's who of the stage
designers whose work is shown and, 4. a representation of designs from fifteen countries not
included in the first volume. These copious
additions make the book well worth its price.
As in the case of the first collection, the national centers of the International Theatre Institute have gathered together large numbers of
sketches, renderings and photographs. Messieurs
Hainaux and Yves-Bonnat have culled this
wealth of material for what are, ideally, the best
examples of stage design in the entire world. The
stage designer, as well as the general reader,
will be grateful for the incorporation of work
from the Indian, Russian, Canadian, Peruvian,
Austrian and other national theatres. The original group of 18 nations is again represented
with work done since 1950. The new exhibitors,
if that is the right word, were free to begin their
coverage of their own national work after 1935.
The book is extremely revea ling for its coverage
of the varying styles and philosophies of stage
design. Certain patterns do emerge that would
seem to be based, for the most part, on national
origin. There are exceptions but as an example,
German and Scandinavian work is spare, architectural and shows a tendency toward a monochromatic use of color. French, Spani sh, Italian
and numerous South American designs reveal a
more flamboyant approach. Line is softer, there
is less of an architectural approach and color IS
used more freely.
Of particular interest to the designer and contemporary theatre historian is the large number
of Russian, Polish, Rumanian, Bulgarian and
Czechoslovakian designs. There is much excellent work to be seen in the se exampl e s from
eastern and central Europe. Some of them have
been seen from time to time in other books but
never has so much unfami liar work been shown
to us within one volume.
If the book deserves any criticisms these lie in
its fai lure to include more photographs of productions in favor of so many sketches and
renderings of sets and costumes. Although the
latter are interesting and meaningful from a
pictorial and painterly point-of-view, they fai I
to convey fully their suitable function as that
with which the actor works' One feels that
M. Hai nau x might have made use of both sketche s,
models and photographs of the actual settings.
Such comparative examples show in striking
fashion how accurate a designer's conception
may have been when he first expressed his ideas
on paper.
In spite of these minor difficulties, this book is
an outstanding record of design practice and
theatrical attitudes in many parts of the world.
It should and will have a ready acceptance from
anyone connected with the theatre in almost
any capacity. It is highly recommended.
T.S.W.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - May 1965