Street Scenes

Countless varieties of theater and important scenic developments of (Western) modernism were shaped by diverse references to the street, its milieus, spaces, and forms of traffic. Ex- amples range from Renaissance street scenes and Commedia performances to nineteenth-cen- tury theaters in Parisian arcades, Bertolt Brecht`s exemplary street scene to the Rolling Road Show of the Berlin Volksbühne, and contemporary street performances. This research project therefore examines these manifold connections between theater and the street: exem- plary materials are explored and analyzed in five sub-studies, each of which deals with a dif- ferent facet of the topic. The focus is on two pivotal historical periods: the early modern period and the late 19th to early 20th century. Both periods were characterized by profound social upheavals and shifts, offering particularly relevant material for the research topic. In addition, current changes in street space due to digitalization will be examined, posing the question of how scenic refer- ences to the street are changing as a result. Furthermore, the assumption of a `double heritage of the street` is decisive for the project`s ap- proach. On the one hand, the street has historically been a place of non-sedentariness and no- madic lifestyles, e. g. of vagabonds and tramps, of itinerant people, traders, and showmen. But on the other hand, the street is also closely tied to power structures, expansionism, geometric orders, and the hierarchical organization of spaces. Thus, across all five sub-studies, a central question is how these two opposing aspects of the street manifest within specific theater-his- torical contexts. Overall, the project embraces an interdisciplinary approach, intertwining theater studies with cultural, literary, media, and gender theories. Through a comprehensive analysis of diverse sources, encompassing historical texts, visual representations, and modern digital media, the project aims to unravel the profound significance of the street in the context of theater. Fur- thermore, current social debates will be included to illustrate the relevance of these historical perspectives to contemporary issues. In doing so, Street Scenes offers new perspectives on the multi-layered subject of theater and its interconnections with social realities and develop- ments.