Baz Kershaw - Note

==========
The Politics of Performance: Radical Theatre as Cultural Intervention (Baz Kershaw)

- ote !oc" #$$ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *,:$- P.
teatrul de interventie")ot face referiri la tan/a )ro0evt1,*2,*
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #$4-5* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *,:$6 P.
It follows that we must move 7e'ond formalist anal'sis8which treats theatre as if it were
inde)endent of its social and )olitical environment8 and consider )erformance as a cultural
construct and as a means of cultural )roduction" It also follows that )articular )erformances( as far
as )ossi7le( have to 7e seen in their full cultural milieu: in relation to the aesthetic movements of
which the' are a )art9 in relation to the institutional structures of the arts9 in relation to the 4 The
)olitics of )erformance cultural formations which the' inha7it"
==========
- ote !oc" #5* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *,:5* P.
de retinut ca )rocedeu"startin/ )oint
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" #4* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *,:5+ P.
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" #-, % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *,:55 P.
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #;--6# % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *,:5; P.
<n one side( there is the )ossi7ilit' ( )ace =illiams) that( as )art of the )ost-war counter-cultures(
alternative theatre si/nificantl' contri7uted to )ro/ressive chan/es in the dominant culture( forcin/
ad0ustments in the /eneral social and )olitical order" <n the other side( alternative theatre and the
counter-cultures ma' have 7een sim)l' a7sor7ed into the dominant order throu/h a )rocess of
re)ressive tolerance which effectivel' neutralised their o))ositional ideolo/ies and reinforced the
status >uo"
==========
- ote !oc" #6# % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *+:** P.
)resu)unand ca ar e?ista la noi o reala miscare""")oate sa se intam)le acelasi lucru ca in @KA
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" ,*5-#* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *+:*$ P.
The develo)ment of alternative and communit' theatre as a whole is descri7ed mostl' in terms of
trends( as re)resented 7' the emer/ence of new t')es of a))roach to the )roduction and distri7ution
of )erformance" The wider cultural histor' focuses on the relationshi) of alternative theatre to other
cultural institutions( )articularl' mainstream theatre and the state fundin/ a/encies( while the
outline socio-)olitical histor' tends to stress the structural tensions which affected the evolution of
British culture /enerall' durin/ the )eriod" Throu/h 0u?ta)osin/ these three t')es of material in
each cha)ter I ho)e to su//est how the s)ecific )otential efficac' of )erformance and the /eneral
)otential efficac' of the movement e?erted com)lementar' influences on the dominant order"
==========
- ote !oc" ,#* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *+:*4 P.
de retinut ca ti) de analiza")ot re)era el comune )t dram de du)a ;6"cel mai )ro7a7il-schelet articol
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" ,,- % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *+:## P.
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" ,,- % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:,- P.
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" ,+6 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:+* P.
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" ,-*--+ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:+5 P.
.' central assum)tion is that )erformance can 7e most usefull' descri7ed as an ideolo/ical
transaction 7etween a com)an' of )erformers and the communit' of their audience" Ideolo/' is the
source of the collective a7ilit' of )erformers and audience to ma:e more or less common sense of
the si/ns used in )erformance( the means 7' which the aims and intentions of theatre com)anies
connect with the res)onses and inter)retations of their audiences"
==========
- ote !oc" ,-+ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:+5 P.
sBar )utea sa imi serveasca
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" ,-+--5 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:+; P.
Thus( ideolo/' )rovides the framewor: within which com)anies encode and audiences decode the
si/nifiers of )erformance" I view )erformance as a transaction 7ecause( evidentl'( communication
in )erformance is not sim)l' uni-directional( from actors to audience"
==========
- ote !oc" ,-5 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:+; P.
la fel
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" ,----6 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:+6 P.
It is not sim)l' that the audience affects emotional tone or st'listic nuance: the s)ectator is en/a/ed
fundamentall' in the active construction of meanin/ as a )erformance event )roceeds" In this sense
)erformance is Ca7outD the transaction of meanin/( a continuous ne/otiation 7etween sta/e and
auditorium to esta7lish the si/nificance of the si/ns and conventions throu/h which the'
==========
- ote !oc" ,-6 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:+6 P.
transfer2tranzactie
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" ,;* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:$* P.
