SFB - Sonderforschungsbereich Kulturen des Performativen

Objectives:

It is the aim of this project to develop a narratological approach to contemporary Western performance (live art, experimental theatre, performance art, contemporary dance), which is directed at the processual and constitutional nature of generating stories. This study proceeds from the observation that the stories staged in "postdramatic" forms of contemporary theatre are adequately described neither by the term "dramatic plot" from drama theory, nor the tradition of so-called "epic theatre". Often still operating within the paradigm of the platonic distinction between mimesis and diegesis, narratology also fails in the analysis of many of these linguistically, gesturally, figuratively, or scenically composed "post-epic forms of narration" (Hans-Thies Lehmann). Their distinguishing feature lies in the emphasis on the performative i.e. both physical and ephemeral construction of narratives.
By developing a vocabulary that emphasizes the process of generating and producing a narrative and focuses on the performative nature of narrating as performing, we aim to analyze the narrative practices in contemporary experimental theatre on the one hand, and fill a research gap in theatre studies and narratology on the other. Thus, the main questions of this project are: Firstly, what are the narrative practices, i.e. forms of generating stories, prevalent in contemporary performance today (performing stories)? Secondly, how do we reformulate the notion of narration accordingly (stories as performance), and what are the consequences of this reformulation for narratology, theatre studies, and cultural theory?
The following aspects are key to this endeavour: spatiality of stories (social and historical spaces), narrative games (interaction and immersion), movement of narrative, objects as narrative, the narrator as performer (autobiographical narration, lectures, everyday stories), and time of narration (relation between narration and event).
We will – amongst others – examine the works of the following groups, directors, and solo performers: Gob Squad, Lone Twin, Lone Twin Theatre, Forced Entertainment, The Wooster Group, The Nature Theatre of Oklahoma, Blast Theory, Rimini Protokoll, She She Pop, plan b, Signa, Curious, Big Art Group, Rotozaza, Reckless Sleepers, andcompany & Co., Rashomon, Ivana Müller, Uwe Mengel, Hans-Peter Litscher, Bobby Baker, Gary Stevens, Till Müller-Klug, Daniel Belasco Rogers, Dries Verhoeven, Raimund Hoghe, Sophie Calle, Alice Chauchat, Simone Aughterlony, Joshua Sofaer, Janet Cardiff and Mette Ingvartsen.

| oben | Projektliste | Homepage | SUCHEN | Stand: 10/27/08




	B1 Sub-project 5: Performing Stories – Stories as Performance. Narrative Practices in Contemporary Experimental Theatre.
	Objectives: It is the aim of this project to develop a narratological approach to contemporary Western performance (live art, experimental theatre, performance art, contemporary dance), which is directed at the processual and constitutional nature of generating stories. This study proceeds from the observation that the stories staged in "postdramatic" forms of contemporary theatre are adequately described neither by the term "dramatic plot" from drama theory, nor the tradition of so-called "epic theatre". Often still operating within the paradigm of the platonic distinction between mimesis and diegesis, narratology also fails in the analysis of many of these linguistically, gesturally, figuratively, or scenically composed "post-epic forms of narration" (Hans-Thies Lehmann). Their distinguishing feature lies in the emphasis on the performative i.e. both physical and ephemeral construction of narratives. By developing a vocabulary that emphasizes the process of generating and producing a narrative and focuses on the performative nature of narrating as performing, we aim to analyze the narrative practices in contemporary experimental theatre on the one hand, and fill a research gap in theatre studies and narratology on the other. Thus, the main questions of this project are: Firstly, what are the narrative practices, i.e. forms of generating stories, prevalent in contemporary performance today (performing stories)? Secondly, how do we reformulate the notion of narration accordingly (stories as performance), and what are the consequences of this reformulation for narratology, theatre studies, and cultural theory? The following aspects are key to this endeavour: spatiality of stories (social and historical spaces), narrative games (interaction and immersion), movement of narrative, objects as narrative, the narrator as performer (autobiographical narration, lectures, everyday stories), and time of narration (relation between narration and event). We will – amongst others – examine the works of the following groups, directors, and solo performers: Gob Squad, Lone Twin, Lone Twin Theatre, Forced Entertainment, The Wooster Group, The Nature Theatre of Oklahoma, Blast Theory, Rimini Protokoll, She She Pop, plan b, Signa, Curious, Big Art Group, Rotozaza, Reckless Sleepers, andcompany & Co., Rashomon, Ivana Müller, Uwe Mengel, Hans-Peter Litscher, Bobby Baker, Gary Stevens, Till Müller-Klug, Daniel Belasco Rogers, Dries Verhoeven, Raimund Hoghe, Sophie Calle, Alice Chauchat, Simone Aughterlony, Joshua Sofaer, Janet Cardiff and Mette Ingvartsen. \| oben \| Projektliste \| Homepage \| SUCHEN \| Stand: 10/27/08