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The Fox and the Mask. A fox had by some means got into the store-room of a theatre. Suddenly he observed a face glaring down on him, and began to be very frightened; but looking more closely he found it was only a Mask, such as actors use to put over their face. "Ah," said the Fox, "you look very fine; it is pity you have not got any brains." Outside is a poor substitute for inner worth. (Aesop, 620-560 BC) Descent of Drama on Earth. Having listened all this while, the sages, with their curiosity aroused, asked the allnowing Bharata as follows: "How the Drama descent from Heaven to Earth?" Now, as how Drama

came to Earth I shall tell you that too. All my sons, intoxicated with their knowledge of Natyaveda, at one time turned it to vulgar purposes, by performing only Prahasanas in which the sages were lampooned and caricatured. And the sages, burning like fire with anger said, "You are the Brahmins and it is not proper on your part to insult and caricature us. Your descendants will be dancers, and along with their wives and children they will be only serving others". "Oh, now drama is in perish". "No, drama shall not perish, but the rest of our curse will take effect. What was to

happen has happen. This Sastra is entertaining; it purifies; it is holy; it destroys sin. All these derive the same merit as may be derived by those who studies Vedas, those who perform sacrifice and those who perform acts of charity and religion". (Indian Natyanashastra, VI AD) Forget the theatre and look at the Noh. Forget the Noh and look at the actor. Forget the actor and look at the idea. Forget the idea and you understand Noh. (Japanese Noh Theatre instruction)

The general preference of dramatists for subjects in which the conflict is between man and his apparently inevitable and eternal rather than his political and temporal circumstances, is due in the vast majority of cases to the dramatist's political ignorance (not to mention that of his audience), and in a few to the comprehensiveness of his philosophy, (George Bernard Shaw) Ceux qui veulent comprendre au theatre sont ceux qui ne comprennent pas le theatre.

(Jean Giraudoux)

Il me semble que le theatre ne doit pas dependre de la philosophie qu'il exprime. II doit exprimer une philosophie, mais il ne faut pas qu'on puisse ä interieur de la piece poser le probleme valeur de la philosophie qui s'y exprime. (Jean-Paul Sartre) Quotations chosen by Jovan Cirilov