The Difference Between a live performance and a recorded performance Study by Tonnia Boykins TS404 Ways of Talking about Thatre Professor: Michael Walling TS404 Ways of Talking about the Theatre Rose Bruford College Professor: Michael Walling

The difference between a live performance and recorded performance In a live performance the audience is able to see each actor’s movement, facial expression and gesture on stage. Whereas in a recorded performance the camera takes the role of the audience with one person watching the film. Also in a recorded performance the audience can be limited to looking at one actor at a time.

Abigail’s Party For example, in Abigail’s Party as each actor recites his or her dialogue the camera zooms in on the actor that is speaking without filming any of the other actors movements, facial expressions or gestures. Whereas if the play were being performed at a theatre the audience would see all the actors reactions not just the actor that is speaking.

The difference between a live performance and recorded performance “Unlike a television or movie audience, the live theatre audience always participates in some way in a performance. In fact, the level of audience participation can be anywhere on the continuum from community creation and participation to total separation of audience and performer”.* *The Audience and the Actor: The Invisible Bond

The actor audience relationship . “ Actors on stage can feel the audience’s reactions and consciously or unconsciously adjust the performance accordingly. If the audience is laughing, an actor will wait until the laughter has died down to speak the next time. If the audience is quiet and unresponsive, an actor might unconsciously push or work harder to get the audience to react”. * *The audience: Partners in Performance : Theatre studies

Gene Hackman statement, Live Performance vs. Recorded Performance In a TV interview, the distinguished movie actor, Gene Hackman, stated that when acting in films,” I often found myself withdrawing, being more introspective, and minimizing my physical gestures, things I had seen many other stage actors do when making the transition from working in the theatre, where one has to be concerned about "hitting the back wall*," to acting in motion pictures, where many of those same gestures would probably appear unnatural or seriously exaggerated when viewed through the intimacy of a camera’s lens”. Films are about simply being in front of a camera. *Gene Hackman statement, Live Performance vs. Recorded Performance

The audience is a community “In some places around the world, the audience still comes from a tightly knit community linked by shared values and history outside the theatre. In other places, when you take a seat in a auditorium or gather around street performers, or join a dancing crowd, you become part of a temporary community tied together only for the duration of the performance”. * *The Audience is a Community: The History of Theatre

Theatre in Culture In comparing the effect on society that some say television would later have, the technology in both cases is reflective of the values already embedded in the culture. The strong community values in place at the birth of the home phonograph were also the same values that gathered families around a piano or fireplace. It was a central place where families could experience an emotion and a connection to others. While the experience of hearing a recording or using a live instrument for the purpose of familial bonding may have seemed the same, there is a difference which plays an important role in the development of technology.

Purposes of Performance The purpose of any art form, at its core, is the communication and expression of human emotion, values, and culture. As with the development of any technology, intent can alter the very medium and purpose of that which it is trying to improve. Ethically and socially, unforeseen intentions and misuse inevitably arise that previously have not been considered. In examining live theatre, there are four purposes or intentions that a performer may have. Realistically, an actor may have several intentions functioning simultaneously, but the order in which these intentions are prioritized tends to define the philosophy of the performer. Intention 1: Self Expression, Communication True to the definition of art, self-expression and the desire to communicate to an audience is the highest of these intentions. Since the earliest of civilizations, we know that theatre was used to communicate and that the fundamental expressive qualities inherent in theatre appeal to inherent human qualities.

Intentions of Performance Intention 2: Wealth, Power, Status With the development of the recording in the connection with the market driven economy came the profit seeking nature of some performers to desire wealth, power, and status. Intention 3: Preservation of an Art Form Historically, the invention of the gramophone also filled the purpose of preserving recordings for f those who could not access the live performance and for future generations to learn from. Recorded performance provides a snapshot of an art form that may change or cease to exist years later.

Intentions of Performance Intention 4: Self-Improvement, Self-Esteem Some performers may view live performance as a medium through which they can develop skills related to performing. Performance anxiety affects the way a performance can communicate to an audience and for this reason, a performer may choose to record instead of perform live. With each opportunity to perform in a recording session or in a live setting, the artist can learn something new about the self. Recorded or live performance can also be used as therapy. * * Intentions of the Performance: Gene Hackman’s research

The difference between live performance and recorded performance The core purpose of any art form is the communication and expression of human emotion, values, and culture. While the evolution of technology plays a role in developing intentions for some performers, those intentions in turn play a part in affecting the technology. For example, a performer that accumulates wealth generated from recordings may in turn have an influence over future uses of that technology

Intentions of Performance Each of the intentions apply to both the recording and live genres, although some better than others. While making a recording enables the performer to reach a wider audience, the live, spontaneous energy generated between the performer and that audience is sacrificed. This the greatest difference between a live performance and a recorded performance.

Biboliography The audience: Partners in Performance : Theatre studies -The Audience and the Actor: The Invisible Bond The audience: Partners in Performance : Theatre studies Gene Hackman statement, Live Performance vs. Recorded Performance The Audience is a Community: The History of Theatre Intentions of the Performance: Gene Hackman’s research