Gordon Craig’s Concept of the Actor:
An article by Charles R. Lyons (1964)
Article Overview
The article gives an overview following Edward Gordon Craig’s changing (and at times polarised) sentiments towards the actor over 3 decades. Craig was an actor, producer, director and drama theorist who became dissatisfied with actors because of their egos (which he believed interfered with the director’s vision), and their undisplined/limited range of movement (which he partially blamed on the spiritual state of all human beings as figures ‘fallen from Grace’ and thus unable to achieve perfection). Out of this frustration, this modernist theatre practitioner called for the actor to be replaced by the ‘uber-marionette’ as the ideal instrument of perfect movement (primarily that of symbolical gesture). On that note, it is understandable why Craig was so influential for the Futurists.
The article also mentions two of Craig’s other significant theories, which he held in constant tension. There was the Durable Theatre, which was a theatre of rigid convention, where the movements and gesture are established, traditional and therefore ‘beyond criticism’ (e.g. Japanese Noh theatre). The concept relates to Da Vinci’s imperative to “Shun those studies in which the result dies with the worker”. The other concept was the Perishable Theatre, where the actor would become the creative force, with spontaneous creation, improvisation of words, movement and possibly music.
How is it useful to puppeteers?
I found this article useful for seeing the context surrounding Craig’s theory of the uber-marionette, though I would look at other sources (including Craig’s essays!) for more details and insight into the theory itself. Although there were some points that I found relevant as a puppeteer, I think this article is primarily written for stage directors and actors.
That said, it is still valuable to reflect on puppets as instruments for movement. Craig himself emphasised that movement is the primary source of expression in art. Puppets indeed can move in ways that even the most athletic performer cannot. In that respect, we must be careful not to let our operating become too naturalistic, but perhaps the opposite – let puppets do what they do best (and not act like people, or else this would lose the point of using puppets in the first place).
Finally, we can take Craig’s exaltation to heart that it is “our supreme honour to be ministers to the supreme force – movement”.
Article Overview
The article gives an overview following Edward Gordon Craig’s changing (and at times polarised) sentiments towards the actor over 3 decades. Craig was an actor, producer, director and drama theorist who became dissatisfied with actors because of their egos (which he believed interfered with the director’s vision), and their undisplined/limited range of movement (which he partially blamed on the spiritual state of all human beings as figures ‘fallen from Grace’ and thus unable to achieve perfection). Out of this frustration, this modernist theatre practitioner called for the actor to be replaced by the ‘uber-marionette’ as the ideal instrument of perfect movement (primarily that of symbolical gesture). On that note, it is understandable why Craig was so influential for the Futurists.
The article also mentions two of Craig’s other significant theories, which he held in constant tension. There was the Durable Theatre, which was a theatre of rigid convention, where the movements and gesture are established, traditional and therefore ‘beyond criticism’ (e.g. Japanese Noh theatre). The concept relates to Da Vinci’s imperative to “Shun those studies in which the result dies with the worker”. The other concept was the Perishable Theatre, where the actor would become the creative force, with spontaneous creation, improvisation of words, movement and possibly music.
How is it useful to puppeteers?
I found this article useful for seeing the context surrounding Craig’s theory of the uber-marionette, though I would look at other sources (including Craig’s essays!) for more details and insight into the theory itself. Although there were some points that I found relevant as a puppeteer, I think this article is primarily written for stage directors and actors.
That said, it is still valuable to reflect on puppets as instruments for movement. Craig himself emphasised that movement is the primary source of expression in art. Puppets indeed can move in ways that even the most athletic performer cannot. In that respect, we must be careful not to let our operating become too naturalistic, but perhaps the opposite – let puppets do what they do best (and not act like people, or else this would lose the point of using puppets in the first place).
Finally, we can take Craig’s exaltation to heart that it is “our supreme honour to be ministers to the supreme force – movement”.
Lyons, C. R. (1964). Gordon Craig’s Concept of the Actor. Educational Theatre Journal, 16(3), 258-269.
It is worth noting how enthusiastically LSP students greet the work of choreographer Wendy Cook. She takes you through a process of physical awareness into puppet-awareness- we call it kinaesthetics. Puppetry is ALL movement.
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