Communicating in the performative: Exploring the relationship between movement and text for communicative effect in theatre performance / Peter Machen (2022)

I create work for performance in theatre and I use text and movement to do this. This
research was to gain a greater understanding of my creative process, and to better
comprehend the relationship between text and movement and their communicative effect in
theatre performance in relation to my work.
The research investigates approaches to interpreting text for movement, the creation of
movement with text, modes of performing text and movement, the communicative effects of
the interplay of text and movement, and the communication of performer intention.
To do this I worked with performers from dance and actor backgrounds in studios based at
the Laban Building, Trinity Laban. I used a performance as research approach, establishing
protocols often experienced in the rehearsal studio when creating work for performance.
Using my experience and knowledge to plan and lead the research I worked from the
position of maker/director and utilised the training, skills and experience of the performers
involved to aid in my investigation.
The research culminated in the creation of a piece for performance called I’m going to tell
you… at the Bonny Bird Theatre, Laban Building, 19th July 2022. This paper outlines my
research process, the creation of the performance piece, describes the findings and
evaluation process involved in the collection of data, and gives space for my conclusions.