Space in Performance
At the outset of Gay McAuley’s “Space in Performance,” the author sets out her ample thesis clearly; given its breadth, she manages to remain within its bounds throughout the book. McAuley states that her book is “an attempt to explore the multiple functions of...spatial reality in the construction and communication of theatrical meaning.” It is my opinion that her pursuit of the effective production of meaning is more successful that her search for the ultimate communication of that meaning.
McAuley’s initial emphasis on locating herself in an intellectual framework was helpful, but I often felt that she was deferring to other theorists, rather than simply referring to their example in order to bolster her own ideas. On this topic, however, I appreciated her analysis of Stanislavskian and Brechtian approaches to theater and gesture, especially pertaining to the uses of objects and the body’s relationship to and with them. Although mentioned once, I thought the work of Meyerhold was conspicuously absent from McAuley’s study of historical modes of viewing the body in performance. As one of the first people to practice a movement, gesture and body-focused approach to theater and actor training, I would have thought that his work would shed some light on the various topics discussed in “Space in Performance.” His work seems an obvious precursor to McAuley’s studies: in particular his attention to gesture, the expressive, performing body, and, importantly, the instinctual mind and its relationship to objects and its surroundings.
I enjoyed McAuley’s extensive references to specific textual and performance examples. I have read and seen many of the plays she speaks of in depth, such as Genet’s Les bonnes or The Maids, Racine’s Phèdre or Phaedra, and Chekhov’s Three Sisters. I was especially fascinated by her treatment of Les bonnes, since it effectively jogged my memory of the play without synopsis, and highlighted several textual ambiguities that I remember as confusing at the time of my intial encounter with the text.
Her use of examples from Racine’s Phèdre was an excellent way to highlight aspects of theatrical space and gesture in the context of a single work. By using the one play to discuss issues of space in translation, as well as text modified through gesture and props, McAuley created a sense of continuity and lineage that helped to guide the reader through a variety of discussions on space, in all of its manifestations, that appear throughout the book.
Of the many manifestations of space discussed in “Space in Performance,” McAuley speaks in consistent and uniform terms, which is an immense help when studying such a subject. She does a fairly good job of defining some general guidelines and terms useful in discussing space. She acknowledges the intensity of this task, calling it “The Terminological Minefield,” but does a good job of being relatively consistent with her identification of presentational, fictional, and thematic space. McAuley does define other kinds of space throughout, but most of her theoretical parameters are set out at the beginning, and are adhered to faithfully throughout “Space in Performance.”
Her focus on ideas like energy, believability, and actor’s perspective, also set McAuley’s study apart from other theoretical writing on performance. Energy and believability are such nebulous concepts, and her willingness to approach them as topics available to systematic contemplation is admirable. The perspective of the actor inhabiting the space around him or her is very often overlooked, and it is to McAuley’s credit that she devotes herself to its study as well. I especially appreciated her diagram of the opening of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, in which concepts of space had been drawn out that were not in the text. Although not part of what would ultimately be made available to the spectators on a conscious level, the diagram revealed essential aspects of the reality that ultimately becomes their experience in the theater.
Also well-executed was McAuley’s section on the various regards and standpoints possible in a theatrical event, as was her exceptional devotion to getting as much documentation of as many perspectives as possible. It should be mentioned, however, that these perspectives, though well fleshed out, are very clearly western, and certainly Euro-centric, a fact that McAuley admits and defends. I believe it to be an acceptable and honest limit to put on her own work, given that her understanding of theatre, and the origin of her expertise, both stem from a western, Euro-centric tradition.
Overall, I thought McAuley’s attempt to solidify a way of verbalizing space in theatre in “Space in Performance” was successful. There were points on which I felt her argument was somewhat weakened by her unwillingness to make her statement of belief or opinion based on her own experience and/or research, and without or at least before the interjection of some other theorist’s opinions on the topic. Although of course an author benefits from a firm grounding in previous research, a body of experiential or primary-source examples can often further strengthen the thesis argument. In this respect, I thought her attention to Racine’s Phèdre, as well as her addition of actor’s-perspective research were incredibly insightful. The field of research on the subject of McAuley’s study is heartily enriched by the addition of “Space in Performance."
