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Comment by Terry Victor on February 19, 2014 at 0:44

I don’t find the word ‘dramaturg’ helpful.

I’ve followed this discussion with interest and it seems to me that a clear understanding of very word ‘dramaturg’ is still a problem. 

Look it up. It’s not headworded in the OED. It appears in that authority just once, in the following quotation - [1859   Times 17 Nov. 8/2   Schiller was starving on a salary of 200 dollars per annum, which he received..for his services as ‘dramaturg’ or literary manager.] where it is cited as an example that validates dramaturge = dramaturgist(n) = A composer of a drama; a play-wright.

Look elsewhere. The following definition is offered by getintotheatre.org - A dramaturg is a theatre practitioner who focuses on how to convey the particular message the director wants to highlight.

Really?

Without detailed study (that is to say after a quick trawl of the net) I found the following American source pretty helpful. Excerpted from an article by Robert Loezel:

Of all the people listed in a theater program, the most mysterious may be the dramaturg. Or should that be dramaturge? The spelling is hard to pin down, and so is the definition of exactly what this person does.

“I wish I had a pithy way of describing it,” says Tanya Palmer, dramaturg and literary manager at the Goodman Theatre. “It encompasses a lot of different roles.” Here are a few of the tasks a dramaturg might perform: dig up the history of an old play, research the setting of a play, offer constructive criticism to a playwright working on a new script, write program notes and develop didactic material to display in a theater’s lobby.

Aaron Carter—who holds the job at Victory Gardens Theatre—and some of his colleagues have been trying to think of a new title. Carter likes to say he’s a “dramatic engineer.” He’s heard one dramaturg call herself a “playwright whisperer.”  […]Just as importantly, the dramaturg asks questions and offers suggestions. “We’re a sounding board, helping the playwright realize her vision of the play,” explains Carter. If a playwright’s idea isn’t coming through in a scene, the dramaturg tries to spark a better rewrite by talking it over. “Really,” says Carter, “you’re just someone who listens well, and knows how to talk the play out of them.”

I am tempted by ‘playwright whisperer’. Where can I get one?

Every writer has a need for informed feedback. Informal networks are developed to satisfy our various requirements. An honest mirror on the wall (the fairy tale metaphor is deliberate) as you try to hold a mirror up to nature. A sympathetic/supportive sounding board. Obviously one size does not fit all. Writers wish for greater or lesser degrees of mentoring/whispering.

To my mind, any relationship with a playwright whisperer – I much prefer that to the mechanical ‘dramatic engineer’ – needs to be developed cautiously, tentatively, in advance of a pairing. How should NTW proceed? No idea, really, but - in this context - I prefer the choice offered by an online dating agency to that of a speed dating event.

One final thought. In much the same way as stand ups try out material a ‘dramaturg’ may be an early audience that doesn’t laugh. If the joke’s not funny rework it.

Obviously, my workload today is slight.

Comment by Tim Price on February 18, 2014 at 22:41

@john I think the question you need to answer is, how can NTW do something that is different to what already goes on in the community? Curating and resourcing interesting relationships is not enough for a national theatre. This group could potentially be the group who go on to make/dramaturg/commission the work that will change Welsh theatre forever.  

Comment by meredydd barker on February 18, 2014 at 21:57

Who's Meredith?

Comment by National Theatre Wales on February 18, 2014 at 21:55

Thanks Meredydd, Kath and Peter. I do rather like the collective noun 'A Question of Dramaturgs' (though it does sound a bit like a very posh BBC 4 programme with Melvin Bragg and Mariella Frostrup)! It sounds like the consensus so far is moving towards a fairly open group of dramaturg-mentors who would support up and coming work, but could also work as 'critical friends' with peers.  But how would we match the right dramaturg to the right writer?

Comment by Peter Cox MBE on February 18, 2014 at 21:36

How about a 'Question' of Dramaturgs?  Every time I've acted in this capacity, either formally or informally, I've felt the most important part of my approach has been to ask good questions.  Excellent questions, revealing questions, dumb questions, leading questions etc.  Interestingly, the people who've used the word dramaturgy most with me in recent years have been colleagues from new circus, clowning and physical theatre.  Even as recently as last night (in the bar of the lovely new Park Theatre in Finsbury Park) with the creative team from Hot Coals Theatre Ensemble after the first preview of their funny and delightful show 'Storm in a Teacup'.  The fact that their show is devised and wordless didn't mean that their dramaturgy wasn't important to them and they were hungry for my dramaturgical feedback.  I think good dramaturgy is important to the whole creative process - not just to the writer.  I've mentored many emerging playwrights and screenwriters and most of the process I've engaged in with them could just as easily have been called dramaturgy.  Perhaps mentoring could be discussed at the same time. Happy to pitch into a conversation if you set one up John.

Comment by meredydd barker on February 18, 2014 at 13:47

A dramaturg is someone who only has one interest; the betterment of the piece. They need to be independent of all parties, and there shouldn't be any pressure whatsoever on the writer to take their advice. They just need to be a force for good; handy, perhaps even telling, but not essential to every project.

Comment by National Theatre Wales on February 18, 2014 at 13:42

Cheers Richard, I'm signing off too before Tim inspires me to any more collective dramaturg nouns!  Do all send more thoughts on this though. I'd like to set something up to start in April if possible. 

Comment by National Theatre Wales on February 18, 2014 at 13:40

Or a Drama of Turgs

Comment by National Theatre Wales on February 18, 2014 at 13:38

Or just a Battle of Dramaturgs?

Comment by Richard Huw Morgan on February 18, 2014 at 13:38

Yes John, I opted for "register" rather than "bank" after much pausing over the two words, and yes, im very much up for Unamerican activities. I've become interested in all the mechanics - writers / wrighters, etc, after being brought in to the Atriwm to do the Performance and Technology module (Cymraeg) again, and it really re-animating my thoughts about the current situation and hidden histories. I'm very keen that we find a positive way forward. no more to say for now.

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