Modern Conceptions in Theatre: From Dramatic Representation to Performative Event

Abstract

This article explores modern conceptions in theatre by examining the theoretical foundations and contemporary practices that have reshaped performance in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Drawing on the ideas of influential practitioners such as Bertolt Brecht, Antonin Artaud, Jerzy Grotowski, and Augusto Boal, the study analyzes the transition of theatre from text-centered realism toward participatory, postdramatic, and multimedia-oriented forms.

Through qualitative analysis and comparative historical review, supported by selected examples of experimental and immersive theatre companies, the research identifies four dominant contemporary conceptions: theatre as political practice; theatre as a postdramatic and multimedial event; embodied minimalist performance; and expanded performance ecology. The findings indicate a redefinition of spectatorship, a decentralization of authorial authority, and an increasing integration of digital technologies.

The discussion highlights ongoing tensions between experimentation and accessibility, technological mediation and live presence, as well as radical political engagement and commercialization (Kershaw, 1992). Ultimately, modern theatre emerges as a dynamic and adaptive cultural laboratory that reflects and interrogates contemporary social realities while preserving the essential actor–audience encounter.