K.J.Erben - Kytice:Comprehensive Scenographic Project

Abstract

This thesis is a scenographic research and artistic process. It focuses on K.J. Erben’s Kytice as a specific case. The author develops scenarios for a production of the work as a storytelling performance in the format of ‘walking theatre’. The purpose of this study is to explore the creation of metaphors through spatial and material-based installations. The idea of metaphor is central to the project because the artistic aim is to detach the poetic word from simply becoming an illustration or a “setting”. The author delves into the symbolic tendencies of metaphors to exploit comparisons between (seemingly unlikely) ideas and emphasize imagery shifts to create the installations. The first part of the research positions the ideas, themes, plots and motifs of the ballads in Kytice with respect to the Czech National Revival of the 19th Century. It further extends to a comparison between Kytice and folklore, legends from other cultures especially India. It concludes with questioning the relevance of folklore in the present day and age. The second part of the research analyses previous interpretations of Kytice – graphic illustrations by Alén Diviš and Jan Konůpek, deconstructing the aesthetic of the visual elements and their impact on the viewer. This is followed by an analysis of a stage performance based on the text. The third part of the research cultivates a scenographic discourse. It focuses on the ideas, practices and theories from within and outside the discipline (of scenography) to define a framework for the artistic approach. Ideas pertaining to phenomenology’s relevance in scenography; space and perception; material and sensorial systems; and physical engagement of the spectator are elaborated. The artistic output is a detailed description of an immersive storytelling performance that was created in Prague based on four ballads from the collection. This is followed by the conceptual artistic ideas for the potential staging of the remaining ballads. Audience feedback from the performance is taken into account leading to the conclusion, where merits and demerits of the process are remarked upon.