p.153

9

DRAMATURGING NEW PLAYS AND DEVISING

Dramaturgy is a theatrical process and one that can be an incredibly useful part of an artistic collaboration. While the mindset and process of dramaturg as verb are applicable to all aspects of life, this book has looked primarily at the traditional mode of theatrical dramaturgy, and the discussion up to this point has been anchored in production dramaturgy with an established script. That is merely one way that dramaturgy is applied in the theatre, and is the one used as the primary illustration because it is a widespread use and understanding of the role, and is effective to show the application of dramaturg as verb.

The premise of this book is that dramaturgy is a way of engaging with the world. It is not a collection of tasks, nor is it limited to a designated role in a production. It is a way of seeing and processing information and a mode of communication that is mindful and deliberate. Dramaturgy is not something that is relegated to a theatre, in location or activity. To dramaturg is to curate an experience for an audience. That can be done with any activity and any audience, and it is an expansive and encompassing way to understand the mindset and practice of dramaturgy. It is a way of perceiving and can happen all the time.

Dramaturgy as way of seeing is a particularly useful model when considering the various kinds of performance it encounters. Dramaturgy is practiced in dance, opera, and puppetry. It is seen in film, video games, and many other examples of performance and/or narrative expression and is a method that naturally joins many fields of study and practice. All of these applications can be served by the mindset and skillset to dramaturg. As a way to engage with materials and audience, the holistic viewpoint, flexible thinking, and responsive process make for effective collaboration. The scope of this book does not allow for an examination of each of these modes of dramaturgy; however, this chapter looks at two of the popular forums for work in the contemporary theatre: new plays and devised theatre.

p.154

New-Play Dramaturgy

The role of the dramaturg on a new play is to help facilitate the development of that play for the playwright, the festival, or the company. Whatever perspective from which she operates, institutional or personal, the new-play dramaturg can still exercise clarity of purpose, precision of content selection and synthesis, and efficacy of communication. She can be a creative artist in the room, an ally to the playwright, and a surrogate for the audience. In short, she can dramaturg.

Developing a strong relationship with collaborators is the most important aspect of working on new plays. The dramaturg may be there for an afternoon or a collaboration of many years and many plays with a given writer, and the result of that contact needs to be furthering the work of the playwright in a constructive and effective manner. It is an unusual working relationship in that the dramaturg is a creative collaborator but it is a support role. The dramaturg should have no personal creative agenda or personal stake in the work. The relationship is one that is dedicated to the vision of the playwright, and that is one that needs to be defined and redefined many times over the course of the collaboration. The dramaturg must help affirm that the common goal for all involved is for the playwright’s play to be realized. Depending on the circumstances, this can mean a number of different things, and so clarity of purpose and goal is extremely important for an effective collaboration.

Through an active support process, the dramaturg can create an environment that is conducive to creative work, and ultimately that is the most important element of her work in new-play development. The ability to listen, respond, and communicate are put into play from the very beginning when working on a new play, and the more attuned she is to the needs of the play and the playwright, the more effective the creative environment will be.

One of the challenges of new-play dramaturgy derives from misunderstandings about the role of the dramaturg in new-play development. Among the most damaging images of the dramaturg is that of “script doctor” which carries an implication that somehow the dramaturg will come swooping in to fix the script. This is damaging because it automatically creates an adversarial rather than collaborative relationship. The expectation is set that the dramaturg comes in as expert and authority, which is not at all conducive to a strong working relationship between writer and dramaturg. First, the script is not broken and does not need fixing any more than it is ill and in need of a doctor. Then, the person who knows more about a play than anyone else is the playwright, so the notion of someone else “fixing” it is problematic at best. Finally, the role of new-play dramaturgy is to listen, respond, and support the work and the collaborators.

p.155

The mindset to dramaturg is particularly useful in working with playwrights. Wherever they are in the process of developing a work, the holistic viewpoint and close attention to timing are particularly beneficial. The play is itself a process, so it is vital to understand what goes into that construction and the kinds of things that can be useful at different stages. A script in preparation for a first workshop read is a completely different thing than one being readied for its first production and the dramaturg needs to be connected to that circumstance. The questions the dramaturg asks and feedback she offers are likely going to be broader and more encompassing earlier in the process when the playwright is initially finding character voice and story structure.

