A book of its time (60s-early 80s), but I'm glad I finally came to it. Generally it contrasts the theories and practices of western innovators (Stanislavski et. al., Brecht, Grotowski, Brooks) against the rituals and traditions of eastern institutions (Kathakali, Noh, Kabuki, ritual events of Bali, India, especially Ramlila). Fascinating diagrams accompany the discussion of performance theory. Loved the essays on performance in "Restoration of Behavior," and "Transported and Transformed." And for both the actor and director, the argument that performance exists somewhere between the "not-me and not-not-me" is compelling.

Victor Turner wrote the forward to this book.

He is not its designer

The role of culture in human societies is explored through a combination of empirical research and the nimble mind and imaginative powers of the late Victor Turner. This collection will prove especially useful to students of comparative religion, social/cultural anthropology, literature, performance, and the visual arts. Turner's essays are far from dry. They thrill with their ability to combine close observations of the "exotic" beliefs of non-Western peoples and cutting edge insights into more familiar cultural dimensions of everyday life in western Europe and the United States.

Victor Turner is one of the great names in anthropology and this is a classic work of analysis of social rituals. He takes van Gennep's theories on rites of passage to a new level, examining how different elements of festivals and rites function.