Still living after all these years

February 6, 2008 6:35 PM

Founded in 1947 and surviving today both as a relic of the psychedelic 1960s and a continually groundbreaking troupe, the Living Theatre found a national spotlight during the late 1960s and early 1970s as a "nomadic touring ensemble" performing anarchist, sexually-liberated, audience-participatory, collectively-created, sometimes nude or semi-nude productions like Paradise Now, the Legacy of Cain, and Frankenstein, under the direction of founders Julian Beck and Judith Malina. Beck died in 1985, but Malina, now 81, remains both an inspiration and a leading actress (currently starring in the company's Maudie and Jane).
posted by beagle (3 comments total)

Far out man! Interesting post.
posted by tellurian at 6:45 PM on February 6, 2008

The Living Theatre is a very special group. They're an inspiring example of what a theatre company can be. They were a nomadic company in the purest sense of the word, with a far deeper commitment to each other and to their material than almost anyone else in the performing arts.

But their stuff doesn't always age well.
posted by roll truck roll at 7:36 PM on February 6, 2008

Just popping back in to say thanks for the post. It's led me down some interesting byways, not the least of which was this gem of a review of 'Agonia' on IMDB:

the second one is one by bertolocchi (spelling?) and is the most tedious of them all. weird artsy dancing, montage poses and strange noises emitting from these dancers. at first you think this place is a weird therapy session cuz the dancers look like they were pulled off hte street and they sit in a circle chanting something. then they do these weird moves with lots of moaning and groaning and incoherent mutterings. i think the segment of this session is called agony, so i guess these people are doing artsy interpretations of agony. then an old man comes a long, who's dying and all these people start dancing around him. this one runs on for about 20 minutes...20 minutes i'll never get back.

posted by tellurian at 3:23 PM on February 7, 2008