The circumstances will reveal where the play is in process and what kinds of questions the dramaturg is asking. For example, the first workshop read is typically a new script that is undergoing revisions, and those may be significant. This read is often done with minimal rehearsal and is generally just an opportunity to hear the work out loud. This is likely the first public reading of the play and the conversations between playwright and dramaturg may include large structural ideas, story arc or characterization. A play may go through this phase and come out on the other side with a new third act and having lost the love interest. A staged reading has a little more time and resources invested. This is typically a play further along and potentially ready for production. A theatre may do a staged reading in order to get a sense of audience reaction and overall workability of the script in order to determine whether or not to commit to producing it. Other places that are dedicated to play and playwright development may produce staged readings in order to give the playwrights exposure and the opportunity to see their piece with some rehearsal time. At this point, the dramaturgical development will typically be more about strengthening the choices that are there, looking to refine or clarify. If there are elements that seem to make the next step of full production more difficult, that will be a major source of conversation in this process. Finally, the play in production is a dramaturg’s opportunity to help the playwright solidify the script and communicate with the production team. Close attention to process and a clear responsive point of view will help make any of these stages effective development.

p.156

Another thing that shapes and may complicate new-play dramaturgy is the impact of for whom the dramaturg is working. If she is the representative of the theatre or the festival, she will be working with the playwright with the goals of the producing body in mind. If she is freelancing and working with the playwright, the relationship may be affected by the potential complications of being a collaborator for hire. These are part of the circumstances of new-play dramaturgy, and do not have to be impediments to a good artistic partnership. Open and straightforward conversations and clarity of expectation and purpose will help to solidify the working relationship and create a more effective collaboration.

How do you like to work? This is a good way to start a relationship with a playwright and the first question that I like to ask when working with someone new. Establishing up front the expectations for the collaboration helps calm any fears the playwright may have about the influence of a dramaturg on his work, and also discussing a plan for communication and interaction keeps things open and clear. If the playwright prefers to see things in writing or likes to talk about character when he is drinking tea, these are ways to create an environment that can aid the process. In addition, asking the question delivers the message that the dramaturg is interested in working with the playwright, not at him. If the playwright does not have a preference or a specific idea, the dramaturg can offer suggestions or propose to try a particular mode and see how that goes. The collaboration is more effective when it is honest and straightforward, and the earlier the artists can arrive at that place the better. The less time spent wondering or quietly resenting the way things are going, the sooner the open and useful collaboration.

p.157

Chapter 4 looked at a variety of ways that timing is fundamental to the mindset to dramaturg. In the case of new-play dramaturgy, there is an important link to timing beyond that of when in the process to bring up certain issues. When one is a dramaturg on a new play, it is not only about this iteration of this script. When working with a playwright, the dramaturg is working on the development of a particular stage of a specific play, and more than that he is working with the development of a writer and a voice in the contemporary theatre. Consequently, when there are responses to comments or questions that do not make it into this play, they are not inconsequential. It is possible there are results of this collaboration that will come through in later works. So the dramaturg should take the collaboration to heart and treat it well; the possibility of making a real contribution to the theatre is in each conversation, in each room.

While the long-term project is affecting the voice of contemporary theatre, each project will have a short-term goal as well, which is where the process to dramaturg is useful. One of the things that will help the collaboration maintain focus is when there is a specific goal in mind. Is the play in early development to lead to a public reading and talkback? Is the dramaturg brought in by the theatre to help ensure the play is production ready? Was it selected for a new voices workshop production where part of the prize was time with the dramaturg to work through the piece? Is it a more informal arrangement, a playwright asked for some feedback? Each of these circumstances is a significant opportunity for new-play dramaturgy, and each requires its own approach determined by the goal of the collaboration.

