Another Stage is Possible: Theatre Venues outside the Theatre Buildings

Abstract

Schechner's 6 Axioms for Environmental Theater, published in The Drama Review in 1968, basically states the principles of the theatre genre in which the entire space that the performers and the audience are present is the space of the show.

Today, examples of environmental theatre have been staged in Istanbul too. This paper delves into the use of space in performance, using Schechner's 6 Axioms for Environmental Theater as a reference. The paper focuses on three plays, namely Freak, The Teapot Left a White Trace on the Rosewood Table Inherited from My Mother, and Büyük Zarifi Apartment, which were all staged in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, Turkey. These plays were performed in spaces that were not originally intended as theatres but were re-functionalized and transformed into performance spaces, showcasing environmental theatre features.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how areas beyond traditional theatre venues have been converted into performance spaces and to investigate how historical spaces have been transformed into performance spaces. This research will determine if plays that use environmental theatre, with different areas  used throughout the space, comply with Schechner's principles. If the plays do not conform to Schechner's principles, the research will identify new principles that should be developed.

All three plays take place in three historical locations in Beyoğlu. The play venues are Zarifi Apartment, an old Greek apartment building; Metrohan, the world's second oldest metro tunnel on the ground floor; and Hope Alkazar, the old cinema on Istiklal Street.

This paper uses a research method based on observation and experience of the plays. It aims to determine principles on the impact and transformation of space on performance.