Abstract:

This article delves deeply into the process of theatre rehearsals, analyzing the evolving mental and physical states of the director, actors, and production crew during what is termed the “rehearsal plateau.” Drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin’s carnival theory, the article argues that rehearsals should embody a carnivalesque atmosphere—a temporary, threshold (Liminal ) space in which traditional theatrical conventions, social norms, and established prohibitions are suspended, subverted, and inverted . In this context, the rehearsal plateau acts as an experimental, liminal–carnival-like environment where creative exploration is privileged over routine. Within a neutral and flexible black box setting, actors are released from fixed techniques and preassigned roles. The conventional hierarchy—where the director commands from above and actors and crew occupy subordinate positions—is temporarily dismantled. Correspondingly, the actors’ physicality undergoes a striking transformation: instead of polished, conventional embodiments, their bodies become distorted, fragmented, and grotesque—evoking the carnivalesque ethos of bodily exaggeration and grotesque realism that Bakhtin theorizes . This suspension of established order invites innovative and unexpected performance dynamics to emerge. Importantly, the rehearsal plateau is not simply disorder for its own sake . Rather, this temporary breakdown provides fertile ground for creative experimentation: as familiar structures dissolve, previously unimagined possibilities come into view . The liminal and fleeting nature of this space promotes a sense of freedom and release, opening up collective pathways toward new forms and orders of theatrical expression. In Bakhtin’s terms, carnival fosters convivial equality, familiar contact, and playful transgression—all of which manifest in the rehearsal environment as actors and collaborators engage more freely, imaginatively, and relationally . A central contribution of this approach is the production of performances that are original, inventive, and authentic . One of the most prominent exemplars is the work of Ariane Mnouchkine and her ensemble, Théâtre du Soleil. The article examines in depth five of Mnouchkine’s landmark productions—namely, Tenebrae, The Golden Age, 1789, The Atrides, and Richard II—as case studies in carnivalesque rehearsal practice . In these works, hierarchical norms within the rehearsal room dissolve; actor identity becomes fluid; and creation unfolds as a collective, spontaneous, and inventively experimental process . Mnouchkine’s practice embodies key elements of Bakhtin’s model: she encourages mask work, improvisation, cross-cultural theatrical styles (for example incorporating bunraku, mask, or physical theatre), and communal ritual . In doing so, she harnesses the carnival spirit to destabilize authority and provoke new expressive forms . Actors' bodies and behaviors acquire intentional awkwardness and transgression rather than polish—a strategic choice that facilitates liberation from entrenched aesthetic expectations . Ultimately, the article concludes that theatre companies seeking to generate truly distinctive and enduring artistic works must be capable of temporarily establishing a carnivalesque rehearsal space . Such a rehearsal framework rejects formulaic process, instead encouraging performances characterized by creativity, energy, experimentation, and pleasure . It is within the ephemeral but generative “rehearsal plateau” that new theatrical orders can emerge—orders that are collectively authored, anti authoritarian, and deeply rooted in the sensorial, bodily, and communal potential of performance.