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Throughout the TED Talk conducted by Oskar Eustis, Eustis endeavours to draw parallels between theatre and the survival of democracy within society. He starts off by addressing that ‘Theatre matters, because democracy matters. Theatre is the essential art form of democracy, and we know this because they were born in the same city.’ In the late 6th century BC, the idea of Western democracy was born. Initially, it was a very partial and flawed democracy. However, Eustis infers that there was always that idea that power should stem from the consent of the governed, and that power should always flow from below to above, not the other way around. In that same decade, an Ancient Greek poet by the name of Thespis invented the idea of dialogue. To present this idea, there was a Festival of Dionysus which gathered the entire citizenry of Athens on the side of the Acropolis, and they would listen to music, watch dancing and would hear stories told as part of the festival. Consequently, Eustis remarks that Thespis discovered that ‘everything changes’ when you are talking to someone on stage beside you because at that moment, one person on that stage is not the possessor of truth; it is a person with an opinion-- and that other person has an opinion too. Furthermore, since this situation was placed within the setting of a drama, there will be conflict between 2 points of view. The thesis derived from this is that the truth can only emerge in the conflict of different points of view. It’s not derived from the possession of only one person-- which Eustis strongly suggests to be the basis of democracy, stating that: ‘If you don’t believe the thesis, you are an autocrat who is putting up with democracy.’ Moreover, Eustis goes on to talk about another aspect of a democracy, which is exercising empathy. He does this by asking the audience to envision being him right there on that stage and embodying his character. Or envision another person listening to what he is saying beside him. As he mentioned beforehand, the truth coming from the collision of different ideas is one necessary tool for democratic citizenship, and the other is the emotional muscle of empathy-- being able to put oneself in another person’s shoes, so to speak. However, he then goes on to argue that there is another necessary tool for democratic citizenship, which is the community itself, or in theatrical terms, the audience. Eustis highlights how one goes to the theatre to be part of the audience. To have the collective experience of laughing together, crying together, etc. If the theatre does the right thing, one should go in as an individual consumer, and come out with a sense of yourself that is part of a whole, as part of a community. 2500 years later, Joe Papp decided that the culture of theatre should belong to everybody in the USA as well. Consequently, he created Free Shakespeare in a Park which underlines the idea that the best art we produce should go and belong to everybody, and the event still occurs till this day. In 1967, the democratic circle was not complete by just giving the people classics-- but it was created by letting people create their own classics and take the stage. Papp then opened the public theatre downtown Astor Place and released various shows. However, one that was very impactful in particular was ‘The Normal Heart’-- Larry Kramer’s savage cry of rage about the AIDS crisis at the time. When Joe produced that play in 1985, there was more information about AIDS in Frank Rich’s review of the play in the NYTimes than the NYTimes had published in the previous 4 years. Evidently, Larry was actually changing the dialogue about AIDS through writing this play, and Joe was too by producing it. Thus, Eustis exemplifies how they could see that the culture was actually shifting, and it was not caused by the theatre but the theatre was doing its part to change what it meant to be a homosexual in the United States at the time. When Eustis took over Joe’s job in 2005, he came across a ‘Barrier of Participation’. He asked himself: ‘How can we turn the theatre from being a commodity, an object, back into what it really is - a set of relationships among people?’ Hence why he started the Public Works program, which now every summer produces Shakespearean musical pageants-- where Tony-award winning actors and musicians are side by side with nannies, domestic workers, military veterans, and even recently incarcerated prisoners, amateurs and professionals performing together on the same stage. The thesis that can be derived from this form of unity is: ‘Artistry is not something that is of possession of a few. Artistry is inherent in being a human being.’ Eustis gives an example of this in modern day with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton’, and how he is doing what Shakespeare was doing-- taking the voice of the people, the language of the people. Elevating it into a verse, and by doing so, ennobling the language and ennobling the people who spoke the language. Furthermore, Eustis mentions how by Lin casting the show entirely with a cast of Black and Brown people, he was reviving America and their greatest aspirations for the United States, the inclusion that was at the heart of the American Dream. Eustis concludes by remarking strongly how ‘(Their) job is to try to hold up a vision to America that shows not only who all of (them) are individually, but that welds us back into the commonality that we need to be, the sense of unity, the sense of whole, the sense of who we are as a country.’

