cĂutarea identitĂȚii

8/3/2019 CUTAREA IDENTITII

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MINISTERUL EDUCAIEI,

CERCETRII, TINERETULUI I SPORTULUI

UNIVERSITATEA DE ARTE TRGU-MURE

CUTAREA IDENTITII

PRIN PROCESE TEATRALE

Rezumatul tezei de doctorat

Conductor tiinific DoctorandProf. Univ. Dr. Kovcs Levente Patk va

2010Trgu-Mure


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CUPRINSUL TEZEI DE DOCTORAT

1. Introducere2. Identitatea astzi. Corpul i identitatea.

2.1.Contientizarea identitii n era postmodern

2.2. Teatrul ca o etapa cutrii identitii

2.2.1. Contientizarea corpului

2.3. Corpul, ca semn al identitii

2.4. Corpul: de explorat i nu de neles

2.5. Micarea: care depinde de corp i nu de text

3.Pierderea identitii i cutarea unei noi identiti3.1.Contientizarea identitii n prezent3.2.Rol i caracter n arta dramatic3.3.Text i caracter n arta dramatic

3.3.1. Hamlet n cutarea identitii

3.3.2. De la Renascentism pnn prezent

3.3.3. Davies n cutarea identitii

3.4. Apariia identitilor virtuale

4.Identitatea n prizma mass-mediei

4.1. Mass-media transformteatrul


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4.2. Din ce fel de mediu sosete publicul de astzi la teatru?

4.3. Industria i technologia intrn teatru

4.4. Creterea dominrii imaginii n teatru

4.5. Experiena performativa spectatorului

4.5.1. Percepia simultana imaginii

4.5.2. Participarea activa cititorului/spectatorului

4.5.3. Generation Y

4.5.4. Interpretaia n cotidianul nostru

4.5.5. Aciuni performative virtuale

4.5.6. Aciunile performative virtuale nconjoareul

4.5.7. Aciunile performative n timp

4.5.8. Virtualitate i teatru

4.6. Facebook-mania

4.7. Satisfacerea curiozitilor noastre: Internetul

5.Identitatea spectatorului n teatrul contemporan

5.1. Cutarea identitii spectatorului prin teatru

5.2. Speactatorul acioneazn timp ce stntr-un scaun

6. Cele patru identiti ale autorului

6.1. Scriitorul

6.2. Regizorul


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6.3. Actorul / Compania

6.4. Dramaturgul

7. Relaia actor-rol de la est la vest problematica mtii

7.1. Masca n teatrul din Est

7.2. Mascestic- Mascvestic

7.3. Masci actor

7.4. Mascn secolul 20 21

7.5. Corpul i masca

7.6. Fuziunea actorului i a rolului

7.7. Fai masc

8. Exemple clasice. Modelele noastre.

8.1. Arta actorului kabukiBanto Tamasaburo

8.1.1. Kabuki i actorii si

8.1.2. Kabuki de la primul actor la Tamasaburo

8.1.3. Caracteristici kabuki

8.1.4. Oprirea timpului n teatrul kabuki

8.1.5. Conceptul dualitii n teatrul kabuki

8.2. Vsevolod Meyerhold

8.2.1. Mediul cultural n timpul lui Meyerhold

8.2.2. Doctor Dapertutto


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8.2.3. Detaarea de la tradiiile trecutului

8.2.4. Dualitatea naturii actorului

8.2.5. Jocul nainte

8.2.6. Regia invers

8.2.7. Timpul improvizrii, simul timpului la actor

8.2.8. ncrederea n sine a actorului

9. Exerciii (1 - 30)

10. Cum i gsete un spectaco l contemporan identitatea i cum este afectat

regizorul n aceast cutare un experimentnsemnri de la repetiiile unui spectacol.

11. Appendix

Bibliografie


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Cutarea identitii prin procese teatrale

-

prezentarea tezei -

Aceastprezentare oferun rezumat al celor zece capitole din teza de doctorat cu titlul

The Search for Identity through Theatrical Processes, teza fiiind scrisn limba englez.

n epoca noastr postmodern nu mai putem crede ntr-o identitate singular i bine

definit. La fel ca propriile noastre poveti, i identitile noastre i-au pierdut caracterul a

fost o dat ca niciodat; ele au devenit n scurt timp realiti schimbtoare i fragmentate.

Astzi vorbim de realiti multiple, realiti fuzionate i realiti juxtapuse. ntr-o comunitate

sau un grup de lucru, identitile noastre pot fi asemntoare cu ale celorlali, dar n acelai

timp pot fi exact i opusul lor: de exemplu, cu toii putem fi regizori de teatru, dar unul dintre

noi este adeptul montrii scenice monumentale, pe cnd cellalt nu are un stil de lucru bine

definit. Putem avea aceleai convingeri religioase, dar n acelai timp putem susine preripolitice diferite, i am putea continua i cu alte exemple.

Este fascinant s urmrim procesul care confer dualitate actorului (ct i a

interpretrii sale), aceast dualitate poate fi cuprins n urmtorul exemplu: n cadrul unui

spectacol de teatru, spectatorul vede actorul care joac rolul lui Hamlet. Spectatorul este

contient de faptul c vede un actor pe scen, care acum este transformat prin aceast

interpretare, iar n acest moment actorul este de asemenea martor al propriei sale transformri.

Actorul care l interpreteazpe Hamlet pete la un moment dat n fai atinge un membru


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al publicului. Acest gest de contact fizic este o aciune vizibili semnificativ. Spectatorul

este atins n acelai timp de actor i de actorul care este acum transformat i este Hamlet.

(Putem numi aceastpersoanPersonajul.) Membrul publicului a avut contact fizic nu doar cuunul dintre ei, ci cu unul i cellalt n acelai timp, ambele identiti avnd simultan contact

fizic cu spectatorul. Acest moment unic cnd printr-un gest de contact fizic se nate o nou

identitate mi se pare extrem de intrigant n contextul proceselor de lucru teatrale. Intenionez

s m apropii de acest fenomen i s l capturez n aciune. Acest moment att de specific

teatrului se poate descrie, dar niciodat nu se poate defini. n aceast lucrare de cercetare

studiez acele aspecte ale teatrului care ne pot duce la o nelegere mai profund i la o

perspectivmai detaliata acestor momente unice n teatru.

Dacprivesc teatrul ca pe un loc de cutare a identitilor i consider teatrul ca fiind

acest loc atunci trebuie s contientizez cutarea identitii att a creatorului, ct i a

spectatorului. Mediul care nconjoar frecventatorii teatrului de astzi este extrem de

interesant din acest punct de vedere: de unde vin spectatorii notri postmoderni, ce aduc cu ei

n spaiul teatral i, n cele din urm, ce pot s faccreatorii de teatru cu toate aceste realiti

care trec astzi pragul teatrului.

Gestul de contact fizic al lui Hamlet ne vorbete de aceast dualitate pe care

intenionez so prezint n aceast lucrare. Prin creaia teatral (contient sau incontient) ne

cutm pe noi nine, ne cutm identitile i, odat ce identitatea nou este gsit, ea va

coexista alturi de cea pe care ne reprezint. Procesul detarii (pierderii identitii) i

procesul cutrii (cutarea unei noi identiti) sunt in continu schimbare n cadrul

procesului de creaie teatral. n procesul de detaare putem observa corpul i cunoaterea

nnscut a corpului care apare iminent. Dualitatea este prezenti n situaia actorului i a

rolului. Ca entitate independent, actorul compus din corpul uman real, n carne i oase,


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coexistcu personajul care are caracteristici diferite. Corpul este privit ca semn al identitii

noastre i cutarea identitii prin relaia rol i caracter, text i caracter. Corpul este locul n

unde schimbarea de identitate poate fi palpabil, astfel contientizarea situaiei corpului nproblematica identitii este vital. Concluzia capitolului care trateaz relaia corp-identitate

( Identity Today. Body and Identity) este c n teatrul contemporan micarea (scenic) este

dependent de corp, i nu de text, iar un alt subcapitol vorbete de corpul care trebuie

explorat i nu neaprat neles.

Al treilea capitol (The Loss of Identity and The Search for a New One) prezint

relaiile caracterului cu textul, cu personajul prin prisma a doupersonaje: unul este Hamlet,

renascentist dar mereu contemporan, Hamlet care i caut propria sa identitate, se

autoobserv, se detaeaz i se caut. Cellalt personaj abordat este Davies, personajul lui

Pinter, care nu mai are ansa de a-i gsi propria identitate. Identitile sale sunt fragmentate,

povetile sale se desprind de realitate, el este personajul tipic postmodern care este definit de

cuvintele sale pronunate, astfel autodefinirea este continu i imposibil n acelai timp.

Ultimul subcapitol The Appearance of Virtual Identities al capitolului trei introduce de fapt

urmtorul capitol.

Mediul mediatic n care trim cu toii este abordat n aceast tez prin fenomenul

Facebook i prin experiena performativ a omului cotidian. n acest mediu virtual au loc

zilnic jocuri de interpretare, de roluri. Dualitatea faptelor noastre ncepe s ne defineasc

vieile: aciunile noastre virtuale i reale ne transform n identiti care triesc n lumi

diferite, cnd de fapt suntem o singur persoan. Astzi, pentru cine creeaz teatru, este

crucial de reinut c generaia Facebook, la care aparine i generaia mea, vine la teatru cu

acest model al dualitii aciunilor. Este vorba de cel mai extensiv capitol, mediul mediatic din

care provine spectatorul i creatorul contemporan fiind privit prin temele: percepie simultan


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a imaginii, participarea activa spectatorului/cititorului, prezena (lipsei) interpretrii n viaa

cotidian, aciunile performative care nconjoar eul, aciuni performative i timpul,

virtualitate i teatru. Acest capitol conine i dou scurte experimente: unul ncearc sschieze suma accesului zilnic la lumea virtual a unui tnr, iar cealalt se leag de

subcapitolul Facebook i cerceteazdependena de reelele sociale via internet.