Copyright 2009 Cabiria Jacobsen
McAuley’s initial emphasis on locating herself in an intellectual framework was helpful, but I often felt that she was deferring to other theorists, rather than simply referring to their example in order to bolster her own ideas. On this topic, however, I appreciated her analysis of Stanislavskian and Brechtian approaches to theater and gesture, especially pertaining to the uses of objects and the body’s relationship to and with them. Although mentioned once, I thought the work of Meyerhold was conspicuously absent from McAuley’s study of historical modes of viewing the body in performance. As one of the first people to practice a movement, gesture and body-focused approach to theater and actor training, I would have thought that his work would shed some light on the various topics discussed in “Space in Performance.” His work seems an obvious precursor to McAuley’s studies: in particular his attention to gesture, the expressive, performing body, and, importantly, the instinctual mind and its relationship to objects and its surroundings.
I enjoyed McAuley’s extensive references to specific textual and performance examples. I have read and seen many of the plays she speaks of in depth, such as Genet’s Les bonnes or The Maids, Racine’s Phèdre or Phaedra, and Chekhov’s Three Sisters. I was especially fascinated by her treatment of Les bonnes, since it effectively jogged my memory of the play without synopsis, and highlighted several textual ambiguities that I remember as confusing at the time of my intial encounter with the text.
Her use of examples from Racine’s Phèdre was an excellent way to highlight aspects of theatrical space and gesture in the context of a single work. By using the one play to discuss issues of space in translation, as well as text modified through gesture and props, McAuley created a sense of continuity and lineage that helped to guide the reader through a variety of discussions on space, in all of its manifestations, that appear throughout the book.
Of the many manifestations of space discussed in “Space in Performance,” McAuley speaks in consistent and uniform terms, which is an immense help when studying such a subject. She does a fairly good job of defining some general guidelines and terms useful in discussing space. She acknowledges the intensity of this task, calling it “The Terminological Minefield,” but does a good job of being relatively consistent with her identification of presentational, fictional, and thematic space. McAuley does define other kinds of space throughout, but most of her theoretical parameters are set out at the beginning, and are adhered to faithfully throughout “Space in Performance.”
Her focus on ideas like energy, believability, and actor’s perspective, also set McAuley’s study apart from other theoretical writing on performance. Energy and believability are such nebulous concepts, and her willingness to approach them as topics available to systematic contemplation is admirable. The perspective of the actor inhabiting the space around him or her is very often overlooked, and it is to McAuley’s credit that she devotes herself to its study as well. I especially appreciated her diagram of the opening of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, in which concepts of space had been drawn out that were not in the text. Although not part of what would ultimately be made available to the spectators on a conscious level, the diagram revealed essential aspects of the reality that ultimately becomes their experience in the theater.
Also well-executed was McAuley’s section on the various regards and standpoints possible in a theatrical event, as was her exceptional devotion to getting as much documentation of as many perspectives as possible. It should be mentioned, however, that these perspectives, though well fleshed out, are very clearly western, and certainly Euro-centric, a fact that McAuley admits and defends. I believe it to be an acceptable and honest limit to put on her own work, given that her understanding of theatre, and the origin of her expertise, both stem from a western, Euro-centric tradition.
Overall, I thought McAuley’s attempt to solidify a way of verbalizing space in theatre in “Space in Performance” was successful. There were points on which I felt her argument was somewhat weakened by her unwillingness to make her statement of belief or opinion based on her own experience and/or research, and without or at least before the interjection of some other theorist’s opinions on the topic. Although of course an author benefits from a firm grounding in previous research, a body of experiential or primary-source examples can often further strengthen the thesis argument. In this respect, I thought her attention to Racine’s Phèdre, as well as her addition of actor’s-perspective research were incredibly insightful. The field of research on the subject of McAuley’s study is heartily enriched by the addition of “Space in Performance."
Copyright 2009 Cabiria Jacobsen
posted by Cabiria at 11:00 AM
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