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Conclusion

from Part V - The Global Transformation (starting c. 1800 ce)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2026

Steve Tillis
Affiliation:
Saint Mary's College of California
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Summary

The Conclusion focuses on three of the book’s recurring themes. First is the impact that broad historical forces have had on theatre history. Theatre’s nature as a social art explains why these forces weigh so heavily. Sudden social change (often interregional in scope) presents theatre artists with opportunities to expand their existing audiences or to develop new ones. Second is the frequency with which theatre forms have been shaped by syncretism. New theatre forms use whatever might be available and of interest; their ongoing development similarly takes advantage of whatever might seem appealing. Cultural appropriation is a recurring fact of theatre history. Although one can deplore disrespectful appropriations, no one “owns” a given theatre form or theatrical trait. The third theme is the depth of attraction that dramatic theatre has exerted upon people through the centuries and around the world. The development of drama presented via electronic media only reinforces the idea that “make-believe” performance has a universal appeal.

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  • Conclusion
  • Steve Tillis, Saint Mary's College of California
  • Book: The Cambridge Guide to World Theatre History
  • Online publication: 20 February 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009703475.022
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  • Conclusion
  • Steve Tillis, Saint Mary's College of California
  • Book: The Cambridge Guide to World Theatre History
  • Online publication: 20 February 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009703475.022
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Conclusion
  • Steve Tillis, Saint Mary's College of California
  • Book: The Cambridge Guide to World Theatre History
  • Online publication: 20 February 2026
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009703475.022
Available formats
×