The dramaturg has a clear purpose in mind, and this is one that she shares with the playwright. Ideally it is a purpose that has been determined in conjunction with the playwright’s own goal for the interaction. Within the context of this purpose, she defines the project. The definition is further parsed from the overall goal. For example, if the purpose is to help ensure the play is production-ready for the theatre, the project may be to help the playwright condense the action into something more stageable than the version as is. If the dramaturg is working on a script for a development reading, maybe the project is to assist the playwright in a more complete character construction in order to discover what kind of audience response those characters inspire. The project may be to spend time with a playwright and his work and see what kind of overlap there is in terms of taste and style. The first phase of the process to dramaturg needs to support the larger goal; however, it still needs its own specific intent.

p.158

The content-gather is primarily the response to the text. This is an aspect that can be fraught and so really needs to derive from the definition and intent of the process. The most important aspect in this process is to remember that the point is the playwright’s play. Every question, comment, and piece of material the dramaturg provides is in the service of the playwright’s vision. The development process is about making it the best iteration of the play that the writer wants to write. This is a further example of the need to see clearly and engage with a work on its own terms rather than on any preconceived notion of what it should or could be. Also, depending on where things are in the process of the script, it could be too soon to discuss the substantive issues that could really unlock something and so the content-gathering would need to be limited to what is useful for that process. Every aspect of the mindset, facility with questions, seeing holistically, being attentive to timing and to the audience are useful in working with a playwright, and we as dramaturgs are most effective when we are able to apply that method with clarity and purpose.

Gathering the content for contextual input plays out differently as a new-play dramaturg. There are projects that require research in a traditional sense; however, this does not tend to be a large part of the job. Occasionally there are opportunities to assist the playwright in details of the ideas or issues they are attacking. Perhaps there are rituals that can be introduced, symptoms fleshed out, or travel routes navigated that can be brought in to support the trajectory of the text. Similarly the dramaturg may be able to bring in someone with expertise or firsthand knowledge to give additional context to a specific moment of the play or to its larger framework. Whether it is a specific experience – a character who lost a limb – or a general circumstance – a community decimated by a hurricane – the input that a dramaturg can offer to augment that of the playwright can be an effective aspect of new-play dramaturgy.

p.159

A new-play dramaturg can use their knowledge of theatrical process as well as understanding of script structure and dramatic analysis to assist. The dramaturg provides additional vocabulary to the discussion as well as a clear point of view on the technical strengths and weaknesses of the script. The dramaturg is familiar with the practical needs of the director, actors, and designers, as well as some artistic principles of script construction in order to have context for her own response to the work. The primary goal is to help the playwright bring her work to fruition, and part of what the dramaturg offers is her experience and a vision of what the work needs to be a play. Consequently, she tries to collaborate with the playwright to bring her vision to its most theatrically effective fruition, for the circumstances under which the collaboration occurs.

The final step, selecting the mode of communication, is primarily based on the agreement the dramaturg and playwright make about how to work. Type of project, style, and relationship will shape how the input is shared. If the collaboration is a short one, a couple of hours spent in conversation around a reading will not give much time or opportunity for a real in-depth discussion of theme and meaning. However, the dramaturg could facilitate a talkback structured around a specific question the playwright had about the script. This would be a way to contribute context and communicate a dramaturgical insight within the narrow parameters given.

A well-crafted talkback is the key to efficacy in new-play development. This can include specific questions the playwright presents, as well as the clarity of purpose on the part of the dramaturg. What is not useful is a talkback that turns into a group effort of rewriting the play; nor is the unrestrained commentary of an outspoken group. Talkbacks are often a point of conflict with playwrights, who may not see the value in the exercise. This response is usually the result of a bad experience and a circumstance where the discussion was not organized and was not useful. They are particularly challenging for young playwrights who may be just learning to find their own artistic voice as well as navigate the business of making plays.

In general a talkback that is conducted for the producing organization is intended to give the subscribers an opportunity to be heard. It is worth looking specifically at the new-play talkback in some more detail. It is a significant aspect of the development process and companies that are known for the development of new work often include talkbacks as part of that process. Perhaps the audience response will help a decision to offer a full production, or the response is part of the benefit the producer offers the playwright. The audience response, well moderated and from an articulate and well-informed theatregoing audience, can be a real asset to a playwright working on a new play. It can provide the writer with some insight into what the audience picked up on and how they responded to certain cues in the play. A post-show discussion can reveal what the audience was struck by, the questions they had and the overall impressions of the piece.

