S/LI/161. Give an account of the ways in which Robert Wilson and Pina Bausch have created a ‘concrete language’ for the theatre. In what ways can they be said to have produced a ‘poetry for the senses’? You should refer to at least one particular production by each.

‘Poetry for the senses’ is a term which implies that the senses are being awakened by a piece of theatre, and this also infers that language is not a principal device used. Robert Wilson and Pina Bausch both create ‘poetry for the senses’ through their own concepts of a ‘concrete language’ on stage. Wilson’s ‘operas’ and Bausch’s dance-theatre are pioneering genres of stage practice. This essay examines their different approaches and techniques, through looking at one pivotal theatre work of each, Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach and Bausch’s Carnations.