Phenomenon of Romeo Castellucci’s Direction: Aesthetics of the Metatheatrical Form of Destruction

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to reveal the peculiarities of the aesthetic theatre code of the Italian director Romeo Castellucci. Research methodology. The method of analysis and synthesis, the historical method, the method of systematic, genre-stylistic and art analysis is applied. Scientific novelty. Peculiarities of theatrical direction of the Italian director of the end of the 20th – beginning of the 21st century have been studied. R. Castellucci in the context of his activities in the theatre company "Societas Raffaello Sanzio"; based on the art analysis of R. Castellucci's productions, the master's aesthetic theatrical code was revealed; the concept of "destructive theatre" by R. Castellucci was analysed through the prism of levelling the established codes of classical drama. Conclusions. Mysterious plays staged by the Italian director Romeo Castellucci have captivated the audience for more than several decades. The master creates unique living paintings, which are usually based on classical and religious themes and invoke tectonic, elemental forces – impressive visual effects are usually accompanied by organic soundscapes, and sometimes unfold in quasi-mystical silence. The director's work methodology and his system of ideas form a unique and dynamic aesthetic language. R. Castellucci pursues a meta-theatrical form of destruction through which the body, text, sound, narrative, and language are subjected to permanent decomposition, which destroys the audience's usual expectations of what to see and feel in the theatre. The director's aesthetic theatrical code is based on: the actor's physical extremity; a strange sound world and a peculiar use of dramatic speech (for example, incomprehensible words, frightening sounds, whispers, breathing, shouts, etc.); the presence of real animals that make natural sounds on the theatre stage; cars are used as sculptural objects with symbolic meaning.

Keywords: Romeo Castellucci, theatre direction, "destructive theatre", aesthetics, theatre code, European theatre.