Fourteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

This paper presents theatrical research results discovered through creating a new play, Legend for Witkacy. This play was inspired by the Pure Form theories written by Polish artist, philosopher, and writer, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz. Our research applied innovative collaborative and participative methods to create a work of “previously unsuspected beauty,” as Witkiewicz described it, a type of play that is “capable of expressing metaphysical feelings within purely formal dimensions.” This work revealed clear perspectives on mimesis (the “real” and “representation”), because its artistic root opposed creating traditional American theatre realism. Further, the work revealed perspectives on authenticity, believability, identity, and complexity in relation/opposition to mimesis. While the performance was at times jarring, unpredictable, and nonsensible in terms of realism, it also provided spectators opportunities to connect with the play without needing an education in esoteric theatrical theory. In this sense, Legend for Witkacy refutes the notion that the avant-garde needs to be studied to be appreciated. We discovered that while spectators tended to cling to what was familiar, these familiar elements provided access points that led to novel experiences for the spectator. We therefore curated familiar performance elements (story, puppets, costumes) to alleviate the spectators’ fear of not understanding its formal nature. Many spectators made sense of the play as a puzzle with infinite solutions—a kaleidoscope, instead of a Rubik’s cube. This paper also critically analyzes less successful aspects of the performance and outlines strategies to improve the process in future research iterations.