lavastusviise

Lavastusviis (plural lavastusviisid) is a term in Estonian theatre theory that refers to the manner or approach used when staging a production. It denotes how a director interprets a script and realizes it on stage, encompassing the overall artistic concept, visual design, spatial arrangement, and the timing and rhythm of performance.

The concept covers a range of concrete and abstract decisions: the director’s concept or interpretation of the text, scenography and lighting, sound and music, and the movement and acting style of performers. It also includes dramaturgical choices about pacing, focus, and the relationship between text and performance. Lavastusviis shapes how audiences perceive meaning, atmosphere, and the emotional arc of a production and is often used in analysis to compare different stagings of the same work or to identify a director’s distinctive approach.

Typologies of lavastusviis are used in theatre studies to describe naturalistic versus non-naturalistic, symbolic, poetic, or postdramatic approaches, as well as site-specific or multimedia-based productions. While lavastusviis is closely linked to the work of the lavastaja (stage director) and the broader field of lavastus (staging), it emphasizes the stylistic and conceptual manner of realization rather than the script alone. In practice, lavastusviis is often communicated through program notes, interviews, and the creative team’s statements.