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SubStance 31.2&3 (2002) 110-124



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Acting:
The Quintessence of Theatricality

Eli Rozik


Within the category of the dramatic arts, is it the immediate experience of the body of a human actor on stage that produces the distinctive feature of theater? Indeed, no other dramatic art, such as cinema, TV drama or puppet theater, equals such an experience. Even if we accept that in employing the body the ultimate aim is to decode the text inscribed on it—an aim shared by all dramatic media—direct experience nonetheless remains typical only of theater. Furthermore, in principle, there is no problem in defining a medium—meanings being the same—by its material carrier. It would appear, therefore, that there is no reason to reject the thesis that the direct experience of the body of the actor is typical of and, to use a somewhat controversial term, perhaps even "essential" to theater. The problem, however, exists nonetheless, and is three-fold: a) in acting, the body on stage fulfils at least two different functions: producing signs and carrying signs; b) a human body on a stage does not necessarily engage in acting; and c) not only human actors are engaged in acting. The question is, therefore, whether the presence of a human body on a stage, or acting itself is the sufficient and necessary condition of theater.

Moreover, it is frequently argued that the body of the actor marks the limit of the semiotic method: since a clear distinction should be made between what is inscribed and the body on which it is inscribed, it would appear that not everything on stage is a sign. There is a constant tension, which can be augmented or diminished at will, between the body as such and the text inscribed on it; and in general between the human reality of the performers and the semiotic element of the performance. A further question is, therefore, whether or not the actor's body is by its very nature excluded from the set of objects of inquiry of semiotic methodology.

In our attempt to understand the medium of theater we should, therefore, focus on the function of "acting," rather than on the actor's body. The term "acting" refers to the mechanism by which a real object on stage "enacts," in the sense of "representing and describing," an object in a real or fictional world (Rozik, 1992, 14-15). This principle, which is shared by all dramatic media, is obviously embodied in human acting and may apply to [End Page 110] all objects on stage. We assume that the uniqueness of theater, which is fundamentally an iconic medium, resides in the extension of the principle of similarity to the matter on which images are imprinted, and that this is shared by human and non-human actors; but, we also assume that not all qualities of human acting are equally shared by all other objects on stage. Widening the set of possible referents of the notion of "acting" may reveal, therefore, which aspects of the human actor are "essential" to the medium of theater and which are not. I intend to demonstrate that:

a) "acting" means inscribing on matter a description of an entity in a world and deflection of reference to it; therefore, instead of the commonplace dyadic model of actor and character, I suggest a triadic model of producer of description, description and character.
b) the function of "acting" is shared by all objects on stage, including, but not necessarily, human bodies.
c) "acting" does not necessarily mean that, as in human acting, the inscribing agent and the text coexist on stage.
d) "acting" entails a two-fold distinction between real action and fictional action.
e) "acting" entails an obvious tension between the inscribed text and the human body, not as a material medium that is a necessary condition of communication, but as inscriber of text, or rather, producer of signs.
With regard to the possible limitations of the semiotic method, I intend to demonstrate that:
f) because inscribing a description on the actor's own body is real action, indicated...

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