p.160

So what can the dramaturg do? She can approach the talkback with a clear purpose and be sure that the conversation stays on topic. She can contain the diversions and not allow the discussion to turn into suggestions for revisions. She can be the advocate for the play and the playwright, whether he is in the room or not, and ensure that they are both treated respectfully throughout the talkback. Some things to consider:

As mentioned earlier, sometimes the dramaturg and playwright’s collaboration is very short and related to a specific project or event rather than an entire production. When the collaboration is longer, it tends to be more in-depth with many opportunities for input and carefully crafted communication. This communication can take a number of forms; however, as discussed, using questions is an effective way to communicate with an artistic collaborator. Asking for clarification helps the playwright see the points on which she is clear and those that are still forming. The purpose of the interaction is to tease out the clearest and most effective construction of the play. If the dramaturg can bring into the discussion questions that help to continue the artistic exploration, in a well-conceived and direct manner, the playwright has more to work with in her process. Also, the dramaturg needs to be attuned to when it is no longer useful to bring more to the process. The holistic view will act as a reminder that while this interaction is contributing to the voice of the contemporary theatre, there is also a particular reading or production that needs to happen and specific needs to address. The dramaturg helps to make sure the process does not lose the forest for the trees.

p.161

Effective collaboration can be extraordinary and it is a goal worth striving for. Establishing a relationship and investing time and attention in the process of development helps to create the environment for that kind of exchange. When there is trust and connection, the dramaturg can be both a creative contributor and a strong advocate.

The saying that is resurrected for each generation of writers is “kill your darlings” and it is an important reminder that writers have to be able to cut their favorite bits or kill off something they love. It is good to remind the playwright that sometimes he has to cut good writing. The role of the dramaturg is not to tell him what writing to cut or what darlings to kill. The dramaturg can provide the context in which the playwright can discover that darling, and then hand him the mallet with which to kill it. The best input that a dramaturg can offer a playwright is a clear, holistic response to the work they are given.

While the dramaturg may help the writer kill her darlings, at times she must also help to protect the ones that need to stay. This can be protection from the playwright, or from a director. One of the exciting things about working on new plays is the collaborative energy that can characterize that process, which can sometimes lead to a director making script suggestions to support her directorial role. For instance, if there is a scene that does not seem to be working, perhaps the director will suggest cutting the scene. This is a tricky negotiation because it may be that the scene is not working structurally and should be cut, or it may be that the director stopped looking for the staging solution. The dramaturg can help shape the conversation, ask questions and offer varying perspectives for the collaborators to consider, and ultimately help defend the playwright’s right to the play he wants to write.

p.162

The new-play dramaturg can end up providing a variety of services to the play; however, a fundamental aspect of his job is that the dramaturg is the advocate, sometimes for the playwright and sometimes for the play. These are different things and one of the challenges of effective dramaturging is to be able to recognize the difference and when to prioritize one over the other. Often the dramaturg is a liaison between the writer and the institution or between writer and director. In both of these circumstances the dramaturg may be called upon to act as a mediator in conflicts. She may find herself in a position where she needs to be an active advocate for the playwright if his point of view is being diminished. The understanding of the script and the goals of the production will help keep a clear point of view, and the mindfulness of communication techniques will hopefully serve the dramaturg well.

What do you do when the play is being diminished? The advocacy for the playwright is a more straightforward proposition than the advocacy for the play. The dramaturg has the person for whom she is taking up a cause, and has the validation that is what is warranted. When she is advocating for the play, sometimes it may be in opposition to the director and even the playwright. This is a more difficult argument since it seems to go in opposition to the desires of the playwright – particularly if that is what he claims. However, when the truth of the play is being challenged by a rewrite or a production choice, it is the responsibility of the dramaturg to be its defender. Ultimately it may be futile; it is the playwright’s decision as it is the playwright’s play. As a resource, the Dramatists Guild provides rules regarding these issues that are a good point of reference and reminder. At the same time, thinking in terms of contributing not just to a play but also to the body of work, it is a defense that may resonate later. Even if it does not, sometimes the dramaturg has to advocate for the play.

