Alannah Foster's book review

The Viewpoints Book by Anne Bogart and Tina Landau

'The Viewpoints Book' by Anne Bogart and Tina Landau is a practical guide
to theatre practices regarding the composition of work and the training
and rehearsal process associated with the notion of Viewpoints. The
practice of Viewpoints within theatre and its history is summarised within
the book, which serves to both instruct and inform in a clear and concise
manner.

Viewpoints gained momentum in the 1960s after the Cultural Revolution that
exploded within America around this period, instigated by pioneers of
postmodern thinking. Through the process of experimentation, Viewpoints
evolved from the work of Mary Overlie who created the 'Six Viewpoints'
regarding space, shape, time, emotion and movement, which subsequently
evolved into the nine Viewpoints now studied. They aid a structure to
dance improvisation and encourage the process of problem solving to be
become the actual work or end point in terms of theatre.

The notion of Viewpoints and compositions are outlined through a series of
definitions by Bogart, who divides the two elements and breaks them down
into their relationship with time and space, tempo, duration and kinetic
response of the body.

'Viewpoints is a philosophy translated into a technique for (1) training
performers; (2) building ensemble; and (3) creating movement for stage.

Viewpoints is a set of names given to certain principles of movement
through time and space; these names constitute a language for talking
about what happens onstage.

Viewpoints is points of awareness that a performer or creator makes use of
whilst working.'

The body in space and the shape of gestures in relation to space is a
major consideration with The Viewpoints Book as well as in the practice
itself and is discussed from an analytical and practically instructing
standpoint. The element of instruction found within the book is a vital
element in the importance of viewpoints and composition, an art that finds
it's grounding in collaboration. The possibility of evolution and freedom
found through experimentation and the exploration of the limitations of
working within theatre is discussed, including consideration of the limits
we as artists impose upon ourselves.

The book also outlines the practicalities of fusing the individual
Viewpoint exploration into ensemble work, giving examples of specific
experiences that have informed Bogart's own technique. The choice of text
to apply Viewpoint work to and specific writing exercises, are additional
and vital aspects of the rehearsal process that accompany the actual
movement.

'In creating new work, you work from a source, whether it is a question,
an image, a historical event etc. In working on a play, you also encounter
a source. The play becomes your source, and in itself, contains others.'

The book is an extremely informative and accessible collection of
information, vital for any student looking at drama.