WEEK 9

This week, I began focusing in my essay as well as my group work. I chose the question ‘-

• Can theatre compete with other forms of media in the digital age? Should it try? Discuss with reference to the work of contemporary theatre practitioners engaged with ‘inter medial’ work.

As part of my research, I looked a theatre through the ages, as well focusing in on, experimental groups such as the builders association and the blue man group. These groups show intermediary work, so I thought it important to discuss them, I found their ideas different and inspiring they were a new type of theatre and so I felt that they needed to be discussed in the essay. The builders association in particular uses a lot of digital aids including web streaming and video footage in their performances, they too have videos and even art work to express the messages; they do not rely on live performances alone.

Added to this, I also interviewed, a family friend, who is a director. Chris Green has been a director of film and television; I wanted to see what he thought of theatre in the digital age. He believed that traditional theatre still had its place in society today, as it been around for generations, he commented on how it has always competed with different forms of media, and can still triumph he agreed that with other forms of media the theatre is at threat. But argued that by getting involved with media. The theatre can overcome any types of threat.

It was interesting to get a different prospective on things as it provided me with more of an idea of weather or not theatre could compete.

I began exploring the idea of remediation more, to see if this could contribute to my research, from doing this I found that it is a must for theatre to constantly re mediates, as the audience are for ever changing, likewise so does the content have to change! Remediation does not mean that the content has to be lost, but generated again using new material, for example, The Performing Arts Students, are putting on the myth of Electra and Oedipus, they will be performing one, with no visual effects the other which contained multimedia. I will comment on this further after seeing the production.

I also began interviewing people as my personal research for my debate I wanted to gain an understanding of what the public thought before I planned my debate, this way I could form a balanced answer. Please refer to the videos for the interviews that took place