Stage Adaptations of Masks from Different Eras in the Director's Search of the First Third of the 20th Century

The purpose of the article is to analyse the concept of the universal actor and highlight fragments of the stage adaptation of masks from different eras in the works of the leading directors of the first third of the 20th century – Ye. Vakhtanhov, G. Craig, Les Kurbas, Vs. Meyerhold, A. Tairov. Research Methodology. Historical, comparative and phenomenological methods were used in the process of revealing of the goals set by this article. An important methodological basis of the research was the theory of frames by M. Minsky. Various national theatres, such as the Italian commedia dell’arte, the French fair comedy, the East Slavic Christmas vertep, etc., are distinguished by frames of the stage mask, which have been modified and transformed during the history. The scientific novelty of this study is to reveal the universal formative properties of the theatre mask; it has been demonstrated that mask techniques are the basic tool of the actor's work, and the use of models (frames) of the masks of different historical periods allows directors to model new cultural paradigms, produce stage versions that meet the requirements of the time. Conclusions. In the first third of the twentieth century, various modifications of masks were quite often the dominant means of acting expression, mechanisms for inventing a new figurative language and a form of communication with the public. In the practice of Ye. Vakhtanhov, Les Kurbas, Vs. Meyerhold, A. Tairov the most striking were the stage adaptations of commedia dell’arte masks, which enhanced the effect of the cheerful element and satirical sound of the plays “Balahanchik” (1906), “Woe to the Liar” (1918), “Princess Brambilla” (1920), “Princess Turandot” (1922)