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +*+-$ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:5* P.
In an im)ortant sense( then( we are dealin/ with a rare attem)t to evolve an o))ositional )o)ular
==========
- ote !oc" +*$ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:5# P.
o:E
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +*5-#* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:5, P.
Fo I am concerned now to see in what wa's BrechtDs dictum that Cit is not enou/h to understand the
world( it is necessar' to chan/e itD mi/ht 7e e?em)lified in 7oth its as)ects 7' British communit'
and alternative theatre( at 7oth the micro- and macro-levels of )erformance" Thus( whilst it is
o7vious that alternative theatre did not 7rin/ a7out a )olitical revolution( it is 7' no means certain
that it failed to achieve other t')es of /eneral effect" &s Ro7ert 3ewison ar/ues( the )ossi7ilit' that
it did contri7ute si/nificantl' to the )romotion of e/alitarian( li7ertarian and emanci)ator'
ideolo/ies( and thus to some of the more )ro/ressive socio-)olitical develo)ments of the last three
decades( cannot 7e 0ustifia7l' dismissed"
==========
- ote !oc" +#* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *$:5+ P.
daca fortez si eu )t sla7a miscare de interventie de la noiA
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +#+-#; % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:** P.
To )ut it at its sim)lest: ideolo/' is an' s'stem of more or less coherent values which ena7les
)eo)le to live to/ether in /rou)s( communities and societies" Thus( to the e?tent that )erformance
deals in the values of its )articular societ'( it is dealin/ with ideolo/'" But in )ractice such dealin/
is far more com)licated than this over-sim)le formulation su//ests" The conce)t of ideolo/' has
/enerated a minefield of inter)retations re/ardin/ the wa's it ma' relate to culture and societ'" The
critical de7ates have 7een lon/ and com)le?( as even Performance( communit'( culture #6 the
7riefest /lim)se of their ma0or themes will show (G"B" Thom)son #66*9 Ha/leton #66#)"
==========
- ote !oc" +#; % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:** P.
ideolo/ie1teatruA
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +,*-,4 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:#* P.
Recent .ar?ist theorists( followin/ the lead of &lthusser and Iramsci( /enerall' ar/ue that there is
such an order( that it is run 7' a rulin/ class( and that it is lar/el' the function of cultural )roduction
to reinforce the structures of )ower 7' )romul/atin/ (in man' diverse and com)le? wa's) a
dominant ideolo/' which o)erates in the interests of such rulin/ classes" Fu7ordinate social /rou)s
acce)t this ideolo/' throu/h a )rocess of he/emon'" This conce)t indicates the )redominance of a
form of consciousness (or set of 7eliefs) which serves the interests of an e?clusive social /rou)( the
Crulin/ classD" The ma0orit' in societ'( however( unconsciousl' collude in their own su7ordination
7ecause he/emon' reinforces the dominant form of consciousness 7' ma:in/ it seem CnaturalD or
Ccommon senseD"
==========
- ote !oc" +,5 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:#* P.
)oate )ot sa le/ de 7art/
==========
- ote !oc" +,5 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:#+ P.
)oate )ot sa le/ de 7arthes si miturile 7ur/heze
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +,;-+# % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:#4 P.
In com)lete contrast to this )osition( the writin/s of structuralist and )ost-structuralist theorists(
such as Joucault( Kerrida and Baudrillard( tend to resist the idea of ideolo/' in a world in which(
from their )ers)ective( lan/ua/e has 7ecome dissociated from its o70ect( the si/n from what it
si/nifies" Jor these thin:ers( an' notion of a sta7le s'stem of meanin/ is anathema( and so
ideolo/ical conce)ts( such as Cthe selfD( im)l' a Cfalse transcendanceD (Fturroc: #6-6:#5)"
==========
- ote !oc" ++# % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:#4 P.
no"si aici ce fac daca indroduc ceva din 7audrillardA)oate mer/ in )aralel"""daca )are c> ma conduce
undeva"""desi nucred
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" ++4-$* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:#6 P.
