Is Theatre Personally and Socially Relevant?

Empirical Insight into Theatrical Experience

Authors

  • Maja Šorli University of Ljubljana
  • Hedi-Liis Toome University of Tartu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7146/nts.v30i2.112955

Keywords:

STEP City Study, Relevance, Empirical study, Reception research, Theatrical experience, Quantitative survey, Focus groups, Performance analysis, Tartu, Tyneside

Abstract

In the years 2009–2015, a comparison of theatre systems in seven smaller European cities was conducted and named the STEP City Study. The study also included reception research, conducted with an extensive questionnaire, and qualitative research comprised of focus groups and interviews with audience members. One of the surprising results showed that, generally, the spectators enjoyed the performances a lot, but at the same time, did not rate them as very personally or socially relevant. That is why we decided to explore the notion of relevance in this article, or in other words, to examine what we are measuring when we ask the audience if the performance was relevant for them. In this study, we combine audience research and performance analysis of the shows that were evaluated as the most personally or socially relevant. The shows had either existential or contemporary political topics, were created in rather traditional ways, and did not stand out in any particularly innovative theatrical approach. We also conclude that relevance is a complex issue expressed in different dimensions of theatrical experience and cannot be straightforwardly measured.

Author Biographies

Maja Šorli, University of Ljubljana

Maja Šorli is Research Fellow at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television of the University of Ljubljana (AGRFT UL), editor-in-chief of the journal of performing arts theory Amfiteater, a dramaturge and psychodrama trainee. In 2014 her monograph Slovenska postdramska pomlad [The Slovenian Postdramatic Spring] was published by MGL Library. She is a co-editor of three monographs, Skupnost emancipiranih misli in teles [Society of Emancipated Thoughts and Bodies] (2018), Hibridni prostori umetnosti [Hybrid Spaces of Art] (2012) and Dinamika sprememb v slovenskem gledališču 20. Stoletja [The Dynamics of Change in the 20th-Century Slovenian Theatre] (2010).

Hedi-Liis Toome, University of Tartu

Hedi-Liis Toome (PhD) is a lecturer of theatre studies at the Institute of Cultural Research at the University of Tartu, Estonia. In her research, she mostly studies the relationship between theatre and society, more particularly theatre audiences and reception and the functioning of theatre systems. She is the head of Estonian Association of Theatre Researchers and Theatre Critics, she is also teaching at the Estonian Academy of Arts and has worked on administrative positions in theatres and theatre organisations. Since 2010, she is a member of and international research group STEP (Project on European Theatre Systems).

