Using Archive Work in Live Stage-Directing

Abstract

This paper will present in a narrative form the documentary and the creative process followed by four young theatre directors while studying at the  University of Arts from Tirgu-Mures as part of their master class program in Theatre Directing. Firstly, the reader will be familiarized with one of this master  class curriculum’s assignments designed by Theodor-Cristian Popescu: to deliver a performative essay using as a starting point one famous Romanian theatre performance. Secondly, this presentation will record, for each of these students, the path from documents and archives to their exam/performance.
The purpose will not be to evaluate or investigate the artistic value of these products. The focus will be guided towards the students’ approach while accessing archive documents and the transformations of all these materials in an artistic concept.