Teatrul – umbra de dincolo de noi. Umbra ca mediator între actor, personaj și spectator

Abstract

Theatre – The Shadow Beyond Us. The Shadow as a Mediator between Actor, Character and Spectator
In theatre, the shadow functions as a source of meaning and as a constitutive element of the actor’s creative process, beyond its immediate visual presence. This article examines the shadow as a psychological, aesthetic and ontological category mediating the relationship between the actor’s inner world, the character and the spectator. Drawing on the theoretical perspectives of Antonin Artaud, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, the Jungian tradition and Lucian Blaga, this study explores the connections between the shadow, the unconscious, corporeality, imagination and theatrical mystery. The actor’s body is understood as the concrete medium through which invisible impulses, repressed experiences and imaginary structures acquire scenic form. At the same time, the character becomes a space of tension between the actor’s identity and the otherness assumed through performance. The article argues that theatrical authenticity emerges when the actor’s inner contradictions are transformed into gesture, action, voice and presence. The shadow therefore becomes a creative force that links the invisible dimension of human existence to the visible reality of the stage.