Johnmichael Rossi

comments

Exposition: Strategies of Fiction (28/02/2019) by Stephen Bain
Johnmichael Rossi 21/05/2019 at 12:01

The following peer review was presented to the author during the process and has influenced the final exposition. It is here presented in a slightly edited form.

 

Johnmichael Rossi

 

This a compelling and topical article exploring the role and functionality of function in the daunting post-truth era, raising questions around the relationship between performance, fiction and truth; specific to playwriting and theatre-making practices.

 

The range of theories considered is comprehensive and succinct in its articulation; and the more ‘academic’ Part 1 of the article has good flow, and further guidance by the sub-headings keeps the reader on course.

 

The opening section/scene of the paper (a prologue of sorts) the crafted Trump/Kim Jong Un encounter leaves the reader speculating on whether or not this text is a verbatim work, a word-for-word transcription depiction of what actually happened; or, is it fictionalization, strategically re-shaped. In its very nature as a ‘play text’ (in format) the work is left hanging over the theoretical analysis. In some respects, this effective, but the writer might consider framing more directly this text from the on-set.

 

Some of the poignant questions/points that I found to be particularly resonant are:

- “In both these scientific and artistic examples, performance enables fiction to be transformed into fact, the event effectively heralds a new truth. In order for fiction to affect reality, it must still be determined in relation to truth. Can truth therefore be responsive to fiction yet still uphold factual meaning?”

- “The event becomes a key marker for truth. Events and truth have a special relationship with one another. Either truth is upheld by an event, or our understanding of the truth alters to make sense of the event.”

- “Fiction can be said to be strategic in that it assumes a position that cannot be refuted, since it is not claiming to be factual.”

 

In considering the theme/focus of the journal issue, ‘How to do Things with performance,’ I wonder if the author considers the (play)text itself to be a performance? How does the play form blur the lines between fiction and non-fiction? The closing section, A Performative Turn, comes to a somewhat abrupt halt. I wonder if this is intentional, as to propel the reader into parts 2 and 3, or is there a word limit that is keeping the work constrained. Suggestions below on ‘Layout and orientation’ might offer a resolve to this.

 

Layout and orientation of the material:

I particularly enjoyed the presentation of practice in Parts 2 and 3, and I wonder if the practice might be disbursed or embedded within the body of the more traditional academic writing (Part 1); Perhaps links within Part 1 that re-direct into the practice, rather than a Part 1, 2, 3 left-to-right orientation. In some respects, the layout implies that the theory is needed to enter the work and I wonder if a different set-up would impress a more two-way relationship between practice and theory.

 

Particularly with the presentation of Part 3, I found it difficult to get my head into, whereas Part 2 effectively uses internal links out to further information and contexts and opens new screens, which counteracts the succinctness of Part 1 and reflects the nature of PaR toggling between the oriented, organized and orderly versus the rest …

 

Well done – thoroughly enjoyed reading this work, which is quite thought-provoking.