German Expressionist Theatre: The Actor and the Stage considers the powerfully stylized, anti-realistic styles of acting on the German Expressionist stage from 1916 to 1921. It relates this striking departure from the dominant European acting tradition of realism to the specific cultural crises that enveloped the German nation during the course of its involvement in World War I. This book describes three distinct Expressionist acting styles, all of which in their own ways attempted to show how symbolic stage performance could be a powerful rhetorical resource for a culture struggling to come to terms with the crises of historical change. The examination of Expressionist script and actor memoirs allows for an unprecedented focus on description and analysis of acting itself.

"...fresh insights into German expressionism and its significance.... His research is thorough.... ...Kuhns provides informative descriptions of the settings, lighting, theater architecture, and costumes. Most useful to graduate students, researchers, and professionals." Choice

"I can recommend this volume for the library of anyone interested in German Expressionism and theater history generally." Monatshefte

"...prsents theroetical concepts clearly and back them up with detailed examples. It is based on a firm foundation of research, using such primary sources as reviews, memoirs,manifestoes and scripts, analyzed in light of pertinent theorical material." Pamela S. Saur, Germanic Notes and Reviews