One of the best parts of attending live theater is experiencing the tension inherent to preserving the veneer that separates the performers from reality. Unlike television or film, where the performances come pre-bottled, actors on stage are always a moment away from having their art punctured by all manner of intrusions, from a physical injury to a disruptive spectator to an act of God to an assassin’s bullet. To be a spectator is to exist in the same liminal space, to know that the “real” could intrude at any moment, but to choose to help create the conditions where the fantastic can take place.
Excellent essay! I have always been fascinated by the whole notion of the theatrical "fourth wall", especially in light of the bard's often quoted line from As You Like It, "All the world's a stage." If true - the fourth wall is an interesting concept amid our day-to-day happenings.
Excellent essay! I have always been fascinated by the whole notion of the theatrical "fourth wall", especially in light of the bard's often quoted line from As You Like It, "All the world's a stage." If true - the fourth wall is an interesting concept amid our day-to-day happenings.