Knowledge production through artistic research : the structure and embodiment of creative action in theatre making

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The artistic research conducted during the respective phases of this practice-led study isbased on a singular theatre-event that evolved through my collaboration with secondaryschool dramatic arts students, a creative-collaborator, visual art students, singers, musiciansand artistic contributors.The research undertaken formulates and demonstrates my impressions, as theatrepractitioner and theatre pedagogue, on the ways in which the actions, activities, contributionsand lived experiences of the participants involved in the making of a collaborative theatreeventcollectively determine the operation of its creative action.The intrinsic attributes of my praxis, as discovered and observed by means of thesystematic inquiry and reflection of this study, hypothesise the structure of creative action tocomprise a complex and non-linear interrelation of intentional, coincidental, conscious,unconscious, interactive and reiterative acts of 'embodied cognition'.In keeping with the methodology of Artistic Research, the academic narrative utilisesstylistic devices – including metaphoric titles, the insertion of images and sound clips, andtypographic designs - to symbolise activities and occurrences of theatre-making that include:instances of invention; moments of insight; practice-based decisions and deviations; chanceencounters; and fortuitous incidents and collaboration/s.The study suggests that the actions, incidents and events that give rise to, and evolve from,creative action are subject to, and qualified by, conceptual, sensory, corporeal and visceralconditions and intentions that are respectively foregrounded at specific times and duringspecific phases of theatre-making.By drawing on experiential knowledge gained from this collaborative and multi-mediatheatre-event, the thesis demonstrates and describes the ways in which creative action isrealised and practiced through the implementation of individualised approaches and strategiesthat are geared towards the construction and embodiment of physical and spoken texts.In addition, the research offers insights into the ever-shifting and multifunctional role of thetheatre practitioner, pedagogue and researcher as the negotiator of dissonant heterogeneousvoices in a collaborative collective who are actively involved in a shared creative experience.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University