Routledge Performance Practitioners is a series of introductory guides to the key theatre-makers of the last century. Each volume explains the background to and the work of one of the major influences on twentieth- and twenty-first-century performance.

Tadeusz Kantor was a key figure in European avant-garde theatre. He was a theoretician, director, innovator and painter famed for his very visual theatre style. Kantor was also known for his challenging theatrical innovations, such as extending stages and the combination of mannequins with living actors. The book combines:

• • a detailed study of the historical context of Kantors work
  • a exploration of Kantors own writings on his theatrical craft
  • a stylistic analysis of the key works, including The Dead Class and Let the Artists Die, and their critical reception
  • a examination of the practical exercises devised by Kantor

As a first step towards critical understanding, and as an initial exploration before going on to further, primary research, Routledge Performance Practitioners are unbeatable value for todays student.

Noel Witts is Visiting Professor of Performing Arts at Leeds Metropolitan University and Senior Research Fellow at the University of the Arts, London. He is co-author (with Mike Huxley) of The Twentieth Century Performance Reader, published by Routledge.