Метаморфозы тела в одноактной драматургии Л. Петрушевской

Abstract

One-act plays by L. Petrushevskaya are a field of creative and anthropological experiments. Radical artistic decisions present the human’s search for himself in conditions of disintegration of a solid humanistic system of values. Playing with the body, being either fragmentation or problem of sexual identification, is a way of narrowing the conflict to heuristic metaphor; it is also an inducement for the hero to realize his human duty. L. Petrushevskaya’s poetic concept of relations between the soul and the body is humanistic – and, therefore, religious. In plays, it’s free of mysticism. A Theatrical game with the body is played through words – as a discussion of affliction ("Kazn’ / Execution"), confession of a transvestite ("Pevets Pevitsa / Singer Singer") – or in a spectacular way, as focus ("Vstavay, Anchytka! / Wake up, Anchytka!"), or as an embodiment of convention (Bifem). Absurdity in plays by L. Petrushevskaya is the paradox in a process of artistic analysis. That forms event-triggering and spiritual collision of her dramas. Paradoxal absurdity exposes an irrational and therefore mysterious nature of kindness – ineradicable (like active compassion) and inscrutable (like mother’s selflessness or executor’s moral imperative). That’s why plays by L. Petrushevskaya actually preach sermons in a shocking form, demonstrating a dialog, on even a polylog of the soul and the body, implicating both characters and audience. By Contemplating this game and empathizing with it, the audience experiences catharsis of revelation that transforms absurd dramas into mysteries.