Thoughts and Things on Theatre (T³ by Dr. D)

Post 1- Theatre VS Performance What is the Difference and Why Should You Care? OR How to Keep a Grad Student Busy

I feel like if you had asked me a week ago what the differentiation between theatre and performance was, I’d have been able to give you a clearer response.  But, because I’m who I am and I tend to overthink everything (um, have you met me?), I feel like the more time I’ve had to process and think about this, the more muddy my thoughts have become.  As I was sitting with my friend Jackie the other evening (stroking her yellow lab, Penny), we began to chat about this.  We started “performing” different ways of drinking water.  We would differ how we picked up the glass, how long the duration of a sip was, whether or not we settled the glass perfectly on the coaster or not.  This grew in hilarity as we started watching Penny “perform” her sleeping- rolling from side to side, breathing deeply to outright snoring.  It was all entertaining, all unpredictable, and enjoyable to watch.  I never doubted that Penny was a sleeping dog, performing canine-like behavior.  I never doubted that that Jackie and I were human beings, proficient in our ability to utilize a glass of water.  But was it performance?  Did we make it into a performance by “performing” the action for each other?  Was Penny performing, or was she just a tired pup? I suppose our evening's activities kept in line with the observation of the Stine, Long, and Hopkins study that performance is "an essentially contested concept."

After reflecting on the readings and my own ruminations from my experiences as an artist, I kept coming back to a few things.  First, the idea of theatre versus performance is a matter of scripted versus unscripted activity.  Plays have a script, and if we read the play before we see the show, we already know who the characters are what the outcome will be.  Second, the idea of the suspension of disbelief, or as States mentions, "a different kind of here." I never questioned that Jackie and I were people or that Penny was a dog- we just were.  But what if Jackie were playing the role of Penny?  We, as spectators would have to willingly (or not) accept the fact that a human was playing a dog.  Finally, I thought about the difference of behavior norms expected by the audience, as well as the roles that our American culture feed into as far as who attends theatre.  Or, perhaps as Carlson says,  "a recognized and culturally coded pattern of behavior."  I’m a huge sports fan.  And I would posit that watching a game is watching a performance of sorts. When we go to see, let’s say, a football game, we know that we can have conversations through all four quarters and it won’t affect how the players are playing.  Moreover, we are expected and even encouraged to make noise throughout the game with chants, cheers, clapping, etc.  Simply be being in the stadium, you’re actively participating in the “performance” of the game.  Everyone is in the same reality of the place- aware that they are watching to teams compete for the win. Theatre is a usually a quieter affair.  While we, as audience, may laugh, have sharp intakes of breath, cry, clap- what have you- ultimately, we are quiet during the performance, actively listening and watching the action on the stage.  Also, our realities might be vastly different and I think more personal at the theatre.  If we’re watching Hamlet, the world of the play may feel different to an audience member who has just lost a parent versus the audience member who has never experienced that kind of loss. And as far as the people who attend sporting events versus those who attend theatre, I feel like there is a preconceived notion in our country that the theatre may be for more “fancy types” in contrast to sports which is more of an everyman’s affair.  I don’t agree with that stereotype, but I thought it worth mentioning.

Please know, I could play devil’s advocate on any of the three positions I am taking.  I suppose I don’t have to suspend my disbelief in the theatre, and I could never let myself get to the place where I believed that a human could realistically play a dog. Pro-wrestling, considered by most to be a sport, is scripted (from what I understand).    And sometimes, theatre audiences are encouraged to participate in the production (i.e. The Rocky Horror Show).  I also think that most people would either prefer the suspension of disbelief to the idea of competition, or vice versa.  Ultimately, I’m still not able to make a completely conclusive delineation between theatre and performance. Therefore, I'll aim toward "continuing dialogue to attain a sharper articulation of all positions" (Strine, Long, Hopkins).  Let's further the conversation.