Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1983 - 29

BOOK REVIEWS
Sound in the Theatre,

by Harold
Burris-Meyer, Vincent Mallory and Lewis S.
Goodfriend, ew York: Theatre Arts Book,
1979. ISB
0-87830-157-7, 96 pp., ill.,
514.95 cloth.
In the last ten years major advances have
been made in the art and technology of
sound design. The influence of rock music
with its emphasis on volume and electronic
instrumentation, the use of sophisticated
mixers, and the advent of computerized control systems are indicative of the increased
importance of sound. Indeed, the last decade
witnessed the emergence of the sound designer as an integral member of the production team.
Unfortunately the volume of literature
dealing with sound design and technology for
the theatre is slight. Two works stand out in
thi field, David Collison's Stage Sound and
Harold Burris-Meyer, Vincent Mallory and
Lewis S. Goodfriend's Sound in The Theatre.
First published in 1959 and revised and expanded in 1979, Sound in The TheaTre must
be regarded as the pioneering publication in
this field. The book remains valuable for its
concise, readable presentation of the basic
principles of sound design and technology in
the theatre.
Sound in The TheaTre reflects the authors'
extensive experience as designers, technicians, and acousticians. The book is divided
into ten short chapters. The first several
chapters are devoted to an introductory discussion of the nature and characteristics of
sound in the theatre, a brief history of its
electronic control, hearing, and the impact of
architectural and scenery on sound production and reception. Subsequent chapters are
devoted to sound sources, control techniques, sound systems and equipment. Concluding chapters outline the responsibilities
of the de igner, the organization and planning involved in developing a sound design,
and the installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment. The text is well illustrated with clear line drawings and photographs. It also contains a bibliography and
index.
The book does an admirable job of balancing basic theory with practice in its presemation of material and should cominue to
serve a a valuable introduction to the field
of theatre sound for the uninitiated. The
book has an added value to the specialist not
only for its practical technical information
but for the historical perspective it brings to
its subject. Most of the practical examples of
the use of sound in the theatrc and many of
the photographic illustrations deal with

Thealre Design &

Teehnolog~

Editor: L. Garren

theatre, Futurism, Dadaism, Reinhardt,
Fuchs, and Piscator; "Surrounding Space
Theatres," presenting architectural schemes
by Strnad, Gropius, Molnar, Polieri, and
Kiesler, among others; "Environmental Production in Russia," dealing with such figures
as leyerhold, Lissitzky, Eisenstein, as well
as the outdoor mass spectacles of the early
revolutionary period; "Okhlopkov and
Tonecki: Environmental Sta!!.in!!. in the Thirties," introducing the little-kn;wn work of
Poland's Zygmunt Tonecki, as well as the
more familiar experiments of Okhlopkov;
"Environments and Happenings," tracing
the movement of painters and sculptors into performance compositions during the' 50s
and '60s; "Found Environments," which
discusses guerilla/street theatre, the Bread
and Puppet Theatre, the Living Theatre,
Peter Brook and Robert Wilson, together
with post-modern dance works by Ann Halprin, Joan Jonas, and Meredith Monk; and
concluding with "Transformed Spaces,"
The History and Theory of Environ- bringing the account up to the works of Gromental Scenography by Arnold Aron- towski, Polieri, Schechner, Ronconi, and
1nouchkine.
son. Ann Arbor, Michigan: UMI Research
As the above precis indicates, Aronson's
Press, 1981. ISBN 0-8357-1224-9, xiv + 282
definition of environmental theatre is broad
pp., ill., $44.95 cloth.
and encompasses a wide range of theatrical
The content of The HiSTOry and Theory and para-theatrical activity. A large majority
of Envirol1lnema! Scenography is clearly in- of the book is devoted to both descriptive
dicated by the title, although history seems to and pictorial examples of those environtake precedence over theory in this work. mental performances and/or performance
Aronson has pulled together an enormous spaces; and the most impressive aspect of the
amount of information hitherto found only book is the organization and arrangement of
in such scattered references as articles in The those examples into a coherent narrative. In
Drama RevielV, TheaTre Crajrs, Theatre Arrs addition, Aronson's classifications and obMomMy, and 7i-avai! T1uj{jTra!e, for example, servations concerning the various elements
or books by Schechner, Mc amara, Kirby, and forms of environmental staging provide
Bablet, and Grotowski, to mention just a a clear and well-reasoned summary of an exfew. After an introductory chapter present- tremely diverse aspect of theatre. Occasioning a theoretical continuum of environmental ally, however, the reader wishes for a little
staging ranging from Frontal "perceived en- more discussion or connective material bevironment" to
on-frontal "surroundin!!. tween the array of examples and illustrations,
pace," the book provides a largely chrono~ and most particularly for some concludin!!.
logical account of environmemal perform- statement to the final chapter which seems t;
ance practices beginning with the thirteenth- end rather abruptly. Also, the large quantity
century production of Le Jell de !a Feuitee of pictorial illustrations-many from the earand continuing up to productions by Ariane ly decades of the century-although they are
Mnouchkine and the Theatre du Soliel in the by no means poor quality, are occasionally
slightly fuzzy and might have been improved
early 1970s.
had they been primed on a higher quality
Although basically chronological in forphoto-reproduct ion paper-not an unreamat, the text is organized into specific aspect
sonable
request in \·iew of the price of the
of environmental theory and practice. Following the introductory section, the chapters book.
These are minor quibbles, howcver, and
include "The EIl\·ironmemal Tradition"
which discusses medieval mumming , proc~s- do not alter the fact that the book is an important contribution to the literalUre of scensional performance, fairs, and amusement
ography.
It is an excellent companion volparks-mostly prior to the 20th century;
ume to such studies of non-traditional con"Reactions Against the Proscenium," intemporary theatre as E. T. Kirby's Tora!
cluding such diverse elements as outdoor
TheaTre, i\lichacl Kirby's Happenings,
plays, musicals, and operas produced in the
thirties, forties, and fifties. These illustrations and examples have an antiquarian interest although they ignore contemporary applications of the principles being discussed.
This is the book's only shortcoming. From
a historical point of view it is interesting seeing speaker locations in the old Metropolitan
Opera House but it would be even more
valuable to see this information contrasted
with the sound system presently employed at
Lincoln Center or in relationship to the latest
Broadway musical. Inclusion of this type of
material in the book's present revision would
have considerably broadened its perspective
and appeal. Even without these additions the
book must be regarded as a standard in its
field and should be read by anyone interested
in sound in the theatre.
Robert C. Hansen
Bowling Green State Univer ity

USITT Summer 1983

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