Polandiscelebratedinternationallyforitsrichandvariedperformancetraditionsandtheatrehistories.ThisgroundbreakingvolumeisthefirstinEnglishtoengagewiththesetopicsacrossanambitiousscope,incorporatingStaropolska,thePolish-LithuanianCommonwealth,theEnlightenmentandRomanticismwithinitsbroadambit.Thebookalsodiscussestheatreculturesundersocialism,theemergenceofcanonicalpractitionersandtrainingmethods,thedevelopmentofdramaturgicalformsandstageaestheticsandthepoliticaltransformationsattendingtheendsoftheFirstandSecondWorldWars.Subjectsoffar-reachingtransnationalattentionsuchasJerzyGrotowskiandTadeuszKantorarecontextualisedalongsidetheatremakersandpracticesthathavegonelargelyunrecognizedbyinternationalreaders,whiletheparticipationofethnicminoritiesintheproductionofnationalcultureisgivenfreshattention.Theessaysinthiscollectiontheorisebroadhistoricaltrends,movements,andcasestudiesthatextendthediscursivelimitsofPolishnationalandculturalidentity.
