THEATER. ANTHROPOLOGICAL DIMENSION.

The article outlines the ontological conditionality and essence of theatrical performance. In the context of the development and philosophical understanding of art in general, it emphasizes the historically traceable prognostic and diagnostic functions of theater in particular. It highlights the eternal aspiration of the “body-consciousness” toward an all-encompassing comprehension of being and a cathartic penetration into the sacred - the Word The interconnection between art and science in understanding our world is explored. Within this framework, the phenomenon of “altered consciousness” is examined as a unifying element of the actor-audience whole, considering its uniqueness in stage-audience interaction and the conditions for its achievement. The focus is placed on the anthropological reflections of prominent theatrical thinkers such as Antonin Artaud, Jerzy Grotowski, Peter Brook, and Eugenio Barba, and the resonance of their conclusions with the ideas of Plato, Aristotle, G.W.F. Hegel, Carl Jung, Friedrich Nietzsche, and others regarding theater as a form of “sacred action” designed to uncover and reveal the most essential truths where Body and Word merge in their entirety. Special attention is given to the theatrical practices of Les Kurbas and his contribution to understanding the resonant and singular energy dynamics of the interaction between idea-being-author-director-actor-audience and the “correct integrity of thought and emotion” in artistic daily practice. The article emphasizes the conscious and subconscious striving for and achievement of this goal in the best acts of stage art of the past and present.