Which Polish director developed the 'theatre laboratory' and 'poor theatre'?

Which Polish director developed the 'theatre laboratory' and 'poor theatre'?

• A. Jerzy Grotowski
• B. Konstantin Stanislavski
• C. Augusto Boal
• D. Viola Spolin

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is who first developed the theatre laboratory and the concept of poor theatre, which focus on stripping performance down to essentials and creating a powerful live encounter between actor and audience. Jerzy Grotowski founded the Theatre Laboratory in Poland and is the figure behind the idea of poor theatre. His approach centers on minimizing resources—no lavish sets or props—and using the actor’s body, voice, and training as the core tools, with the audience placed in close, intimate contact to heighten immediacy and transformation. This emphasis on disciplined technique, ritual-like intensity, and a stripped-down aesthetic set Grotowski apart. The other names are known for different directions: Stanislavski developed a system of actor training in Russia focusing on inner truth and method acting; Boal created Theatre of the Oppressed in Brazil; Spolin developed improvisational theatre games in the United States.

The idea being tested is who first developed the theatre laboratory and the concept of poor theatre, which focus on stripping performance down to essentials and creating a powerful live encounter between actor and audience. Jerzy Grotowski founded the Theatre Laboratory in Poland and is the figure behind the idea of poor theatre. His approach centers on minimizing resources—no lavish sets or props—and using the actor’s body, voice, and training as the core tools, with the audience placed in close, intimate contact to heighten immediacy and transformation.

This emphasis on disciplined technique, ritual-like intensity, and a stripped-down aesthetic set Grotowski apart. The other names are known for different directions: Stanislavski developed a system of actor training in Russia focusing on inner truth and method acting; Boal created Theatre of the Oppressed in Brazil; Spolin developed improvisational theatre games in the United States.