Play development is where a lot of dramaturgy is happening in the contemporary theatre, and a more connected mindset to dramaturg makes it more effective. There are a variety of models of play-making and its development, and a flexible, responsive dramaturgy can be at the forefront of that work. Good dramaturg-playwright collaboration is a strong contributor to the development of our theatre.

p.163

Devising

Devised theatre is an excellent kind of performance to dramaturg. The process-oriented form is itself a collaborative, holistic approach and process. Essentially, devising is dramaturging in some fundamental ways and so the two are well matched. Devising has been a mode of performance for a very long time, and is essentially an umbrella term for a kind of play that is generated through the process of rehearsal, and emerges in some fashion from that process. It is in the making of it that the script takes shape, and it is typically ensemble-generated and constructed. Devised theatre is created through the collaboration of artists in the room, so it is particularly well suited to dramaturgy.

The application of the mindset and process to dramaturg is the commonality of the various projects, and it is the flexible and responsive nature that allows for dramaturgy to be applied to so many different kinds of performance. An element that specifically distinguishes the dramaturgy for devised theatre from that of established script production or new plays is the function of the content the dramaturg provides. Rather than offering context to support the artistic choice made by the playwright, the dramaturg selects materials to provide a context that can prompt the artistic choice that will make it into the text.

Two main elements of devising that connect to dramaturgy are that it is an open, responsive collaboration and that it is constantly defining itself through its process. There are a number of different groups who work with devised theatre and each has its own purpose, goals, and practices. For example, work that is inspired by political activism may start with a topic and use devising techniques to explore the human cost of that issue. Another group may use devising to explore first-person accounts of a disaster and construct a narrative around them. An ensemble can work from movement-based performance inspired by visual imagery, or strong story-based works based on the retelling of classic tales. The common form is that the script of the performance is arrived at through the process of creation.

Devising relies on the just-in-time response of its collaborators and is malleable to fit the needs of the production and the audience. There is no established rule or encompassing definition of this mode of theatre-making; all of which sounds very much like the picture of dramaturgy, which also relies on the flexible thinking and creative response of its artists. As with dramaturgy, in devising the lines shift and the definitions are situation- and personnel-dependent. Both are defined by the purpose of the work, and who it is with/for.

p.164

Devised theatre is a dynamic artistic endeavor that stretches the artistic impulses of everyone involved. The presence of a dramaturg allows for the presence of an artistic collaborator who is invested in the meaning and outcome while enjoying a slight edge of outside perspective. Consequently, the dramaturg can be watching for the larger context of story structure and continuity, keeping track of the process benchmarks, and looking to the eventual presence of an audience, while the rest of the ensemble can stay immersed in the moment-to-moment work. In many ways the primary function of the dramaturg in devising is to be the champion of and advocate for the process.

What does it mean to be the advocate for the process? In the same way that the dramaturg will speak for the writer, the play, or the character, she stays committed to the method, perspective, and timing of the mode of play-making the ensemble exercises. Since the text for performance is a product of the rehearsal, the process of devising requires the ability to capture and shape that product. There may be a playwright as part of the ensemble, the writing may be shared among the group, or sometimes the dramaturg herself will take on the role of writer – either to pen or to transcribe what comes out of rehearsal. Regardless of how the text is generated, the dramaturg attends to its creation and helps to ensure that what results is a usable script for performance. Throughout the process of script construction, the dramaturg keeps sight of the larger context of the formation of a performance for an audience. Consequently, she makes sure the process is moving through the necessary stages to get to a text that can be performed and seen.

Another way the dramaturg acts as advocate for the process is to help the rest of the ensemble to trust the process. The dramaturg has the insider understanding of what the ensemble is striving for and the point of view of the audience’s proxy and so can respond to the work with a clarity that helps reinforce the choices that may feel riskier to the ensemble. While the process of devising is exciting and can generate dynamic work, it can also be intimidating to work without the common material and seemingly stable foundation of an established text. The dramaturg can help an ensemble work through this uncertainty with her clarity of purpose and her input.

p.165

The devising process is different for any collection of artists. While there may be particular ways that individual directors or companies tend to work, specific physical and narrative activities they utilize, the outcome of these activities will be completely dependent on who is doing them. A project may consist of artists who are very effective physical improvisers and have a strong sense of ensemble connection through movement. Others may be specifically inspired by writing prompts that help to create a text-based foundation early in the process. Still others may find resonance in visual imagery and other kinds of composition. All of these are models that will shape a devised process and determine the manner in which the text for performance is constructed. This is part of the reason that devised theatre often comes from ensemble companies that continue to work together over time and develop a useful style of working. However, whether the ensemble is established or newly formed, the process of devising is shaped by those who are doing the work, and a flexible, responsive approach to the piece is absolutely vital. The mindset to dramaturg establishes the outlook with which to engage with the work on its own terms, without a specified agenda or bias.

