The Deadly Theatre

• It is the most common, the most prevalent theatre. It practices "imitation for imitation's sake" (Cf. Plato's chair).
• All great artists are innovators. The first creator/inventor has a reason for doing something in some particular way; often this reason is later forgotten.
• Theatre is built upon conventions, but once a convention is established, it starts to rot and becomes petty, superficial, silly affectation.
• Can you name a convention (curtain, unity of time, etc.)?
• Challenge its necessity, especially in old, classical, traditional art¡Xconvention/tradition for its own sake (ballet, grand opera, symphony).
• Can you name a deadly theatre?

• Almost all theatres started as religious rituals (Greek-Dionysus, Christian-miracle/mystery plays, etc.)
• ƒTheatre served as a medium between this and a higher/invisible world¡Xvisionary, ritualistic
• Plato's "divine madness"¡Xpoet is possessed, occupied.
• In holy theatre, not only the actors, but also the audience, are affected/infected.
• Theatre involves the audience sensuously (seeing, hearing), emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually (Cf. Aristotelian catharsis).
• Danger! Total involvement may cause incapacity to get out!
• Borderline artist¡Xyou submit to a higher power, you relax, you leave behind your reason and sanity (Artaud ended up in a mad house; so did Vincent van Gogh).
• Name an experience (of being wholly moved by a performance).
• Audience-oriented¡Xsome people are more open, more sensitive, more accessible; others are more tight, closed, stubborn.
• For common audience, there could be moments like this in a given performance, but to make this your goal is hard, too idealistic.
  

The Rough Theatre

• The rough theatre refuses illusion and involvement. It features detachment and alienation.
• The rough theatre is not so much physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual¡Xbut intellectual.
• It is an opposite pole to the holy theatre (sense and sensibility).
• It is in line with the post-modern spirit¡Xinquisitive, rebellious, anti-authoritarian, reflexive, meta-narrative.
• We are probably more familiar with this than the other kind¡Xwe are very tightened and closed, frigid, cold; without the help of alcohol or drugs, we can't let go easily, can't get in touch with the holy; we don't easily fall in love.
• Name an experience with the rough, the intellectual, the alienated.

Conclusion

• The ultimate goal is a "living, non-deadly theatre." It can be holy, rough, or whatsoever.
• The "immediate theatre"¡XBrook's own practice and experience. He tries to make an un-deadly theatre (using games, experiments, interaction, etc.)
• No principle works permanently and universally¡Xtheatre is in present tense, ongoing, always changing.

¥Ð½¯²ï¡mè¹Ú¡n

• What is this performance about?
• The mopping is unbearably long, and intentionally unbearable.
• It visualizes t he unbearable regularity, repetitiveness, and boredom of everyday life.
• It shows the division between everyday life and theatre.
  

Review

• We saw three versions of Romeo and Juliet last week (film, ballet, Taiwanese opera).
• Do you like/dislike them? Why?
• Which is more physical, emotional, intellectual, psychological, spiritual?
• Which is more immediate? Why?
• Which one is more Shakespearean? Is it a good thing? Is it necessary?