If you have not read it yet, I recommend "The actor's work on himself" and "The actor's work on the character" of Konstantin Stanislavski. But beware: books are very thick and you do not read in a day. But they are the best in the field of "magic realism".

Among materials on dramaturgy you might like the source book called Dramaturgy in American Theatre (1997). Your quest for magic realism is going to narrow the search. As this terminology comes from another genre I'd suggest you seek out materials on the directors, plays or performances that have inspired you. You could look at the plays of Georg Tabori, the film Kiss of the Spider Woman (also made into a stage play), performances by Argentinan, Chilean and Brazilian performers. Also there's quite a lot of writing about Hanoch Levin''s plays. You could also have a look at http://www.criticalstages.org/criticalstages4/entry/Inxeba-Lomphilisi-The-Wound-of-a-Healer?category=6.

Thank you so much. I am currently trying to compile a bit on the genre and the related works of such as a Reader for the ensemble. I've found examples of magic realism work in Columbian theatre, and actually recently found it heavily in a Tamil folk theatre form here, Kattaikuttu.

As for Dramaturgy, found Eugeno Barba's book very helpful- On Directing and Dramaturgy. Will check Dramaturgy in American Theatre. The reading on dramaturgy is for me to understand some very crucial things. :)

Marquez and Morrison are probably where my idea of 'magic realism' comes from. But, I find it to be a intrinsic genre of life in places where people live with their ecosystems, farmers, fishermen, forest tribals.

Thank you again.

Thank you Freya. :)

Ok. You are welcome.

Concerning dramaturgy, one of the leading writers and practitioners in this field in Europe is Marianne van Kerkhoven. You can find links to some of her English articles here: http://sarma.be/pages/Marianne_Van_Kerkhoven

Other books on dramaturgy:

Dramaturgy and Performance, Cathy Turner and Synne Behrndt, 2008.

Dramaturgy: a revolution in theatre, Mary Luckhurst, 2006.

And I would say the book Postdramatic Theatre by Hans-Thies Lehmann gives some great insights on changes in theatre and new dramaturgy since the 70s.

A Dutch dramaturgy site, also with a bibliography (mostly English) on related books: http://www.dramaturgie.be/p/boeken.html

These are great sources--you've assembled a good team here! As you were originally drawn by Marquez and (Toni?) Morrison im going to point you back to the novel and remind you that the conventions of the theatre (such as its semiotics) can interfere with the poetics of this form. It might help you to think about what you're doing in hybrid terms, as a novel (read Moacyr Scliar!) or a radio drama (Beckett's an obvious choice). My own plays use magic realism but rarely have I seen them brought off correctly, precisely because of this issue. And on that subject, read EG Craig's essay on the ubermarionette, and Artaud on the plague of theatre. Im glad you opened this thread.

Hello to all,

Initially I was worried I had loosely linked to areas of studies in my question - magic realism and dramaturgy. But, the response here is just overwhelming. Thank you so much. Have spent most of my day trying to sources the books, journals and essays here. As I had mentioned before, I have found the work of kattaikuttu, a folk theatre form here in Tamil Nadu, along the lines of magic realism. I have got the chance to go and observe one group at rehearsal tomorrow. Very excited.

So, I will not be online for two days. But, I hope you will keep sharing your notes on your work. As for the genre, only after creating a dozen plays have I realized that I have been attempting 'magic realism' again and again. Magic Realism is something very real to a culture living with its ecosystem, caught between development and soil, progress and history, nature and the supernatural, the real and the magical. The play I am currently working on is on two old women living by the sea. With sea goddesses washing up, dolphins stranding, the smell of the million roses, the blaring of loudspeakers, and the dreams caught within heads. Marriages, funerals, and processions for the pantheon of gods. The string of fishing villages running along the Coromandel Coast with two Nuclear Power Plants, and over 20,000 police posted in various places to prevent 'sedition' - non-violent protests against State and Corporate projects. However, the challenges of placing this on stage or for that matter finding the devices for the rehearsal room, that's why I need this two months to read, travel, and meet people.

This is nice resource on Marquez' magic realism, I suppose it is from a longer documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9okIp7-z3Vk

Thank you again for introducing me to so much.

The scenes I explain living by the sea, is what I watch and participate in day in and day out. It is my home. :)

These are few interesting links I came across recently. These are from Digital South Asia Library, Journal of Arts and Ideas (Jan - March 1983) on Garcia Marquez,

http://dsal.uchicago.edu/books/artsandideas/pager.html?issue=2&objectid=HN681.S597_2_055.gif

http://dsal.uchicago.edu/books/artsandideas/pager.html?issue=2&objectid=HN681.S597_2_033.gif

And on dramaturgy, something I read recently -

Notes from an Odin Actress - Stones of Water. Julia Varley. Routledge 2011.

quoted from - Chapter 2: The dramaturgy of an actress.

"I aspire to have a wholeness as an actress, without artificial differences among body, mind, imagination, senses, emotions, and deliberation. My physical and vocal actions aim at affecting the spectator. For my work as an actress, dramaturgy is the instrument that helps me organize my behaviour on stage, it is the logic that links my actions and it is the technique that allows me to act truthfully in fiction."

Samyuktha, now that I realise you are working in Aotearoa/NZ I have another great source for you--Witi Ihimaera--particularly Woman Far Walking.

Lailah, I work in Tamil Nadu, South India. Have never been to New Zealand. We have a Coromandel Coast here too. :)

However, I did check the book you have mentioned here and do mean to read it soon.

http://userdocs.ru/istoriya/198/index.html?page=36

N.Pesochinsky "The theater after Anatoly Vasilyev: deconstruction and metaphysics"

Karen's (and Michael and Sarah's) article on Magic Realism in Lumina #3 was fantastic. ie http://www.aftrs.edu.au/explore/lumina/lumina-issue-contents-3.aspx

I can highly recommend it,

Best

JT