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Dassia Posner s eloquently written book demonstrates originality and impressive research. It will be useful to a wide range of audiences, including academics and students whose research involves Russian theatre, European modernism, Russian modernist directors and the theater of the grotesque. Julia Listengarten, author of<i>Russian Tragifarce: Its Cultural and Political Roots</i>

Posner explores the many ways in which Hoffmann's literary fantasies prompted a theatrical revolution in Russia during the first decades of the twentieth century. Through close analyses of archives and directorial promptbooks, she illustrates the rich lines of influence among three of Russia's most important avant-garde directors. --Sharon Marie Carnicke, author of Stanislavsky in Focus In The Director's Prism, Dassia Posner... not only authoritatively establishes Hoffman's importance but also offers an insightful account of the complex webs of innovation and inspiration at the heart of the Russian and early Soviet theatrical avant-garde. The Director's Prism convincingly establishes E. T. A. Hoffmann's poetics as a central component of Russian modernist aesthetics, offering clear evidence for its place in the work of each of the directors in question, bridging the divide between pre- and post-revolutionary work. While the book is essential reading for anyone interested in the Russian theatrical avant-garde, Posner's theorization of the concept of refraction makes it quite valuable for anyone interested in questions of artistic influence--especially as these are problematized by Modernism's thirst for innovation. --Slavic and East European Journal Provocative... Posner's book on the refraction of the 'fantastical Romantic Hoffman', informed by a depth of understanding of the context of revolutionary Russia and by meticulous original research, makes a valuable contribution to theatre history and to contemporary theatre study and practice. --Theater Research International Dassia Posner's eloquently written book demonstrates originality and impressive research. It will be useful to a wide range of audiences, including academics and students whose research involves Russian theatre, European modernism, Russian modernist directors and the theater of the grotesque. --Julia Listengarten, author of Russian Tragifarce: Its Cultural and Political Roots Hoffmann's impact on the Russian literary imagination, from the Romantics and Gogol on, is well known; so is the German author's prominence in the theatrical space at the turn of the twentieth century, up to the centenary of his death in 1922, which Posner, in an elegant and compelling way, situates as an epilogue to the Soviet engagement with Hoffmann and to her study... She makes extensive (as well as illuminating and loving) use of archival sources... [an] original and stimulating book. --Studies in Russian and Soviet Cinema .. .highly original and successful... a truly exceptional source for theatre scholars and practitioners alike. --Theatre Survey The Director's Prism is a splendid contribution to the history of Russian theater and more broadly to European and world theatrical and cultural history, combining expertise in various fields rarely found in a single scholar. --Harlow Robinson, author of Russians in Hollywood, Hollywood's Russians: Biography of an Image The Director's Prism takes as its starting point the works of E.T.A. Hoffmann and his influence... Yet, the work is much more than that. Take the sections on Hoffmann's influence away and this book would still have meaning and add new knowledge. Posner encourages us, like the directors that she examines, to see the role of theatricality in theatre. She creates an alternative lens through which we can examine how directors interpret text... As a director, the prism lens through which Posner shines a directorial light is both useful and meaningful: it also enables a clear frame in which we are able to re-examine these practitioners... Posner's ability to draw on a variety of sources including promptbooks, diaries, reviews, government documents, and letters lies at the heart of the book's strength. In a time where our assumptions are shifting in relation to Russian theatre practice, The Director's Prism should be recommended reading for all. --Stanislavski Studies

Posner explores the many ways in which Hoffmann s literary fantasies prompted a theatrical revolution in Russia during the first decades of the twentiethcentury. Through close analyses of archives and directorial promptbooks, she illustrates the rich lines of influence among three of Russia s most important avant-garde directors. Sharon Marie Carnicke, author of Stanislavsky in Focus

Dassia Posner's eloquently written book demonstrates originality and impressive research. It will be useful to a wide range of audiences, including academics and students whose research involves Russian theatre, European modernism, Russian modernist directors and the theater of the grotesque. --Julia Listengarten, author of Russian Tragifarce: Its Cultural and Political Roots The Director's Prism is a splendid contribution to the history of Russian theater and more broadly to European and world theatrical and cultural history, combining expertise in various fields rarely found in a single scholar. --Harlow Robinson, author of Russians in Hollywood, Hollywood's Russians: Biography of an Image Posner explores the many ways in which Hoffmann's literary fantasies prompted a theatrical revolution in Russia during the first decades of the twentieth century. Through close analyses of archives and directorial promptbooks, she illustrates the rich lines of influence among three of Russia's most important avant-garde directors. --Sharon Marie Carnicke, author of Stanislavsky in Focus Dassia Posner s eloquently written book demonstrates originality and impressive research. It will be useful to a wide range of audiences, including academics and students whose research involves Russian theatre, European modernism, Russian modernist directors and the theater of the grotesque. Julia Listengarten, author ofRussian Tragifarce: Its Cultural and Political Roots The Director s Prism is a splendid contribution to the history of Russian theater and more broadly to European and world theatrical and cultural history, combining expertise in various fields rarely found in a single scholar. Harlow Robinson, author of Russians in Hollywood, Hollywood s Russians: Biography of an Image Posner explores the many ways in which Hoffmann s literary fantasies prompted a theatrical revolution in Russia during the first decades of the twentiethcentury. Through close analyses of archives and directorial promptbooks, she illustrates the rich lines of influence among three of Russia s most important avant-garde directors. Sharon Marie Carnicke, author ofStanislavsky in Focus The Director s Prism is a splendid contribution to the history of Russian theater and more broadly to European and world theatrical and cultural history, combining expertise in various fields rarely found in a single scholar. Harlow Robinson, author of Russians in Hollywood, Hollywood s Russians: Biography of an Image

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Dassia Posner is an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre at Northwestern University, USA.

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