Lumea occidental a secolului XXI este n cutarea identitii. Ea se zbate ntre

imaginea prezentat n Minunata lume nou a lui Aldous Huxley i trecutul pe care dorete

s-l lase n urm, dar pe care pentru acelai motiv nu reuete. Este la mod i trendy s

vorbim despre identitate n zilele noastre. Examinez problema identitii prin observarea

influenei pe care procesul de lucru teatral o are asupra celor implica i n acesta, fie caceste

persoane sunt creatorii sau membrii audienei (public, actor, regizor, dramaturg etc.). n

capitolul The Four Identities of the Author examinez situaia scriitorului (autor de text), a

regizorului, a actorului i a companiei de teatru, i a dramaturgului european.

Aruncnd o privire mai de aproape asupra teatrului, putem observa i n aceast form

de art diferitele faze ale procesului de cutare al identitii. Din punctul meu de vedere,

teatrul este una dintre puinele forme de artdin zilele noastre unde ntlnirea dintre creator i

observator poate avea loc n cadrul unui eveniment acum i aici.

Existena mtii reflect o dualitate n sine: exist deopotriv masca i ceea ce este

ascuns sub ea. Observ aceast dualitate a mtii prin interpretarea contemporan a teatrului,

capitolul apte fiind intitulat The Connection of Actor and Role from East to West The

Question of the Mask. Dac in masca n mn, mi este uor s o separ de propria mea

identitate, nsn momentul n care port masca, cele dourealiti vor crea o a treia identitate,

care poartparticularitile amndurora. ntrebarea lui Hamlet pe care o adreseaz lui Laertes

n monologul din cimitir: Cine-i deci de vin?, abordat din perspectiva realitii mtii, ne


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face snelegem cmasca este nebunia lui Hamlet i csub mascse aflHamlet nsui. Dar

acestea dounu mai pot fi separate. Hamlet a devenit unul i acelai cu noul su personaj, el

se contempl din afar, dar observatorul i cel observat sunt una i aceeai persoan. Mascaeste urmrit din punctul unghiul oriental i occidental a conceptului de masc (The

Connection of Actor and Role from East to West The Question of the Mask) din punctul de

vedere a corpului (Body as Mask), a feei, a mimicii (Face as Mask).

n capitolul opt sunt prezentai doi artiti de renume mondial ai teatrului, care

exemplific elocvent artistul contemporan n cutarea propriei identiti. Sunt interesat mai

puin de datele biografice, accentul fiind pus pe stilul lor aparte de a creea teatru. Unul dintre

cei mai cunoscui actori kabuki, Banto Tamasaburo al V-lea, a reuit s introduc inovaia n

teatrul tradiional kabuki,cu toate formele sale de expresie riguros definite, cu care un actor

cu o educaie obinuitoccidentalde obicei nu se ntlnete. Aceste forme ale expresiei sunt

subiect de studiu pentru actorul kabuki ncdin copilrie; ele sunt exersate, iar unele micri

sunt stpnite cu adevrat doar dupcteva decenii. Iwao Kamimura sublinieaz totodat, c

actorii kabuki sunt membrii ai societii moderne, care, ca i omul modern japonez, stau pe

scaun la mas i consum mncare occidental, mbrac haine din Vest, conduc maini i

navigheazpe internet1

. Cellalt artist pe care l abordez este Vsevolod Meyerhold: inova iilesale se produc n spiritul aici i acum (Meyerhold nu a nfiinat coalantropologicteatral

pentru cercetrile sale). Privind printre etapele istoriei teatrului, s-ar putea deseori s avem

impresia cscopul real al inovatorilor occidentali nu este neaprat de a gsi ceva nou, ci de a

nltura structurile vechi.

n aceast lucrare un capitol separat este dedicat exerciiilor fcute n timpul crerii

spectacolelor, n timpul atelierelor i cursurilor de formare, sau mpreun cu studenii la


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actorie2 n cadrul cursurilor Universitii de Arte din Trgu Mure. Scopul acestor exerciii a

fost facilitarea dezvoltrii conexiunilor cu corpul i sinele nostru i distanrii noastre de ceea

ce facem. n teatru, tehnica este o abordare-cheie pentru a cunoate cum poate fi atins teatrulprofesionist, iar tehnicile solicit mult exersare. Aceste exerciii nu sunt concentrate pe o

singur tehnic specific, dar mai degrab pe scoaterea la iveal a memoriei inerente a

corpului (trupul nostru tie mai multe dect presupunem noi) i pe meninerea unei distane

fade noi nine (fade personajul pe care l interpretm, fade reaciile noastre primare,

fa de gndurile noastre). Fiecare exerciiu are specificat grupul-int care ar fi cel mai

potrivit pentru a-l exersa.

Ultima parte a tezei reprezint un jurnal scris de-a lungul unui proces de repetiii.

Aceasta este cea mai subiectiv parte a lucrrii, un portret imperfect, dar realistic al cutrii

personale a identitii prin procesele de activitate teatral. Este o tentativ de a afla cum

interpretarea contemporan i gsete identitatea i cum identitatea regizorului este afectat

de acest proces. Capitolul este alctuit din notie de jurnal ale procesului de repetiii pentru

spectacolul Paparazzi sau Cronica unui rsrit de soare avortat, de Matei Viniec, pus n

scen la Teatrul Tony Bulandra din Trgovite. Perioada de repetiii a fost ntre 8 noimebrie -

18 decembrie 2010. Aceste notie au menirea de a ilustra procesul cutrii att la actor, ct ila regizor. Jurnalul relateaz acele transformri interne ale creatorilor, transformri unice

survenite prin intermediul procesului creativ. Procesul de creare a unei producii teatrale este

posibil prin munca de zi cu zi al celor care au conceput-o. De asemenea, aceast munc

favorizeaz n fiecare persoan implicato dezvoltare continui, n consecin, i n cadrul

spectacolului respectiv. Naterea oricrei producii teatrale, a oricrui personaj i a oricrui

1Descrierea actorului kabuki contemporan este luat din opera lui Kamimura:Traditions: Inheriting the Art(InKabuki Today)

2 Am lucrat n cadrul cursurilor de actorie cu clasa actorie ppuari, anul doi, licen, Universitatea de Arte Trgu-Mure


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spectacol are momentul i drumul su aparte, drum de altfel greu de identificat contient.

Am fost intrigat de felul n care un personaj dintr-o pies devine o fiin uman

tridimensional. nuntrul acestei transformri este i mai interesant de studiat, n timp,

procesul fuziunii ntlnit la actor i regizor. Acest proces mbincele dou identiti (n cazul

actorului, identitatea personajului cu cea proprie a acestuia; n cazul regizorului, identitatea

spectacolului cu cea proprie a acestuia), care nu mai pot fi separate de-acum ncolo. Ele devin

una singur, dar n acelai timp mai putem distinge coexistena a dou identiti: una real,

care ne definete, i una fictiv, pe care noi o definim, dar care apoi are efect asupra noastr.

Regizorul i imagineaz spectacolul i apoi l creeaz mpreun cu ali specialiti n teatru.

Amprenta personala regizorului este vizibiln spectacol, identitatea acestuia este ascunsn

fiecare detaliu al piesei. n acelai timp, spectacolul chiar i pe parcursul repetiiilor are un

efect puternic asupra regizorului, oferindu-i o nouidentitate. Aceasta este de fapt frumuseea,

magia i intangibilitatea efectului i contra-efectului n procesul de activitate teatral.

Intenionez sfolosesc aceastmetodde a lua notie pe parcursul procesului de repetiii i n

proiectele viitoare, deoarece nu numai c dezvolt sensibilitatea fa de starea actorilor, dar

furnizeazi o metodsolidde auto-reflexie.

Urmtoarea parte a prezentrii este urmrirea irului de idei i concluzii pe care sunt

construite cele zece capitole prezentate mai sus.

Copiii cresc ntr-un mod n care se percep pe sine prin prisma lumii care i nconjoar .

i Hamlet folosete aceast metod de meditare asupra sinelui prin aciunile i cuvintele

celorlalte personaje. n permanensuntem contieni de poziia noastrexcentrici meditm

asupra capacitilor care rezult din aceast situaie. Folosim limbajul, ne concepem pe noi

nine i pe ceilali ca pe un mijloc al comunicrii, ne putem exprima prin intermediul

corpului etc. Teatrul simbolizeaz nevoia uman pentru identitate pn la nivelul nevoii


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umane fundamentale de distanare: de a ne vedea i percepe pe noi nine de la distan, dintr-

un unghi obiectiv. i conceptul de Dumnezeu vorbete despre acest punct distant de

observare: Dumnezeu privindu-se pe sine prin creaia lui/ei i oamenii fiind contieni csuntprivii.

n teatru are loc n mod constant crearea de identitate i schimbarea de identitate. n

timp ce n ritualul tranziiei, participantul este cel care trebui s se transforme, teatrul face

posibilpentru spectatori schimbarea propriilor identiti tocmai prin personificarea de ctre

actor, n faa audienei, a tuturor acelor identiti care sunt personajele piesei. Teatrul poate

fi considerat i definit ca spaiul unde sunt depite graniele: graniele dintre realitate i

ficiune, dintre o identitate i cealalt, dar n acelai timp exist n subiecii participani o

limit, o fisur, o esentraumaticce nu poate fi depit. Aceasta poate fi gsitn corp. n

teatrul de micare accentul este pus pe persoana actorului susine Pavis. (Pavis 2003) n

urma examinrii unor interpretri de marc, el concluzioneaz c toate gesturile corpului

sunt determinate de mediul socio-politic. Utilizarea simplist a prezenei corpului (arta

corpului) n limbajul teatral a ajuns de-a lungul timpului la o percepie mai complex a

corpului, i anume, ca purttor de identiti multiple. n interpretarea lui Ungvri, percepia

corpului s-a ntors printr-o spiral a timpului la sfera simbolicului, iar concepia prezent acorpului funcioneazca o construcie de dialoguri ntre identiti. (Ungvri 2008)

Activitatea artistic este o reflecie asupra realitii, aceasta nsemnnd contemplare

asupra realitii i nu doar intelectualizarea acesteia. Teatrul este un mod de gndire n

termenii de spaiu, ritm, cuvinte i gesturi. Dac nu suntem capabili s depim structurile

obinuite, atunci nimic nu se va ntmpla efectiv n teatru. Cineva se aflpe sceni recit

un text care i este strin, aceste cuvinte neaparinndu-i deloc: ce nseamn aceast situaie?

