‘Site specific performance engages with site as symbol, site as story-teller and site as structure’ (Pearson, 2010) the specificity of this module appears to lend itself only to the space that the performance will take place. Quite simply, the site is the only notion that is ‘specific’. All other information surrounding the style is slightly imprecise. However, this statement is not to be taken necessarily negatively because as a performer we are able to look upon and engage with a diverse variety of creativity that expands beyond the typical ‘stage’ based performance.
There was a lot to process upon the first visit to the Usher Gallery and Archeology Museum. Within the two buildings is a lot of space but also a lot of knowledge, history and narrative that will need to be considered in order for a piece of performance art to be successfully created.
The basic function of a museum is to display, and furthermore to educate. Just like in theatre, an audience is essential to its purpose. The two have become ‘neighbors’ (Bennett, 2010, p.8) in their roles of entertainment. This concept alongside the use of a non theatre venue, leaves an ‘enquiry into what theatre is and might be’. In traditional theatre, we create our performance space around the ideas and the art/performance we already have. So the question now is, how do we begin to create art around the space? The starting point is more challenging than ever and what we are aiming toward at the end is significantly more blurry. However I do understand that we have an aim in ‘changing the way people perceive [‘specific’] places’ (Pearson, 2010) Therefore if people perceive a museum as a place of historical reminders and education, our aim essentially could be to cause the audience to question the idea of ‘the truth’. Is the history and the information presented by the museum misleading or re-directed in any way? How do we know what is truth? These questions are important, because as a society we are often lead to believe the things we are told without question. Before visiting the museum, we were asked to think about the space of the museum and also what a museum is and does. This really changed my perspective as I no longer went to appreciate the display, I was thinking of ways in which I could change the Museum ‘from Display to Experience’. (Bennett 2010, p.8)
Works Cited
Bennett, S. (2013) Theatre and Museums. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Pearson, M. (2010) Site Specific Performance. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.