Another aspect of the mindset that is applicable to devising is the ability to discover the questions to ask and those to answer. The dramaturg is a creative collaborator in a room set up for creative collaboration and since he has a slightly outside-the-process point of view as well, he can choose what questions should be brought in to spark conversation and which ones to answer to uncover significant moments in the story. All of the questions he would ask and answer from script and production team are brought into the process of devising in order to help guide the output into a coherent shape.

While timing is an important element in all dramaturgical work, it is of particular relevance in devising. The process that the dramaturg is sponsoring needs to have structural benchmarks and frequently the dramaturg will be watching the calendar as closely as she is watching the thematic construction. Understanding timing is in part a comprehension of the production schedule that reveals when certain kinds of questions or input are appropriate and useful. This is the case in devising as well, and attention to timing reminds the dramaturg to avoid talking about specific wording when the ensemble is working on the general story arc, and also allows her to usher the ensemble past the open discovery of story arc when it is time to lock down character and dialogue. Timing is additionally important as a dramaturgical tool for devising since it moves in both directions, knowing when it is useful to offer what input as well as recognizing at what point the targets need to be met. One way to advocate for the process is to ensure that the process of exploration ends with enough time to get into the mechanics of putting together a show.

p.166

The process is situation-dependent; consequently, the benchmarks will also depend on the project. However, there are some general guidelines to keep in mind. One of the challenges of devising is to recognize the points at which the explorations must give way to choices, and part of the process of dramaturging a devised piece is to help determine and adhere to those points. The process-driven work is dynamic and can lead to exciting revelations, and ultimately will be a performance for an audience. That is, assuming the piece is heading toward performance for an audience, of course, but whatever the goal, the process of getting there needs to keep in mind the forest and the trees. Consequently, there will be a point at which the story is determined, characters are crafted, and a plan for the performance is established. This point will happen with enough time to meet whatever rehearsal and technical needs are required. These markers will also reflect any showcases or events the piece may include. The process is an artistic exploration and also a practical composition of an event, and the dramaturg helps to ensure it is effective at both.

The artistic elements of devising are also necessarily flexible. An ensemble may include a playwright or composer, or members of the group may fill these roles. All of the company may perform or there can be facilitators and dramaturgs in addition to the performers. Again, whatever the combination, the dramaturg is looking holistically and making sure the process is effective. One significant contribution can be watching for the effectiveness of the devising, to see when the exploration stops being useful, when a storytelling exercise gets counter-productive or when a free-write is needed. Whether he is looking in or part of the performing ensemble, the dramaturg needs to see the whole and help the company move in the same direction.

Much of the work that is generated through devised techniques is issue-driven. Devising techniques are a widespread practice of social and political activist theatre and various kinds of agenda-based performance. Consequently, the dramaturg’s active attention to the ideas and circumstances that connect an audience to a performance are particularly potent. In fact, devising enables the dramaturgy to construct this link in both directions. Rather than relying exclusively on linking the text of performance to an audience sensibility, the dramaturg can bring into the room the issues and rhetoric of the eventual audience and allow that to shape the performance itself. Devising allows for the questions of “Why this play? Why here? Why now?” to travel in both directions between audience and production in a dynamic and fundamental way.

p.167

The circumstances and events the community is confronting will be fodder for the ensemble. For example, if the inspiring topics deal with poverty and homelessness, then the material of the devising can include the stories, images, and places of those issues in that community. It is a “here, now” generative process and so can take inspiration from the immediate and the directly placed.

