Does Verbatim Theatre Still Talk the Nation Talk?

Abstract

In a post-Brexit (and perhaps even post-truth) context, the entire nation is going through an intense period of self-scrutiny, attempting to find a way forward for British culture despite a growing climate of divisive and destructive trends. As ever, verbatim theatre, spearheaded by Rufus Norris’ National Theatre, has sought to provide some answers in its relentless examination of the state of Britain. However, since the renaissance of verbatim theatre in the mid-1990s, the political situation has worsened considerably and it may appear that the typical strategies of verbatim theatre have lost their efficacy, struggling to provide a much-needed alternative. In this article, I will assess some of verbatim theatre’s latest developments in the 21st century through three main case studies, which are DV8’s To Be Straight with You (2007), Catherine Grosvenor’s Cherry Blossom (2008) and Alecky Blythe’s Little Revolution (2014). My main argument is that, notwithstanding the claims to the contrary, verbatim theatre is far from being in decline and it has continued to fluctuate, transform and exceed its familiar parameters, urging us to rethink its general aesthetic coordinates beyond the project of documentary realism and that of a national ‘shadow archive.’ More specifically and drawing from a variety of recent examples including the aforementioned case studies, I will argue that verbatim theatre in this period has a post-postmodern proclivity to make new connections across the fragments and re-construct the social.

Two Truths and a Lie: An Ethnodramatic Exploration of Resistance and Relationships Between Women in Our Current Political and Social Climate

“…For those who are willing, there is an opportunity to grow and change in this dangerous environment, but one needs to be brave enough to step outside of their purified filter bubbles and begin to see the world from many sides. Garson (2017), in her article, Does Verbatim Theatre Still Talk the Nation Talk?, argues, "that verbatim theatre has the potential to challenge dominant discourses within the nation by staging alternative voices, thus contributing to a muchneeded cultural re-framing" (p. 210). The potential for ethnodrama, and more specifically, verbatim documentary theatre to disrupt perceptions and serve as a catalyst for "cultural re-framing," has been well-documented (Conquergood, 2013;Denzin, 2018;Duggan, 2013;Garson, 2017;Saldaña, 2011;Salvatore, 2020;Taylor, 2008).…”

“…Garson (2017), in her article, Does Verbatim Theatre Still Talk the Nation Talk?, argues, "that verbatim theatre has the potential to challenge dominant discourses within the nation by staging alternative voices, thus contributing to a muchneeded cultural re-framing" (p. 210). The potential for ethnodrama, and more specifically, verbatim documentary theatre to disrupt perceptions and serve as a catalyst for "cultural re-framing," has been well-documented (Conquergood, 2013;Denzin, 2018;Duggan, 2013;Garson, 2017;Saldaña, 2011;Salvatore, 2020;Taylor, 2008). What makes this work unique is that it begins and ends dialogically supporting community narratives.…”