Textul este doar un material brut pentru un spectacol, pentru o producie. Chiar i Brecht


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susine c, atunci cnd scrie, are impresia c scrie o partiturmuzical, simte c formalistul

lucreaz nuntrul su n momentul compoziiei. (Brecht 1987) n momentul n care actorul

ncepe s vorbeasc, altceva vorbete prin intermediul persoanei sale, ncepe s funcionezealtceva pe scen: structura limbajului. Artaud pune sub semnul ntrebrii aceeai problem

ntr-un mod direct i ironic:De ce nu pot fi doarAntonin Artaud? (Artaud 2000)

Actorul este creativ prin natur, ns orict s-ar strdui, actorul nu se poate crea pe

sine. Nu mai are importan ce spune A sau B pe scen (acesta nu mai este obiectivul

principal n teatru). Importana textului a deczut semnificativ n teatrul contemporan; scena

este guvernatde prezena corpului; textul nu mai dominspaiul afirmLehmann (Lehmann

2007). S reflectm puin asupra multitudinii de informaii pe care corpul le poate comunica,

n contrast cu textul care devine din ce n ce mai redus. n multe cazuri textul nu este mai mult

dect un punct de plecare ntr-o producie, este doar pnza picturii finale i n alte cazuri

textul dispare complet pnla sfritul procesului de repetare.

Cum ar trebui s jucm pe scen? Aceast ntrebare nate mereu interes deoarece

ntotdeauna exist teorii noi care ofer noi rspunsuri. Realitatea poate fi recreat i

reinterpretat n teatru prin form. Aceast form este totodat aceea care determinpublicul

s gseasc o proprie nelegere i interpretare a celor vzute pe scen folosind imaginaia

personal i experienele de via care au legtur cu cele vzute. Teatrul este actul

reinventrii. Chiar i textele contemporane trebuiesc reinventate, ca s nu mai vorbim de

textele clasice. Sensul operei nu trebuie cutat n textul n sine, el este ntotdeauna n context.

Un text poate fi arhivat, dar nu i contextul. Este logic s spunem c Shakespeare poate fi

jucat doar ntr-un context valid i contemporan, aadar textele respective trebuiesc

reinventate. n teatrul contemporan componenta narativa textului dispare, aceast funciune

fiind preluat de componenta narativ a corpului. Teatrul contemporan a ajuns la o etap a


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evoluiei n care micarea este dependentde corp i nu de text. Astfel poate lua natere vidul

(n sensul cel mai bun al cuvntului) dintre corp i cuvnt. n consecin, acest vid poate fi

apoi folosit pentru exprimarea acelor lucruri care nu pot fi spuse i, dupprerea noastr, estesingurul mod de a le exprima. n societatea noastr, ritualul teatrului nu poate avea loc cu

adevrat n cldirea teatrului, este mai degrab numit un para-ritual, cum declar Lehmann.

(Lehmann 2007) Aa numitul pe drept cuvnt ritual poate avea loc doar n vidul menionat

mai sus. De aceea este crucial ca teatrul s fie un spectacle enterrompu (un spectacol

ntrerupt). Astzi nu mai este de ajuns s crem o producie de teatru n stilul de suntem-cu-

toii-aici-la-un-spectacol-frumos. Trebuie s existe un vid n interpretare, un gol care s ne

intrige; acest sentiment de nemplinire ar trebui s fie simit de ctre public n momentul ncare prsete cldirea, deoarece acum ncepe munca spectatorului, acesta este momentul n

care se dezvoltn timp i spaiu interpretarea i nelegerea piesei de ctre public.

Exist tendine n teatrul contemporan de a crea corpul perfect. Pn n acest punct,

aceast nzuin este similar cu principiul fundamental al baletului clasic, care dorete s

ctige nfruntarea cu gravitatea i care dorete sgseasco existen a corpului superioar

sinelui. n baletul clasic nu exist greutate corporal, sau gravitate, sau sudoare; nu exist

altceva dect zbor eteric i graios. n contrast cu aceast abordare, regizorul belgian JanFabre creeaz frumuseea corporal perfect doar ca apoi s o distrug imediat. Crearea

frumuseii ideale i distrugerea ei este procesul prin care opera lui Fabre devine un spectacle

enterrompu. El i numete actorii lupttori ai frumuseii (warriors of beauty). Pentru Fabre,

tragedia este prezent n corpul uman: de exemplu, oasele i carnea, conflict constant ntre

structura solidi materia care i schimb forma. Interpretrile contemporane opereaz des

cu caracteristica de dualitate n teatru, cum ar fi construire-demolare, afirmare-negare,

structur linearversus cea vertical etc., crend astfel contrapunct (kontrapunkt) i obinnd

tensiune.


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Problemele privind personalitatea aduc laolalt cteva chestiuni oarecum conexe.

Continua cutare istoricurmrete gsirea unui rspuns la ntrebarea cum poate fi o persoan

una i aceeai simultan. Acest tip de analiz asupra existenei personale va revela ctevasituaii solicitate i independente ale existenei individuale nuntrul dimensiunii timpului.

Identitatea culturalnu se referdoar la apartenena culturali sociologic a unei persoane;

problema poate fi extins la nivelul unui grup sau al unei culturi, ntr-un interval definit prin

coordinatele locaie, gen, ras, istorie, naionalitate sau identitate etnic.

Identitile vechi, care au inut lumea n echilibru pentru atta vreme, dispar treptat n

prezent (Stuart 1997). Locul acestora este luat de identitile multiple, aadar nu mai putem

vorbi despre singularitatea unui individual; omul modern i va asuma o nou identitate n

funcie de ateptrile fiecrui rol care i este atribuit sau care i este cerut de ctre societate.

Acest fenomen poate fi observat pe curba de evoluie a tiinei teatrale i a dramaturgiei, de

asemenea. Fiecare piespoartmai mult sau mai puin nsemnele epocii care le-a dat natere

(mentalitatea, obiceiurile, ierarhiile sociale etc.). Cum am menionat mai sus, o piesnu poate

fi scris sau pus n scen fr a lua n considerare contextul prezentului. Acest context nu

poate fi neglijat. i acest context ofer sursa cercetrii pe viitor pentru tiina teatrului. De

exemplu, n acest fel putem analiza evoluia identitii lui Hamlet n diferitele perioade aleistoriei teatrului, teza aducnd marile exemple ale Hamleilor ncepnd cu Sir Lawrence

Olivier.

ncepnd cu apariia dramei ca i gen literar, mai exact o datcu apariia contiinei pe

scen3, personajele sunt ntr-o continu dizarmonie i dificultate, sunt metaforic bolnavi

(Jkfalvi 2001). Personajele teatrului contemporan nu pot evita aceast boal deoarece

creatorii lor, autorii, i asum faptul cpersonajele pe care le creeaznu sunt perfecte, astfel


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ele se manifest inconsecvent i ntr-un final devin cu toii captivii caducitii. Structurile i

modelele construciei personajului pot fi recunoscute cu uurin n diferitele epoci ale istoriei

teatrului, pe cnd astzi aceste modele se combin, se alterneaz sau lipsesc cu desvrire.Acest fenomen ridicde asemenea problema identitilor recognoscibile i predeterminate.

n teatrul contemporan se poate constata fie lipsa modelelor de urmat, fie, din contr,

prezena a prea multor modele; am putea identifica direcii, dar este greu s stabilim un

principiu care s cuprind toate soluiile. Evident, aceast situaie este oarecum de neles

avnd n vedere c societii europene i lipsete un principiu solid i comun de cnd

cretinismul a nceput s-i piard din autoritate. Globalizarea i naionalismul, teismul i

ateismul i fac puternic simite prezena n acelai timp. Interpretarea artisticeuropeaneste

cu preponderenaristotelic, fiind n strns legturcu structuralismul i coerena structurii

de tip nceput-mijloc-sfrit. Astfel, receptorului unei interpretri i va fi greu sse separe de

aceastparadigm. Acest mod de gndire structural este bazat, de fapt, pe noiunea cretinde

timp: nceputul (Geneza), mijlocul (Istoria), i sfritul (Apocalipsa).

ncepnd cu lucrrile inovatoare ale lui Artaud, Grotowski i Brook, principala

caracteristic a interpretrii rsritene s fii tu nsui, fr a-i dori s devii altcineva

(Pavis 2003) a intrat i n circuitul teatrului occidental. Dup decderea culturii teatrului

antic grec, aceasta este din nou calea prin care transcendentalul reintrn lumea teatrului.

Reiner Maria Rilke scrie ntr-una din poeziile sale: In jedem ding is ein Gefangener.

