An Alchemy of Living Culture
Collected Writings on Double Edge Theatre
By Stacy Klein, with a Preface by Jonathan P. Eburne
This volume captures the theatrical and cultural practice to have come out of Double Edge Theatre, which Stacy Klein founded in 1982. It showcases the company’s dedication to collective artistic creativity, cultural survival and sustained, equitable organization-building, with Klein’s artistic and social vision at its centre.
Featuring interviews, artists’ statements, essays and speeches in which Klein articulates the mission of Double Edge Theatre as it evolves, the volume captures the democratic spirit and boundary-pushing theatrical work the company has championed.
In doing so, it celebrates the company’s connections across the globe, including its collaborations with Eastern European, Scandinavian and South American theatres, such as Grenland Friteater (Norway) and Diablomundo (Argentina) and its links with rich theatrical traditions, such as the Laboratory Theatre, poor theatre, street theatre and circus). It also documents Double Edge’s exploration of the intersections between cultural, traditional and spiritual practice, which extends to their work with Jupiter Performance Studio, the SITI Company, Open Flame Theatre, Ohketeau Cultural Center and the Drogobych Synagogue in the Carpathian mountains of Ukraine, as well as the inspirations of artists Marc Chagall and Leonora Carrington.
The book features a scholarly introduction by Jonathan P. Eburne that situates Klein’s writing in the broader landscape of theatre history.
An Alchemy of Living Culture offers first-hand insights into the pragmatic, as well as the visionary, aspects of experimental creation and speaks to a broad and multi-national community of theatre-makers.
‘An Alchemy of Living Culture is a vivid chronicle of director Stacy Klein’s personal and professional transitions, offering a rare glimpse into the creative processes that shaped her groundbreaking work in theater and cultural activism. Much more than memoir, the book is a guide to finding authenticity and purpose amid the complexities of modern life. As Klein herself writes, “Our mission is a journey that holds space for authenticity, interaction, identity, for whoever is seeking creative, emotional, spiritual and political clarity.” Written in a direct and personal way, Klein creates an intimate link with the reader as she eloquently describes the forty-year trajectory of her Double Edge Theatre.’
Anne Bogart
