French Literature Reviews - 2026

Yvane Chapuis, Oscar Gómez Mata, Penser l'action. Un système d'entraînement de l'acteur·rice
Theatre and Performance

This book provides a documented record of the acting technique developed by Oscar Gómez Mata over the years across various educational contexts. Conceived as a manual for actors, it outlines a structured training system and highlights its aesthetic implications.

Penser l’action explores the vocabulary used to describe the actor's work, which, belonging as it does to the realm of the sensible, remains difficult to define precisely. Its careful attention to observing and describing exercises makes it both a practical guide and a work of theoretical reflection within the fields of theatre studies and the analysis of artistic practices.

Rooted in the fields of dance and theatre, the "Pratiques" series, directed by Yvane Chapuis, is dedicated to analyzing the practices of the performing arts.

The study of actor training has long occupied a central place in theatre studies, bridging the gap between physical movement and conceptual performance. This work documents the acting technique developed by Oscar Gómez Mata, outlining a structured training system and the vocabulary used to describe the actor's work. It serves as both a practical guide and a work of theoretical reflection, situating itself within the tradition of pedagogical manuals that seek to translate the sensory experience of the actor into a structured framework.

This volume is part of the Pratiques series, directed by Yvane Chapuis, which is dedicated to analyzing the practices of the performing arts. The book explores the vocabulary used to describe the actor's work, which remains difficult to define precisely due to its roots in the sensible. Readers interested in the history of theatre training and the documentation of artistic processes may find it relevant.