Existun proces care are loc n doudirecii n acelai timp: actorul dnatere lui histrio4,

d acestei noi existene o identitate, i aceast realitate nou recreeaz apoi actorul, care

devine un duplicat al su (elibereazun prizonier sau prizonieri multipli dinluntrul su) i, de

3Istoria teatrului consider piesa Casa de ppui, cunoscuti sub titlulNora de Henrik Ibsen ca marcndnceputurile acestui gen literar. (Crian 2004)


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asemenea, ctig o nou identitate prin acest proces. Prin intermediul autosugestiei, actorul

poate comunica n trei moduri cu acest histrio: actorul se poate identifica n totalitate cu

aceastpersonalitate nou, poate pstra distanfade ea, sau poate pi nuntrul i n afaraei pe msurce procesul continu5.

Concluzia ar trebui s ne fie la ndemn: literatura contemporan dramatic i

limbajul teatral contemporan pretind de la receptor un nivel de nelegere diferit fa de

comunicarea de zi cu zi. nelegem sensul primar al cuvintelor pe care le auzim, sensul lor

tehnic este clar, i totui cuvintele i noiunile se leag la un alt nivel n structura de gndire a

actorului. Limbajul contemporan al vidului i al absenei se poate aplica nu doar pieselor,

personajelor sau structurilor dramatice, ci poate fi gsit n orice expresie dramatic, indiferent

de genul literar al acesteia. Hamlet, intelectualul luminat al Renaterii (Hamlet, prinul danez

a studiat la prestigioasa Universitate Wittenberg) a dat grai cutrii de identitate n epoca

elizabetan: A fi sau a nu fi? Diferitele abordri ale acestui text firete vor oferi diferite

straturi pentru interpretarea acestor cuvinte, nssingura idee asupra creia toate interpretrile

au czut de acord, ntr-un mod mai mult sau mai pu in deschis, este faptul cavem de-a face

cu o manifestare a crizei de identitate. Hamlet este un gnditor i gnditorul renascentist nu

procedeaz neaprat n conformitate cu ceea ce gndete. Gnditorul modern i postmoderneste n concordan cu gndurile lui/ei deoarece acestea sunt codate n actualul mecanism de

funcionare a societii. Trebuie s nelegem cHamlet nu posed aceastnevoie de a avea

gndurile n armonie cu aciunile sale i c aceast stare creeaz o i mai mare ruptur n

cutarea lui Hamlet a adevratei sale identiti. Jon Knott susine c Hamlet este altcineva

dect personajul propriu-zis, chiar mai mult, l depete (Kott 1970). El pstreaz distana

fa de sine n timp ce caut un nou eu, deoarece doar un Hamlet nou descoperit ar fi n

4Mniuiu folosete aceast expresie pentru a descriee persoana care se nate n actor n timpul procesului de creaie


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stare srezolve aceastsituaie care l-a condus la aceastcrizde identitate.

Trim n apogeul erei digitale, i digitalizarea ncepe spreia tot mai mult din vieile

noastre personale. Lumea care se nvrte n jurul calculatoarelor, limbajul i imaginile ei au

adus o schimbare revoluionar, sau cel puin a modificat semnificativ viaa de zi cu zi a

persoanelor, obiceiurile lor i utilizarea comunicrii. Spectatorul de rnd intr n teatru dintr-

un mediu mediatic. Trebuie s fim contieni cgeneraia de tineri creatori de astzi provine

din acelai mediu media-digital. Unii artiti ai teatrului de azi au crescut deja lngcalculator,

ei cunosc mai bine lumea internetului dect lumea real; n plus, o mare parte din relaiile lor

se dezvolt pe o platform virtual (e-mail, mesagerie instant, video-chat, reele de

socializare, jocuri online, etc.). Este imposibil s evitm ntrebarea: cum se raporteaz

structurile teatrului contemporan la aceste schimbri care au avut loc ntre generaiile de

spectatori ai teatrului i ntre creatorii de teatru de asemenea? Lehmann consider c este

important s remarcm o diferen: imaginea amplificat cauzat de mediul digital

structureazdoar realitatea, dar nu o reprezint (Lehmann 2006); creeazun cadru nuntrul

cruia realitatea este vizibil. nscaracteristica principala teatrului este cnu poate fi nchis

ntr-un asemenea cadru, pentru c scena este continuarea publicului n teatrul contemporan.

Exist o discordan semnificativ ntre intensitatea i nalta rezoluie ale imaginilorprezentate, pe de o parte, i slbiciunea sau rezoluia joas ale spiritului uman prezent n

societatea de azi, pe de altparte. Aceastinconsistenpoate fi observatnu doar n teatru, ci

i n viaa cotidian, poate fi vzutn faptele noastre zilnice i n gesturile oamenilor de rnd,

care sunt absorbii de imaginile din monitor i astfel triesc n marea parte a existenei lor o

viavirtual, ntr-o realitate care nu exist.

Este important s examinm experiena interpretativ a publicului i, ca s reuim s

5Relaia cu un rol prin auto-sugestiune este discutat de Patrice Pavis n cartea sa: Performance analysis n


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enunm aceastproblem, trebuie mai nti sanalizm experienele interpretative personale

ale spectatorilor de azi, acumulate n lumea virtualcare ocupdin ce n ce mai mult spaiu n

viaa noastrpersonal. Spectatorul de astzi intrn spaiul i timpul teatrului venind dintr-unmediu ncrcat de media; el se ridicdin scaunul din faa calculatorului ca sse aeze la teatru

ntr-un alt scaun. Din aceast cauz cutm rspuns la ntrebarea: cum schimb aceast

situaie structurile i rolul actului creativ teatral n ziua de azi.

Cartea tiprit, mai trziu apariia filmului i, n final, televiziunea ofer un produs

finit consumatorului. Crile, fotografia, filmul i televiziunea sunt n mare parte redarea unui

trecut capturat, ele toate prezintun eveniment care deja a avut loc, chiar dacdau impresia

de prezent n unele cazuri. Prin apariia ei, internetul ofer tuturor posibilitatea de a deveni o

parte activa naraiunii citite de ctre individ. Opiunea continude schimbare i variabilitate,

precum i nenumratele opiuni disponibile, sunt toate caracteristici ale lecturii active, acea

abordare prin care cititorul poate de fapt s intervin n textul citit sau n imaginea privit.

Chiar dac toate acestea sunt doar o realitate virtual, discutm totui despre comunicarea

perpetu, exprimarea opiniilor, cutarea de conexiuni i o atitudine, exprimat pn la urm

prin diferite nivele de exhibiionism: totul se rezum la a ne pune pe noi nine n centru.

Aceastcontribuie continu (atta timp ct suntem conectai la internet) la evoluia prezenteilumi virtuale este o form de existen care are un impact imens asupra tuturor celorlalte

imagini recepionate n viaa de zi cu zi, teatrul fcnd de asemenea parte din acestea. Astfel,

dupprerea mea, acest obicei de a fi prezent ntr-un mod interactiv i contribuia la imaginea

privit au de asemenea un impact asupra felului n care publicul percepe alte imagini (care

sunt mereu n schimbare), i asupra felului n care indivizii din cadrul acestei audiene

reacioneaz la imaginile vzute. n modul su paradoxal, lumea virtual (non-existent) are

un efect asupra tuturora, efect foarte viu deoarece este ntr-o continu schimbare, nu este

subcapitolul The actors work(Pavis 2003)


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statici necesito permanentimplicare intelectual. Evenimentul teatral este real, avnd loc

pe scen cu oameni n carne i oase, i ntruct fiine umane reale sunt implicate, el se

schimbmereu. n acest moment este mai presus de orice discuie faptul caceste dou lumiau un punct de conexiune i multe caracteristici n comun; ntrebarea care rmne este cum i

unde putem identifica aceste punct de conexiune i cum putem utiliza acestea n beneficiul

teatrului contemporan.

Generaia tinerilor de astzi nu a trebuit s se adapteze, s nvee lucruri noi despre

cultura web, aceti copii nu au fost nevoii s treacde la ceva ce a fost nainte la structurile

de comunicare bazate pe internet. Generaia mai n vrst care a fost martora apariiei

primelor calculatoare, a expansiunii i evoluiei rapide a internetului, a trebuit s deprind

toate competenele necesare pentru utilizarea acestor noi posibiliti la capacitatea lor

maxim. Au fost nevoii s se descurce din mers n lumea virtual a internetului, au fost

nevoii s se obinuiasc cu noile texte i imagini mereu schimbtoare de pe un monitor sau

un ecran. Percepia lor linear era demodat i a trebuit s obin perspective multiple. n

afarde acest proces de nvare, mai rmne o percepie asupra lumii unde fantezia are un rol

mai important dect realitatea. Cu toii ne lsm amprentele n felul n care comunicm, mai

demult puteam fi recunoscui dup scrisul de mn sau dup sunetul vocii, n schimb astziavem identiti digitale, profile i avatare6 care ne fac recognoscibili. Generaia Facebook este

conectat la noua tehnologie, folosete internetul la o capacitatea maxim, este un navigator-

internet bine antrenat; toate aceste capaciti i evoluia lor continu au aprut i sunt de

prezente i n cadrul comunicrii fan fa.

6 Prin aceste aplicaii se pot creea identiti virtuale. Prin aceste identiti putem recunoate i putem fi recunoscuicu uurin pe internet. (Este posibil personalizarea pe internet a numelui, nfirii, fotografiilor, caracterisiticilor,mbrcmintelor etc.)