Jredric Gameson( who states: I 7elieve that the emer/ence of )ostmodernism is closel' related to the
emer/ence of LtheM moment of late( consumer or multinational ca)italism" I 7elieve also that its
formal features in man' wa's e?)ress the lo/ic of that )articular social s'stem" (Joster #6;5:#,5)
GamesonDs ar/ument raises the issue of whether or not a sociall' critical or effectivel' o))ositional
art can 7e created within the C)ostmodern conditionD"
==========
- ote !oc" +$* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:#6 P.
)e asta il /asesc in s connor de la 7cu" de retinut intre7area
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +5*-5# % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+* P.
=ithin or alon/side the dominant ideolo/ies other( o))ositional( ideolo/ies ma' stru//le for
cultural s)ace and ma' sometimes even modif' the dominant ideolo/ies to a si/nificant de/ree"
==========
- ote !oc" +5# % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+* P.
se a)lica la noiA)oate sa zic ca as)ira sau tatoneaza"""
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +5#-5+ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+# P.
Cultural institutions and )roducts are clearl' central to the maintenance of dominant ideolo/ies( and
are fre>uentl' the locus for ideolo/ical stru//le in societ'" In )articular( theatre and )erformance are
ma0or arenas for the reinforcement and2or the uncoverin/ of he/emon'"
==========
- ote !oc" +5+ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+# P.
astta e 7una"de cercetat cine o mai zice"de cautat eventual )e la 7ourdieu"""
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +5$-5- % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:++ P.
Therefore( it is m' contention that( as a result of its nature and scale( the movement offered a
si/nificant challen/e to the status >uo( and ma' even have contri7uted to the modification of
dominant ideolo/ies in the #6-*s and #6;*s" This /eneral efficac' 7ecame )ossi7le 7ecause
)erformance was es)eciall' well suited to the st'les of cele7rator' )rotest and cultural
interventionism favoured 7' the new o))ositional cultural formations which emer/ed 7etween #645
and #66*"
==========
- ote !oc" +5- % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:++ P.
haha"s-o vad si )e asta la noiE
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" +5- % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+$ P.
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +4*-4, % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+5 P.
To have an' ho)e of chan/in/ its audience a )erformance must somehow connect with that
audienceDs ideolo/' or ideolo/ies" 3owever( the lon/er-term effects8ideolo/ical or otherwise8
that a )erformance actuall' mi/ht have on its audience( and their communit' or communities( are
notoriousl' difficult to determine"
==========
- ote !oc" +4, % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+5 P.
da"cum masoriA
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +-$--4 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+6 P.
Fchechner thus defines )erformance as: The whole constellation of eventsNthat ta:e )lace in2
amon/ )erformers and audience from the time the first s)ectator enters the field of )erformance8
the )recinct where the theatre ta:es )lace8to the time the last s)ectator leaves" (Fchechner
#6;;:+6)
==========
- ote !oc" +-4 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:+6 P.
def schechner
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" +-6-;* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:$* P.
If we e?tend FchechnerDs lo/ic( it follows that ever'thin/ else which is done in )re)aration for( and
in the aftermath of( the )roduction is )art of the )erformance and ma' affect its socio-)olitical
si/nificance( and its )otential efficac'( for the s)ectators"
==========
- ote !oc" +;* % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:$* P.
cont def
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" $**-$*+ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:$; P.
3ence( in su//estin/ how communit' theatre )erformances ma' achieve ideolo/ical efficac' we
will need to ta:e into account all as)ects of the event which 7ear on the ideolo/ical transaction
7etween a theatre com)an' and the communit' of the audience in an' cultural conte?t" 3ow the
audience /athers for a )erformance( and dis)erses when it is over( ma' 7e as im)ortant to its
ideolo/ical rece)tion of the show as( sa'( the st'le of )erformin/ itself" In
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" $**-$*+ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:5* P.
3ence( in su//estin/ how communit' theatre )erformances ma' achieve ideolo/ical efficac' we
will need to ta:e into account all as)ects of the event which 7ear on the ideolo/ical transaction
7etween a theatre com)an' and the communit' of the audience in an' cultural conte?t" 3ow the
audience /athers for a )erformance( and dis)erses when it is over( ma' 7e as im)ortant to its
ideolo/ical rece)tion of the show as( sa'( the st'le of )erformin/ itself"
==========
- ote !oc" $*+ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *5:5* P.
va tre7ui sa am si asta in vedere )t ca nu )ot v7 e?clusiv des)re dram
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" $## % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *4:#, P.
