Plato and Aristotle originated the awareness that Art is mimetic to real life by nature (Plato, 2007). 'imitation is given us by nature and men are endowed with these gifts, gradually develop them and finally create the art of poetry' (Aristotle, 2013, p.23)

Plato thought copies to be reductive of the original.

Birthed the idea of Mimesis. 

Fundamentally, Art must always negotiate reality (Potolsky, 2006). Even when seeking to discard this principle, is it fundamental. 

It is the collective frame of reference from which we all reproduce in our art. This includes the social reality which we as humans negotiate and recognise in others.

It was at this point in my research where I thought that this unavoidable negotiation with everyday reality can take two different and distinct approaches- both with very different effects on the spectator.  

This is a continuation into my theoretical research into mimesis (BA), the incorporation of social signifiers in dramatic production (MP7001), and the role of empathy in performance (TF). I am looking forward to try practically investigating the topic. 

(pre-Feburary change) The performance will be built from 2 versions of the same 5-15 minute text twice in a self-contained theatrical piece. Each interpretation will use dramatic methodologies unique to their approach to theatrical mimesis, and will enable performance based research on the topic. Research Question-I aim to investigate fundamentally different approaches to mimesis in making theatre through a process of performance as research (PAR).

(Post febuary change)

Guided by my research, I will use distinctly different approaches to mimesis to practically explore staging a self-contained but existing scripted scene (Boys, Ella Hickson).

The first approach to mimesis reflects the more traditional stylistic decision of convincingly reproducing reality on stage, which I have discovered to primarily rely on empathy and social cues picked up by the audience (see empathy section of research). The second aims in the opposite direction, not seeking to reproduce reality but instead subverting realism’s approach to theatre and expression of character through anti-realist theatrical methods. 

Role- Director and Dramaturg

Actors- Joseph Roberts and Filip Kazubski

“Several cognitive scientists acknowledge that our mirror neuron systems (MNS) are the gateways to empathy” (McConachie, 2019).

Through researching into the role of cognitive studies in performance, I have discovered that the social faculty of empathy to be the biological key to effective Drama, and very closely tied to social development in humans. 

Mirror Neuron System (MNS) (McConachie & Kemp, 2019)

I believe that this is one of the secret biological responses we have been subconsciously (or otherwise) toying with through any kind of emotional art through the years- especially when we apply it to the performer spectator relationship of the dramatic arts.

Stanislavski understood the nature of representative art comes from the mimetic faculties within the actor, and was too wise to aim to move beyond the boundaries of representation; he merely wanted to paint a more recognisable picture using human behaviour-

“Never lose yourself on the stage. Always act in your own person, as an artist. The moment you lose yourself on the stage marks the departure from truly living your part and the beginning of exaggerated false acting. (Stanislavski, 1989, p.192).

How did I enact this dramatic perspective in rehearsals-

-Communion, impulse and repetition as a gateway to genuine nature. Firmly rooted in Sanford Meisner's methodology.
(Strandberg-Long, P. 2018)
(Durham, K. 2004)
(Meisner, S., Longwell, D., & Pollack, S. 1987)

-Post-Modern Stanislavski Interpretation 
(Wright. 2017)

- Stanislavski in character research, 7Q’s and AA (Stanislavski. 2013)
(Sawoski, P. 2013)

-my practice involving realism is firmly rooted into my cross module investigations into the efficiency of using effective social semiotics to trigger real empathy in our audience. I have included a sample in the next slide. 

(Early Febuary theory)

From this theoretical place in the development of this project, I theorised that working through the subve
rsive approach to theatrical mimesis could encourage-

Verfremdungseffekt; the Alienation effect. (source)

Originally used to fully reflect the historical context of the theatrical piece (Féral,Bermingham). I wonder if I could use similar theatrical techniques to achieve a portrayal of the protagonist’s troubled internal psychological landscape.

From a final perspective-
How did I enact this dramatic perspective in rehearsals?
Through peppering in different practitioners' techniques with a looser relationship to portraying a familiar reality. Specifically I drew from
-Bertolt Brecht with the flexible use of set, props and presentation in breaking the 4th wall. (Speirs, Ronald. 1987)
-Anthonin Artaud with the opening expressive section of internal struggle (Morris, B. 2022)
- Augusto Boal with the idea of using audience as Spect-actors within the piece, (Boal and Epstein, 1990)

By embuing these techniques into my practice I managed to feel un-bound by the strict representation of a recognisable and empathetic reality, and upon reflection this approach provided an interesting self-contained experience.

I use the approach of aiming to craft realistic and recognisable social semiotics through naturalistic acting techniques in my rehearsals, derrived from Sanford Meisner, Konstantin Stanislavski and John Wright. 

This changes the meaning of the text, and adapts the characters to explore the same subject matter which the author explores, but showing palpable loss will allow me to more effectively. 

According to my research into theatrical mimesis, the clearest path I determined I must first work towards was to create a recognisable world onstage, complete with social/dramatic behavior easily digested according to a modern audience’s expectation for dramatic art; to replicate familiar reality. 

I would then ‘magpie’ pieces of dramatic approaches from methodologies that firmly rested on the other side of the supposed divergence of mimesis in theatre- to intentionally distort representations of reality for dramatic gain.