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Este de asemenea important de contientizat, c teatrul a evoluat ntr-o activitate

artisticai crei termeni cheie sunt invenia i creativitatea. n timp ce lumea virtualpoate fi

creat de ctre programatori i designeri de pagini web doar ca o serie de formule, n teatruputem produce scheme noi pentru fiecare prestaie. Cteodat putem avea impresia c

formulele i structurile posibile au un numr infinit n lumea virtuali un numr mai limitat

n lumea teatrului. ns esena artei vii este c ofer acest privilegiu minunat de a crea

structuri noi, formule noi n teatru. Opiunea primar a teatrului postmodern este de a nu

ncorpora i asimila toate posibilitile i toate structurile lumii internetului i a calculatorului

i astfel s se acomodeze la realitile din afara scenei, realiti sociale care de fapt sunt n

strns legtur cu dezvoltarea tehnologiei, ci s reflecte asupra lor. Pn nu demult,ntlnirea personal7 a fost principala formde comunicare i relaionare interpersonal; astzi

putem observa c arterele comunicrii sunt structurate n aa fel nct devine posibil

neglijarea total a necesitii comunicrii personale, a comunicrii fa n fa, n caz de

nevoie. Limita dintre dimensiunea public i cea privat a vieii noastre devine neclar.

Comunicarea interactiv bazat pe internet face ntocmai acest lucru: face public viaa

noastrprivat. Toate reaciile noastre instantanee vis-a-vis de lucruri care ne afecteaz sunt

fcute publice pe peretele personal virtual, cine pe cine cunoate i de unde8, devine de

asemenea informaie public. Privete-m. Ascult-m. Rzi cu mine sau de mine constat

ironic Westlake argumentnd asupra eului pus n centrul ateniei. (Westlake 2006) Sinele este

mereu n centrul aciunilor, atenia sinelui este mereu artificial focalizat datorit

posibilitilor de comunicare pe internet.

Pragul de rbdare al membrului audienei de astzi a sczut semnificativ, spectatorul

din zilele noastre pur i simplu nu este dispus sau chiar nu mai este capabil s priveasc o

7 Sau scrisul de mn (scrisoarea de ex.) i telefonul, pn la ntlnirea personal.8 Reelele sociale pe internet: Facebook, Iwiw, hi5, Tagged, Twitter, Myspace, Netlog, etc.


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imagine pentru o vreme mai lung; n ziua de azi este nevoie de schimbare rapid, de noi i

noi asocieri. Poate acesta este motivul pentru care n ultimul deceniu ntlnim producii de

teatru tot mai scurte. Aceastreducere de lungime n teatru nu este cauzatdoar de ateptrileaudienei, dar i de creatorii prestaiei care au intenia de a comunica publicului povestea,

mesajul, prezentarea ct direct, concis, ntr-o perioadde timp ct mai scurt, obinnd astfel

efectul dorit. Incontestabil, nevoia de compresie este efectul mediului mediatic. Oamenilor le

place s priveasc imagini pentru c acest lucru i relaxeaz; datorit posibilitilor

internetului acest fenomen a devenit astzi global. n era digital trim ntr-un mediu ncrcat

de poze i imagini, aceste imagini (postere, ecrane, display-uri etc.) au o putere intens de

atracie n timp ce mintea noastrdescifreazimaginile vzute.

Dac urmrim internetul, putem observa c toat concepia de nceput-mijloc-sfrit

nu mai este valid. Acea structur simetric, acea concepie dramatic cu care civilizaia

occidentala fost obinuit, se afl ntr-o anume schimbare. Chiar dacevenimentele care se

ntmpl n jurul sau n cadrul acestei lumi virtuale, evolueaz potrivit clasicei triade de

capitole, lumea n sine care le gzduiete pe toate oferun decor diferit. Evenimentele virtuale

nu sunt predefinite, nimic nu este decis n avans, i utilizatorii de internet nii ajusteaz

evenimentele n timp ce ele au loc. Acesta ar putea fi unul dintre motivele pentru care existodiscrepan aa mare ntre lumea virtual i cea real n cazul copiilor care utilizeaz

incredibil de bine calculatorul la vrste fragede. Nu trebuie sne aezm pe o banc n parc

sau s privim pe geam n afar ca s vedem ce se ntmpl n afara spaiului nostru privat;

Facebook i alte reele de socializare de pe internet ne satisfac aceste curioziti umane

primordiale.

Tranziia de la teoria clasic a identitii la ideea modern a identitii (i de acolo la


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cea postmodern) a avut un efect revoluionar asupra gndirii europene. Prin procesul de

tranziie de la principiul unitii din gndirea kantian i pn la interpretrile lui Marx i

Freud asupra teoriei identitii, unitatea individului a devenit un ntreg alctuit din diversebuci, identitatea a devenit multipl, indivizii sunt acum obinuii cu toate rolurile societii,

cu identiti noi i diferite. Astzi putem vorbi despre o cutare perpetu i nesfrit a

identitii care este prezentnu doar n viaa de zi cu zi, ci este o situaie validi n lumea

teatrului: un personaj caut identitatea prin interpretare, actorul prin personaj, spectatorul prin

actor i spectacol.

Spectatorul ideal, n timp ce st pe locul su din sala de teatru, poate s plng, s

rd, s simt tensiune, s se ndrgosteasc, surasc sau s fie turbulent etc., toate acestea

fr s se mite fizic. Aceste ntmplri au loc nuntrul publicului n ciuda aparenei de

linite. Pentru ca schimbarea de identitate saibloc, neaprat trebuie sexiste de asemenea o

stare de tranziie de la o identitate la alta. Aceaststare este starea de catharsis, starea frde

identitate prin care spectatorul dobndete o nou identitate. Aceast identitate nou va fi

urmatde o alta i tot aa mai departe. Teoria postmoderna identitii susine c identitile

individului postmodern nu mai fac parte din acelai sine unic, aceasta nsemnnd c pentru

identitate cutarea este perpetui fr sfrit. Acest proces de cutare nu mai are un nceputi un sfrit. Evenimentul teatral (spectacolul) n sine trece printr-un proces de schimbare;

identitatea sa dac putem vorbi despre identitatea unei reprezentri se schimb de la o

prezentare la alta.

Atitudinea greac antic fa de jocul de teatru se ndrepta spre transcendental, nu

actorul sau textul lui vorbeau din gura acelui hypocrites prin masc9, ci mai degrab o

9 n teatrul antic grecesc masca a fost fcut din pnz ntriti apoi pictat, i de obicei acoperea toat faaactorului care o purta.


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revelaie divin vorbea audienei. n acest cadru, masca a devenit simbolul corpului care se

transform n imagine. Aceast concepie poate fi ntlnit n dansurile din insulele Bali

studiate de Brook i este de asemenea prezent n alte tradiii teatrale din est. Nu interpretmceva, ci l trim: n aceast form antic teatrul a funcionat ca i ritual. Noi privim actorul

european ca pe o persoan care joac, pe cnd actorul din est este creator de metafore

(Mnouchkine 2000). Dac am ncerca s formulm esena acestor dou tradiii teatrale n

cuvinte simple, atunci ar fi corect sspunem c teatrul occidental este definit prin aciune, pe

cnd teatrul oriental este definit prin poezie. n acest sens, masca esticeste necesarpentru a

arta povestea, iar n teatrul vestic masca este necesarpentru a juca povestea. Ar putea prea

doar o diferende nuane la prima privire, dar ele totui reprezintdoumodaliti de gndireasupra teatrului fundamental diferite. Tradiia oriental susine c actorul are o identitate

personal care este un ntreg, aadar nu poate dobndi alte identiti. Masca nu l face s fie

altcineva, masca nu este altceva dect un instrument pentru a ajuta actorul s arate c este

vorba de altcelva/altcineva. n lumea moderni postmodern occidental exist o abordare

similara problemei, diferena fiind cnu existun singur rspuns pe care fiecare creator de

teatru l caut, ci exist cteva rspunsuri posibile i astfel ntrebarea este lsat deschis.

Aceastabordare ne permite sanalizm situaia, i anume cum pot exista mai multe identiti

n actor i n rol. Concepia identitilor multiple care este prezent n societile moderne i

postmoderne aproape c grbete actorul s fac o conexiune ntre identitatea lui proprie i

identitatea rolului. Este convingerea mea c identitatea actorului i a rolului sunt convergente

cel puin n timpul procesului de repetiii. Este greu, dac nu chiar imposibil s separm

munca actorului asupra sa i asupra rolului10. Prin procesul autosugestiei se ajunge la o relaie

tripl ntre actor i rol: (1) actorul se poate identifica cu rolul (Stanislavski numete aceasta

10Pavis nu conclude aceast afirmaie pe care o face. n interpretarea noastr, aceast afirmaie ne adduce din nou laproblematica identitii: dac nu este posibil separarea aceste dou direcii de lucru n teatru, atunci concluzia este

c identitatea actorului i cea a rolului se unific, fuzioneaz


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metoda empatiei fade personaj), (2) actorul poate pstra distana de rol, sau (3) poate pi

nuntrul i n afara rolului pe care l interpreteaz (ultimele dou sunt ndeosebi specifice

metodelor brechtiene). Aceste relaii ntre actor i rol pot avea loc n cadrul unei singureprestaii, ridicnd din nou problema identitii. Astzi, noiunea mtii indic dincolo de

obiectul pe care l aezm pe fa. Corpul, mpreuncu semnele i gesturile, poate fi o masc

prin care i se permite actorului, personajului, sau rolului s se ascund. Relaia tradiional

ntre actor i rol a evoluat; a evoluat ntr-un set de relaii mult mai complexe, cu multe straturi.

