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Post modern idea- there are no grand narratives to draw together our understanding of the world, Lyotard defined Post modernism as an incredulity towards meta narratives'. Any way of having the world explained to us is only a story, a narrative account of meaning. Post modernist's expose the desire for meaning and take pleasure in there being no meaning, this is a cause for liberation. No one account can take priority over another, we can choose but this view of freedom is deceptive because there is still control and dominant ideologies within society regardless of individual freedom'.

5 Areas for concern:

1-The Theatrical Space
To what extent do the practitioners respond creatively to the use of the theatrical space?
Some practitioners will work in theatres in conventional ways. Others change the audience, performer relationship by using non defined or unconventional spaces. Clearly defined theatrical space separates the theatrical from everyday life, but not all practitioners want this separation, instead some want to explore theatrical roles in everyday life.
What is it that defines something as theatre/performance? If two people are interacting and have at least one person watching, does the everyday then become theatre?

2-The Role of the Performer
In conventional Western theatre, the performer's role is to interpret a text.
In Post modern theatre, the performer has an active role in constructing the work. They have a more creative role and work from having a creative response to a text.
The author, director disappears, there is the absence of a controlling authority.
To what extent does this include or exclude the audience? In some cases, the verbal aspect of theatre is reduced and the performer's body and physical presence becomes more important. Meaning is found in the performer.

3-The Role of the Audience
Questioning the role of the audience. Conventional theatre is about translating a message to the audience.
Post modern theatre can not be a means to which meaning is constructed, via a narrative, to the audience. Theatre should be open to interpretation and not have a fixed meaning. Post modern theatre seeks to liberate the audience and illustrate the human desire for meaning.
Post modern theatre aims to have an equally creative relationship between the audience and the performance.

4-The Role of the Text
In conventional theatre, text is the dominant influence upon the end result.
In Post modern theatre, the relationship between the performance and the text is changed. The text is adapted or even abandoned. The text is just an aspect of the creative process, and is no more important than the performer or the audience.
The text is transformed through performance rather than interpreted by performance. At the moment of performance, the text is absent.
How far are the practitioners tied to a text?

5-The Function of the Practitioner
The practitioner is not necessarily interested in controlling the performance. They make the creative process possible, they replace the director but act as the facilitator, bring actors together etc.
They are more interested in process rather than product, not trying to work towards an end performance.
Life is a constant, unfinished process of understanding and changing. So drama that tries to explain life through a show (with a clear structure, Aristotelian unities) presents a false view of life and is too final.

Learn more about this author, Giovanni Ferri.
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