CONTEMPORARY THEATRE REVIEW
Scope & Guideline
Advancing Critical Discourse in Contemporary Performance
Introduction
Aims and Scopes
- Contemporary Performance Analysis:
The journal focuses on examining contemporary performance practices, exploring how they reflect and interact with societal issues, including politics, identity, and culture. - Interdisciplinary Approaches:
It encourages interdisciplinary research that combines theatre studies with other fields such as sociology, visual arts, and digital media, fostering a comprehensive understanding of performance. - Global Perspectives:
The journal emphasizes global theatre practices, highlighting voices and narratives from diverse cultural backgrounds, particularly in relation to decolonization and transnationalism. - Critical Engagement with Technology:
It explores the impact of technology on performance, including digital theatre and immersive experiences, examining how these innovations reshape audience engagement and artistic expression. - Focus on Social Justice and Activism:
The journal frequently addresses themes of social justice, activism, and community engagement within theatre, showcasing works that challenge the status quo and advocate for marginalized voices. - Historical Contextualization:
There is a consistent focus on placing contemporary works within historical contexts, analyzing how past movements influence current practices and ideologies.
Trending and Emerging
- Decolonization and Indigenous Narratives:
There is a growing emphasis on decolonizing methodologies within theatre, focusing on Indigenous narratives and practices that challenge colonial histories and representations. - Queer Performance and Identity:
The journal is increasingly addressing queer identities and performance practices, exploring how these themes intersect with broader societal issues of representation and activism. - Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic:
Recent articles reflect on the transformative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on theatre and performance, examining how artists have adapted and responded to the challenges posed by the crisis. - Sensory and Experiential Engagement:
A notable trend is the exploration of sensory engagement in theatre, including olfactory and immersive experiences that enhance audience participation and connection to the performance. - Political Performance and Activism:
There is heightened attention to political performance as a form of activism, analyzing how contemporary works respond to pressing social issues and mobilize audiences for change. - Digital and Hybrid Performance:
Emerging themes in digital and hybrid performance reflect a shift towards integrating technology into live theatre, exploring new forms of storytelling and audience interaction.
Declining or Waning
- Traditional Theatre Forms:
There is a noticeable decline in the exploration of traditional theatre forms, such as classical plays and conventional narratives, as the journal shifts towards more experimental and interdisciplinary approaches. - Eurocentric Perspectives:
The journal has gradually moved away from Eurocentric perspectives in theatre criticism, indicating a waning interest in works that do not engage with global or decolonial narratives. - Static Performance Analysis:
The focus on static or text-based performance analysis is decreasing, as the journal emphasizes more dynamic and interactive forms of performance that engage audiences in new ways. - Historical Theatre Criticism:
While historical analysis remains important, there seems to be a reduction in articles solely focused on historical theatre criticism without connecting to contemporary implications or practices. - Cultural Homogeneity:
There is less emphasis on culturally homogeneous narratives, as the journal increasingly prioritizes diverse and intersectional approaches to performance that reflect a broader range of experiences.
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