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" $#$-#4 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *4:#$ P.
Thus( the ludic role of s)ectator turns )erformance into a :ind of ideolo/ical e?)eriment in which
the outcome has no necessar' conse>uence for the audience" Parado?icall'( this is the first condition
needed for )erformance efficac'"
==========
- ote !oc" $#4 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *4:#$ P.
nu )rea intele/"""
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" $+*-+4 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *6:#* P.
In Theatricalit' Hliza7eth Burns )rovides a ver' useful )rotosemiotic anal'sis of theatrical dualit'"
3er account matches FchechnerDs and 3iltonDs in notin/ that )erformance ta:es )lace
simultaneousl' on two levels" Fhe descri7es these as Cinteraction 7etween )erformers and s)ectators
and interaction 7etween characters in the )la'D (Burns #6-,:+#)" BurnsD model for anal'sis is the
traditional mainstream one that sees theatre )rimaril' in terms of character( dialo/ue( )lot and so on"
onetheless( her sociolo/ical )ers)ective leads her to ma:e a ver' useful distinction 7etween two
different t')es of convention which /overn the audienceDs readin/ of )erformance" The first t')e
she calls Crhetorical conventionsD:
==========
- ote !oc" $+4 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *6:## P.
relatie duala
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" $$$-$5 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *6:#+ P.
Rhetorical conventions are thus crucial to the ideolo/ical framin/( via horizons of e?)ectation( of
)erformin/"
==========
- ote !oc" $$5 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *6:#+ P.
o:
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" $-,--$ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *6:,6 P.
Fecondl'( the lon/er-term effects of a crisis of authenticatin/ conventions will de)end centrall' on
their success in en/a/in/ with the fundamental values of the audience: 7oth outra/e and a sense of
ri/hteousness can last a lon/ time when the most cherished s'm7ols of 7elief are desecrated or
cele7rated (as was seen in the Falman Rushdie affair)"
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" $-$ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *6:,6 P.
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 5#--#6 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( *6:$; P.
Cohen ar/ues that all communities identif' themselves 7' creatin/ 7oundaries 7etween what is
included and what is e?cluded as )art of the communit'" These 7oundaries are esta7lished throu/h
the constant use of a))ro)riate s'm7ols 7' the networ:s of the communit'( includin/ the notion of
Ccommunit'D itself"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 5-+--$ % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( #*:,$ P.
3owever( the )oint also underlines a crucial notion in the ar/ument of this 7oo:: namel'( that the
conte?t of )erformance directl' affects its )erceived ideolo/ical meanin/"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 5-$--- % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( #*:,5 P.
Conse>uentl'( in a com)etition to )roduce an es)eciall' dense formulation( we mi/ht cr')ticall'
claim that the ideolo/ical relativit' of )erformance is a function of the )otential varia7ilit' of value
s'stems inscri7ed in all as)ects of its conte?t" I will call this the conte?tualit' of )erformance( 7'
which I mean the )ro)ensit' of )erformance to achieve different meanin/s2readin/s accordin/ to
the conte?t in which it occurs"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 5;,-;5 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( #*:,- P.
3owever( inter-te?tualit' is not sim)l' a matter of direct allusion9 the rhetorical conventions that
esta7lish a te?t as a mem7er of a )articular /enre( sa'( are o)eratin/ inter-te?tuall'" The same is true
for the )articular st'le created 7' authenticatin/ conventions" Fo the construction of meanin/
inevita7l' involves inter-te?tualit'( and the 7ur/eonin/ of the mass media in the late twentieth
centur' has made =estern audiences es)eciall' s:illed in inter-te?tual readin/"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 5;--;6 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( #*:,; P.
inter-te?tualit' tends to ma:e readers more active in the creation of meanin/9 it ma:es us into what
Gohn Jis:e has called the C)roducerl' readerD (Jis:e #6;6:#,,)"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 4,4-,6 % &dded on Thursda'( &)ril *+( ,*#$( #*:+$ P.
