Performance Studies, An Introduction, Second Edition

by Richard Schechner

In this second edition, the author opens with a discussion of important developments in the discipline. His closing chapter, 'Global and Intercultural Performance', is completely rewritten in light of the post-9/11 world. Fully revised chapters with new examples, biographies and source material provide a lively, easily accessible overview of the full range of performance for undergraduates at all levels in performance studies, theatre, performing arts and cultural studies. Among the topics discussed are the performing arts and popular entertainments, rituals, play and games as well as the performances of everyday life. Supporting examples and ideas are drawn from the social sciences, performing arts, post-structuralism, ritual theory, ethology, philosophy and aesthetics. User-friendly, with a special text design, Performance An Introduction also includes the following

Genres: Theatre, Nonfiction, Anthropology, Sociology, Reference, Academic, Art

368 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2002

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was written and organized pretty insufferably.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for intro performance class. Similar to his book Performance Theory but much more of an academic textbook. Can't wait to teach this at some point : )

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so glad I had a professor to discuss this with...

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read Schechner's Performance Studies: An Introduction a number of times as I've used it as a primary textbook for a master's-level class I teach. It's a great book because it's such a challenge for students. They enjoy it, but they also constantly push back with questions like: "What is the point?" "How does knowing this help our analysis of a particular performance?" "Does Schechner actually believe anything in a definite way, or is everything always up for grabs?" Those questions keep me on my toes, because I actually just enjoy the thinking and questioning for its own sake; my students keep me grounded in practical concerns.

The 3rd edition of the textbook is great, but I found very little that's changed since the 2nd edition. Bill Parcells is still there, staring out at you, as is Jennicam; those and other examples are now starting to make the book feel a little dated. But the information is still great, and the breadth of other authors and sources Schechner draws in is fantastic. There's just no other textbook like this for performance studies.

One new feature that I really enjoyed is the video intros that Schechner has recorded for each chapter. These are available on the textbook website (or on YouTube), and they're a helpful way into some fairly dense chapters. It's really good to be able to see and hear Schechner in his own voice.

[Kevin Prados Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro perfecto para entender diferencias terminológicas esenciales si quieres entender qué es es de la performance.
No es lo mismo performance, performance art, estudios performativos, performar, body art, happening, etc. Saber establecer diferencias de significado entre todos esos términos es condición de posibilidad para entender algo después, cuando te pongas a analizar las obras de los performers.

[Lukas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know Schechner is a founder for Performance Studies, but I felt this text really turned me off from further studying. I’m grateful I am able to understand the ideas with my wonderful professor. The book is a good introduction though.

[Arjun · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT READER with three decades of national geographic findings like an DAVID ATTENBOROUGH classic. Classic to us stay at home types with hopes of winning the Nobel prize for reading library of ENGLISH LANGUAGE, THEN FRENCH AS WELL.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did a rough read. It is indeed a good start if you'd like to delve deeper in performance and performativity.

[Eduardo Medina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un aporte teórico y práctico para entender las performances y el teatro mismo.

[Aimi Tedresalu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taaskord koolitöö jaoks läbi tudeeritud raamat. Erinevalt paralleelselt loetud muusikaretseptsiooni raamatust oli see nii-öelda tavalugejale oluliselt arusaadavam ja sisaldas rohkelt erinevat infot, alates kõikvõimalikest taustateadmistest ning lõpetades erinevate etendustüüpide analüüsiga. Etenduse mõiste avanes minu jaoks igatahes tunduvalt ning enam ei mõtle ma sellele kitsas tähenduses vaid teatrietenduse tähenduses. Kõikvõimalike rituaalide ja tavade paigutamine etenduse alla kõlab loogiliselt võttes ju täitsa sobivana ja ilmselgelt oleme kõik mingil hetkel mõelnud, mismoodi me ise oma igapäevaelus erinevaid rolle etendame. Samas aga saab näiteks etendusena käsitleda ka NY kaksiktornide kokkuvarisemist. Raamatu ülesehitus on seda tüüpi, mis mulle eriti ei meeldi ehk lisaks põhitekstile ja fotodele on igal leheküljel rohkelt tekstikaste, mis avavad kasutatud mõistete ja käsitletud isikute taustainfot. Et tegemist on õpikulaadse tootega, siis on muidugi kiiduväärt, et need olemad on, kuid minul killustab selline ülesehitus sujuvat lugemist.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the project I am working on, this isn't the most directly useful book--though it will be an important reference point for part of the discussion.
In terms of Schnechner's project though, this book succeeds really well. This is a textbook for introducing the complicated concept of performance studies, which is a really broad discipline. Schnechner demonstrates how performance always vacilates between the theatrical and the everyday, in that we are always more or less performing with greater or lesser degrees of theatricality. Of course, then from a performance studies perspective one would need to actually define "theatricality," which Schnechner does through discussion of continuums, ranging between different kinds and degrees of performances.
I had actually forgotten--because I don't use traditional textbooks in my classes--how interesting a genre the textbook is (itself a written performance). Schnechner gives us tons of excerpts from the various people he makes reference to, some of whom are dramatists, some philosophers, some movie people, digital media specialists, performance artists, and so on. We get excerpts from their writings about performance theory, as well as highlighted keyword boxes defining specific important terms. Also, tons of photos. Again, the textbook is a fascinatingly distinct genre.

[Emer O'Toole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is essential reading for those who want an insight into the fascinating discipline of Performance Studies, a discipline of which Schechner is the undisputed grand-daddy. It offers the genealogy of the field, as well as introductions to its main areas of interest. It is also just one ideological perspective on the field. The way it covers debates over intercultural performance - Performance Studies' most controversial and even divisive sticking point - glosses over the real concerns of power imbalances between Western theorists such as Schechner and those from developing nations, which is disappointing.

[quasialidia · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first the formating of this book really turned me off, but as I got used to it I found it actually functioned like foitnites and endnotes. Schechner provides a very broad survey of the feild he helped pioneer. I loved his distinction of "is vs. as" as well as the way he moves back and forth between a theatre based approach and a cultural studies approach showing the limits and benifits of both.

[Maria Cullimore · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I most enjoyed about this book was its overview perspective which allowed it to thread a vast amount of disciplines, research fields and experts with the same needle of 'performance'. Never before have I seen so many of my interests (even football) presented as a fluidly interacting set of subjects and as such it has given me a wider base on which to draw my inspiration from. Also, this book has provided me with a new open, artistic perspective on the "un-artistic".

[Selena · Rating 3 out of 5]

book for BIS 318 - performance, identity, community & everyday life. it wasn't too bad.

[Jessica Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book about performance art. Easy to delve into, and it really makes you think about what ISN'T performance art.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

An essential introduction.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Performance Studies is such an interesting topic. I view the world completely differently after having studied and read this book.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for interm for school. Excellent, wonderfully readable for theory, illuminating. Esp. Terrorism as performance.