Between the Lines: A Philosophy of Theatre

In Between the Lines: A Philosophy of Theatre, theatre theorist, Michael Y. Bennett offers a systematic account of theatre--thinking about theatre metaphysically, epistemologically, and ethically. To investigate theatre and its in-between spaces, Bennett introduces some basic ideas about coherence and correspondence and, much more prominently, conversations surrounding subsumption and distinctness in order to better describe theatre as a form of art. Instead of limiting the concept and use of subsumption to suggest that constituent parts are subsumed within a distinct whole, Bennett broadens the concept to claim that many of the properties of a theatrical character and/or a theatrical world are subsumed within the text. Unlike some forms of literary fiction in which a narrator describes the properties of characters in general terms, theatre (particularly for the theatregoer) is largely devoid of distinct properties attributed to theatrical characters. Outside of the fact that theatrical characters speak and perform actions during the time of the play, there are little-to-no specified properties regarding theatrical characters and/or theatrical worlds. In thinking about the conceptual empty spaces of theatre, Bennett investigates three main topics: theatre as an art form, the properties of theatrical characters and theatrical worlds, and the difference between truth and truthfulness in the theatre.

About the Author :
Michael Y. Bennett is an Associate Professor of English and Affiliated Faculty in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In addition to being a past fellow at the Institute for Research in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he is a Life Member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, where he was a Visiting Fellow. Known for his work on absurd drama and on the philosophy of theatre, he is the author or editor of fifteen books.

Review :
An astute and illuminating exploration of some highways and byways in the theory and philosophy of theatre, with the author teasing out, and helping to resolve, often intriguing complexities in such topics as representation, characters, spectators, performance, metaphor, truthfulness, curiosity, and empty spaces, relating to theatre. All in all, a valuable addition to the field. Nearly every issue of philosophical aesthetics applies specifically to theater, combining as it does elements of literature, poetry, music, dance, architecture. Bennett's ambitious study addresses a hefty subset of these issues, but also explores, what he takes to be rather unique to theater, the space between text and performance, where much of the action and much of the fun happens. Michael Y. Bennett's compelling book, Between the Lines: A Philosophy of Theatre, examines the relationship between theater's words, or dramatic dialogue, and the conceptual theatricality inhabited by actual performers with real bodies onstage... The book is a disquisition on the fundamental substance of theatrical reality and the audience's engagement with this reality... This complex, thought-provoking book will stimulate discussions among philosophers and theater practitioners. It is unfortunate that in the world of philosophical aesthetics, theater is underexplored, and Between the Lines is a welcome addition to the field... Bennett has attempted to capture and describe the ephemeral nature of theater in performance, and this book offers an intriguing direction one might take in answering the fundamental philosophical questions about the practice.