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According to Tobin Nellhaus, the earliest known use of the word ‘catharsis’ comes from Aristotle's assertion that it is an integral part of the genre of tragedy, but not much else is deciphered from this cryptic entry into Poetics. Thousands of etymologists over the years have attempted to make sense of this ambiguous term, with the most popular interpretations being that catharsis itself either creates emotions or is the purging of it from the human body, perhaps as a visceral response to the events of the play by the audience.

Catharsis itself has many potential meanings; synonyms commonly associated with it are ‘purification’ (which suggests the dispersion or equilibrating of feelings so they are experienced in a more balanced manner) or ‘purgation’ (which may mean to eliminate the feelings of audiences altogether). As such, there is no clear definition of the word itself, and some scholars have gone as far as to say that the entire passage from Poetics is corrupt and should be disregarded. One popular exploration into the meaning of catharsis initially occurred in the Hellenistic and Roman periods, and was a suggestion that catharsis ‘increased the audience’s tolerance to fear and pity’, which may be interpreted as instilling a sense of impassivity or perhaps even a precursor to the Absurdist school of thought. In fact, this interpretation was so popular it reasserted itself in the 16th - 18th centuries. Neoclassical scholars assert that catharsis may have been a trope used as a moral anecdote to teach contemporary audiences to fear the consequences of their own potential behaviours as a result of ‘negative’ emotions such as greed, envy and anger, and hence is a form of poetic justice.

In the 1500s and recurring in the 1700s, a common exegesis into catharsis relates to the idea of ‘purification’, and how it may amplify feelings in some spectators or diminish them in others, ultimately leading to an emotional equilibrium to surface.

The definition of tragedy that first surfaced in the mid-19th century and has persisted into the current day relates to the idea of ‘purgation’. This interpretation suggests that catharsis is actually a climactic moment in time which spurs the release of fear, sadness and other strong emotions either directly as a result of the play or due to peripheral social pressures, and is considered a therapeutic expelling of excess emotions. This is achieved by creating a character which is relatable to the audience and representative of universal struggles. Audiences naturally empathize with the tragedy these characters face, which triggers introspection and a deeper connection with their own humanity. Hence, it is understood that tragedy triggers the onset of extreme emotions and catharsis is the moment of exorcism of these feelings from the body. In Aristotle’s Politics he seems to agree with this interpretation; scholars cite his suggestion that music and art can arouse strong emotions in people which, once they have surfaced, can be released in a therapeutic and constructive manner.

Ultimately, it is impossible to know what Aristotle meant by ‘catharsis’, but it is up to the individual themselves to experience it and define it as they feel most accurately describes their feelings.

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Kushner's view on the importance of theatre stresses on the uniqueness of theatre and how the audience is able to interact with and influence the shape of what is happening on stage. It is essentially a very communal experience due to the collective impression created by the audience throughout the play. Yet, at the same time, it is incredibly unique to the individual--the theatrics are often performed in a way that is intentionally ambiguous in that each person might interpret it in a different way. This is relevant on both counts of on a surface level and the subtext. Kushner describes it as that "you can't be a literal reader of life, you have to be an interpreter."
Kushner also notes that theatre is constantly changing to fit the time. Not only in the literal and technical sense with the development of technology, but as well as with how it adapts to fit what people's opinions might be, and then over the course of the play break it down and rebuild it from scratch.

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Director Oskar Erutis, firmly believes that theater plays an essential role in showing us that truth as it is essential to democracy. Oskar argues that it is with the conflict between different points, arguments and opinions that is what leads to the truth. The collision of different ideas and the ability of empathy is what is integral to a successful democratic citizenship. Theatre is an idea and an experience that everyone should deserve and become part of, as it promotes the idea of the individual feeling as though they are part of a whole, collective experience. This is why Oskar criticises the exclusivity of the theatre experience nowadays and how much more inaccessible it has become in modern time, leading him to bring the experience to prisons and community centres. All in all, Oscar believes that human beings need theatre, and deserve to indulge themselves in the experience.

