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Through an exploration of both practice and theory, this book investigates the relationship between listening and the theatrical encounter in the context of Western theatre and performance.
List of contents
An Introduction
0.1. Influences
0.2. Contexts and key terms
0.3. How to read this book
Chapter One: Listening
Prelude
1.1. Root structures
1.2. Constructing listening
1.3. Accommodating otherness
Chapter Two: Audience
Prelude
2.1. Doing nothing
2.2. Performing silence
2.3. The choreography of attention
Chapter Three: Gathering
Prelude
3.1. Theatre without a show
3.2. Resisting visibility
3.3. Failing to declare oneself
Chapter Four: Invitation
Prelude
4.1. How we arrive
4.2. The invitational frame
4.3. An appropriate response
Chapter Five: Encounter
Prelude
5.1. Experiments in Listening
5.2. Listening to form
5.3. Being in audience to listening
5.4. Passing as friends
Conclusion
Appendix 1: Lying Fallow
Appendix 2: Experiments in Listening
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Rajni Shah (they/them) is an artist whose practice is focused on listening and gathering as creative and political acts. Key projects—always created alongside and in collaboration with others—include hold each as we fall (1999), The Awkward Position (2003-2004), Mr Quiver (2005-2008), small gifts (2006-2008), Dinner with America (2007-2009), Glorious (2010-2012), Experiments in Listening (2014-2015), Lying Fallow (2014-2015), Song (2016), I don’t know how (to decolonize myself) (2018), Feminist Killjoys Reading Group (2016-2020) and Listening Tables (2019-2020). Archive of works: www.rajnishah.com They completed a PhD at Lancaster University, which explored the value of listening in theatre and performance.
Summary
Through an exploration of both practice and theory, this book investigates the relationship between listening and the theatrical encounter in the context of Western theatre and performance.
