What is the theatre? It might bring to mind someone looking suspiciously like Derek Jacobi or Lawrence Olivier spewing Shakespeare. In a modern context, plays certainly qualify as theatre. Probably musicals, too. Maybe even opera and ballet. But what about...balloon art? What?!?
Bear with me for a moment. On December 1, 2011, the world encountered Stuff Theatre: a 24-hour Facebook theatre extravaganza featuring everything from muppet Shakespeare to dolphin improv to gospel singing, all coming together to bring your facebook page to life on the stage. Hard to imagine? See the Best of Stuff Theatre video here.
So in light of this remarkable feat of performing arts, it begs a new look at the concept of theatre. I had always drawn a strict line between cinema and theatre, but the definition I am coming to accept is that theatre is any situation in which a performer (in-person or otherwise) does something (perform in any sense) for an audience. Of course, that opens a potentially rotten can of worms. Does that mean a sporting event is theatre? What about a circus? Or a political speaker? Is it something that only takes place in an actual theatre, so to speak? But then what about grassroots companies like ours, many of whom perform out of doors?
In the end, this is probably a semi-rhetorical question. Almost as bad as "what is art?" People will simply have to agree to disagree. But I like to think it encourages us to keep open minds, always. Be adventurous. Be analytical. Be amazed. Enjoy a performance for its own sake and the experience will be rewarding.
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