Reading:
Aristotle examines that classical tragedy was a specific skill that can be taught to people and that it uses this idea of mimesis - which is the representation of reality - to help or guide people on how to live their lives in the best way. He came to the conclusion that a tragedy has to be made up of these 6 key elements that all work together with one another: Plot (the conflict and moving forces of the story), Characters (how they react to said conflict), Theme (the moral weight that the creator wants to get across), Diction (the specific choice of words uttered to provoke certain emotional responses), Rythym (with most of the dramas being mostly sung and rhythmic), and finally, Spectacle (how the drama is being presented and what effects such as costume or set design is used to enhance the experience). Aristotle determines that it is crucial for all of these elements to work in tandem, as only the six of them together can form a properly solid tragedy. Aristotle also believes that tragedies are meant to instill a sense of pity and empathy in the audience, so that the audience connects with the tragic situations that befall the characters they watch and are forced to feel emotionally overwhelmed and sensitive.

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Arthur Miller wrote ‘timebends’ to tell his life story with both humour and passion--displaying throughout the largeness of spirit that has made him one of the most admired writers ever produced. Miller recalls his childhood, his education, the formation of his political outlook, his career triumphs and failures, and the remarkable variety of people, both obscure and famous. The ways in which we relate to Arthur himself is that he stood for freedom of speech and was constantly vocal about the oppression going on in the world. The tyranny consisting of anti-Semitism, class oppression, race and sexism. He fought both the American government and leaders of other countries in an attempt to let writers be writers and humans be humans, independently of political agendas. Miller’s life creates a sort of structure for a person, as I, as a young person, aim to have long fulfilled life where I see someone for the contents of their soul, and not what they look like, or who they praise.

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Theatre educator Rachel Harry, who herself is involved in many aspects of drama such as scriptwriting, directing and acting in plays, believes that the understanding of theatre is integral to understanding oneself and the world at large. She believes that teaching theatre often is a lesson in coping with the vicissitudes of life, using the freedom that acting and performance allow to express and project one's feelings in a cathartic manner. While theatre itself offers an avenue to interaction with a diverse group of people from different social classes, sexual orientations and ethnicities, it also allows for collaboration with people with very different skill sets and thinking processes. Harry also suggests that what makes theatre special is that it is an agglomeration of all the art forms - music, visual arts and literature - and science. This unique factor helps to breed a culture of innovation and collaboration between people who would not normally interact, and hence is perhaps one of the purest forms of humanity. Ultimately, she believes that a successful stage play blends these elements together to create a harmonious melting pot of scientists and artists, all working together towards a common goal.

