Il teatro e l’indagine sull’umano. L’attore moderno in scena... all’ombra di Diderot

Can we say that the 18th century philosophe Denis Diderot and his theses of theatrical aesthetics are still relevant and viable on the modern theatre stage? The article elaborates on our contemporaneity to try to give an answer to this question, creating questionnaires-interviews with four professio...

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Main Author: Cecilia Uberti Foppa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Milano University Press 2021-12-01
Series:Itinera
Subjects:
Online Access:https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/itinera/article/view/16931
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author Cecilia Uberti Foppa
author_facet Cecilia Uberti Foppa
author_sort Cecilia Uberti Foppa
collection DOAJ
description Can we say that the 18th century philosophe Denis Diderot and his theses of theatrical aesthetics are still relevant and viable on the modern theatre stage? The article elaborates on our contemporaneity to try to give an answer to this question, creating questionnaires-interviews with four professional actors with questions related to the key themes of Diderot's theatrical and artistic aesthetics, encountering the incredible actuality of the Diderotian vision. The idea of the actor's profession is, in its true essence, an aesthetic idea, thus stimulating a philosophical reflection based on all the great concepts of this discipline, highlighted by the theoretical and practical thought of Diderot and now investigated by the theatrical practice of contemporary actors: body, gestures, genius, interpretation, communication, expression. The sentiment of the Diderotian comédien on stage overcomes the distinction between a "warm", involved and passionate acting and a "cold", rational and controlled one, and declines its sensibility in a supra-individual meaning, in a concrete presentation of a model with a universal value but possible for the body of the actor on stage, therefore shared by spectators who observe the events happening on stage. In the same way, the modern actor trains on stage, organically and honestly, towards "becoming" in every moment and towards being legible, credible, creative, bringing to the stage actions full of questions that explore the possibilities of being human. In other words, becoming - as one of the actors interviewed in the questionnaire states in a very Diderotian way - «body of all bodies. A body that knows and can tell something universal and that makes vibrate inside the viewer the internal velvet that moves the soul. Even looking at something unrecognizable directly or consciously, I will feel narrated as a human being».
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spelling doaj.art-e49a61b73f3f4ad588c85f31f72eccd22023-08-02T02:49:20ZengMilano University PressItinera2039-92512021-12-012210.54103/2039-9251/16931Il teatro e l’indagine sull’umano. L’attore moderno in scena... all’ombra di DiderotCecilia Uberti Foppa0Università di MilanoCan we say that the 18th century philosophe Denis Diderot and his theses of theatrical aesthetics are still relevant and viable on the modern theatre stage? The article elaborates on our contemporaneity to try to give an answer to this question, creating questionnaires-interviews with four professional actors with questions related to the key themes of Diderot's theatrical and artistic aesthetics, encountering the incredible actuality of the Diderotian vision. The idea of the actor's profession is, in its true essence, an aesthetic idea, thus stimulating a philosophical reflection based on all the great concepts of this discipline, highlighted by the theoretical and practical thought of Diderot and now investigated by the theatrical practice of contemporary actors: body, gestures, genius, interpretation, communication, expression. The sentiment of the Diderotian comédien on stage overcomes the distinction between a "warm", involved and passionate acting and a "cold", rational and controlled one, and declines its sensibility in a supra-individual meaning, in a concrete presentation of a model with a universal value but possible for the body of the actor on stage, therefore shared by spectators who observe the events happening on stage. In the same way, the modern actor trains on stage, organically and honestly, towards "becoming" in every moment and towards being legible, credible, creative, bringing to the stage actions full of questions that explore the possibilities of being human. In other words, becoming - as one of the actors interviewed in the questionnaire states in a very Diderotian way - «body of all bodies. A body that knows and can tell something universal and that makes vibrate inside the viewer the internal velvet that moves the soul. Even looking at something unrecognizable directly or consciously, I will feel narrated as a human being».https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/itinera/article/view/16931Denis Diderot, theatre, acting, aesthetics of theatre, body.
spellingShingle Cecilia Uberti Foppa
Il teatro e l’indagine sull’umano. L’attore moderno in scena... all’ombra di Diderot
Itinera
Denis Diderot, theatre, acting, aesthetics of theatre, body.
title Il teatro e l’indagine sull’umano. L’attore moderno in scena... all’ombra di Diderot
title_full Il teatro e l’indagine sull’umano. L’attore moderno in scena... all’ombra di Diderot
title_fullStr Il teatro e l’indagine sull’umano. L’attore moderno in scena... all’ombra di Diderot
title_full_unstemmed Il teatro e l’indagine sull’umano. L’attore moderno in scena... all’ombra di Diderot
title_short Il teatro e l’indagine sull’umano. L’attore moderno in scena... all’ombra di Diderot
title_sort il teatro e l indagine sull umano l attore moderno in scena all ombra di diderot
topic Denis Diderot, theatre, acting, aesthetics of theatre, body.
url https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/itinera/article/view/16931
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