Foreign

Home page

Foreign

British literary critic delivers lecture about Azerbaijani writer Elchin

23 November 2011 10:04 (UTC +04:00)

Despite writing more than 100 books, translated into more than 40 languages, being on the Azerbaijani school curriculum and coming from a long line of literary forebears, Professor Elchin Efendiyev remains virtually unknown in the West. David explained: â€œThe reason for this shocking omission is to be found in the sphere of recent international politics, whereby the â€˜Iron Curtainâ€™ drawn between the Soviet sphere and Western powers proved to be an almost impenetrable block to cutting-edge artistic exchange.â€ David particularly emphasised Professor Elchinâ€™s relationship to the Dadaist enterprise that flourished in the years immediately following the First World War, where â€œrevolutionaries sliced into the substance of revered cultural structuresâ€, and comedy was placed on parity with accepted concepts of â€˜highâ€™ art. Initially coming to prominence during the 1960s, the author worked within the limitations placed upon him by the Soviet regime, cleverly harnessing the approved conception of â€˜realismâ€™ to subvert authority and amuse audiences.

David commented: â€œHis work led to the evolution of an experimental form of stagecraft known as â€˜Elchin Theatreâ€™. This is a subtle methodology, blending both recognisable national traits with a broader sense of the human condition.â€ He went on to compare his work with that of Henrik Ibsen, whose minimalist staging and approach towards his charactersâ€™ interiority created a transcendent state of meaning. David also drew comparisons between Professor Elchinâ€™s stagecraft and Mike Leighâ€™s approach to film, where actors are invited to develop their characterisations and improvise, with their interpretation resulting in a finalised script.
David concluded by inviting all those present to attend the inaugural English-language production of Shakespeare: A Comedy in Ten Scenes both Serious and Tragic. Produced by the Gruntlersâ€™ Theatre Group and sponsored by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UK, this landmark production will take place at The Horse Hospital, The Colonnade, Bloomsbury, London, WC1N 1JD.