Biography

Prior to joining the University of Surrey in October 2012, Peter M. Boenisch taught at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich and at the University of Kent, where he was founding director of the European Theatre Research Network (ETRN). His work interrogates the aesthetics and politics of theatre performance, with inspiration drawn from Jacques Rancière, Slavoj Žižek, and other contemporary critical philosophers.

Peter's research specialisms are in theatre directing and dramaturgy, dance and corporeality, and theatre and intermediality. His 2002 book KörPERformance (in German, Munich: ePodium) developed an innovative methodology for the analysis of movement and corporeal representations in contemporary performance, discussing the works of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Wim Vandekeybus, Robert Wilson, and others. His more recent publications discussed the works of  William Forsythe, Michael Thalheimer, Frank Castorf, Jan Fabre, Guy Cassiers and Rimini Protokoll. He co-edited the collections Theater Ohne Grenzen, the Performance Research-issue “Bodiescapes”, and the Contemporary Theatre Review-collection “Border Crossings: Contemporary Flemish Theatre”.

Peter currently writes on a monograph Regie: Directing Scenes & Senses in European Theatre (2014), and he prepares a book on German theatre director Thomas Ostermeier. Furthermore, he is a member of the Executive of the Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA), an Editorial Associate of Contemporary Theatre Review, a member of the editorial board of Theatre Research International, and a member of the AHRC Peer Review College.

Research Interests

• Theatre Aesthetics, Performance Theory and Philosophy
• Directing and Dramaturgy in Continental European Theatre
• Dance, Theatre & Corporeality
• Intermediality and Performance in the Global Media Culture
• Institutional Dramaturgy, Programming and Cultural Exchange

I welcome enquiries about postgraduate supervision in any of the above areas of research.

Research Collaborations

• Working Group “Directing & Dramaturgy”, Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA)
• Working Group “Theatre and Intermediality”, International Federation of Theatre Research (IFTR),
• Working Group „Dramaturgie“, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Theaterwissenschaft (German Society for Theatre Studies)

Publications

Selected Key Publications
Books

• körPERformance 1.0. Theorie und Analyse von Körper- und Bewegungsdarstellungen im zeitgenössischen Theater. München: ePodium 2002. Pp. 376. ISBN 3-9807394-6-5 [theorising and analysing the body and movement in contemporary theatre; introducing the concept of ‘electrONic culture’ and a checklist for analysing non-illusionist ‘bodiescapes’]
• (Ed., with Katharina Keim, Robert Braunmüller) Theater ohne Grenzen. München: Utz 2003. Pp. 504. ISBN 3-8316-0237-9
• (Ed., with Ric Allsopp) Bodiescapes. Performance Research Vol. 8, No. 2, London/New York: Routledge 2003. Pp. 144. ISBN 0-415-32131-X
• (Ed., with Lourdes Orozco) Border Collisions: Contemporary Flemish Theatre, Contemporary Theatre Review - Special Issue Vol. 20, No. 4, 2010, ISSN 1048-6801 print, ISSN 1477-2264 online

