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A Second Order Performance

Not all reflective practice is done through the written word, but through the creation of new performance material. We may subconsciously apply our critique of others work in to the way we choose to develop and create new work.

As Matthew Goulish from the performance company Goat Island suggests. 'As creative and critical thinkers, we may find it rewarding to attempt works of criticism, which over time, reveal themselves as works of art.’ (Goulish 2000: 44). Goulish goes on to label this type of response as a second order performance.

Pearson gives an example of a second order performance by Cliff McLucas which utilised multimedia to respond to an existing ( first order) performance.

‘As we looked at the presentation, to the far left was a documentary video of steel making used in the research and as a background projection in the performance. To its right, there were slide projections of strategic documents, such as plays, scripts, scores, contacts, publicity. At center, a single camera, and real-time video projection showed performance footage. Next came slides of material produced after the event, such as reviews, reports, promoters’ documents. And at far left, a television program of the performance edited from 24 separate recordings on six cameras. This was completed by a background soundtrack of the performance score and McLucas talking, part polemically [arguing passionately] and partly in response to the visual material’. (Pearson 1994:148)

Goulish, M 2000 39 Microlectures on Proximity and Performance. London:  Routledge

Pearson, M 1994 ‘Theatre/ Archaeology’ The Drama Review 38, 4 winter 1994

Think Outside the 'Performance' Box and Dig Deep

Many academics/ practitioners writing about documentation in the devising process draw links with other disciplines; forensic science, archaeology (Pearson 1994) and pathology (Etchells 1999). Approaching the documentation of the devising process as a historical/scientific act enables new methods and understanding of documentation to be developed.

Mike Pearson employs the term theatre archaeology as the ‘retrieval and reconstitution of performance. The term ‘theatre archaeology’ is a paradox: The application or archaeological techniques to an ephemeral (temporary) event. However, while performance may leave limited material traces, it does generate narratives’ (Pearson 1994:134)

It is how you chose to creatively document and play with these narratives that surround the creation of your practical work, that makes the process exciting and challenging. Narratives can be from the performer’s experience, the texts you worked with, an audience response, the techniques, the music, the lecture, the questions raised, personal anecdote, all form narratives that can be included in your documentation.