For my class in Makers of Modern Theater, I have expanded to include Peter Brook, Tadashi Suzuki, Augusto Boal. There is a definite lack in the area of contemporary theorists, especially non-white, non-male theorists.
Nevertheless, I set my class to exploring Brook's concepts of Deadly Theater, Holy Theater, Rough Theater, and Immediate Theater.
One of my students embraced the idea of Deadly, as in "deadly dull" theater, and applied it heartily (quoting Brook) to Shakespeare. Then the student went on to say that Shakespeare was older than dirt and it was time to move past that shit.
I wish I had a chance to work with that student with Shakespeare.
Even though Brook found much of the lauded Shakespeare to be deadly, he himself made a name creating Rough/Immediate productions of Shakespeare's plays. I think that Shakespeare is so often done badly, it's hard for anyone to appreciate it. But people pretend, because they don't want to be thought "stupid".
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