Metatheatre and the importance of Estrella in Calderón’s 'La vida es sueño' and its contemporary productions

Journal article


Lech, K. 2014. Metatheatre and the importance of Estrella in Calderón’s 'La vida es sueño' and its contemporary productions. Bulletin of the Comediantes. 66 (2), pp. 175-193. https://doi.org/10.1353/boc.2014.0036
AuthorsLech, K.
Abstract

This essay looks at one of the most neglected characters of the Spanish drama: Estrella in Calderón’s 'La vida es sueño'. It argues that Estrella, as a metaphor of a humble actor and active spectator, is central to the play’s metatheatrical structure and to the reading of 'La vida es sueño' as a type of theatrical manifesto. The importance of Estrella is explored in three different versions of the play created in three different linguistic and cultural contexts: a Spanish source, the 2006 Polish staging directed by Waldemar Zawodziński (based on Jarosław Marek Rymkiewicz’s translation), and the 2008 Irish production directed by Tom Creed (based on Jo Clifford’s translation). By combining textual commentary with analysis of verse structure of the play in all three versions, the essay explores the unique potential that Estrella brings to contemporary theatre. Moreover, the discussion seeks to offer a fresh look at the metatheatrical strategies in the play and shows a renewed importance of verse for understanding and performing 'La vida es sueño' and comedias in general.

Year2014
JournalBulletin of the Comediantes
Journal citation66 (2), pp. 175-193
PublisherDepartment of Spanish and Portuguese at San Diego State University
ISSN0007-5108
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1353/boc.2014.0036
Publication dates
Print2014
Online2014
Publication process dates
Deposited27 Sep 2016
Accepted author manuscript
Output statusPublished
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https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/87x13/metatheatre-and-the-importance-of-estrella-in-calder-n-s-la-vida-es-sue-o-and-its-contemporary-productions

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