It's all about the aura

In  “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”, Benjamin Walter talks about how the “aura”, uniqueness or originality of an artwork is diminished or lost by multiple reproductions of it.

This made me think about the aura in new theatre productions and the importance of technology within them.

Theatre has its origins in religious and magic rituals of diverse civilizations that worshipped their gods through ceremonials where music, dance and drama played a central role.

Nowadays a “ritual” still happens between the actors and the audience, both engaged in a face-to-face relationship. It occurs in a specific moment in time and space, and it never occurs again in the same way (maybe an actor improvises or forgets his lines, or maybe he can not go to the performance and somebody else replaces him).

Theatre not only involves a connection between audience and actors, but between actors and technicians. In this common place the aura is a shared aura: created by the actors, the audience and the technicians.

Theatre and technology have always been together. Lightning, scenery and props, music, and now video projections or 3D visual effects, are constantly used in big theatre productions, strengthening the artistic experience and creating a new way of interacting with the audience. Still, one will always prefer to go to the theatre rather than seeing a play on a blu ray or through Internet. It is all about the aura.

REFERENCES
- Benjamin, Walter (1935) “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”. In Benjamin, W. Illuminations. London: Fontana Press, pp. 211-244