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Within ‘A Concise Introduction to: Catharsis’, Tobin Nellhaus explores the numerous concepts of catharsis as he strives to explicate Aristotle’s link between ‘tragedy’ and catharsis and how those concepts transition through periods of time. Originally, durinf the ancient Greek era, Aristotle could infer that emotions create catharsis or that catharsis affects emotions. His explanation is ambiguous as he could be speaking of the audience’s response to the play or perhaps the very events within the play. Consequently, this idea of the phrase catharsis prompted thousands of commentaries endeavouring to understand Aristotle’s concept of catharsis. During that time period, there were three divergent understandings of catharsis suggesting correlations between audience’s emotions and the idea of relief through releasing excess emotion, or how catharsis is formed solely from the characteristics of the plot of a play. Therefore, scholars during that era concluded that the perception of catharsis may differ depending on the assumptions and sources one brings to it as there are immense differences between Greek culture and our own. Unfortunately, although he said he would, Aristotle did not write further in depth into his perceptions of catharsis-- leaving people of the late Renaissance and neoclassical periods to continue to investigate the concept. As a result, various interpretations of catharsis arose, for instance, the idea that catharsis increases the audience’s tolerance to fear and pity and strengthens their ability to endure misfortune; stoicism. Or the notion that catharsis forms an emotional middle ground attempting to attenuate excessive emotions in some but increasing sensitivity in others. There were various other interpretations formed during the Renaissance and neoclassical era that were similar. Eventually, during the mid-19th century, there was a common view that catharsis consists of emotional release and was an outlet for the strong emotions built up by tragedy or emotions arising from larger social pressures. Fundamentally, catharsis was thought to be therapeutic, aiming to cure a condition of overly aroused emotions. In relation to theatre, tragedy evokes intense pity and fear, and the moment of catharsis relieves the audience of those feelings. Furthermore, this argument of catharsis draws parallels between Aristotle’s as he briefly discussed the power of music and ritual songs and how people would calm down after listening to them-- as if they had experienced a medical cure and catharsis. In consequence, the ‘therapeutic’ interpretation of catharsis soon became the dominant one and is currently considered definitive in theatre and drama studies. A recent introduction to theatre and performance studies informs the reader that “Aristotle describes the effect of tragic theatre as the arousal of eleos and phobos, of pity and fear, and the purging of these passions”.

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Andrew Russel sheds light on the transformative ‘superpower’ of theatre and the art of storytelling. He emphasises the idea that theatre and drama play a significant role in bringing about change not only in terms of personal development but also growth as a society. One of his key points is how theatre is able to create a personal connection with its audience by “Transporting them to fictional worlds” and allowing them to experience what others experience through creating an empathetic connection. Sometimes it’s good for theatre to be nothing but the actors and the audience. eye to eye, personal and so immersive that they might as well be talking to each other. A message is being communicated in the form of acting, encouraging the audience to sometimes see themselves in place of the characters and contemplate about the contents of a play.

Russel claims that “Theatre allows us to experience wrongness in real time,” and how “​​being wrong means that change is afoot.” It can be the ‘something’ you need to spur on change within yourself. Theatrical storytelling exposes you how wrong you can be about something through the characters making the same ‘wrongs’ as well, which helps you learn from the mistakes of the characters and realize the ‘wrongs’ you yourself might have done in the past. Theatre allows all that has gone unseen and unread to be exposed, and a path to betterment is proposed.

Moreover, Russel points out how “change is hard, so we need simple tools to make sense of it.” Theatre has the power to invoke change and convey meaningful messages to its audience in a way that makes it easier to understand and see.

In a similar note, journalist Madeline Speed has also pointed out how drama and theatre Helps people relate and project onto the characters in a play. She proposes that it could provide the people with ‘catharsis’ through showing how the characters in the play are dealing with similar problems to their own. Undesirable feeling can be ‘purged’ and ‘emotional equilibrium’ can be revitalized through watching theatre.

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Theatre Director Oskar Eustis has once said that “Theatre matters because democracy matters.” Art and drama is essential in shaping society around us, as it amplifies the voice of the people. The thesis of democracy is that “the truth can only emerge in the conflict of different points of view.” Conflict is a central component of theatre, displaying it’s importance through its ability to get the audience to think. Thespis was the first ever actor in Greek drama, and he was said not only to be the inventor of tragedy, but also the inventor of dialogue. Dialogue, in this sense, refers to conversing with another person on stage, to be viewed by an audience. Dialogue can present itself in many different ways, however it is most commonly a conflict. This conflict is what is consumed by the audience, picked apart to gain its insight, and in all, the truth.

Aristotle argued that performance is a tool used for teaching, in order to instruct people on how to best live their lives, through the use of mimesis. Aristotle claims there are 6 elements of a great tragedy; plot, character, theme, diction, rhythm, and spectacle. These must all be meticulous and work together well, in order to evoke ‘eleos,’ which are feelings of pity and empathy, and ‘phobos,' which is fear. The point at which these two are combined, the audience would become overwhelmed by katharsis, a state of mind so powerful that it propels individuals into a higher state of consciousness. This is the unifying nature of theatre, allowing an audience to form a tight, near transcendent bond through the common experience.

