Do You Feel the Same? Different Dominants of Theatrical Experience

Authors

  • Heli-Liis Toome University of Tartu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7146/nts.v27i2.24248

Keywords:

theatrical experience, reception research, factor analysis, exploratory research, STEP, experiential value

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present an exploratory study of reception research of theatrical experiences of general audiences of spoken theatre performances in Tartu, Estonia. The research is based on a quantitative survey of the audiences of eight spoken theatre performances. Factor analysis is used to assemble 24 different performance characteristics into five factors: Aesthetic, Entertainment, Personally Challenging, Complexity and Conventionality Factor. The factor analysis also points out some possible overlaps (characteristics that could be included into different factors at the same time) between factors, particularly between the Aesthetic and Personally Challenging Factor. These overlaps could be explained by (1) the limits of the quantitative survey, (2) the language and (3) the performances included in the survey. The overlaps, from the perspective of the viewer being inspired, challenged and excited by the performance, are due to the reason that the performances are personally touching as well as demanding and are performed by skilful performers. The article discusses the point that aesthetically challenging performances can be thematically or artistically demanding for the viewer, if the viewer has a personal relationship to the theme.

Author Biography

Heli-Liis Toome, University of Tartu

Hedi-Liis Toome is a PhD student of theatre studies at the Institute of Cultural Research and Fine Arts at the University of Tartu, Estonia. In her PhD thesis she studies the functioning of theatre in Tartu and is doing research not only on the reception, but also on the production and distribution of theatre. Since 2010, she has been a member of the international research group Project on European Theatre Systems (STEP). She has also lectured at the University of Tartu and at the Estonian Academy of Arts and has worked on administrative positions in different theatre organisations.

References

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Published

2015-08-30

How to Cite

Toome, H.-L. (2015). Do You Feel the Same? Different Dominants of Theatrical Experience. Nordic Theatre Studies, 27(2), 22–35. https://doi.org/10.7146/nts.v27i2.24248

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 2 (2015): Mapping Theatre

Section

Articles thematic section

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