In the first of two programmes one of the greatest theatre directors of our time talks about the theatre as Ritual.
"Drama is a ritual expression of a past event, or events; whether such events "really" happened, like the murder of Julius Caesar, or whether they are fictitious, is irrelevant. The ritual of Drama can be, and perhaps should be. regarded as a religious ritual".
"It is reasonable to suppose that when primitive man felt the return of spring - warmer, longer days, soft rain, sprouting grass - he celebrated his joy in spontaneous song and dance and sexual abandon. But, when spring returned year after year, the celebrations gradually ceased to be spontaneous and hardened into ritual".

(A second talk by Sir Tyrone Guthrie: July 8)