‘Performance exists in all human cultures, and society has always sought to impose organisational thought-or theory- on what it is that takes place, and how and why’ (Freeman 2007,p.1).
The notion of Performance Writing within Contemporary Experimental Performance can be formed from a wide range or different sources, some that would even be questioned as as there in fact performance? The argument still arises of what can be labelled as performance, brushing your teeth? Giving a speech? Day to day thoughts and tasks written on paper and read our i on no linear order? ‘Attempts to define performance have never ended because its boundaries have to always remain capable expanding to accommodate new and previously unimaginable forms’ (Freeman 2007, p.15).
Within the Contemporary Module we were encouraged to explore this notion of performance writing by sitting and looking at different examples of text/situations/real life examples.
For example :
- A text written at 3am in the middle of the war
- A text for someone in the street caught up in one of those eddy pools of blown leaves and ragged polythene bags.
- A text of obvious lies
- Different ways to say hello
- 8 things you’d say in a empty field
- Words you’d say to an alien
- Words of Jealousy
- Favorite way to die