While the devising process itself is determined by the artists involved and the nature of the materials, the dramaturgical contributions are still dependent on how effectively they are defined. Each project has the opportunity to be enriched by the three steps to define, collect, and communicate the input, whatever that may be. For example, when working with an ensemble with issue-based material, such as homelessness, as the central focus, the dramaturg will be tasked with a number of different projects to support the process. He will identify ideas and perspectives from which to approach the subject matter. These tasks and perspectives are then given more specific form through the determination of end goal and target audience. Once that process of definition is complete, he can collect the materials to support it and determine the best mode of communication to his audience. This may be visual imagery and soundscape, or it could include bringing in people to speak of a personal experience. Or it can be any other point of contact that supports the needs of the piece and the goals of the performance. If the devised piece is working from an existing text, the dramaturg finds the relationship to that text by defining the project around it. For example, the intent could be to find a vocabulary in the text that can be used in the production. Word-association games or generated word clouds could be an effective way to explore the language used in the text.

The overall role of the dramaturg in the devised production, as well as each task he undertakes, will be framed and defined in a way to help support the technique of creation. The act of definition shapes each task to aid the process followed by the ensemble and continue the progress toward a performance. The process is further aided by the content that is gathered and compiled. This content will likely include many of the elements of production dramaturgy in terms of well-researched and synthesized materials about context. However, this aspect of the dramaturg’s output can work in a slightly different way than in a scripted production. As mentioned earlier, the dramaturg’s materials are meant to give an impetus to the creation of the text rather than to provide context for it. The materials are not the casebook of words, ideas, and images that flesh out the skeleton of the script in order to transition to the stage; they are themselves the materials that generate the text of the production.

p.168

The final step, the selection of mode of communication, is as much about the ensemble as it is about the material. The dramaturg is in the room in devised theatre and so he knows how the ensemble most effectively generates material. That knowledge will inform how the content will be communicated. If the ensemble is visual or tactile, more story-based or particularly connected to music, the dramaturg can find the mode of presentation that effectively shares the content he has collected. In devising, it is particularly important that the material is in the room; consequently, the dramaturgical output is often more reliant on tangible artifact than digital communication. The established connection to the ensemble and its method of devising establishes the foundation on which to generate and communicate the dramaturgical input.

In rehearsal, the dramaturg and director will institute a way of working, as is the case in the other collaborations discussed. Open communication and clear expectations are always going to improve the process and the relationship. Devising as a model tends to allow for a greater sense of the collaboration and often has a “go with the best idea in the room” nature. That will often result in the dramaturg being a more vocal presence and will tend to see less of the formality of all questions or comments going through the director. However, there is structure and there are parameters to the nature of the collaboration and the dramaturg needs to be conscious of those practiced and nuanced shifts. In general, it is still a useful policy to establish with the director the kinds of dramaturgical input and the ways of incorporating them in the context of the rehearsal space. The protocol of rehearsal and the understanding of the ensemble need to be respected, and the mindfulness with which input and response are offered is as complete in devised theatre as it is in any other model.

p.169

Traditional research materials, experts in a field, artistic or thematic objects, shared experiences, exercises, stories, challenges to the work; the dramaturg’s contribution can take many forms. In devised theatre, that input is particularly significant because it is part of the process that shapes the very text of the performance. It is a role that is dynamically redefining itself within a process that is doing the same. The flexible thinking, holistic viewpoint and responsiveness are well suited to the dynamic nature of the work. The clarity of purpose, attention to timing, and the close link to audience are vital to keeping the process nimble and effective.

Devising is a kind of performance in which everyone is practicing dramaturgy by virtue of devising the piece.

Dramaturgy is an inherent aspect of devised theatre. The devising process itself is aided by the inclusion of an ensemble member who is there specifically to dramaturg. Playwriting is also inherently dramaturgical. A new play benefits from the contributions of an informed creative collaborator who is invested in the playwright’s creation. Neither of these models is reliant on the presence of a dramaturg to exist, just as an established script production can run without a dramaturg. Yet they all can be better, be more fully realized, have a greater connection to the audience, and have deeper resonance for the performers when they are effectively dramaturged. This activity, the process to dramaturg, is the science to make the production more.

Exercises

These exercises are intended to be a starting point to help define the kind of role and relationship the dramaturg has to new and not-yet-scripted work.

p.170

Practice Reading

The purpose is to get you into the mindset of a script reader and have the opportunity to practice reading with purpose and correspondence with playwrights.

Devised Work

To help think about process in devising.