Performance Studies

Performance Theory by Richard Schechner in 1988

Summary:

"Performance Theory" is a foundational text that delves into the interdisciplinary field of performance
studies. Schechner argues that performance is a pervasive aspect of human life, extending beyond
traditional theatrical contexts to encompass everyday rituals, social behaviors, and cultural practices.
The book explores the concept of "restored behavior" and how performances, both scripted and
unscripted, shape and reflect cultural norms.

Performance as Social Action:

Schechner expands the notion of performance beyond the confines of the stage, considering it as a
fundamental aspect of social action. He explores how individuals engage in performative acts in
various contexts, contributing to the construction and maintenance of social reality.

Ritual and Play:

The book explores the connections between performance, ritual, and play. Schechner examines how
rituals, whether religious or secular, involve performative elements, and how play can be a form of
performance that allows for experimentation with roles and identities.

Performance and Culture:

Schechner's work emphasizes the cultural significance of performance. He argues that performances
are crucial sites for the negotiation and expression of cultural values, beliefs, and power dynamics.

Expanded Notion of Performance:

Schechner challenges the traditional understanding of performance as scripted and staged events,
expanding the notion to include a wide range of human behaviors and interactions. This expanded
perspective invites scholars to consider the performative aspects of everyday life.

Time:

Set Time:

It is the standardized, clock or calendar time that structures our everyday lives. This type of time is
measurable, objective, and often externally imposed. It follows a predictable and regular pattern, it
begins and ends at certain moments whether the event/action is complete or not.

Example: Football/ Basketball… how much can you do in X time.

Event Time:

Time taken for performance. It is time as experienced in the moment, without strict adherence to
clock time. The action can take as long as it needs to be until it is completed. It is often associated
with heightened moments, rituals, and performances where the focus is on the quality of the
experience rather than its duration.

Example: Racing/ Prayer/ Meetings…

It involves the use of symbolic markers, signs, or rituals to structure and convey temporal meaning. It
is a cultural or symbolic system of time that may not align with objective clock time. This type of time
is shaped by cultural, social, or symbolic events and may not follow a linear progression.

Example: Shakespearean plays, particularly the soliloquies (expressing thoughts aloud), provide
examples of symbolic time. When a character delivers a soliloquy, time seems to momentarily stand
still as the character reflects on their inner thoughts and emotions. These moments transcend the
linear progression of time and offer a symbolic exploration of the character's psyche.

Other examples: Anniversaries/ New Year celebrations/ Hajj…

Object:

Transformative Potential:

Schechner sees objects as having the potential for transformation within the performative context.
Objects are not static; they are dynamic. This aligns with his broader concept of "restored behavior,"
where actions and objects are recontextualized within the performance.

Everyday Objects in Performance:

Schechner is interested in how everyday objects, familiar to the audience, can take on new meanings
within the context of a performance. Mundane objects, when incorporated into a theatrical setting,
can be reimagined, challenging conventional perceptions and inviting the audience to see them in a
different light.

Example: the ashbins in Endgame with the parents alive in them

“It is [..] silly to think that a costume can make a king out of an actor”

A Short Organum for the Theatre by Bertolt Brecht in 1948

Dissolution of Illusion:

Brecht argues for the dissolution of the illusion traditionally associated with theater. He rejects the
idea of the audience losing themselves in the narrative, advocating instead for a critical and reflective
engagement with the performance.

Alienation Effect:

Central to Brecht's theory is the concept of the Alienation Effect. This technique is aimed at
preventing the audience from becoming too emotionally involved in the characters and plot. By
disrupting the conventional flow of the narrative, Brecht encourages spectators to maintain a critical
distance and analyze the socio-political implications of the performance.

“A representation that alienates is one which allows us to recognize its subject, but at the same time
makes it unfamiliar”

Role of the Audience:

Brecht emphasizes the active role of the audience in his theater. Rather than passive observers,
spectators are invited to think, question, and participate intellectually. The goal is to stimulate critical
thinking and prevent emotional manipulation.
The "fourth wall":

Refers to the imaginary barrier between the actors on stage and the audience, creating the illusion of
a separate reality. Brecht's approach aimed to dismantle this illusion and engage the audience in a
more active and critical manner.

Example: Addressing the audience/ Songs and commentary…

Post-modernism and Performance by Philip Auslander

(chapter 5 of The Cambridge Companion to Postmodernism)

What are the main challenges faced in understanding the relationship between postmodernism and
performance?

1- The main challenges in understanding the relationship between postmodernism and performance
stem from the instability and multiple meanings of both terms. Postmodernism and performance do
not have universally agreed-upon definitions, leading to complexities in their connection.
Additionally, the term "performance" itself has different meanings, ranging from traditional
performing arts to newer art forms like performance art.

2- The relationship between postmodernism and performance art is often seen as essential, while
other forms of performance are discussed in relation to postmodernism. Furthermore, the concept of
performance has become a trope in theories of postmodernism, with performance being analyzed
through the lens of postmodernism and seen as symptomatic of it. There is no proof of what came
first; i.e. postmodernism and performance.

3- The historical and cultural conceptions of postmodernism also differ, with "postmodern" referring
to a specific historical period and "postmodernist" referring to cultural works that align with
postmodernism stylistically. These complexities make it challenging to define and understand the
relationship between postmodernism and performance.

Example: We can find post-modernism and modernism way before postmodernity and modernity.
Shakespeare can be considered postmodernist despite not being postmodern.