Performing the World: Challenge 1

OBSERVE A PERFORMATIVE EVENT

I am very familiar with the process of going to church, because as a small child I attended church every Sunday. My familiarity made me all the more surprised at how different Mass felt when viewed in terms of performativity. I found that the performativity of Mass was twofold.

The practicalities of devising as discussed in the lecture ‘What is Devising’ are similar to the practicalities of running a church service. For example, an agreed set of rules, common goals, clear roles and a development of trust and respect were common to both. The Mass had the clear roles of Priest, altar servers, musicians and parishioners, where a devising group could have roles such as director, dramaturg and actor, as well as character roles.

These practical constraints in both regards fostered the development of a welcoming environment. The structure, trust and common goals at the Mass led to a sense of community and belonging, which was reinforced by moments around the Mass itself, such as being greeted by the Priest beforehand, or morning tea afterwards. Additionally, this environment allowed for collaboration, for example the collection for the needy part-way through. 

The value Mass placed on community, and the positive results this wrought demonstrated how important the practicalities of devising are to performance, both for the actors and the audience. The structure, trust and goal-setting is not merely practical, but rather integral to creating a good working environment as well as a good performance.