Borges and theater

I realize that to associate Borges with theater might strike both those who know Borges and those who know theater as something of a misnomer, since neither the poet or the medium seem to have had very much to do with one another. The great twentieth-century Argentine author is known for his poetry, short stories, and essays, rather than any overt interest in the theatrical. During his youth, you would have been more likely to find him at his local cinema than attending a performance at some threadbare theater. We can read a treasure trove of insightful and enthusiastic critiques that Borges wrote on the movies of his day; but with the exception of a handful of random musings on Shakespeare and one intriguing short story, Borges seems to display little passion or even passing interest in the stage. And yet, it is this one story, often translated as Averroes’ Search, ¹ where in seven short pages he is able to get to the very heart of the strange nature and functions of the theatrical enterprise. For this reason we will use Borges and his amazing story for our guides as we attempt to understand the inner dynamics of this ancient practice we call theater.