SPECTATORSHIP
CAMILA CAIZA DUQUE
MASTER OF FINE ARTS IN SCENOGRAPHY
2015-2016
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In order to reflect on spectatorship, it would be appropriate to start with a general perspective about the main aim of theater itself. Theater, as well as any other form of art, should be applied and seen as a reflection tool, changing then the conception of theater as a plain material representation of reality, into a questioning perspective of it. This reflection can be achieved by creating a parallel and critical world that might have the necessary influence on people to give them an alternative view on a certain matter. Considering theater as a medium to get people into a reflective mood, it is imperative then to analyze the position of spectatorship itself into this concept. By recognizing that “There is no theater without spectators” (Rancière 1), it is established that spectatorship is a fundamental element of theater; therefore, it is necessary to recognize and understand the connections and interactions that spectatorship has with other elements that converge on the theatrical experience. As a starter point it can be taken the link of spectatorship and the theater space, continuing with the interaction between spectators and the performance itself, and finally it is vital to analyze the relation of the spectator with his own inner world, considering the effects of it on the way in which the performance is being received and conceived. “Theater is a spatial (and temporal) form of art in which an audience is confronted by a theatrical event” (Eversmann 397). In opposition to other kind of visual arts, like film for example, in theater the piece of art shares the same time and space as the spectator which makes it necessary to define the spatial and temporal parameters of the theatrical experience not only in technical terms of the performance itself, but also in relation to the spectator´s emotional and sensorial encounter. According to Peter Eversmann the space of the theater is composed by a group of physical elements in which the auditorium and scene
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form the theater space, while the theater space plus the secondary spaces (if necessary) form the theater building, and everything is enclosed by the surroundings of the main environment in which the building is located. These spaces can vary in a lot of ways, from the traditional stage - auditorium form to the open spaces in contemporary performances, but the most important element is the path created by the spectator in which time and space discover each other. One of the most relevant factors during the creation of this temporal – spatial path is the transition designed from the daily reality into the parallel reflective world conceived by theater. In that way this path begins long before the performance, it begins in the spectator´s mind before arriving to the building, and then it must be guided by the architecture and the scenography created. Hence, the scenography should be designed since the transitional space until the performative space itself, incorporating the spectator into the theatrical scene from the beginning and creating an “environmental theater” (Eversmann 402). Thus, the spectator experiences a process (spatial and temporal) in which she can absorb gradually the essence of the concept and background reflection of the performance, not only from the visual content, but also from the sensorial and emotional encountering with the space. The theatrical experience is a process in which the spectator is introduced to a parallel reality even before he enters into the theatrical space (with no regards of which this physical space could be); however, the core of this experience lies on the encounter of the spectator with the performance itself, that is why the kind of interaction that is produced here must have a clear conception that can contribute to introduce and clarify the spectator into the main reflection of the performance. According to Erika Fischer there are three main approaches
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to the relationship between the spectators and the performance, which are: the feedback loop, staging strategies and framing strategies. All of them present different ways of relating the observer to the spectacle, but the last one (framing strategies) reflect on opening up “the possibility of perceiving the performance not as affirming but rather negotiating the (…) discourse” (45). This approach considers the chance of releasing the spectator from being just a viewer that receives a message to a person with an analytical thought about it. In that subject Rancière stated that “An emancipated community is in fact a community of storytellers and translators” (Rancière 10), which reflects that a sense of equality and active knowledge could be the key for people to question what they are getting from the performance. In fact, the viewers would be acting as scientists, decomposing the essence of knowledge and composing it again with a different (or their own) perspective, considering the performance not just mere entertainment, but a reflective tool. “The spectator is the center of attention in contemporary theatre in a wide range of ways” (Groot Nibbelink 2). Being the spectator the focal point in contemporary theater, it is necessary to consider first himself as an object of analysis in order to reflect on the possible relationship of the spectator and the performance. Indeed, it is relevant to deal with the fact that all spectators have their own inner world which obviously will affect their conception regarding the performance. This introspective world is composed by a number of elements such as routine thoughts about daily activities, cultural and professional background, preconceptions, emotional memories and a lot more factors that compose the mind of the spectator. In general, getting to understand this inner background of the spectators could became an impossible task for the theater maker, but it is
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important to at least reflect on the existence of it while creating a performance because the reception of the essential concept would be affected in a great way by the kind of mind that is receiving it. The relationship between spectators and the complete performance (composed by the theatrical space, the performance itself and even the inner mind of the spectator), must create an inner reflective process that sticks into the spectator´s mind. This interaction can be physical, intellectual, sensorial or a combination, but the true importance of it lies on the quality of the reflection that is being produced, and how it remains on the spectator´s mind when the performance is over. Therefore, the interaction can be ephemeral and can have any shape, but the reflection generated by it should endure as a growing seed on people´s perception that could produce in time a deeper reflection on a certain matter.
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Bibliography: 1. Rancière, Jacques. The emancipated Spectator. Frankfurt: ArtForum, 2007. Pdf. 2. Eversmann, Peter. The Space of Theatre. A study into the effects of theatre space on the theatrical experience of the spectator, PhD. Summary, pp. 397-411. Amsterdam, 1996. Pdf. 3. Fischer-Lichte, Erika. The transformative power of performance, a new aesthetics. Shared bodies, shared spaces, chapter 3, pp. 38-74. London: Routledge, 2008. Pdf. 4. Groot Nibbelink, Liesbeth. Jan Wolkers, or the woolly blanket. Domein voor Kunskritiek, 2008. Pdf.