Book sheds light on evolution of European theatre

Author focuses on chronology, simplification of existing information

A book titled ‘An Introduction to European Theater----History of Performing Arts from Greek Period to 20th Century’ has been published by author Shazia Anwer Cheema, a Prague-based columnist, writer, and foreign affairs expert who writes for national and international media.

Shazia did her M.Phil. in Cognitive Semiotics from Aarhus University Denmark and is currently registered as a Ph.D. Scholar of Semiotics and Philosophy of Communication at the Charles University in Prague.

‘An Introduction to European Theater----History of Performing Arts from Greek Period to 20th Century’ covers the journey of visual and performing arts as well as philosophical movements spreading over 2,500 years.

When asked why she decided to write the book, the author explained that when she started researching about theatre as an art form, all books were alarmingly written by experts for the experts; a regular reader, as well as students, could hardly get any substantial information from these books.

Shazia believes that books spanning from Greek theatre to contemporary theatre are neither written in proper chronological order nor provide any direct link from point A to B.

For instance, one piece of information can be found on page number 11, but is directly linked with the information provided on page number 111. For a novice, it is nearly impossible to keep the thread and make any sense out of it.

“I dare to enter the labyrinth of fragmented history confused with politics, overlapping with socioeconomics, claustrophobic by the amount of provided information,” said Shazia. “I figure out one simple rule to find my way out, clutching history, politics, and philosophy in one hand and thread of chronology in another hand.

I move from one point to the next as a historian and try to link performing art with its time.”

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2022.