Enlightened Theatre Studies of Boris Lyubimov

The article focuses on the works of Professor Boris Lyubimov, published in three volumes under the title Present Century – Past Centuries. The author outlines Lyubimov’s scholar worldview foundations, which are firmly connected with the religious and philosophical tradition of Russian thought. The analysis focuses on three main aspects of his legacy: historical and theoretical works, theatre and literary criticism, and journalism. The author reveals his scholar methodology, based on a convergence of theatre science with revelations of Russian religious philosophers and probes of Russian philology. The scientific problems of his works are outlined: the relationship between cult and culture, between the Church and the theatre in a historical retrospective, the scenic nature of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s prosaic texts, the structure-forming significance of the triad “literature – actor – director” in the art of theatre, the scientific tools of modern theatre studies. The author analyses the broad humanitarian approach of the scientist to the phenomena of theatrical history and modernity, along with the key problems of Russian life, culture and spirit. The specific features of Lyubimov’s scientific analytics and critical reflection are highlighted: historicism, the method of contextual analysis, the accuracy of factual account and factual knowledge, the reasoned balance of judgments. The author considers the genre and thematic diversity of Lyubimov’s criticism, the range of problems he analyses and the main stylistic features of his journalistic works.