Prezena actorului este mereu bivalent n tradiia teatrului european, actorul i personajul

sunt mereu prezente simultan, cnd actorul se identificcomplet cu rolul i spectatorul uitde

actor, alt dat actorul n sine tie c este actor pe o scen i spectatorul este de asemeneacontient curmrete un actor. Profesorul Cojar scrie c el este att el nsui, ct i arta sa,

simultan. Artist i personaj, ceteanul X i personajul Y n acelai timp (Cojar 2006). Actorul

poate ajunge la nivelul n care ntruchipeaz o fiin fictiv prin cltoria metafizic a

studiului de sine i a identitii proprii, ncercnd fuziunea ntre identitile rolului i ale sale.

Procesul prin care se actorul se ocup de transcendental se ntoarce ncet n munca actorilor

dupo lungpauzi se ntoarce n Europa de Est dupo perioad lung n care a fost lsat

deoparte din motive dogmatice impuse.

Felul n care teatrul se raporteaz la trecutul, istoria i tradiiile sale este un subiect

extrem de interesant. Gndirea occidental promoveaz nlturarea aproape n ntregime a

ceea ce este vechi sub egida cutrii n permanen a unor noi forme. Tradiia oriental

funcioneaz exact invers: ea pstreaz tradiia i fiecare idee nou este raportat i

ncorporat n structurile tradiionale. Iatcum o tradiie milenarpoate screeze impresia de

a fi nou i contemporan. Desigur, pe lng tendinele menionate, exist multe excepii;

ceea ce ne intereseazn acest caz este modul i caracteristicile procesului de cutare artistic.


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Aceast tez este o asumat cltorie personal bazat pe materialele cercetrii

tiinifice (teatrale, antropologice i sociologice) n domeniu, n cutarea identitii prin

intermediul proceselor teatrale, redactat n urma consultrii unei bogate bibliografii i cuconvingerea c teatrul este locul unde oricine implicat n procesul teatral sufero pierdere a

identitii i ctign schimb o identitate nou.


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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, RESEARCH,

YOUTH AND SPORTS

UNIVERSITY OF ART TRGU-MURE

THE SEARCH FOR IDENTITY

THROUGH

THEATRICAL PROCESSES

Scientific advisor: Doctoral student:

Univ. Prof. Dr. Levente Kovcs va Patk

2010 Trgu-Mure, Romania


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.Introduction2.Identity Today. Body and Identity.

2.1. Identity Awareness in Postmodern Age

2.2. Theater as a Stage of Identity Search

2.2.1. Body Awareness

2.3. The body as Mark of Our Identity

2.4. The Body: To Explore and Not To Understand

2.5. Movement: Dependent of the Body and Not of the Text

3.The Loss of Identity and The Search for a New One3.1.Identity Awareness Today3.2.Role and Character In Drama3.3.Text and Character In Drama

3.3.1. A Hamletian Search for Identity

3.3.2. From Renaissance to Today

3.3.3. Davies` Search for Identity

3.4. The Appearance of Virtual Identities

4. Media Identity4.1. Media Transforming Theater

4.2. What Kind of Environment Does The Audience Come From In Today`s Theater?


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4.3. Industry and Technology Enter the Theater

4.4. The Rise of the Image in Theater

4.5. The Performative Experience of the Audience

4.5.1. Simultaneous Image Perception

4.5.2. Active Participation of the Reader/Viewer

4.5.3. Generation Y

4.5.4. The Presence of Interpretation in Our Day to Day Lives

4.5.5. Virtual Performative Acts

4.5.6. Virtual Performative Acts Surrounding the Self

4.5.7. Performative Actions in Time

4.5.8. Virtuality and Theater

4.6. Facebook Mania

4.7. Satisfying All Our Curiosities: The Internet

5.The Viewer`s Identity in Contemporary Theater

5.1. The Viewer`s Identity Search Through Theater

5.2. The Spectator Acts While Sitting In a Chair

6. The Four Identities of the Author

6.1. The Playwright

6.2. The Director

6.3. The Actor / The Company


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6.4. The Dramaturge

7. The Connection of Actor and Role from East to West The Question of the Mask

7.1. The Mask in Eastern Theater

7.2. Eastern Mask Western Mask

7.3. Mask and Actor

7.4. Mask in the 20th 21st Centuries

7.5. The Body as Mask

7.6. Fusion of Actor and Role

7.7. Face as a Mask

8. The Long Standing Examples. Our Role Models

8.1. The Art of Kabuki ActorBanto Tamasaburo

8.1.1. Kabuki and its Actors

8.1.2. Kabuki From the First Actor to the Present

8.1.3. Kabuki Characteristics

8.1.4. Halting the Time in Kabuki Theater

8.1.5. The Concept of Duality in Kabuki Theater

8.2. Vsevolod Meyerhold

8.2.1. Cultural Environment in Meyerhold`s Time

8.2.2. Doctor Dapertutto

8.2.3. Breaking Free From the Traditions of The Past

8.2.4. The Duality of The Actor`s Nature


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8.2.5. Pre-Acting

8.2.6. Directing Backwards

8.2.7. The Time of Improvisation, The Actor`s Sense of Time

8.2.8. The Actor`s self Confidence

9. Exercises (1 to 30)

10. An Attempt to Find How a Contemporary Performance Finds its Identity, and How

the Directors Identity is affected by This Process.

Notes from a Rehearsal Process.

11. Appendix

Bibliography


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The Search For Identity Through

Theatrical Processes

presentation of thesis

The following presentation gives a short summary of the ten chapters of my doctoral

thesis. The thesis is written in English language.

In our post-modern age we cannot believe in a singular and well defined identity. Just

like our tales, our identities have also lost their once-upon-a-time character; they have all

become quickly changing realities and more fragmented. Today we are talking about multiple

identities, fusioned identities and juxtaposed identities. In a community or work-group our

identities can be identical to those of others but we can be the straight opposite of each others

in the same time: we can all be theater directors for example, but one of us is an adept of

monumental stage directing while someone else does not have a well-defined style in their

work. We can be of the same religious conviction while we uphold different political views,

and we could continue with examples here.

It is fascinating for me to see the process, which provides the duality of the actor (and of

the performance as well), this duality can be expressed in the following example: in the setting

of a theater performance the spectator sees the actor who plays the role of Hamlet 11. The

spectator is aware that he sees an actor on stage, which is now transformed within this

performance and the actor is now also witnessing this transformation. The actor, playing

Hamlet steps forward at a certain moment and touches an audience member. This gesture of

11 I am making references to Shakespeares Hamlet many times in this research paper.


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physical contact is a visible and notable action. The spectator is touched in the same time by the

actor and the actor who is transformed and is now Hamlet. (We could call this person the

Character.) The audience member had physical contact with not just one of them but one andthe other in the same time, both identities in the same time had physical contact with him. This

unique moment when through the gesture of physical contact a new identity is born is

extremely intriguing to me inside the theater work processes. I intend to get closer to this

phenomenon, to catch it in the act. This unique moment is describable but it is never definable.

In this research paper I study those aspects of theater that can help us to find a deeper

understanding and a closer view of similar unique moments in theater.

If I look at theater as a place of searching identities and I do look a theater this way

then I need to be aware of the creators identity search and also the spectators identity search.

The environment that surrounds the theater goers today is extremely interesting in this regard:

where do our post-modern spectators arrive from in our theaters, what they bring with

themselves into these settings and finally what can theater creators do with all these realities

entering theater today.

Hamlets physical contact gesture talks about this duality which is intended to be

addressed in this paper. Through theatrical creation (willingly or unwillingly) we are searching

for ourselves, we are searching for our identities, and the new identity once found is coexistent

with the one that was searching for it. The process of detachment (loss of identity) and the

process of searching (looking for a new one) are continuously changing within the theatrical

work process. In the detachment process one can observe the body and the bodys innate

knowledge stepping forward. Duality is also present in the situation of the actor and the role. In

one flesh and bone real human body the actor as an independent entity and the character which

has separate characteristics coexist. The conclusion of chapter two: Identity Today. Body and


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Identity is that in contemporary theater the (scenic) movement is dependent of the body at not

necessarily of the text; another subchapter talks about the body that needs to be explored and

understood.

The third chapter The Loss of Identity and The Search for a New One presents the

relations between text and character, role and character through the prism of two well-known

figures of drama literature: one is the Hamlet, the always contemporary Renaissance prince

who is in search of his own identity, he observes himself, auto detaches and searches again. The

other figure is Pinter`s character, Davies, who does not have the chance to find his own

identity. His identities are fragmented, his stories outgrow reality, and he is the typical

postmodern character defined by his spoken words so his self-definition is continuous and

impossible in the same time. The last subchapter The Appearance of Virtual Identities of

chapter three introduces the following chapter.

The media-environment we all are living in is approached in this thesis through the

Facebook-phenomenon. In this virtual environment we are doing performative acts on a

daily basis. The duality of our actions is starting to define our lives: our virtual and real

actions are transforming us into identities living in two separate worlds, while in fact we are

one person. The Facebook-generation that my generation belongs to as well, arrives in the

theaters with this pattern of duality of actions, it is of essential importance to bear this in

mind while creating theater today. This chapter four is the most extensive, the media

environment the spectator and the creator is coming from is approached through the

following subchapters: simultaneous image perception, active participation of reader/viewer,

presence of interpretation (and the lack of it) in daily life, performative actions surrounding

the self, performative actions and time, virtuality and theater. This fourth chapter intitled

Media Identity also contains two short experiments: one is trying to sum up the daily of a


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young person access to virtuality, and the other one is part of subchapter Facebook Mania

and researches the possible dependence of social networks through internet.

The 21st century Western world is in search of identity. It is struggling between the

image presented in Aldous Huxley`s Brave New Worldand the past that it wishes to leave

behind, but for some reason it can`t. It is fashionable and trendy to talk about identity today.

