Crosspoints: an integrative acting system

“how” and “why” often remains open to interpretation’ (Postlewait 2009:1). Aquilina is explicit in this chapter about his choice of period and material – it is his decision ‘to emphasise collective creativity and autonomous action’ that ‘practically dictated the period of amateur theatre’ that he focusses on. He admits, in other words his own bias when selecting material based on his particular research agenda, determined by his chosen frame of ‘cultural transmission theory’. Chapter 5 – Meyerhold: Bias in transmission processes, and chapter 6 – Lesser-known names: Rediscovering female voices, I have already discussed above. In his concluding chapter Aquilina draws together all his case studies and reiterates his thesis and method, listing 7 axioms about modern theatre in Russia. This is followed by notes to each chapter, references and index. In addition to his analysis of each case study and his explicit use of cultural transmission theory, Aquilina ends each chapter with a series of practical exercises based on the work of the practitioner/practice covered in that chapter. These include a series of ‘organizational principles when running transmission workshops’ following the conclusion. Modern Theatre In Russia: Tradition Building and Transmission Processes is a tightly argued and extensively researched analysis of the Russian Theatre scene in the early decades of the 20 c. It brings to the fore hitherto neglected individuals who contributed significantly to the artistic culture of the time as well as re-examining canonical figures like Stanislavski and Meyerhold via a narrow focus on lesser-known material through the lens of cultural transmission. By employing this particular theoretical frame Aquilina is able to draw out new insights and identify parallels with current practice – comparing Meyerhold’s study of the past, and his exploration of earlier theatrical approaches in a laboratory setting, with 21 century Practice as Research. What I was particularly struck by when reading the book was the importance of understanding how cultural practices are transmitted through a variety of modes and how those processes of transmission involve both transmitter and receiver in what can be a mutually rewarding and richly creative exchange. At a time when concerns over cultural appropriation and calls to ‘decolonise the curriculum’ are ubiquitous this book addresses the question of cross-cultural communication, interaction, and tradition building in a fascinating and innovative way. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Modernism, the Russian Theatre, Acting and Actor Training and in the multifarious ways in which disparate cultures are able to enrich each other through art.