[COP3] Schechner: Performance Theory

Perfromance

This book is talking about performance in theater play. The book is difficult and packed with hard words, I spent a lot of time find out meanings of the words which is time consuming. However, there are some useful information about acting and perfect performance that would be useful when evaluating what makes a good performance for anthropomorphised characters. For examples:

'In out opinion, the conditions essential to the art of acting are the following, and should be made the object of a methodical investigation:

(a)To stimulate a process of self-revelation, going back as far as the subconscious, yet canalizing this stimulus in order to obtain the required reaction.

(b)To be able to articulate this process, discipline it, and convert it into signs. In concrete terms, this means to construct a score whose notes are tiny elements of contact, reactions to the stimuli of the outside world: what we call "give and take".

(c)To eliminate from the creative process the resistances and obstacles caused by one's own organism, both physical and psychical (the two forming a whole).

p.201

These statements can be used in my dissertation, suggesting professional opinion on perfect performance out of actors, in this case character. Considering other media would also make my essay more diverse and convincing when reading. I think what the text lacks is a clear demonstration which could be a bit confusing therefore it might be good if I can pull out some examples to explain it and compare their theory with Ed Hook's acting theory in his book Acting for animators.

Objects

Talking about objects used in theater, 'Sometimes, as in theater and children's play, they are decisive in creating the symbolic reality. The 'other-worldiness' of play, sports, games, theater, and ritual is enhanced by the extreme disparity between the value of the objects outside the activity when compared to their values as foci of the activity. 'p.11

Decisive= have to power to decide

Disparity=lack of similarity or equality

plural of focus=foci

Vito