Essays and Book Chapters

• ‘Frank Castorf and the Berlin Volksbühne: The Humiliated and Insulted (2001)’ and keyword entry ‘transcoding’, in Sarah Bay-Cheng, Chiel Kattenbelt, Andy Lavender, and Robin Nelson, eds, Mapping Intermediality in Performance. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2010, 187, 196-202. ISBN 978 90 8964 255 4
• with Christel Stalpaert: ‘Jan Fabres Affirmationsfalle: Von der (Un-) Möglichkeit politischen Theaters im Zeitalter der Toleranz‘, in Forschungszentrum Sound and Movement, ed., Spielart Festival Reloaded. Berlin: Henschel, 2010, 62-88. ISBN 978-3-89487-661-6
• ‘Towards a Theatre of Encounter and Experience: Reflexive Dramaturgies and Classic Texts’ - In: Contemporary Theatre Review Vol.20(2) 2010, Special issue 'New Dramaturgies', ed. Synne Behrndt and Cathy Turner, 162-172, ISSN 1048-6801 (print), 1477-2264 (online)
• ‘Thomas Ostermeier: mission neo(n)realism and a theatre of actors and authors’, in Maria M. Delgado and Dan Rebellato, eds, Contemporary European Theatre Directors, Routledge 2010, 339-359, ISBN 978-0-415-46251-8
• 'Exposing The Classics: Michael Thalheimer’s Regie beyond the Text”, Contemporary Theatre Review, Special issue 'German Theatre Beyond the Text ', 18:1, February 2008, pp.30-43, ISSN: 1477-2264 (electronic) 1048-6801 (paper)
• 'Other People Live: Rimini Protokoll and their Theatre of Experts - an interview', Contemporary Theatre Review, Special issue 'German Theatre Beyond the Text ', 18:1, February 2008, pp. 107-13, ISSN: 1477-2264 (electronic) 1048-6801 (paper)
• “Multisensuality and Postdramatic Mise-en-Scène: The ro:theater's Proust-Project”, in Malgorzata Sugiera, Mateusz Borowski, eds, Fictional Realities/Real Fictions: Contemporary Theatre in Search of a New Mimetic Paradigm. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2007, pp. 121-134, ISBN 9781847181381
• “Tanz als Körper-Zeichen: Zur Methodik der Theater-Tanz-Semiotik“, in Gabriele Klein, Gabriele Brandstetter, eds, Bewegung in Übertragung, Bielefeld: Transcript, 2007, pp. 29-45, ISBN 3-89942-558-8 [on a semiotic approach to analysing dance as theatre, exemplified on Pina Bausch’s Sacre]
• “Decreation Inc.: William Forsythe’s equations of ‘bodies before the name’”, Contemporary Theatre Review, 'The Changing Body', Vol. 17, no. 1., 2007, pp. 15-27, ISSN 1048-6801 *NOMINATED FOR THE ATHE Outstanding Article Award 2007*
•  “Mediation Unfinished. Choreographing Intermediality in Contemporary Dance Performance.” – In: Chiel Kattenbelt, Freda Chapple, eds, Intermediality in Theatre and Performance, Amsterdam & New York: Rodopi 2006, pp. 151-166. ISBN 90-420-1629-9
• “Aesthetic Art to Aisthetic Act. Theatre, Media, Intermedial Performance” – In: Chiel Kattenbelt, Freda Chapple, eds, Intermediality in Theatre and Performance, Amsterdam & New York: Rodopi 2006, pp. 103-116. ISBN 90-420-1629-9
• “Komik und Konsumzwang: Zwischen Jux und Jucken – Komische Gesten bei Forced Entertainment” - In: Maske und Kothurn. Vierteljahresschrift zur Theater-, Film- und Medienwissenschaft, Jg. 51, Heft 4 (Winter 2005), specical issue „Komik: Ästhetik. Theorien. Vermittlungsstrategien", pp. 335-345  ISBN 3-205-77434-5 [on Forced Entertainment’s ‚First Night’]
•  “Alienating Realities. Hygiene Heute and the Politics of Sonic Conspiracy” – In: 3xT Tidsskrift for teori og teater, Nr 15&16/2004, 40-49.ISSN 0807-6316
•  "Theater der Sensationen. Performance als Wahrnehmungs-Labor" - In: Hajo Kurzenberger, Annemarie Matzke [Eds]: TheorieTheaterPraxis, Berlin: Theater der Zeit 2004, pp. 261-68 ISBN 3934344291 [audience as experience in performance pieces by Hygiene Heute and Felix Ruckert]
•  "ElectrONic Bodies. Corpo-Realities in Contemporary Dance Performance" - In: Moving Bodies. Performance Research 8.4/2003, 33-41. ISBN 0-415-32133-6
• "Theater als Medium der Moderne? Zum Verhältnis von Medientechnologien und Bühne im 20. Jahrhundert" - In: Christopher Balme, Erika Fischer-Lichte, Stephan Grätzel [Eds]: Theater als Paradigma der Moderne? Positionen zwischen historischer Avantgarde und Medienzeitalter. Mainzer Forschungen zu Drama und Theater 28. Tübingen: Francke 2003, 447-456 ISBN 3-7720-2796-2 [theorising theatre as a medium]
