My way of finding my research question is backwards.
My method of working has been to create work on the floor, through a devising process, so the work keeps changing. By the time I have a finished piece, I will have found my research question.
The question lingers somewhere in between looking at normativity, feminism, motherhood, performativity, auto-biography, staging the self and Brechtian methods.
To start with, I was looking at being childfree and normative femininity and thinking something along the lines of:
Research question ideas:
"How is the choice to remain childfree portrayed through theatre, and what does it reveal about societal attitudes toward family, identity, and individual autonomy?"
"How can a contemporary theatre production challenge or reinforce the concept of normative femininity through the portrayal of a character who chooses to be childfree?"
"In what ways can theatre explore the tension between childfree by choice characters and societal expectations of normative femininity, and what impact does this have on the portrayal of female identity?"
"How does the representation of childfree women in modern theatre critique or subvert traditional notions of normative femininity and motherhood?"
"What role does theatre play in reshaping perceptions of femininity by presenting female characters who reject normative expectations of motherhood and embrace a childfree lifestyle?"
"How do female characters in childfree-focused plays negotiate their autonomy and desires in relation to the pressures of normative femininity and motherhood?"
"In what ways does theatre illuminate the intersection of normative femininity and the decision to remain childfree, and how does this reflect broader societal shifts in the understanding of womanhood?"
This Isn't Weird, It's Different
I’m researching normativity. We all have our own ideas of what is a natural or normal behaviour. When others challenge our ideas of normativity we can experience less connection to that person, as we feel like we have less in common. We could deem the person as “weird” and place them outside our social structure. If that happens repeatedly, it may finally lead to social loneliness.
As the work shifted and I decided to perform in Icelandic, I started looking more Icelandic consumerism and individualism and at what the staging says, including consumerism, Brecht and Boal as a part of the potential reseach question.
Research question ideas:
"An exploration of staging feminine normativity in Icelandic consumerist society"
"How can modern Icelandic consumerist society, seen through a feminist lens, be represented on stage?"
"Looking into normativity in Icelandic society & how using Verfremdungseffekt can help break down its structure"