Due Thursday, February 1 – prior to class
In the reading for week #2 of the semester, Christopher Balme cites the theorist Max Herrmann in order to explain the unique spatial quality of the theatre arts. Herrmann writes that “In the art of theatre we are not dealing with the representation of space but with the execution of human movement in theatrical space. This space is however never or hardly ever identical with the real space that exists on stage.” Herrmann’s point, I think, is that two overlapping types of space occur in performance — theatrical and real. In 3-5 sentences, describe any moment in your life where you have experienced the sense of double spatiality. Your example does not need to be from the theatre. Make sure the reader understands the different qualities of the two overlapping spaces and how these spaces were produced.
Write your full name and section number at the top of your post.
Christopher Perez
THE2208ID (D276) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qTfn1TXVs5c3dEtfZYnIrtPBAK3DR_rC
Christopher Perez
THE2208 ID (D276)
A particular moment in my life where I have experienced a sense of double spatiality is when I performed a remix of Macbeth in High School. The theatrical space was inside the national black theater and a stage that was covered in stage lights, decorated, full of actors in costumes, surrounded by a lively crowd. It was transformed from its original desolate appearance. The real space was me and my friends having fun inside of an empty space/old building that was run down in front of strangers.
Chi, Chan THE2280ID-D276
In the reading Spaces and Places, Herrmann theorizes that in the world of theatre there is a spatial duality of Theatrical space and Stage space. In summary, theatrical space is between the performer and the viewer whereas Stage space is inherent to the performer. Spatial duality is unique because it can apply to everyday situations even if we don’t realize it. In my case, I can compare spatial duality to driving. As a driver in the car, you can view the inside of your car as the stage space. It is where I am the sole performer of driving and I am to create a safe and smooth area where I can transport myself or others. On the flip side, as just another car on the road, I find myself in a theatrical space called the street/ highway. The highway is a theatrical space because your car is now a part of many other cars. It can be viewed as a stage where collectively, we as drivers are now a part of. A place where all the other cars, including yourself, are on a stage where the goal is to end at a destination.
Gordon Zheng THE2280ID
I experience sense of double spatially is when I play games using an VR headset to immersive myself into the digital world. I know my place in the real world in a room, but through the VR headset there’s an infinite possibility of space. By continuous playing the game and enjoying the experience, I often lose the concept of time and a couple of hours fly by in matters of minutes since I’m immersed in the game. But still being able to see myself in the room.
Tsumugi Fukuda D276
I’ve experienced double spatiality when going to watch theatre many times in my life, but outside of that I have experienced a sense of double spatiality when playing videogames. The two spaces that exist are the real world space where you are physically located, and the digital space where the game takes place. Although these two spaces are physically separated by the monitor, videogames make it easier for those spaces to overlap through player interaction. Even though physically I know I am in my room, I get immersed into the space across the screen because I can interact with it directly despite being physically separated from the narrative taking place in the game.
jianwei/johnwei Shi
I think Herman’s point is that there are two overlapping spaces in performance, the theatrical space and the real space. These two overlapping spaces have different qualities. Theatrical space is based on the idea that the relationship between the stage and the audience can be shaped and inhabited to form a focused experience or a multisensory experience. Real spaces don’t have real backgrounds, similar to a stage in a show, allowing one to imagine the scene in the show. The idea behind creating these areas, in my opinion, is comparable to how you would actually imitate the behaviors and narratives of some people to create a sort of theatrical storytelling experience.
During my visit to art exhibits such as the Whitney Museum or The American Museum of Natural History. These places both share a very similar theme of space and “double spatiality”. Especially when roaming, the program of the spaces has you almost walk through time with their epic displays and the level of detail really conveys that.
I believe I experienced double spatiality in my English class when I had to read poems. The theatrical space are the poems because the words that I am reading are so descriptive that I can imagine the story in my head as if I’m there. Real space would be me sitting on the chair in class with real people around me. Through the use of words in poetry, it is possible to overlap these two to experience double spatiality.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NDvYIHPP7zcu_2VmywxaUFXUmtkJmFE5KgS6d34NyxA/edit?usp=sharing
Jeremy Perricone | Section D276
A few years ago I learned about the sociological theory of Dramaturgy, which suggests that a person’s identity is a constantly changing thing, dependent on the situation they find themselves in and who they interact with. It’s describes a person being akin to an actor, who portrays different identities on a stage. Oftentimes I think about the world as a stage, despite what the space may actually be. One can have many faces they cycle through throughout the day.
the actors have to work with the space that they have for the performance, therefore they have to use their imagination for representation of space.
Stephanie Holmes
THE2280ID (D276), SP2024
When I’m playing virtual reality horror video games I experience the sense of double spatiality. I am scared as if I’m in a disturbing world fighting for my life but in reality, my true body is safe and comfortable. Having my eyes and ears blocked by a headset to view only the world inside the game makes it an interesting experience.
There are tons of examples that give a sense of double spatiality but one example that does fit the the criteria is Ikea. It displays how space would look with its products. The display is technically a space where you could lay down and fall asleep, however, that’s not its purpose even if your mind would like fall asleep in a display space.
A moment in my life where I semi experienced the sense of double spatiality was this past Halloween season. I took my 4 year old nephew to a Jersey farm where they incorporated a haunted hayride. We got on a big tractor truck and we rode around the farm. A segment of their haunted skit was to drive the truck into this dark barn on the farm and they closed the doors. The workers were dressed with scary Halloween makeup, masks, and even someone with a chainsaw, trying to scare everyone on the truck by climbing up on the truck from the sides and the back. This experience reminds me of double spatiality because the props used are basic objects like a barn and tractor truck or even the chainsaw. These objects were utilized to showcase an immersive experience that for a quick second, produced a whole different farm experience.
Sarah Elnaggar —- Sec# D276
A moment in my life where I semi experienced the sense of double spatiality was this past Halloween season. I took my 4 year old nephew to a Jersey farm where they incorporated a haunted hayride. We got on a big tractor truck and we rode around the farm. A segment of their haunted skit was to drive the truck into this dark barn on the farm and they closed the doors. The workers were dressed with scary Halloween makeup, masks, and even someone with a chainsaw, trying to scare everyone on the truck by climbing up on the truck from the sides and the back. This experience reminds me of double spatiality because the props used are basic objects like a barn and tractor truck or even the chainsaw. These objects were utilized to showcase an immersive experience that for a quick second, produced a whole different farm experience.
All graded