The functioning of theatre in the city of Tartu: a comparative perspective
Date
2015
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Abstract
Doktoritöös keskendutakse teatri toimimisele Tartus ja selle toimimist mõjutavate tegurite analüüsile võrdlevas rahvusvahelises perspektiivis. Uurimus põhineb suuremahulisel empiirilisel uuringul, mis on läbi viidud uurimisrühma STEP (Project on European Theatre Systems) projekti raames, mille käigus uuriti teatrisüsteemide funktsioneerimist seitsmes erinevas Euroopa väiksemas linnas, et selgitada välja teatrite toimimimise erinevused ja sarnasused ning nende põhjused.
Mõistmaks teatri funkstioneerimist Tartus, vaadeltakse töös nii seda, millises žanris lavastusi ning millistes teatrites on potentsiaalsel vaatajal võimalik külastada, mida publik tegelikult vaatab ja kuidas nad nähtut vastu võtavad. Töös uuritakse, kas ja kuidas teatrisüsteemi ajalooline ja kultuuriline kujunemine, teatrisüsteemi struktuur, kehtiv teatripoliitika ning majanduslikud aspektid mõjutavad teatritegemist ja selle vastuvõttu üldiselt ja kas erinevat liiki (nt sõna-, muusika-, tantsuteatri) lavastused toovad esile erinevaid vastuvõtumustreid.
Uurimus näitab, et võrreldes teiste Euroopa linnadega, domineerib Tartus ja tegelikult laiemalt kogu Eestis sõnateater. Seda nähtust võib seletada nii ajalooliste, kultuuriliste kui ka teatripoliitiliste põhjustega. Omakeelne teater on olnud üks olulisi keele ja seeläbi kultuuri säilitamise ning edendamise viise. Seda toetab ka Eesti Vabariigi teatripoliitika eelkõige seeläbi, et enamus riiklikust tegevustoetusest läheb riiklike sihtasutusena tegutsevatele teatritele, kes toovad lavale peamiselt sõnateatrit. Sõnateater on ka kognitiivselt kõige kergemini arusaadav teatriliik. Muud liiki lavastuste produtseerimist ei soodusta Eesti riigi väiksus, kuna potentsiaalse publiku hulk, kes on huvitatud uuenduslikest teatrivormidest, on piiratud. Lisaks sellele mõjutab teatripilti teatriharidust andvate institutsioonide vähesus ja ühekülgsus.
Euroopa linnades läbi viidud retseptsiooniuuring näitab aga sarnanusi erinevat liiki etenduste vastuvõtul – sõna- ja tantsuteatrit tajutakse tõsisema ja väljakutset pakkuvamana, muusikateatrit aga meelelahustusliku ja lõõgastavana. Kõige olulisemateks teguriteks, mis mõjutavad etendusele antud üldhinnagut, on esinejate meisterlikkus ja kõrgetasemelisus ning etenduses loodud maailma kaasatõmbavus.
The PhD thesis focuses on the functioning of theatre in the city of Tartu in an international comparative perspective. The research presented is based on an extensive empirical study, conducted in the framework of STEP (Project on European Theatre System) that is a comparative study carried out in seven cities in smaller European countries to analyse the differences and similarities of different theatre systems and the reasons behind. To understand the functioning of a theatre system, the theatre supply i.e. the number of different productions of different genres as well as the number of different organisations offering them, the number of performances i.e. the number of visits to these performances and finally the reception of theatre are studied. It is pointed out how the historical and cultural development of theatre system, the structure of the system, the theatre policy and economic aspects influence the functioning. In addition, the reception of different types of performances is analysed to understand what theatre does for its audiences and therefore in the society. The study shows that differently from other cities, Tartu is clearly dominated by spoken theatre. This dominance can be explained culturally, historically as well as with the existing theatre policy that is structuring the theatre system. Spoken theatre has been a preserver of language and thereby of culture, currently the Estonian Ministry of Culture is allocating the biggest subsidies to organisations staging mostly spoken theatre. In addition, spoken theatre is cognitively the most understandable type of theatre. Producing other types of theatre is also not supported by the size of the country – in a small country like Estonia, there are often not enough audiences for more alternative genres. Besides, the theatre education in Estonia is quite one-sided. The reception research points out that the reception of different types of theatre is similar in different cities. Spoken and dance theatre are experienced as more challenging and serious, musical theatre as more entertaining and relaxing type. The most influential factors determining the overall satisfaction with the performance are the skilfulness of the performers and the ways performance is able to draw the spectator into the world created on stage.
The PhD thesis focuses on the functioning of theatre in the city of Tartu in an international comparative perspective. The research presented is based on an extensive empirical study, conducted in the framework of STEP (Project on European Theatre System) that is a comparative study carried out in seven cities in smaller European countries to analyse the differences and similarities of different theatre systems and the reasons behind. To understand the functioning of a theatre system, the theatre supply i.e. the number of different productions of different genres as well as the number of different organisations offering them, the number of performances i.e. the number of visits to these performances and finally the reception of theatre are studied. It is pointed out how the historical and cultural development of theatre system, the structure of the system, the theatre policy and economic aspects influence the functioning. In addition, the reception of different types of performances is analysed to understand what theatre does for its audiences and therefore in the society. The study shows that differently from other cities, Tartu is clearly dominated by spoken theatre. This dominance can be explained culturally, historically as well as with the existing theatre policy that is structuring the theatre system. Spoken theatre has been a preserver of language and thereby of culture, currently the Estonian Ministry of Culture is allocating the biggest subsidies to organisations staging mostly spoken theatre. In addition, spoken theatre is cognitively the most understandable type of theatre. Producing other types of theatre is also not supported by the size of the country – in a small country like Estonia, there are often not enough audiences for more alternative genres. Besides, the theatre education in Estonia is quite one-sided. The reception research points out that the reception of different types of theatre is similar in different cities. Spoken and dance theatre are experienced as more challenging and serious, musical theatre as more entertaining and relaxing type. The most influential factors determining the overall satisfaction with the performance are the skilfulness of the performers and the ways performance is able to draw the spectator into the world created on stage.
Description
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Keywords
teatrid, teater, lavastused, žanrid, etendused, publik, retseptsioon, linnad, linnastud, võrdlev analüüs, teatriteadus, rahvusvahelised projektid, Tartu, Eesti, theatres, theatre, stagings, genres, performances, audience, reception, towns, conurbation, comparative analysis, theatre studies, international projects, Tartu, Estonia