Drama serves to hold a mirror up to society, which is why there is such a universality to it. All of humanity values theatre, craves it, because it speaks the language of the people.

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Clurman seems to condemn other criticisms of Drama as a whole, stating how they focus too much on the play’s ‘material’ rather than its true meaning. In the context of All My Sons, an example of the ‘material’ put forward by critics is the aspect of war-profiteering, which Clurman believes is not what lies at the heart of this play. He comments how ‘all plays are about something, whether or not they have an explicit thesis’. Clurman believes that Miller dramatizes a universal situation, rather than a domestic ‘American’ one in All My Sons. To give an example of what he sees as the ‘meaning’ he zooms into the character of the Mother - who he believes to be indirectly or directly the “villain” due to her morality. He exposes how society is schizoid and at the essence of the play is the quote, “This is the land of the great big dogs. You don’t love a man, you eat him!” In my opinion, Clurman effectively targets one true essence of the play which explores morality vs practicality, which can be immoral at times. Clurman describes Miller as having a ‘moral talent’ as he comments how All My Sons can move and rouse one even without the ‘supreme fire of poetic vision.’

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Playwright Tony Kushner makes a strong case for theater's role in modern society. He argues how there is a vast difference between the way an audience receives a live performance rather than other methods such as films. Once the curtains close, the show is over and almost ‘gone forever’ unlike a film which can be rewatched, but one’s emotions when watching a theatrical performance cannot be re-lived. This was one of the arguments put forward by Kushner as he stresses the importance of live performances in this modern technological age. In addition to this, he explores the cathartic essence of theatre and comments on how an audience is consciously kept separate from the performance, and yet can be emotionally involved and believe what they see. Kushner argues how playwrights use clever tricks to make the audience believe the performance; however, as the audience is moved by the performance, it is only partially successful and does not overwhelm a watcher simply because of the means/distance of a stage. This fosters a critical consciousness which is essential to human beings. People have a direct experience of being to believe and disbelieve at the same time and to watch something and to get what it is supposed/made to be on a surface and make their own interpretations. This portrays the doubleness of theatre which undoubtedly teaches us all something: we cannot be literal readers of life but merely interpreters in order to clutch the true essence of life. Kushner warns how innovation is important, as we see in hoist technology to enhance plays, but hints at how technology is inevitable and is scared theatre inevitably deviates from its basic dramatic form.

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Drama created this huge impact of reality throughout the 1930’s-1950’s for the people of America. Drama theatre was used as an entertainment or a distraction, mostly for the people in America whom suffered terrible lives and were willing to freely forget. The idea of ‘memory’ in Timebends introduced notions of religion and peeks into past stories. Generally, it heals the pain of the past and changes beliefs upon different sort of matters and topics. Miller’s duty was to create a play to suit all of humanity in America in order to see a fundamental change within society’s views towards reality. Drama is a phenomenon created for readers to question themselves; the creativity needed exposes people to different auras, culture, religion, experiences and situations. The existence of drama not only brings up neglected issues but also to remind the society to accept change and differences. Homosexuality was a major issue in the 1930-1950’s, many people lived a brutal life hiding in the dark such as Tennessee Williams himself. It was a duty for Miller to address these significant themes and messages which are still so relevant today. Moreover, without these controversial messages, there would have been no sign of a change in belief and thus, no acceptance within society. Simon Stone’s demonstration of a theatrical play highlights how sudden decisions, different moods and environments can always change the way we, as an audience perceive life and how it tells an influential and a distinctive story or message for the current and future minds.

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Director, producer, and writer Andrew Russell praises theatre for its multitude of superpowers. According to Russel, the lesson of theatre is ‘how we make sense of ourselves’ and he paints the picture of how impressive its ability is by recounting a core memory from his childhood. It took only one broadway show to trigger his passion for performance, leading him to where he is now. Theatre is the only opportunity you will ever get to live your life in someone else’s shoes as it teleports you into the world on stage before you. Any location, any period of history, anything and everything can happen, the possibilities are endless as long as an idea is in existence.

