TED Community » Kee-Yoon Nahm

art, philosophy and the human condition.

TEDCred score: +9.00 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.
A comment on Talk: Patsy Rodenburg: Why I do theater

Mar 28 2010: I think the speaker is working with a very limited notion of "theater." People connect just as strongly with actors on film and TV, maybe even more. It's possible for a great film or TV performance to create the illusion of "presence" through its realism and intimate camera shots. I think what live theater can offer in our age of media-oversaturation is a way of challenging the perception of what is real, authentic, present, etc. that film and TV reinforces. Theater is not about truth, but about illusion and deception. It is about the paradox of noticing a piece of tape on the stage floor and watching a young actor transform magically into Hamlet at the same time. I think overemphasizing the role of the actor as one who keeps us in touch with something true and profound is misleading and can actually limit the potential of theater in today's world. Believable acting isn't essential to a theater experience: just look at some of the twentieth century's theatrical breakthroughs.

This member doesn't have any favorite talks yet.