An Early Concept of the Theatre of Interplay: The Relevance of Branko Gavella’s Theory for the Development of Performance Philosophy

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the shift in the perception of Branko Gavella’s theoretical work based on the phenomenology of intersubjectivity, and to point to the relevance of his theory of acting for the autochthonous development of the European branch of the modern philosophy of performance, as an interdisciplinary filed of research different form the methods traditionally employed by aestheticians of theatre. This paper—based on several decades of work on the systematization and comparative contextualization of Gavella’s theoretical ouvre—makes an attempt at demonstrating the operability of Gavella’s concepts in the context of some recent interdisciplinary insights into the performance phenomenon. Gavella’s theory can clearly distinguish concepts that we bracket today under the rubric of meaning, as opposed to use, i.e. language-reference, as opposed to speaker’s reference. Already in the 1930s, he applied the relation of semantics to pragmatics, as it would eventually be understood in speech act theory from Austin on, to the problems peculiar to theatre. The core of this paper deals with Gavella’s “speech situations”, and the dynamism of exchange in the relational space of culture

Beyond Identity: the Dynamic Self at the Intersection of Performance Philosophy and the Philosophy of Science

In this article we advocate the methodological feedback loop in the study of the dynamical self at the crossroads of performance philosophy, (artistic) performance, and the philosophy of science. We point to the importance of the dynamics of methodology transfer between arts and sciences and the “interactive continuum” proposed by Newman & Benz in 1998. In the first part of this paper we give a comparative review of the research context relevant for our field of study, and we explain our research hubs in approaching the concept of “performance”. We suggest the possibility to define our filed of research in three equally legitimate ways: as philosophy-of-performance, philosophy-as-performance and performance-as-philosophy. In our recent work we are primarily interested in artistic performances that incorporate elements of artistic practice in the methodology of research output (Frayling 1993), as well as in the potentials of performative aspects of scientific praxis and methodology. However, the conceptual background relevant for this paper is in the field of process philosophy and its relation to science (Birkhard’s “interactivist model” 2009; Campbell’s “process-based model for an interactive ontology” 2009). We attribute particular importance to the notion of “autopoietic feedback” (Maturana and Varela 1974; Luhmann 1990). The second part addresses the issue of transcending identity in the representations of the self and the other; the relationship between Theory-Theory (TT) and Simulation Theory (ST), as well as some recent attempts at combining different theories of mind (e.g. Barlassina 2013). We also deal with the notion of “embodied praxis” (Gallagher and Meltzoff 1996); we mention some neuroscientific insights into the similar phenomena, and – commenting on the importance of the dialogue between neuroscientists and philosophers (Changeux and Ricour) – we give an example of an enactive approach to understanding acting (Zarrilli 2007). In the third part of this article, we critique the notion of “interpassivity” (Žižek 1997; Pfaller 2000). In the concluding part we mention the importance of exploring the concept of “expanded self” (Gallagher 2000; Jeannerod 2003; Kim and Johnson 2013). Being aware of the impossibility to reach final conclusions in the scientific approach to the dynamics of the self, instead of a formal conclusion, we offer a quote from Yeats’ poem “Balloons of Mind”

Tandem, Vujčić’s Drama for Non-Performing

The paper deals with the dramaturgy of the »black comedy« genre and the crisis of the »dissident letter« concept on the example of Vujčić’s drama Tandem, written as a »replica to Audijencija«, one of the most translated and most performed dramas by Havel. It attempts to draw attention to the reasons which postponed the scenic putting on stage of dramas such as Tandem, which, from the dramaturgic point of view is successfully assembled, a thematically current text, which has thus remained without any reception, in a theatrical vacuum which declares that »politics isn’t interesting«, and political drama which deals with politics which apparently interests no­one. While, at the beginning of the nineties, Vujčić’s Tandem induced reading a drama with current political allusiveness, whose protagonists are authority intellectuals, today the most interesting theme is the problem of the ethicality of the literary, in a broader sense the media, the exploitation of reallife stories of the so­called ordinary people. Vujčić’s Tandem, read even today, thematises literatures in a crisis, literary and theatrical testimonies of consumed imagination where nothing remains but to rely on journalist activities and realise its post­dissident, post­catastrophic discourse by using the »charm of small tragedies« and »comical episodes«

