Understading Robert Edmond Jones' Towards a New Theater

In the second chapter of his book "Towards a New Theatre", Robert Edmond Jones explains the loss of art in American theatre. Although American theatre puts on the best show, has beautiful sets, and can do a good job "faking it", what we [as American actors] are practicing is far from what theatre should be. Drama is all around us, Jones comments, but not in the theatre. Today's theatre is missing life and is terribly …

…neither. The heart and head must work together, to bridge that already fine line between the two. For example, one cannot accurately portray the playwright's intent without reasoning what exactly the author's intent is. Nor can one communicate that to the audience without emotion, a heart-link between the two participants. Overall Jones' overall theme challenged me not to just accept what is going on in theatre, but to dream big and aim to transform it.