ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part argues that, contrary to the conventional view of Richard Foreman as an American writer, he can productively be regarded as a European artist–his thinking and his theatre-making have been radically shaped by his contact, both in a literary and a literal sense, with Europe. It examines the theoretical ideas that underpin Foreman's plays and uses these to suggest a variety of practical performance strategies for staging them effectively. The part explores the script for the last of Foreman's plays to be written for the Festival d'Automne, Georges Bataille's Bathrobe. It describes Foreman's work to a new generation of readers and practitioners–and, in particular, those based in Europe–in the hope that many will find in it a source of fresh creative energy and will be inspired to explore its unique performance potential for themselves.
