Proletarian theatre and the Comintern: Transnational context of the International Association of Workers' Theatres (1926–1932)

Abstract

The article focuses on the early history of the International Association of Workers' Theatre (MORT in Russian, 1929–1936) that was founded under auspice of the Comintern. Based on archival resources, the article highlights the role of the independent group “Proletarian Theatre” in establishing and promoting the ideas of ‘agitprop' theatre through its transnational connections. The group's members, the Soviet and foreign dramaturgists, writers and theatrical activists, had various connections abroad and in “home” countries that they used to promote the workers' theatre. This early “grass-root” initiative was based on Proletcult ideas for the international theatre movement and infuenced the transnational activities of MORT during its early period (1929–1932), where transnational pertains to the trans-boundary ties and collaboration with foreign theatrical groups and creation of a transnational network of ‘agitprop' theatres and beyond. This activity resulted in strengthening the left theatre movement and many of the theatrical groups joined MORT also as part of national theatrical associations. This period paved the way for the policy of the Popular Front, announced by the Comintern in the mid-1930s.