The Psychological Gesture in The Theater of Animation - Case Study of the Performance The Butler Directed by Ciprian Hușanu

Animated theater uses, when directorially appropriate, theories and methods from dramatic theater. In this article, we aim to find the landmarks of the psychological gesture, a method of theatrical pedagogy initiated by Michael Chekhov, in animated theater performances. In this sense, we analyze the show The Butler, an adaptation of the novel The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, a production of the Faculty of Theater and the Synchret Company, from 2024. Following the director's (Ciprian Huțanu) message about a society with its declining customs, in the troubling historical context of the beginning of World War II, we detect how key principles of psychological realism or psychological gesture are involved in the animated spectacle. The intersection between the bunraku style adapted to the European stage, the scenic image, the sound universe build a cohesive production that appeals to the viewer's affective memory, creating emotional and powerful moments.