I wish to look at the question of identity from the point of view of how the theatrical work-

process affects those involved in it, may this person be one of the creators or member of the

audience (public, actor, stage director, dramaturge etc.). In the chapter The Four Identities of

the AuthorI examine the situation of writer (author of the text, playwright), director, actor

and theater company and the European dramaturge.

If we take a closer look at theater we can see the different phases of the search for

identity in this form of art as well. In my point of view the theater is one of the few living arts

nowadays, where the meeting between creator and the viewer can happen during a here and

now event.

The existence of the mask prides a duality on its own: there is the mask and then there

is what is hidden behind it. I am observing this duality of the mask through the contemporaryunderstanding of theater, the seventh chapter being entitled The Connection of Actor and Role

from East to West The Question of the Mask. If I hold the mask in my hand than it is easy to

separate it from my own identity, but the moment I put the mask on, the two realities create a

third identity that bears the marks of both. Hamlets question: Who does it then? the

question that he addresses to Laertes in his graveyard monologue approached from the

reality of the mask makes us realize that the mask is Hamlets madness and under the mask

there is Hamlet himself. But these two cannot be separated anymore. Hamlet has become one

with his new character, he sees himself from the outside but the watcher and the person being


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watched are the same person. The question of the mask is approached through the oriental and

occidental angle of mask-concept (The Connection of Actor and Role from East to West The

Question of the Mask), through the angle of the body (Body as Mask), of face and mimics(Face as Mask).

In the eighth chapter ( Long Standing Examples. Our Role Models) I present two

world-wide known theater artists who are both strong examples of the contemporary artist in

search for identity. I am less interested in their biographical presentation (though basic

needed information cannot miss of course), the accent is rather on presenting their special

unique style of creating theater. One of the most famous kabuki actors, Banto Tamasaburo

the 5th was able to bring innovation in kabuki theater tradition between such rigorously

defined forms of expression that the average western-educated European actor hardly even

knows about. These forms of expression are subject of teaching for the kabuki actor starting

from childhood; he exercises them, some movements gestures are brought to perfection

during several decades. Of course kabuki actors are members of modern society, who like

the average modern Japanese, sit in a chair at a table and eat Western food, wear Western

clothing, drive cars, and surf the internet.(Iwao Kamimura12) The other artist I present is

Vsevolod Meyerhold: his innovations happened in the spirit of the here and now (Meyerholdnever started any academic theater-anthropology research for his purposes.) As we look

through the ages of theater history we may many times be under the impression that the

Western innovators real goal is not necessarily to find something new, but rather to get rid

of the old structures.

In the research paper a separate chapter (Chapter 9: Exercises 1-30) is dedicated to

exercises that have been performed either during the creation of performances, during

12 The motto is taken from Kamimura`sTraditions: Inheriting the Art(In Kabuki Today)


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trainings and workshops, or with acting students13 during classes at the University of Arts

Trgu-Mure. My aim with these exercises is to help develop our connections towards our

bodies and ourselves; and help us to distance ourselves from what we do. Technique intheater is a key approach to how professional theater can be achieved, and techniques need a

lot of exercising.These exercises do not focus on one specific technique, but rather to let the

innate memory of the body emerge: our body knows much more than we think it does; and

also to keep a distance from ourselves (the characters that we interpret; from our primary

reactions; from our thoughts).Each exercise specifies the target group for whom it would be

most suitable to perform them.

The last part of the research paper is a personal documentation of a creative work in

theater. The process of identity-searching is approached here through a diary of a rehearsal

process. This is the most personal part of this research paper, an imperfect but realistic

portrayal of identity search through theatrical work processes. It is an attempt to find how a

contemporary performance finds its identity, and how the directors identity is affected by this

process. The chapter consists of diary-like notes of a rehearsal process from the performance

Paparazzi, or The Chronicle of an Aborted Sunrise by Matei Viniec directed at Tony Bulandra

Theater, in Trgovite, Romania. The rehearsing period was from November 8th

to December18th 2010. These notes are intended to show the search process of actor and director. The diary

relates those inner changes that happen inside the creators, these changes happen through the

creative process and they all are unique. The process of creating a theater production is made

possible by the day to day work of those creating it. This work also brings a continuous

development within each person involved, and thus, within the performance itself. The birth of

every theater production, every character, and every show has its own time and route, route that

is maybe harder to trace continuously.

13 I was working on acting classes with second year students at puppetry, who intensively study acting as well.


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I was always intrigued by the way a character written in a play becomes a

tridimensional living human being. Within this transformation it is even more interesting to

research the process of fusion that happens in time both with the actor and the director. Thisprocess fusions the two identities (in the case of the actor the character`s identity with the

actor`s own; in the director`s case the identity of the performance itself with the director`s own)

that are not separable anymore. They become one, but in the same time we can still sense the

separate coexistence of two identities: a real one, which defines us and a fictional one, which is

defined by us and then has an effect on us. The director imagines a performance and then

creates it together with other theater professionals. The directors personal marks are present in

the performance. The directors identity is hidden in every detail of the performance. In thesame time the performance even during the rehearsal process has an effect on the director,

providing a new identity, having a strong effect. This is in fact the beauty, the magic and the

intangibility of effect and counter-effect in the theatrical work process. I wish to use this

method of taking notes during a rehearsal process in future projects as well, since it does not

only develop the sensitivity towards the actors state but it also provides a strong method of

self-reflection.

The next part of this presentation is the outlining of the ideas and conclusions which thepresented ten chapters are built upon.

Children are growing up using the method of perceiving themselves through the

eyes of the world that surrounds them. Hamlet is also using this method reflecting on

himself through the actions and words of the other characters. We, humans are constantly

aware of our eccentric position, and we are reflecting on the capabilities that come from this

situation. We use language, perceive ourselves and others even as a vehicle of

communication, we can express ourselves using our body etc. The theater symbolizes the


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human need for identity to the level of the basic human need of distance: to watch and

perceive ourselves from a distance. The concept of God14 also talks about this distanced

point of observation: God watching himself/herself through his/her creation and peopleknowing they are being watched.

There is always creation of identity and change of identity happening in theater.

While in the ritual of transition it is the participant that needs to transform, the theater makes

it possible for the viewers to change their identity exactly by having the actor impersonating

all those identities that are the characters of the performance in front of the audience.

Theater can be considered and defined as the space of crossing boundaries: boundaries

between reality and fiction, between one identity and the other, but in the same time there is

a limit, a crack, a traumatic core in the participating subjects that cannot be crossed. This can

be located in the body. In the theater of movement the emphasis is on the person of the actor

states Pavis. After examining several important performances he draws the conclusion,

that all gestures of the body are determined by the socio-political environment. Across times

the simplistic use of body-presence (body art) in the theatrical language has arrived to a

more complex understanding of the body as the carrier of multiple identities. In Ungvri`s

interpretation, the perception of the body has returned through a time-spiral to the sphere ofthe symbolic, the body-conception of our present functions as a construction of dialogue

between identities.

Artistic activity is a reflection on reality, it means thinking about reality and it is not

merely an intellectualization of reality. Theater is a way of thinking in the terms of space,

rhythm, words and gesture. If we are not able to step out of the usual structures nothing will

really happen in theater. Somebody is standing on a stage and reciting a text that is alien to

14within this concept we can understand also: Allah, Buddha, Jahve etc.


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him/her, these are not his/her words at all: what does this situation mean? Text is only raw

material to a performance, to a production. Even Brecht states that when he is writing he

feels like writing a musical sheet, he feels that the formalist is working within him, when heis writing. (Brecht 1987) The moment the actor starts speaking, something else speaks

through his/her person, something else starts to function on the stage: the structure of

language. Artaud asks a straight forward ironic question addressing this same matter: Why

cant I just be Antonin Artaud? (Artaud 2000)

The actor is creative by nature, but no matter how much he/she wants to the actor

cannot create himself/herself. It is not of interest anymore what A or B says on the stage

(this is not the main objective in theater anymore). The importance of the text has

significantly decayed in contemporary theater; the stage is ruled by the presence of the body;

the text is not dominating the space anymore. (Lehmann 2007) Lets just think of all the

information the body can communicate, while the amount of text is getting less and less. In

many cases the text is nothing more than a starting point for a production, it is only the

canvas for the final painting and in some other cases the text disappears altogether by the

end of the rehearsal process.

How should we act on stage? This question is always of interest, since there are

always new theories giving new answers to it. Reality can be re-created and reinterpreted

through form in theater. And it is this same form that enables the audience to come up with

an own understanding and interpretation of what was seen on stage by using a personal

imagination and life experiences that relate to what is seen. Theater is the act of reinventing.

Even the contemporary texts need reinventing how much more so the classic texts. The

meaning of the text is not to be found in the text itself, it is always in the context. You can

archive a text but you cannot do the same with the context. It is logical to say that


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Shakespeare can be played only in a valid, contemporary context thus these texts need

reinventing. In the contemporary theater the narrative of the text disappears and this function

is taken over by the narrative of the body. Contemporary theater has arrived to a stage ofevolvement where movement is dependent of the body and not of the text. This is how the

emptiness (in the best possible meaning of the word) between the body and the word can

actually come to existence. This emptiness can then be used to express the unspeakable and

in our opinion it is the only way to express it. In the present society the ritual of theater

cannot truly happen in the theater-buildings, it is rather being named a para-ritual as

Lehmann states it. The properly so called ritual can only happen in the above mentioned

emptiness. This is why it is crucial that theater should be a spectacle enterrompu

15

(aninterrupted performance). Today it is not sufficient to create a we-are-all-one-at-a-nice-

ceremony style theater production. There must be a void in the performance, an emptiness

that is intriguing; this feeling of non-completion should be present in the audience when

leaving the theater because this is when the viewers work starts, when the audiences

interpretation and reading of the performance finds time and space.

