Theatre and performance

Articles, Films and practical Guides on theatre and performance, part of Psyche’s coverage of creativity and the arts.
Close-up photo of a woman in a beige top with hand on neck showing her back and shoulder against a light blue background.
DANCE

The relentless work behind the poise of a world-class dancer

Directed by Veronika Pokoptceva

A man with dreadlocks smiling, holding a microphone on stage with his other arm raised under blue stage lights.
MUSIC

How Bobby McFerrin draws out mesmerising music from any audience

Video by World Science Festival

Photo of a person speaking into a microphone holding an electric string instrument with a choir in the background.
THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE
1

The barbarians are at the gates in this electric Laurie Anderson performance

Video by All Arts

A Nigerian ballerina in a white tutu dancing atop yellow minibuses in a crowded urban setting.
DANCE
3

Nigeria’s first ballet school brings tutus and joy to the streets of Lagos

Directed by Jacob Krupnick

Photo of two men in dark clothing sitting and smiling at a round table in a dimly lit room with glasses.
STORIES AND LITERATURE

How to tell a better story

Personal stories have the power to connect, entertain, persuade. Use a pro storyteller’s tips to pick and prepare a great one

by Micaela Blei

Photo of a person in vibrant traditional attire with an orange headwrap singing on stage, another in shadow to the side.
MUSIC
5

How to get hooked on opera

Aspects of opera can seem strange. But give it a try and you’ll soon find yourself absorbed in a truly magical experience

by Alexandra Wilson

Two people in a park performing a balancing act on white chairs and a wooden plank, surrounded by pine trees.
THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE
1

Two gravity-defying performances play with the physics of life on Earth

A film by Bastien Dausse

Seven elderly people stand in front of an old church surrounded by a graveyard under a grey sky with trees in the background.
THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE
2

Some 40 years on, actors revisit the toil and trouble of a Macbeth fiasco

Directed by James Solden

The artist Marina Abramović in a long, white dress stands in an abandoned building, lit by studio lights. The walls are rundown and the floor has tracks for camera equipment. The woman faces forward, with her hair in a side braid, and the atmosphere is dramatic and moody.
ARTISTS AND ART HISTORY

In a single, unbroken shot, Marina Abramović surveys her artistic evolution

A film by Art21

A dancer in traditional Indian dress performs on stage against a black background
DANCE

Bharathanatyam dance is a living exploration of being human

With its origins in 16th-century India, Bharathanatyam remains hugely popular. Here’s a primer to kickstart your enjoyment

by Lakshmi Thiagarajan

Photo of a war-torn street with a destroyed tank, damaged buildings and a person walking on a muddy path during snowfall.
HISTORY OF IDEAS

Five timeless lessons for life from the Athenian tragedies

In a world filled with grief-fuelled rage, cultivating a tragic mindset can help you to live with grace and dignity

by Andy Owen

Photo of a man in a plaid shirt enthusiastically gesturing in an art-filled room with a seated woman in the background.
POETRY

Why spoken word poetry is so much more than a poetry reading

As poetry returns to its roots as a performance art, it’s providing many with a powerful source of healing and community

by Erica Fletcher

Digital artwork of several topless figures in various poses on a black background, depicted in a glowing blue-green hue.
DANCE
1

Body heat illuminates a breathtaking dance of light, movement and humanity

Directed by Philippe Baylaucq

A person wearing a colourful patterned sweater, surrounded by numerous vibrant, vintage spinning tops on metal rods.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

The fantastical, wearable art of Nick Cave embodies a ‘spirituality of style’

Directed by Stephen J Grant and Stephan Knuesel

Monichrome drawing of a bearded man with a hat, holding a pole, facing a striped lighthouse on an island, both reflected on a calm body of water.
POETRY
1

Sail through Shakespeare’s melancholic soliloquy on life’s seven stages

Directed by Jérémie Balais and Jeffig Le Bars

A woman in a black swimsuit is submerged underwater, with her head down and hair floating gently around her.
DANCE
3

Exquisite subaquatic choreography stretches the limits of mind and body

Directed by Julie Gautier