Preface

Summary

One of the challenges of this project has been to combine all of the disciplinary discourses – from Slavic studies, history, critical theory, and theatre and performance studies. As each field has its own history and disciplinary vocabulary that evolved visa- vis its own social, cultural, political and historical circumstances, the challenge is to bridge their semantic fields, focusing on “historical norms of comprehension, about which we know so little, and to which interpretation owes so much.” The challenge was also to balance the varied levels of subject expertise that each discipline brings; for Slavic studies scholars, mentioning the production history of Mickiewicz's Forefathers’ Eve might seem a nuisance, but for the general performance studies scholars, who teach Grotowski and Kantor in avant-garde directing courses, it might be the first time they hear Mickiewicz's name. At the same time, while discussing formal aspects of Grotowski's and Kantor's works might seem for performance studies scholars a useless exercise, Slavicists might not be familiar with the theoretical battles that transpired around the critical and scholarly reception of these two works. Such is also the case with the historical context; many theatre scholars are unfamiliar with the complexity of political maneuvers around Poland, particularly during and after World War II, which affect Polish–Jewish relations and the representation of Polish Jews. Likewise, it was a balancing act to create a dialogue between American and Polish scholars, native speakers and those who don't speak the language, as each group and subgroup develops its own discourse and its own history.