Blog Post 8: Time

      1. Time and pace reinforces the reality effect because something happening in “real time” and having the pace of an event that could occur in our natural lives (even if it might be at the height of an emotional event) makes it appear that the form of theatre being observed is unmediated, like life.  Single tweet plays are a quick in the moment form of theatre.  Time and pace reinforces the reality effect here because it is like taking a little clip/tidbit of someone’s life.  A momentary glance into what is happening with them or in the world or something completely fictional.  The audience does not know whether it is fictional or not though.  We look at it as a glimpse of truth.  Multi-tweet Twitter dramas happen over days, weeks, months, years.  So, it occurs over a long time, but the pace of the different tweets is quick.  They are short and to the point.  This method allows a glimpse into the daily, unmediated life of the person posting them.  In futurist pieces, they are also short and to the point, but we don’t know all the circumstances surrounding what is happening.  This is like life because normally we don’t know everything about a situation, just the gist.  Finally, durationals are like the monotonous everyday life we live.  They are long and sometimes eventful but mostly, I feel they are mundane.   

      2. In class, I was in a group that did an experiment where we had everyone write a play in 140 characters or less, then we split the plays up between the four of us and went to different parts of the room and started reading/acting them out at the same time.  We let the class walk around as they pleased to hear what they wanted to hear.  If all the “plays” could be about the same topic, I think they could be combined to create a “master” play.  This play could be purely entertaining and fictional or it could contain real world issues and give insight on them.  The audience could even post to a Twitter page made for the play or use hashtags, and there could be an improve part to the show using these. 

Comments

BLOG 8-

http://sas4130.blogspot.com/2014/10/blog-8.html?showComment=1414734503152#c3559017959519387438

BLOG 9-

http://sas4130.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-9.html?showComment=1418263213679#c5315445151590181256

BLOG 10-

http://ajcptb.blogspot.com/2014/11/0-0-0-world-needs-theatreor-does-it-i.html?showComment=1415689551918#c5580280920491749887

Prompt 7: Space

Using the components of site specific theatre, I would stage Sarah Ruhl's Dead Man's Cell Phone in an actual cafe/diner.  This is where she finds the dead man in the play.  The beginning I would have staged in a diner like booth; then when she goes home to his family and has dinner, this would be staged on a round table with chairs and closer to the kitchen doors for the purpose of entrances and exits.  It would also be made to look more home-like in this area.  Finally, all of the spiritual afterlife scenes could take place in a kitchen with a serving bar.  I do believe that it would this could enhance the performance.  It would make it more real for the audience and the performers, however I do see hindrances.  Any type of stage lighting would be difficult to rig up, so we would most likely have to deal with the fluorescent lighting already installed.  Also, it would not leave room for a large audience. The audience would need to small because they would be sitting at the rest of the diner's seats and tables.  The action would be happening around them, and yes, they would have to turn and readjust themselves throughout the show (which some might find annoying).  They would be able to stay sitting in there seats however and not have to get up and move around.  Even with these minor setbacks, I still feel that the space would enhance the overall performance. Also, I do not agree with Kantor's view.  This may hold true to old plays that date centuries back and have been done over and over throughout the years, but I believe that current works of theatre do this.  There is also the suspension of disbelief while at a play, so if the audience doesn't see anything coming and then something happens out of nowhere, they will indeed unquestionably believe it.