Klim's Workshop at VOTM (All-Russian Association of Creative Workshops) (1989–1994) and principles of laboratory theater

Abstract

The article is devoted to the description of the laboratory aspect оf Klim's Workshop's activity at VOTM (All-Russian Association of Creative Workshops). The first part of the article describes the difference between a studio, a laboratory and a workshop as forms of theatre activity at the time when A. Vasiliev's SHDI (“School of Dramatic Art”) and VOTM (“All-Russian Association of Creative Workshops”) were formed. The second part of the article discusses the reason for choosing “Workshop” as a name for VOTM, describes the basic principles of VOTM's work, and the beginning of Klim's work in VOTM, focuses on the research (i. e. laboratory) aspect оf Klim's Workshop activity. The author discusses the main research strategies used at Klim's Workshop, the methods of working on a play and the forms of maintenance of the completed project. Since the 1960s, the concept of a Laboratory Theatre was associated with Grotowski's theatre. At the very beginning of his theatrical career Klim was inspired by the ideas drawn from Grotowski's work, but, in fact, he interpreted many of these ideas in his own way. The last part of the article is devoted to an analysis of these differences.