3ence( I will ado)t his notion of culture as a Csi/nif'in/ s'stemD( 7' which he means the s'stem of
si/ns via which /rou)s( or/anisations( institutions( and( of course( communities reco/nise and
communicate with each other in the )rocess of 7ecomin/ a more or less influential formation within
societ'" In other words( CcultureD is the medium which can unite a ran/e of different /rou)s and
communities in a common )ro0ect in order to ma:e them into an ideolo/ical force o)eratin/ for or
a/ainst the status >uo"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" ;6$-6; % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,# &.
CH?)erimentalD is used mostl' 7' historians and critics who wish to stress the aesthetics of theatre"
These writers also tend to treat theatre as if its different st'les can 7e cate/orised on a /rand
continuum or scale( ran/in/ from the traditional to the e?)erimental" The usa/e also usuall' im)lies
the e?istence of historical continuit'8 even if it is a histor' of modernist disru)tions and 7rea:s8
as in this e?tract from a :e' te?t on the internationalism of the twentieth-centur' theatrical avant
/arde:
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 6*#-, % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,, &.
CH?)erimentalD was a term fre>uentl' used in the #64*s to denote the earl' 7e/innin/s of the
alternative theatre( 7efore its )ractices were manifestl' allied to the new cultural movements"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 6*+-4 % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,, &.
In com)lete contrast to Ce?)erimentalD( Cunder/roundD was used to si/nif' the counter-cultural
ori/ins and ideolo/ical affiliations of the new theatre" The term first a))eared in the mid-#64*s(
when it was a))lied to the o))ositional 'outh su7-cultures of the hi))ies and earlier Chi)D /rou)s(
such as the &merican 7eats (.ell' #6-#:##;)"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 6#+-#4 % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,$ &.
The term o7viousl' indicates the culturall' com7ative nature of these earl' theatre /rou)s( not
mainl' in relation to theatre or its histor'( 7ut in relation to the dominant socio-)olitical structure" It
also denotes that each /rou) is )art of a wider cultural movement( and su//ests discontinuit' in
relation to theatre histor'" C@nder/roundD is now used most commonl' in theatre criticism as a
historical term referrin/ to the earl' )hase (#645O-*) in the develo)ment of alternative theatre"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 6,5-,4 % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,4 &.
Kes)ite8or )erha)s 7ecause of8its im)recision( Cfrin/eD 7ecame the term most favoured 7'
mainstream theatre historians in the #6-*s( who fre>uentl' noted that it covers )oliticall' radical
)ractices"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 6,--+* % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,4 &.
3u/h 3unt mana/es a nice 7alance 7etween the three :e' terms under discussion( 7efore risin/ to a
>uaintl' e?)ressed conclusion: Toda' the frin/e has emer/ed from the under/round to 7ecome a
valua7le alternative to the esta7lished theatreN while it would 7e a mista:e to overrate the
im)ortance of some of its manifestations( the CalternativeD theatre can )la' a vital and
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 6+*-+, % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,- &.
demandin/ role in the maintainin/ of live theatreNand a 'oun/ )u7lic nourished on the Ctell'D(
C7lue moviesD( C)o) starsD and C)otD( will never a/ain return to the formalities and conventions of
Irvin/Ds !'ceum"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 6++-+- % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,; &.
This is t')ical of mainstream criticsD usa/e( in that it )la's down the o7vious centrist assum)tions
of the term 7' stressin/ how the Cfrin/eD is a )ositive e?tension or e?)ansion of the theatre industr'
as a whole" It is a tactic fre>uentl' em)lo'ed in a 7id to assert ideolo/ical neutralit'( 7ut( as Ro7ert
3ewison )oints out( Cfrin/eD inevita7l' Csu//ests a mar/inalisationD (3ewison( #6;4:#;5)" &nd it
has fre>uentl' 7een used8even 7' critics s'm)athetic to the movement8in wa's which reduce the
cultural and social si/nificance of the wor: it descri7es"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" 6$*-$, % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( #,:,6 &.
the )eo)le who do the :inds of CtheatreD wor: descri7edNin this 7oo:( haveNre0ected conventional
or mainstream or esta7lishment theatre in favour of what some would hardl' re/ard as theatre at all(
7ut which could a))ro)riatel' 7e called Calternative theatreD" (Itzin #6-4:#)
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #*+$-$# % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:,* P.
