Theatre and Modernity. An AI-driven transformation of the Deutscher Bühnen=Spielplan (1896–1910)

The poster presents a project that tests the use of digital tools and reworks an outstanding historical source as a research tool. The Deutscher Bühnen=Spielplan (Berlin 1896 ff.) is one of the most important sources for quantitative repertoire research for German-language theatre. The Spielplan appeared in annual volumes and published monthly calendar lists delivered by the theatre’s information officer (‘correspondent’), providing information on the venue and date of the performance, authors and translators, and titles of the works. In addition, guest performances, world premieres and other staging modalities are mentioned.

An AI-supported full-text digitisation of the Bühnen=Spielplan is currently being tested using the transcription platform Transkribus (READ-COOP). A major challenge here is the complex layout (irregular tables with numerous sets of brackets of different orientations, lines extending above and below, ditto marks). Therefore, the focus has been on training and the combined use of different types of layout models (field models versus table models).

The project thus focuses on the intertwining of content and methodology: a high-quality cultural studies source that allows for new evaluation possibilities will be made available for use in a web application, and automated digitisation of the complex print type ‘playbill’ is being tested. Results already show that the Deutsche Bühnen=Spielplan requires a sequence of several models with manual intermediate corrections: In order to deal with the challenges (including differentiation between table metadata and content, quantity brackets, overhangs, filler characters, large numbers of proper names), four different types of AI models were combined, namely field model, table model, baseline model and text recognition model. These are to be made publicly available. The effort is particularly worthwhile due to the prototypical nature of the project: the trained models and the established workflow can be transferred unchanged to 13 additional volumes of the Bühnen=Spielplan (1897–1910) with over 11,000 pages that have the same layout. Hence, it can also serve as a starting point for the development of other, similarly structured playbills.