Diegetic Theatre as a ‘ Place ’ for the Theatricalised Spectator

This article explores two theatre events that are considered here as examples of diegetic theatre. The two events, Iris Brunette (2009) by Melanie Wilson and Whisper (2008) by Proto-type Theater have been selected as they both use narration as a strategy to create an „immersive‟ theatre experience, specifically second person narrative. They are positioned here as examples of diegetic as opposed to mimetic theatre. The „immersive‟ experience is achieved by offering the spectator a position of participant observer, a position whereby the spectator is positioned physically inside the fictional matrix as an active participant as well as critically outside the theatrical event as an active observer. This immersive „place‟ might have the potential to create a sense of interplay and connectedness between spectators and performers that resonates experientially for the spectator, but also has the effect of opening up a critical space where the spectator can evaluate the fictional world and „characters‟ encountered. The article will initially draw on ideas derived from Kristeva, as well as Lehmann and Pavis, to contextualise the theatre events whilst also engaging with ideas drawn from narratology. This article seeks to critically consider a form of contemporary theatre that engages with narration as a theatrical strategy and has the effect of producing a diegetic as opposed to mimetic theatrical event. The two theatre events being discussed here are Melanie Wilson‟s Iris Brunette (2009) and Proto-type Theater‟s Whisper (2008). Both theatre events focus specifically on the ways in which narrated text has the potential to generate a collaborative theatrical experience where the spectator appears to be integrally involved as both a participant and observer. This spectatorial position or „place‟ is created in both examples being discussed here because the spectator occupies the fictional space as a result of the narrative voice speaking in the second person „you.‟ This directly implicates and connects the spectator to the event. The argument being made here is that diegesis, in