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The book exploring the lesser-known key to understanding Bauhaus style

'Bauhaus' is a word that most people working or interested in anything remotely creative are very familiar with. For many people, it's synonymous with architecture; for many more, with simple shapes, modernism, and the idea of form as following function.

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Bauhaus theatre design by Oskar Schlemmer showing abstract geometric figures in patterned costumes standing at a rail, with a stylised performer figure on the left holding a circular prop.

As well as a style, Bauhaus was, of course, an art school; and pupils often received an education that blurred the boundaries between creative disciplines. One of is lesser-discussed mediums was theatre, although this provides one of the most fascinating and revelatory lenses through which to understand the central principles of the Bauhaus.

Those looking for a Bauhaus theatre 101 could do far worse than to learn about it straight from the horse's mouth, as it were, in the form of the book The Theater of the Bauhaus by Oskar Schlemmer and designed by László Moholy-Nagy.

Abstract Bauhaus stage set design featuring geometric forms in black and white, including cylindrical shapes, spheres and architectural elements arranged on a dark backdrop
Three stylised figures in geometric costumes and masks demonstrating abstract movement poses from Oskar Schlemmer's Triadic Ballet design sketches

Schlemmer took over the Bauhaus stage department in 1923 and is credited with shaping the Bauhaus stage into the stage of the Weimar period. László Moholy-Nagy, who was appointed to the Bauhaus the same year, wrote an essay for The Theater of the Bauhaus examining stage architecture, "Theatre, Circus, Variété", in which he sets out his interest in "abstract kinetic and luminary phenomena," as Lars Müller puts it. "Spatial dance, gestural dance, rod dance, Triadic Ballet: Oskar Schlemmer developed his costumed, masked dancer into an 'art figure' synthesising dance, masquerade, and music."

Overhead view of Bauhaus stage set with geometric shapes, cylindrical structures, figures in costumes on platforms and walkways, and abstract spatial composition in black and white
Oskar Schlemmer's abstract figure with a spherical head and stacked geometric forms in black and white, illustrating Bauhaus theatrical costume design principles

The Theater of the Bauhaus is one of the Bauhausbücher series of 14 books originally published in German from 1925 to 1930 – which are now being republished by Lars Müller in their first English translations.

Each of the books was written by a master or teacher at the Bauhaus school and aimed to explain their concepts and teaching methods. Other books in the series include Paul Klee's Pedagogical Sketchbook, Walter Gropius' International Architecture, New Design – Neoplasticism, Nieuwe Beelding by Piet Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg's Principles of Neo-Plastic Art, one of the most recent tranches of books to be released in the series.

Abstract black and white illustration of a stylised figure with geometric shapes, circular and curved forms, and angular limbs against a dark background
Black and white photograph of a stylised figure with a spherical head wearing a circular collar, torso encased in a large dark sphere, and conical lower body with vertical lines, representing a Bauhaus theatrical costume design
Bauhaus exhibition poster featuring a stylised figure in geometric form with bold typography for "Die Bühne im Bauhaus" and the number 4
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