Based Theatre in 21St Century Britain
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SITE-BASED THEATRE IN 21ST CENTURY BRITAIN: CONCEPTUALIZING AUDIENCE EXPERIENCES By RANDALL HARMON B.A., Centre College, 1985 M.F.A., University of Texas at Austin, 1994 A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Colorado in partial fulfillment Of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Theatre & Dance 2015 This thesis entitled: Site-based Theatre in 21st Century Britain: Conceptualizing Audience Experiences written by Randall Harmon has been approved for the Department of Theatre & Dance Oliver Gerland Bud Coleman Date The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we Find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards Of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline. iii Abstract Harmon, Randall (PhD., Theatre) Site-based Theatre in 21st Century Britain: Conceptualizing Audience Experiences Thesis directed by Associate Professor Oliver Gerland This dissertation sets out to provide guidelines for the conceptualization of audience experiences for site-based theatre--theatre events more commonly described as site- specific, site-responsive, or immersive. Creators of site-based theatre should design participative engagement for audiences that immerses participants in the site and interfaces with its contexts, and promotes a visceral and memorable experience of the performance. Following a definition of site-based theatre, this dissertation investigates conceptual practices of 20 leading practitioners of site-based theatre in contemporary Great Britain; Grid Iron Theatre, Punchdrunk, Pearson/Brookes, Common Wealth Theatre Company, Hydrocracker Theatre, Red Earth, and ZU-UK, among others. Based on interviews with these practitioners, and observations of eight site-based theatre productions in the U.K. between 2011-2013, this dissertation proposes and explores a two-step sequence for the conceptualization of visceral and memorable site-based theatre audience experiences, and derives a taxonomy of the essential qualities of site-based theatre. Chapter Three explores how site-based theatre benefits from an excited and engaged audience. Some audiences are attracted to site-based theatre’s egalitarian appeal that defies the power implications of the conventional theatre transaction. Chapter Four explains how real-world sites offer locational, societal, historical and cultural contexts to be perceived and interpreted by the spectator. Numerous iv considerations for performance and participant interfaces are explored including a range of possible responses to contextual information present in the site. Chapter Five explores the range of possible participative engagement available to creators of site-based theatre. Conceiving participative engagement requires attention to: inviting agency and active participation; engaging participants in roles in the performance; the usage and effects of immersion, proxemics, haptics and temporality, orientation and disorientation, and transitions; and methods for compelling movement through the performance and site. This study identifies and discusses two foundational considerations for the conceptualization of site-based theatre and considers the possibility for expanded site- based theatre activity in the United States in the future. Dedication This work is dedicated to my father, G. Randall Harmon, and to Mary Alice Harmon, William Arden Harmon, and B. F. Rodgers, Jr., in memoriam. vi Acknowledgements I wish to extend my appreciation and gratitude to Dr. Oliver Gerland for his invaluable guidance of this dissertation from conception to completion. Furthermore, his endorsement of fellowship and travel grant applications proved vital in securing funding for my three research trips to Great Britain, 2011-2013. I also wish to thank Dr. Bud Coleman, Dr. Beth Osnes, Dr. Penelope Cole and Professor Michelle Ellsworth for their inspired readings in defense of this work, and their encouragement and advice contributing to its completion. This research was made possible through generous support from the University of Colorado at Boulder’s Center for British and Irish Studies, Center for the Humanities and the Arts, and Graduate School. I wish to extend my gratitude to Dr. Jeremy Smith, Director of the Center for British and Irish Studies, for his continued support of my research, and my thanks to Paula Anderson for her administration of my numerous travel fellowships and grants. While I initiated contact with a number of the subjects interviewed, others were introduced or recommended to me by the many inspired and extremely helpful people I met throughout this project. Foremost of these vital advisors, I wish to thank Eileen O’Reilly, Producer at the National Theatre of