Listen Up Gadjo! A Dramaturgical Analysis of Spectatorship in Documentary Theatre Performance Romáland

Abstract

The present thesis delves into the spectatorship in documentary theatre performance Romáland, focusing on specific dramaturgical choices integrated by its creators. The research is contextualized within the contemporary socio-political landscape, where the influence of neo-liberalism has significantly shaped the spectator. A key emphasis is placed on the importance of examining the experiences of Romani people within contemporary Greek society, who endure ongoing and unjustifiable discrimination, even at the hands of the state. Hence, my analysis rests on the unfolding of a Greek viewer. Through this study, I not only elucidate the injustices faced by the Romani community and the resulting emotional impacts, but also explore the politically efficacy their theatrical revelation has. Employing a dramaturgical analysis, I utilize theories of spectatorship that fit in political dramaturgies, as the one of Romáland, along with concepts concerning spectatorial issues and the positioning of the viewers during a performance. This approach is underpinned by an awareness of the ethical implications of spectatorship, particularly within the context of documentary theatre environments. My own observations as a spectator have significantly contributed to my findings. Furthermore, an online discussion with the director offered me valuable knowledge into the creative processes and decisions behind the performance. The findings reveal that Romáland emerges as a provocative performance that blurs the boundaries between raw factuality and fiction, guiding spectators to assess their own role within the narrative of the politically marginalised Romani people who take up the stage. It does so by illuminating the distance between them and the viewers. The deliberate dramaturgical choices made by the directors in conjunction with the heard testimonies by the Roma performers influence the transmission of meaning and function as the reference point for an analysis of spectatorship by considering the social dimensions inherent in the spectators’ experience. Therefore, this research explores how the political dramaturgy of documentary theatre Romáland invites spectators to critically reflect not only on the systemic injustices of Roma, but also to reconsider their positionality within the socio-political landscape of Greece and, potentially, foster a collective solidarity towards social change.