Margret Dietrich Boeken

The volume of collected essays “Humanising Life. Theatre and Art” contains 16 previously unpublished papers by the theatre historian Margret Dietrich. These papers were presented on various occasions and to different audiences in the course of over 50 years. They reflect a long and intense involvement with the research approaches current at the time. As such they are evidence of the author´s characteristic interest in interdisciplinary approaches to complex cultural phenomena. The range of themes extends from questions of the theatre to cultural, philosophical and even religious subjects. The collection also provides proof of the author´s ability to focus on widely differing audiences, from provincial Colleges of Further Education (“Changing Views of Man and Mankind on Stage”) to her inaugural lecture at the University of Vienna in 1966 (“The Scenic Renaissance of Antiquity in the Cinquecento”). Just as impressive is her range of topics, from Grillparzer to the heritage of the Baroque theatre and Austrian cabaret or an investigation of the relationship between theatre and politics. Some contributions with related topics, such as the series on “European Theatre Today”, “Trends of Modern Drama” and “Reform of Theatre: Past and Present”, illuminate the way in which a topic revisited can prove rich in results deepened, broadened - or corrected.