Scotland. Ms. O’Reilly not only arranged access for me to interview NTS’s executives, directors and key production personnel, she secured my travel to Raasay with their touring production of Calum’s Road, arranged access to rehearsals for A Christmas Carol, escorted me or provided tickets to numerous NTS performances, introduced me to company archivists, and recommended numerous key individuals practicing or concerned with Scottish site-based theatre and performance. vii I extend my deep gratitude to all the people who generously offered their time and insights in the interviews conducted in this project: Judith Doherty, Ben Harrison and Chris Hunn of Grid Iron Theatre Company (Edinburgh), Felix Barrett and Colin Nightingale of Punchdrunk (London), Vicky Featherstone, Simon Sharkey, Graham McLaren, and Niall Black of the National Theatre of Scotland (Glasgow), John McGrath of National Theatre Wales (Cardiff), Dr. Mike Pearson (Aberystwyth University), Evie Manning and Rhiannon White of Common Wealth Theatre Company (Bristol), Ellie Jones (London), Jorge Lopes Ramos of ZU.UK (London), Cora Bissett of Pachamama Productions (Glasgow), David Leddy of Fire Exit (Glasgow), Simon Pascoe, Caitlin Easterby and Mark Anderson of Red Earth (Brighton), Felix Mortimer of RIFT (London), Sandy Thompson of The Bell Rock Theatre (Glasgow), Ollie Langdon of Kilter Theatre (Bath), Ava Roy of We Players (San Francisco), Dr. Fiona Wilkie (Roehampton University, London), Dr. Minty Donald (University of Glasgow), the late Adrian Howells (Glasgow), Mark Fisher (Edinburgh), Gerry Mulgrew (Communicado Theatre Co.), Catrin Evans (Glasgow), Lewis Hetherington (Edinburgh), and Jennifer MacGregor (Edinburgh). Additionally, I wish to thank these additional people who consulted, made introductions, or facilitated interviews: Neil Murray (National Theatre of Scotland), Michael Salmon (National Theatre Wales), Steph Allen, Jennie Hoy, Colin Marsh (Punchdrunk), Richard Hahlo (Hydrocracker Theatre), Caroline Garland (Kilter Theatre), Mhari Hetherington (Fire Exit), Dr. Randall Stevenson (University of Edinburgh), Dr. David Wohl (Winthrop University), Cynthia Patterson (Texas Performing Arts), Karen Macmillan (dreamthinkspeak), Pete Irvine (Unique Events), Aileen Gonsalves (Butterfly), Sarah Blake (Cabinets of Curiosity), Tim Crouch, Scott Williams and Amy Hodge. I also wish to thank Drew “December” Mathisen for her design of the diagrams utilized herein. viii While residing in Great Britain for 20 weeks, I met a number of people who freely dispensed hospitality and, in so doing, forged with me fond memories and lasting friendships. My deepest gratitude to these friends who opened their homes and provided me accommodation, meals, and laughter: Jill Graham, Jeremy and Polly Mortimer, and Richard and Ali Hahlo. My everlasting thanks for the tremendous memories and friendship Jon Meggat, Kevin Murray, Colin Bell, Neill Pollard, Christian From, Chris Hay, Sean McHugh, Kurt Hessel, Reed Gernert, Sarah Griffin, and Karl and Beki Richard. And finally, I extend my deepest gratitude and enduring love to my wife, Barb Harmon, and my daughter Julianna Mae Harmon, for their constant love, their patience, and their vital support and encouragement. ix Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Site, Specificity, Contexts, Participation, and Other Terminology 26 3. Why Are Audiences Interested in Sited Theatre? 40 4. Interfacing With the Contexts of the Site 74 5. Participative Engagement 131 6. Conclusion 198 Bibliography 215 Appendix: People and Productions 222 Grid Iron Theatre Company – Judith Doherty, Ben Harrison 222 Punchdrunk – Felix Barrett, Colin Nightingale 226 Pearson/Brookes – Mike Pearson 228 Common Wealth Theatre Company – Evie Manning, Rhiannon White 230 Hydrocracker Theatre Company – Ellie Jones 232 ZU-UK – Jorge Ramos 233 Pachamama Productions -- Cora Bissett 234 Red Earth – Caitlin Easterby, Simon Pascoe 235 David Leddy, Felix Mortimer, Mark Fisher, Chris Hunn 236 x Figures 1. Four Continuum Models of Site-specific Theatre 12 2. Cognition of a Site’s Contexts 34 3. Locational Contexts 96 1 Introduction We humans, by nature, are sentient beings. We interface with our surroundings through our senses of sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch. We seek to deepen our understanding of what we experience by calibrating our engagement with the specific location we occupy against a subconscious existential awareness of our place in the universe. In essence, our constant interrogation of location represents an innate desire to increase self-understanding. I am drawn to the practice of site-based theatre—that is, theatre performed not in a purpose-built theatre building but in a real-world site. As an audience member, I crave the immediate visceral response produced by