References

Amfiteater. Journal of Performing Arts Theory. 2015, 3:1–2.
Belfiore, Eleonora, Bennett, Oliver. 2007. “Rethinking the Social Impacts of the Arts.” International Journal of Cultural Policy, 13:2, 135–151.
Bennett, Susan. 1997. Theatre Audiences: A Theory of Production and Reception. London; New York: Routledge.
Boerner, Sabine, Jobst, Johanna. 2013. “Enjoying Theatre: The Role of Visitor’s Response to the Performance.” Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts 7:4, 391–408.
Boerner, Sabine, Jobst, Johanna, Wiemann, Meike. 2010. “Exploring the theatrical experience: Results from an empirical investigation.” Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts 4:3, 173–180.
Brown, Alan. S., Novak, Jennifer L. 2007. Assessing the Intrinsic Impacts of a Live Performance. Detroit: Wolfbrown.
Edelman, Joshua, Ejgod Hansen, Louise, Hoogen, Quirijn Lennert van den. 2017. The Problem of Theatrical Autonomy. Analysing Theatre as a Social Practice. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.
Edelman, Joshua, Šorli, Maja. 2015. “Measuring the value of theatre for Tyneside audiences”. Cultural Trends 24:3, 232–244.
Eversmann, Peter. 2004. “The experience of the theatrical event” in Theatrical Events: Borders, Dynamics and Frames. Eds. Vicki Ann Cremona et al. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 139–174.
Global Changes – Local Stages. How Theatre Functions in Smaller European Countries 2009. Eds. Hans van Maanen et al. Amsterdam: Brill/Rodopi.
Hansen, Louise Ejgod. 2015. “Behaviour and attitude: the Theatre Talks method as audience development.” International Journal of Cultural Policy 21:3.
Hansen, Louise Ejgod. 2013. “The Democratic Potential of Theatre Talks.” Nordic Theatre Studies 25, 10–21.
Heim, Caroline. 2016. Audience as Performer. The changing role of theatre audiences in the twenty-first century. London; New York: Routledge.
Kershaw, Baz. 1994. “Framing the Audience for Theatre” in The Authority of the Consumer. Eds Russell Keat, Nigel Witheley, Nicholas Abercrombie. London: Routledge. 166–86.
Kivirähk, Juhan. 2016. Teatri roll ja positsioon ühiskonnas. Turu-Uurigute AS, Eesti Etendusasutuse Liit, Eesti Teatriliit. http://www.eeteal.ee/sisu/326_1129Teatri_Poisytsioon.pdf.
Mikomägi, Margus. 2012. Vanemuise liivakell heliseb äratust. Postimees. 18 April.
Mänd Maarja. 2010. “Vanemuise lavalt paistis puhastumatus”. Tartu Postimees. 20 September.
O’Neill, Sinéad, Edelman, Joshua, Sloboda, John. 2016. “Opera and emotion: The cultural value of attendance for the highly engaged.” in Participations. Journal of Audience & Reception Studies 13:1, 24–50.
Radbourne, Jennifer, Glow, Hillary, Johanson, Katya. 2010. “Measuring the intrinsic benefits of arts attendance.” Cultural Trends 19:4, 307–324.
Rancière, Jacques. 2009. The Emancipated Spectator. London; New York: Verso.
Reason, Matthew, Sedgman, Kirsty. 2015. “Editors’ general introduction: Themed Section on theatre audiences” in Participations. Journal of Audience & Reception Studies 12:1, 117–122.
Sibrits, Heili. 2010. Naiivsusega looritatud jõhker lugu eesti naistest. Postimees. 20 Sept.
Toome, Hedi-Liis, Saro, Anneli. 2015. “Theatre Productions and Distribution in Different European cities.” in Amfiteater. Journal of Performing Arts Theory 3(1–2), 257–279.
Toome, Hedi-Liis. 2013. “Teatrist Tartus, rahvusvaheliselt. Metodoloogilisi küsimusi rahvusvahelises võrdlusruuringus” in Eesti teatriteaduse perspektiivid. Studia litteraria Estonica vol 13. Ed. Anneli Saro. Tartu: Tartu Ülikooli Kirjastus, 55–82.
Van Maanen, Hans, Zijlstra, Antine, Wilders, Marline L. 2013. How Theatre Functions in the City of Groningen. Supply and Use in the Regular Season. Groningen: Research Centre Arts and Society, University of Groningen.
Van Maanen, Hans. 2009. How to Study Art Worlds. On the Societal Functioning of Aesthetic Values. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.
Walmsley, Ben. 2018. “Deep hanging out in the arts: an anthropological approach to capturing cultural value.” International Journal of Cultural Policy 24:2, 272–291.
Walmsley, Ben. 2011. “Why people go to the theatre: A qualitative study of audience motivation”. Journal of Customer Behaviour 10:4, 335–351.
Wilders, Marline Lisette, Toome, Hedi-Liis, Šorli, Maja, Szabó, Attila, Ziljstra, Antine. 2015. “‘I was utterly mesmerised’: Audience experiences of different theatre types and genres in four European cities” in Amfiteater. Journal of Performing Arts Theory 3: 1–2, 304–343.

Downloads

Published

2019-03-13

How to Cite

Šorli, M., & Toome, H.-L. (2019). Is Theatre Personally and Socially Relevant? Empirical Insight into Theatrical Experience. Nordic Theatre Studies, 30(2), 115–132. https://doi.org/10.7146/nts.v30i2.112955

Issue

Section

Articles thematic section