Jor instance( the first writer who dealt with the su70ect in an' detail ar/ued that successful
communit' theatre Cmeans Lthe com)an'M identif'in/ with the )eo)le who live in a re/ion( not in
an' sim)le audience 7uildin/ sense( 7ut with what most affects their livesD (3unt #6-5:#$)" This
was the conclusion that &l7ert 3unt came to after stud'in/ four re)resentative rural communit'
theatre /rou)s in #6-$25" Fuch CidentificationD ma' have as its focus the )rovision of theatre for
)eo)le who find mainstream theatre inaccessi7le for /eo/ra)hical or cultural reasons( 7ut 3unt
ar/ues convincin/l' that more fundamental social and )olitical )ur)oses will 7e found if com)anies
concentrate on Cdevelo)in/ a /enuinel' re/ional theatre 7ased on )eo)leDs needsD (3unt #6-5:#4)"
This anal'sis )ro0ects us to the heart of the ideolo/ical nature of a theatre which aims to identif'
with the communit'( 7ecause )erformances which ho)e to address real needs must inevita7l'
en/a/e with >uestions of the communit'Ds values and 7eliefs"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #*$4-5, % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:+, P.
In it I ar/ued that the 0o7 of communit' theatre is to create a dialectic 7etween the )resent state and
future )ossi7ilities of )articular communities( moderated 7' a :nowled/e of( and an identification
with( those communities (Kershaw #6-;)" B' challen/in/ communities in a s'm)athetic wa' a7out
their future( then such theatre ma' contri7ute to communit' develo)ment" This is a fairl' anarcho-
li7eral version of em)owerment (one that now seems to me to 7e too va/ue)( which avoids s)ecific
identification of the CenemiesD that em)owerment is aimed a/ainst( thou/h the im)lication is that
an' a/enc' which undermines self-determination and autonom' at least has to 7e interro/ated a7out
its ideolo/ical intentions"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #*5,-5- % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:++ P.
In the second article( which is a7out T< <T (The <ther <?fordshire Theatre)( Gulian 3ilton ar/ues
that communit' theatre should aim )rimaril' to 7ecome an e?)ression of the communit' for which
it wor:s (3ilton #6-6)" 3e lin:s theatre with ritual and identifies two main t')es of event for
communit' theatre: rites of intensification( in which the e?istin/ identit' of the communit' is
hei/htened and confirmed9 and rites of )assa/e( in which the aim is to )roduce a more Cmature
communit'D 7' for/in/ new com7inations from communit' o70ectives and interests that are alread'
)resent" The lin: with ritual si/nals this as a fairl' conservative view of em)owerment( so that the
theatre com)an' 7ecomes )rinci)all' an a/enc' hel)in/ to fulfil the e?istin/ needs of the
communit'"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #*5;-45 % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:+5 P.
Ton' 3oward re)orts that the aim of this communit' 4, The )olitics of )erformance theatre was Cto
7e a mouth)iece( dramatisin/ local issuesD in the fi/ht for self-determination (3oward #6;*)" This
was a theatre of self-hel) and direct action a/ainst :nown /rou)s of adversaries( in which the
interests of the communit' were defined in o))osition to other interested )arties( such as the Ireater
!ondon Council( the develo)ment com)anies( the )lanners" Hm)owerment in this version of
communit' theatre was more a matter of )rovidin/ e?tra muscle for the fist-fi/hts of communit'
)olitics" This a))roach was ali/ned with the more overtl' radical )ractices of the e?)licitl' )olitical
theatre com)anies( thou/h the )olitical focus was /ained throu/h the identification of the com)an'
with the immediate socio-)olitical o70ectives of the communit'( rather than with the ideolo/ies of
)art' )olitics"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #*46--, % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:+- P.