Inhibitory effect of the plant proteins mixture on the specific sucrase activity in intestine of diabetic mice

Background and Purpose: Increased activity of sucrase, one of the intestinal alpha-glucosidase founded in diabetes mellitus. Inhibition of sucrase activity, plays a major role in preventing rise in postprandial glucose level in diabetics. On peer-reviewed literature could be found regarding investigation the effect of mixture plant proteins, Mw 3 – 15 kDa (MPP), isolated from Astragali radix – Astragalus membranaceus Fisch., Foenugraeci semen – Trigonella foenum graecum L., Cichorii radix – Cichorium Intybus L. and Urticae radix and herba – Urtica dioica L. on sucrase activity. This plants are used in traditional medicine of treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to determine activity of sucrase in small intestinal homogenates of NOD diabetic mice on feeding with and without MPP in chow. Materials and Methods: In mice diabetes was induced by i.v. injection of aloxan-monohydrate (75 mg/kg b.m.) seven days before treatment with MPP. The proteins (Mw 3 – 15 kDa), were isolated from ethanol extract, each plants separately, by gel filtration method on Sephadex G-25 column. Eluted fraction which highest absorbance on 280 nm were pooled, dialyzed, lyophilized and mixed (MPP) and before treatment in mice solvent in sterile PBS. After seven days of treatment diabetic NOD mice with MPP (1,8 g/d), the small intestine was removed and divided into three segments, from pylorus to duodenum, and two equal lengths of the jejunum and ileum and homogenized in cold 0.14M KCl. Specific sucrase activity was determined using method of Dahlquist et. al., by sucrose as substrate. Results and Conclusion: We confirmed the increased specific sucrase activity in the intestine of diabetic NOD mice. Our results also indicate that MPP have strongly inhibitory potential on intestinal sucrase activity (p<0.05) in diabetic mice. Conclusions drawn from this study should be further supported and our future experiments will be focused on determining the amino acid sequence of each protein from MPP

TYPOLOGY OF THE SPATIAL QUALITIES IN GAVELLA’S THEORETICAL SYSTEM AND ITS INCENTIVES FOR RESEARCH IN CONTEMPORARY PERFORMING PRACTICE

We have already made systematization of Gavella’s theory in 2001. However, the main reason for having renewed research adventure, was the need to demonstrate operability of Gavella’s theoretical concepts in the context of some recent interdisciplinary insights into performance phenomenon. This paper analyses correlative terms connected to the concept of space in Gavella’s phenomenology of acting. The main task is to propose a typology of space in Gavella’s theoretical system. The core of this paper deals with space concepts in language: Gavella’s »speech situations«, and the dynamism of exchange on the relational space of culture. Regarding this issue, we have also touched the topic of conceptual space models in phonetics pointing to their importance in the context of Gavella’s pedagogical treatment of voice in acting. Finally, the stimulus is found in Gavella’s analysis of the functionality and inherent dynamism of the stage space and the architecture of theatre buildings

ON THE PROBLEM OF WITNESSING »THE UNSPEAKABLE« AS EXEMPLIFIED BY DON JUAN IN WAR

U radu se nastoji rasvijetliti probleme s područja hermeneutičke etike (u smislu hermeneutike moralnog iskustva) vezane uz svjedočenje i govorenje o »onome neizgovorivom« ratnih zločina. Studija slučaja odabrana za analizu jest hibridno-žanrovski rukopis pisca i dramaturga Ante Armaninija, čija filozofska činjenična fikcija pod naslovom Don Juan u ratu tematizira nelagodu svjedočenja o ljudskoj patnji i pisanja o svjedočenju patnje.The principal aim of this work is to elucidate problems in the domain of hermeneutical ethics (conceived as a hermeneutics of moral experience) connected to the witnessing war crimes, and speaking about »the unspeakable«. The case study selected for analysis is a cross-genre manuscript of Croatian writer and dramaturgist, Ante Armanini, whose philosophical factual fiction titled Don Juan in War thematizes the unease of witnessing human suffering and writing about it