Another power of theatre (other than teleportation) is its ability to change oneself. Russel describes it as ‘wrongness in real time’. He goes on to explain that people do wrong things - mistakes are inevitable - but with fault comes change and healing. Theatre prepares you for inescapable dilemmas by presenting the consequences of the protagonist’s choice. It’s a second chance where you’re able to empathise, reflect, and ask yourself ‘what now?’

Madeleine Speed shares a similar idea on how theatre’s powers to heal. Speed’s article informs us on Ancient Greek beliefs that claim ‘watching theatre could heal society’ as they believed that the gods will cure their illnesses. The article mentions how during the pandemic, Greeks had sought solace in theatres ‘for a much-needed injection of drama following months of lockdown’. Whether you’re crying of laughter from a comedy, or sobbing from sorrow from a tragedy, theatre gives you a break and distracts you from your lives to watch fictional ones. Although theatre can’t eradicate the virus, it still possesses the ability to transport the audience from reality and give them a well deserved break.

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Playwright Tony Kushner explains the unique attributes of theatre and its place in the modern world, especially compared to other mediums such as movies. He explains that a live audience can, even slightly, alter the course of a play as the actors can sense the attitude early on, allowing for a small sense of participation. The use of a live audience also enables theatres to be creative in creating small illusions on stage, as an attempt to "partially convince" the audience that what is happening on stage is real. Kushner talks about not being able to fully convince the audience that what is on the stage is reality is part of the appeal. Theatre and its illusions provoke the viewers to think about the plausible reality of the story and its events, causing a deeper thought into the play as the story unfolds before them. Kushner testified to theatres innovation of modern technology available in the current time. He used examples of how previously theatre utilised the pulley and rope systems found on ships of the day to move items around. Currently, theatre uses modern technology in a similar fashion, more so to create the illusions and mentioned before. Theatre itself is a medium of showcasing "two or more opposing forces" and their arguments or conflicts and developments. This is usually done through the use of a crafted story, with meanings and comparisons that society can relate to woven into the narrative. Theatre will also introduce people into situations that are not part of their ordinary lives, but will still reflect society and its mannerisms. Clurman's article further supports the notion of plays embedding meanings and messages into epic stories and situations, as different people will interpret each in a unique manner. The conclusion I am able to draw is that theatre is able to hold its relevancy as it provides us, a society, methods to reflect and analyse our own behaviours in real-time, from actors who are also part of our society. Though this makes me wonder whether movies and television could also achieve the level of complexity theatre has, such as also providing its own interpretations and meanings, especially with the help of "movie magic" to greater increase the illusions of reality?

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Clurman's criticism of the understanding of theatre discusses the play's universality and purpose. All My Sons is incredibly multifaceted, but what is important in the play, he says, "is that we constantly talk of "service" and repeat other residual phrases [...] while we actually live a daily life devoted to the pursuit of Power or Success". Like Keller, oftentimes we make excuses for these actions by claiming it to be a means to an end, or something unavoidable. The example here is Joe Keller and his role in the shipping of those broken airplane parts-- Keller chooses to do nothing, arguing that by doing it for his family he is excused of the crime. In reality, a very large part of that decision is his "fear [of] his army contracts cancelled and his business [...] ruined as a result". The crime was inherently selfish as Keller chose himself (and his family) over his duty to society; as Keller realises at the end: "they were all my sons". Drama is important because it exposes the 'darker' side of humanity, i.e. the part no one wants to talk about, and forces the audience to reflect on themselves. The character's anagnorisis is also revealing for the audience.

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In 'Timebends' Miller appears to be justifying the existence of theatre as a fundamental component to societal change, 'The real theatre - as opposed to the sequestered academic one - is always straining at the inbuilt inertia of a society [...]'. I wonder whether film has taken over the mantle of theatre as the main vehicle for cathartic reflection for the 21st century?