Orality in playback theatre : a discourse analysis

Abstract

This thesis explores the dynamics involved in the transitions between an oral and orally-based storytelling mode of narration, and the performance-based presentation of that story, as encountered in the storytelling processes in playback theatre. Oral traditions have always existed in the world at large, and Africa is particularly steeped in oral traditions, of which storytelling is one. Modes of storytelling shape-changed through the ages. As a mode of applied theatre, playback theatre is centred on storytelling. The fundamental aim of playback theatre is to use theatre to bring a ‘critical consciousness’ to an experience that may have been inchoately personal. In the process of translating an orally narrated story to performance, the assumption, therefore, is that there would be some form of close correlation, refinement, reflection on and reflection with the act of enactment of the teller’s story. This is explored through the lens of orality and discourse analysis with particular focus on the theories of Walter J. Ong and James P. Gee. The study shows that characteristics of a purely oral culture and discourse tools are inherent in a contemporary oral form like playback theatre. The thesis argues that an understanding of the combined Oral formulae and discourse characteristics may curb potential miscommunication or mis-reflection between the teller and actors in playback theatre. The study then describes the potential application of orality and D/discourse to theatre in community in general to establish how the two models of analysis might work. Following this, the study re-engages with playback to pinpoint the specific dynamics and working methods of playback theatre to determine the ways in which the teller’s story or narrative found its reflection in the enactment presented by the playback theatre troupe or company. Following, the study analyses a story from a Drama for Life Playback Theatre performance by means of orality formulae, paying attention to both the teller’s ‘presentation’ and the playback theatre enactment. Then, the same was done using the discourse analysis tools. In this way two sets of data emerged. On the one hand the ‘information’ contained in the teller’s utterances could be determined using both analytical models so as to determine similarities and differences around that information, and then the same could be done with the enactment. The second, and particularly important set of data for this thesis could come about by comparingand contrasting the data from the teller’s set of utterances with the data from the enactment of performance moments. In this way the potential miscommunication, or mis-reflection could be determined. Each utterance moment was analysed according to its most dominant Oral formulae and discourse marker or tool interpretation and then these occurrences were added together to show which strategies were more prominent and which least prominent. The study interprets these trends and tendencies between the dominant themes and meanings as they applied to the compare and contrast approach between the teller’s utterances and the playback theatre enactment moments. The findings suggest that this specific enactment by the playback theatre troupe company might not be as reflective of, or capture the crux of the teller’s story, which on turn, might compromise the aim of critical consciousness that playback theatre aims to reach. The limitations of this study point out that these findings cannot be generalised. However, they do show trends around potential areas of miscommunication or mis-reading between the two parties. In summary, the findings pinpoint places, domains and strategies that may enhance an extraordinarily powerful and communal experience. Thus, potentially closing the gap between listening – ‘translating’ - interpreting and performance.