There are tendencies in contemporary theater that wish to create the perfect body.

Up to this point this aspiration is the same of that of the classical ballets main principle thatwishes to win the battle against gravity, to find a self-superior existence of the body. In

classical ballet there is no bodyweight, or gravity, or sweat, there is nothing but ethereal,

graceful flying. Opposite to this approach, Jan Fabre16 Belgian stage director creates perfect

bodily beauty only to ruin it immediately afterwards. The creation of perfect beauty and the

destruction of it is the process through which Fabres performances become a spectacle

enterrompu. He calls his actors warriors of beauty. For Fabre tragedy is present in the

15 Mallarme coins the term in his major work: Un spectacle enterrompu16 Jan Fabre stage director, plasticist, writer, performer and choreographer. (born 1958)


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human body: for instance the bones and the flesh a constant conflict between the solid

structure and the shape-changing matter. Contemporary performances often operate with the

characteristic of duality in theater, building-deconstructing, affirming-negating, structuringlinear versus vertical etc., creating counterpoint (kontrapunkt) and thus achieving tension.

The questions regarding personality are bringing together several slightly connected

issues. The historically continuous quest is aiming to find the answer as to how can one

person be the same in one time and the other simultaneously. This kind of analysis of

personal existence will show several requested and self-sufficient situations of the individual

existence within the dimension of time. Cultural identity does not address only a persons

cultural or sociological appartenance, the question can be extended to the level of a group or

culture while moving within the coordinates of location, gender, race, history, nationality

and ethnic identity.

The old identities that were holding the world in balance for so long are fading

away in the present. (Stuart 1997) The places of these fading singular identities are taken

over by multiple identities, thus we cannot speak any more about the oneness of an

individual; the modern human being will step into a new identity according to the

expectation of each role that is given to or asked from him/her by society. This phenomenon

is to be seen in the evolutionary arc of theater science and playwriting as well. Every play

wears more or less the marks of the age that gave birth to it (mentality, habits, social layers,

etc.). As it was mentioned before a text cannot be written or put on scene regardless of the

context of the present. This context cannot be disregarded. And this context gives the source

for research to later theater science. This is how we can examine for example the evolution

of Hamlet`s identity through the different periods within theater history.


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Since the appearance of the genre of drama, meaning the appearance of conscience

on stage17 the characters are in constant disharmony and trouble, they are metaphorically

ill. (Jkfalvi 2001) The characters of contemporary drama cannot avoid this illness sincetheir creators, the authors do assume that the characters they create are not perfect thus they

act inconsequently and that they are in an end all captives of caducity. In different ages of

theater history the structures and models of character building can be well recognized,

whereas today these models mix or alternate or totally lack. With this phenomenon also the

question of recognizable and predetermined identities rises.

In contemporary theater there is a lack of models to follow or on the opposite, there

are too many models, one could find trends but it is hard to name a principle that is holding

together all the existing solutions. This situation is of course somewhat understandable,

since the whole European society is without a solid and common principle after Christianity

started to lose this position. Globalization and nationalism, theism and atheism are strongly

present at the same time. The European artistic understanding is strongly Aristotelian being

closely related to the structuralism and coherence of the beginning-middle-ending like

structure. This way the receiver of a performance finds it hard to break away from this

paradigm. This structural thinking is based in fact on the Christian notion of time: beginning(Genesis), middle (History), and end (the Apocalypse).

Since the innovative work of Artaud, Grotowski and Brook the main characteristic

of Eastern acting: being yourself, not wanting to become someone else (Pavis 2003) has

entered the circulation of Western theater too. After the decay of Greek theater culture this is

again the path for the transcendental to enter the world of theater one more time.

17 The history of theater considers Henrik IbsensA Doll`s House also known asNora to mark the beginning of thisgenre. (Crian 2004)


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In jedem ding is ein Gefangener writes Reiner Maria Rilke in one of his poems.

There is a process which happens in two directions in the same time: the actor gives birth

to the histrio18, gives this new existence an identity, and this new reality then re-creates theactor who becomes a duplicate of himself (liberates a prisoner or multiple prisoners from

within) and also gains a new identity through this process. By the means of self-suggestion

the actor is able to communicate in three ways with this histrio: the actor can totally

identify with this new personality, can keep a distance from it, or can step in & out as the

process goes on.19

We need to see clearly the conclusion at hand: contemporary drama literature and

contemporary theatrical language is expecting a level of understanding from the receiver that

is different from the everyday communication. We understand the primary meaning of the

words we hear, their technical meaning is clear to us, yet the words, the notions connect at a

different level at the characters thought structures. The contemporary language of emptiness

and absence in theater does not only apply to the plays, characters or dramatic structures it

can also be found within all forms of dramatic expression regardless to its genre.

Hamlet, the enlightened intellectual of the Renaissance (Hamlet, the Danish prince

studied at the prestigious Wittenberg University) gave words to the search of identity back in

the Elizabethan Age: To be or not to be? (Shakespeare 1998) The different approaches on

this text will of course give different layers of meaning to these words, but the one idea that

all interpretations openly or in a hidden way agree on is, that this is a situation of identity

crisis. Hamlet is a thinker and the renaissance thinker does not necessarily acts according to

his thoughts. The modern and postmodern thinker is in concordance with his/her thought

18Mniuiu uses this expression to describe the person rising within the actor through the process of creation19 The relation to a role through self-suggestion is discussed by Patrice Pavis in his work:Performance analysis inthe sub-chapter The actors work(Pavis 2003)


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because this is encrypted in the present way of how society functions. We have to realize

that Hamlet does not possess this necessity of his thoughts being in harmony with his actions

and that this state of being creates an even bigger seizure in Hamlet`s search for who hetruly is. Jan Kott states that Hamlet is somebody else than his own character, he outgrows

his own character. (Kott 1970) He keeps a distance from himself while looking for a new

self because only a newly found Hamlet would be able to solve this situation that drove him

into this identity crisis.

We are living on the peak of the digital era, and digitalization is taking over more

and more areas of our personal lives. A world evolving around computers, its language and

images has brought a revolutionary change, or at least has significantly modified the

everyday life of individuals, their habits and their use of communication. The average

member of the audience enters the theater from a media-environment. We have to realize

that todays younger actor generation also comes from this environment that is full with

digital media. Some of these artists of todays theater have already grown up next to a

computer, they may know better the world of internet than the real world, most of their

relationships evolve (also) on a virtual platform (email, instant messaging, video-chat, social

networks, online gaming etc.). It is impossible to avoid the question: how do the structuresof contemporary theater relate to these changes that happened between generations of theater

viewers and theater creators as well?

Lehmann considers it important to point out a difference: the amplified image

provided by the digital media only structures reality but it does not represent reality; it

creates a frame that makes reality visible within. (Lehmann 2006) But the main character of

theater is that it cannot be closed in a frame like this because the stage is the continuation of

the audience in contemporary theater. There is a strong discrepancy between the strength


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and high definition of the images presented today and the weakness or low definition of

human spirit that is present in society. This inconsistency can be noticed not only within

theater, it is present in our quotidian lives, it can be seen in the every-day actions andgestures of common people who are sucked into images on monitors and thus live a virtual

life in a non-existent reality as a major part of their existence.

It is important to examine the performative experience of the audience, and to be able

to address this question we first have to take a look at the personal performative experiences

of todays theater viewers in the virtual world that occupies more and more space in

everyones personal life. The spectator of 2010 arrives in the space and time of theater from

an environment filled with media, and gets up from the seat in front of the computer to sit

down in a seat in the front row of a theater. This is why we are searching to find out how this

situation changes the structures and the role of theater creation today.

The printed book, and later the appearance of film-making and finally television (not

to mention home cinemas lately, or on demand TV-shows) are all providing a finished

product for the consumer. The books, photography, film and television are mostly the replay

of the captured past, they are all presenting an event that has already happened even if they

possess a certain illusion of present in some cases. Indeed the web allows even demands

reading strategies that are not linear, inviting the reader to choose the path and order of

text read, as driven by the readers own desire and cognitive processing style (Westlake

2008:25) The continuous change and changeability as an option, the presence of endless

number of options are all characteristics of the active participant reading, that kind of

approach through which the reader can actually intervene in the text read or image viewed.

The web gives everyone the opportunity to become an active part of story that is being read

by the individual. Even if this is all just a virtual reality we are still talking about perpetual


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communication, expression of opinions, search for connections and a stand, different

levels of exhibitionism in an end: it is all about putting ourselves in the center of it.

This continuous contribution (as long as one is connected to the web) to the

development of the presents virtual world is a form of existence that has a huge impact on

all other images received in the day to day life, and theater is among these as well. This way

in my opinion this habit of being interactively present, contributing to the image that is being

watched also has an impact on how an audience is perceiving other (also constantly

changing) images, and how the individuals of this audience react to the image seen. In its

own paradox way the virtual (non-existent) world has an effect on all of us, an effect which

is very much alive since it is constantly changing, it is not static and it requires perpetual

intellectual involvement. The theatrical event is real, happening with in the flesh human

beings on stage, and because real human beings are involved in it, is always changing. At

this point it is beyond any dispute that these two worlds have a connecting point and many

characteristics in common, the question remains how and where can we identify these

touching points and how can these be used for the benefit of contemporary theater.

Today`s youngster generation did not have to adapt, to learn new things about web

culture, these kids did not have to make the switch to the communication structures of the

web-based world and something that was before it. The older generation who witnessed the

appearance of the first computers, the quick spread and development of the web, needed to

learn all the skills that were required to use these new possibilities to their full potential.

They needed to get used to find their way around the virtual world of the web, they needed

to get used to the new always changing text and picture in the frame of

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