• "Realität - Fiktion - Alienation. Hygiene Heute und die Politik der Grenzverschiebung im Performancetheater" - In: Katharina Keim, Peter M Boenisch, Robert Braunmüller [Eds]: Theater ohne Grenzen. München: Utz 2003, 456-64 ISBN 3831602379 [shifting borders into fields of ‚alienation’; in-depth study of the performance collective Hygiene Heute]
• "coMEDIA electrONica. Performing intermediality in contemporary theatre" - In: Theatre Research International, Vol. 28, No. 1, March 2003, 34-45. ISSN 0307-8833
• "Tanz als Leben, oder: Die Erotik des Balanceakts auf der Nabelschnur. Das expressive Ballett-Theater des Jirí Kylián" - In: Bayerisches Staatsballett [Ed.]: Porträt Jirí Kylián. München 2002 [on the Dutch choreographer and his seminal innovation of contemporary ballet]
• "www dot theatre dot. Alice Croft, or: Transforming Performance in the Internet Culture" - In: Body, Space and Technology, Vol.2 No. 2/2002 ISSN 1470-9120
•  "Der Darsteller auf der Bühne: Klangkörper <> Zeichenkörper. Zur Problematik der Korporealität (nicht nur) im Musiktheater." - In: Hans-Peter Bayerdörfer [Ed.]: Stimmen - Töne - Klänge. Tübingen: Gunter Narr 2002, 139-52 ISBN 3-8233-5230-X [introducing the central theatrical triangle of representation/presentation/presence as foundation for a post-semiotic approach to theatre]
•  "Der Körper als Zeichen!?" - In: Gabriele Klein, Christa Zipprich (Eds): Tanz.Theorie.Text. Jahrbuch Tanzforschung 12. Münster u.a.: Lit 2002, 383-95 ISBN 3825859010 [analytical approaches to contemporary physical theatre discussing the work of director Helena Waldmann]
• (with Christopher Balme): "Re-Play. Wiederholung der Welt - Welten der Wiederholung im zeitgenössischen britischen Drama" - In: Jürgen Felix/Bernd Kiefer/Susanne Marschall/Marcus Stiglegger [Eds]: Die Wiederholung. Marburg: Schüren 2001, 269-84 ISBN 3-89472-334-3 [on plays by Mark Ravenhill and Sarah Kane]
• "Synthesized Dreams Of Moving Men: ElectrONic Bodies, Movement, and Meaning in the works of DV8 Physical Theatre "- In: Dance Theater: An International Investigation. Proceedings of the MoMentUm I Conference, Manchester 2001, 122-27 ISBN 1870355105
• "Tanztheorie und Sprechtheater. Perspektiven der Analyse von Körperzeichen im zeitgenössischen Theater." - In: Claudia Jeschke/Hans-Peter Bayerdörfer [Eds]: Bewegung im Blick. Berlin: Vorwerk 8 (Theatralia, Documenta Choreologica) 2000, 16-29 ISBN 3930916223 [sketching perspectives of analysing physical theatre]
• "I doubt not I, but she will stoop in time: Frauenfiguren in Tamburlaine und The Spanish Tragedy" - In: ZAA. Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik. XLV/1997, 325-338 ISSN 0044-2305 [contrasting representations of femininity in these Renaissance plays]
   

Teaching

• MA Dance Cultures, “Politicising Practice”
• BA Dance & Culture, "Cultural Approaches to Dance" (HE1)
• Dissertation supervisions in dance and theatre at BA and MA level
• PhD supervision

Departmental Duties

• Director of Research, School of Arts
• Editorial Associate, Contemporary Theatre Review (Routledge), 2010-
• Contributing Editor, Theatre Research International (CUP), 2013-
• Member of the AHRC Peer Review College, 2007-
• Research Assessment 2009
• External Examiner, University of Glasgow, MLitt Playwriting and Dramaturgy, MLitt Theatre History, 2012-
• External Examiner, University of Winchester, MA ‘Devised Performance’, 2009-
• Editorial Advisor, Platform Postgraduate Journal, 2009-
• External Advisor, SYN Postgraduate Journal, University of Vienna (A), 2010-
• Regular Peer Reviewer, e.g. for Leverhulme Trust, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation, British Academy, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen (FWO), Contemporary Theatre Review, Theatre Research International, Discourses in Dance, Forum Modernes Theater, Platform, Routledge, Palgrave e.a.