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Article published In:
Language and Dialogue
Vol. 8:2 (2018) ► pp.261–288

Reading and embodying the script during the theatrical rehearsal

| Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3 (France)

The paper develops an ethnomethodological, conversation-analytic and multimodal approach of the theatrical rehearsal, examining how participants collaboratively read, understand and embody the script. After examining the spatial organization of the setting, the paper focuses on the following interactional practices: (1) from the participants’ perspective, the script appears as a written sequence of lines to connect with their knowledge of social interaction; (2) participants understand the script through their sequential and contextual readings; (3) they collaboratively connect the utterance of written lines with embodied behavior through the check-reading, and (4) by coordinating the lines with pauses and gaze directions. The analysis relies on video-recordings in French and Japanese collected at an Art center in Japan.

Keywords: theatrical rehearsal, script, social interaction, reading, ethnomethodology, conversation analysis, embodiment, French, Japanese
Article outline
  • 1.Specificities of the theatrical rehearsal and resemblances with other social activities
  • 2.The participation spaces and activities of the rehearsal
    • 2.1The performance’s and the observation’s spaces
    • 2.2The observed setting and data
    • 2.3The observed script
  • 3.Reading and accomplishing the shared meaning of the script
    • 3.1The script as a material object
    • 3.2 Why that now: a relevant question for reading and understanding the script
  • 4.Check-reading: From reading the script to embodying it
    • 4.1The alternation of reading and embodying the script
  • 5.Pauses and motionless behavior
    • 5.1Pauses in naturally-occurring-interactions
    • 5.2Constructing a change of state token with a verbal pause and immobility
    • 5.3The pause as an orientation toward an unusual definition of a routine situation
    • 5.4Pauses and turn’s progressivity
    • 5.5Juxtaposing the lines with the interactional knowledge through embodied actions
  • 6.Negotiating gaze direction
    • 6.1Gaze in naturally-occurring-interactions and theater
    • 6.2Correcting gaze direction
    • 6.3Explaining the correction of gaze direction
    • 6.4Extending the sequence of correction
    • 6.5Correcting the sigh
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments
  • Note
  • References
Published online: 12 October 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ld.00015.lef
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