3owever( there is alwa's the )otentiall' dan/erous assum)tion that( whatever the socio-)olitical or
cultural needs of the communit'( the com)an' can in some wa' increase its )ower" The )atronisin/
im)lication then is that the communit' needs the com)an'" It is clear( too( that the identification of
needs is frau/ht with difficulties: the satisfaction of some needs( for e?am)le( ma' 7enefit one )art
of the comunit' to the disadvanta/e of another8and a theatre com)an' ma' well 7e unaware of
this dan/er at the moment the needs are identified"
==========
- ote !oc" #*-, % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:+- P.
riscuri
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #*;$-;- % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:$# P.
&s the Conference re)ort )ut it: There is no hard and fast distinction 7etween the communit' artist
and )erformer( 7ut there is a :ind of slidin/ scale a/ainst which different t')es of relationshi) with
the communit' can 7e measured: from the communit' artist who is resident in a communit' and
who encoura/es )eo)le to )ursue artistic activities( to the communit' )erformer who visits a
num7er of different communities and communicates with audiences usin/ s:ills the' do not
)ossess" (Fouth =est &rts #6;*:#-)
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" #*;;-6# % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:$, P.
&nd the transactional nature of that last CwithD is reinforced 7' the ConferenceDs conclusions on
)olic'-ma:in/: Jeed-7ac: from communities should 7e develo)ed 7' discussions with audiences(
audience surve's( and throu/h o7servers in communities advisin/ on com)an' )olic'" & central
>uestion that /rou)s should alwa's 7ear in mind: should a com)an' alter its )olic' to fit a
communit' or should it find an audience in the communit' which is willin/ to acce)t its own
)articular st'le of wor:A (Fouth =est &rts #6;*:#6)
==========
- ote !oc" #*6# % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *5:$, P.
7una intre7areE
==========
- Boo:mar: !oc" ##*5 % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *4:,# P.
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" ##*4-6 % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *4:+, P.
Rather than draw the audience into a )rivate vision of the world which creates its own Crealit'D (a
:ind of totalitarianism in itself )( the /eneral a))roach ta:en 7' communit' theatre is to ta:e out an
inter)retation of a 7roader social realit'( often collectivel' arrived at( the final test of which occurs
on Cthe floorD( that midwa' zone where the interests of actors and audience are addressed e>uall'"
(Iooch #6;$:;+)
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" ##+$-$, % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *4:+; P.
&s we have seen( su7se>uent anal'ses have unravelled some of the relationshi)s 7etween drama as
a wea)on and drama as a voice in communit' theatre" The notion that 7' identif'in/ with the
communit' a theatre com)an' mi/ht in some wa' enhance the communit'Ds identit' is surel' a
)rere>uisite to the voicin/ of common or related interests" &nd if those interests are in an' wa' in
conflict8either within the communit'( or in the communit'Ds relationshi) to societ'( or in the
relationshi) 7etween communit' and com)an'8then )erformance can 7ecome a wea)on" But
whichever wa' the wea)on cuts (and it can 7e dan/erousl' dou7le-ed/ed)( the intention of
communit' theatre is to stren/then the self-determination of the communit'( to contri7ute to the
em)owerment of the communit'( and throu/h that to au/ment the ideolo/ical survival of the
communit' within8or a/ainst8the dominant socio-)olitical order" &s a conse>uence communit'
theatre is )articularl' su70ect to conte?tualit'( and this causes it often to develo) es)eciall' su7tle
ideolo/ical ne/otiations with its audiences" =ithin the len/thenin/ histor' of alternative theatre this
was communit' theatreDs )articular contri7ution"
==========
- 3i/hli/ht !oc" $#-4--6 % &dded on Jrida'( &)ril *$( ,*#$( *4:5- P.
In similar fashion( a))roaches to administration and mana/ement were desi/ned to increase the
res)onsiveness and the accessi7ilit' of the com)an' to the communit'" These structural strate/ies
were )art and )arcel of each /rou)Ds determination to for/e a new relationshi) with its audiences
and their communities"

Baz Kershaw - Note

Transféré par

Informations du document

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Baz Kershaw - Note

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

==========

The Politics of Performance: Radical Theatre as Cultural Intervention (Baz Kershaw)

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi