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History and Historiography of Performance Response Paper-1

Shakespeare's “all the world’s a stage and all men and women are mere actors…” is a quote that

has remained with me since the beginning as a performer. And hence, my biggest takeaway from

the readings so far has been how "everything around us can be perceived/read as a

performance" which has changed my perspective on how I look at the world around me now.

The readings so far have underlined how performance can exist absolutely anywhere and even

the most mundane things in everyday life can reveal a performative component to it. Just like the

unpredictability in life, even performance and more-so the study of it becomes like that with the

ever-changing nature it embodies. Live performative art forms, be it dance, drama or music, hold

certain powers to influence the audience and that is why they can be seen as a parallel to life

itself. It is the performing arts, being the only form of art where the “artist is present” which

makes the artform come alive. A performance is ephemeral with simultaneous creation and

dissemination of the art, which sets up the audience to be the part of a community sensory

experience- which can further be referenced to Max Herrman’s Materiality of Theatre. However,

it can also be observed that the delayed dissemination of other art forms such as visual, literary

or films, adds to the longevity of it, while the instantaneous nature of performance makes it the

vulnerable form of art.

Richard Schechner’s definition of Performance as ‘twice-behaved behaviour’ or ‘restored

behaviour’ adds to the intersectionality of History and Performance. As suggested by him, “Any

given performance has a history—it is the result of processes of learning and transmission that

have preceded.” Having a look at the etymology of the word itself, “History” has its origins
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from the Greek Word “istoria” which can roughly be translated to "a narrative or a story" ; so

History can be termed as a story of the past, of what happened. And when we have a look at

Performance as an art form, we can observe that even through our conventional performances-

like dance, music and drama- we're just trying to tell a story. At the core of it they’re all a story-

telling medium through which messages are conveyed, to quote Marshall McLuhan- the medium

is the message. Thus, there's been a close linkage to history through a performative lens and to

performance through a historical point of view.

Looking through a historical lens, we can discuss Reinhart Koselleck’s concept of the awareness

of multiple temporalities in time by the Micro-Historicisation of an event- Aarambh.

Aarambh is an Annual Event of the Delhi Collegiate Theatre Circuit. Fondly known as DCTC,

the theatre circuit consists of 80+ dramatic societies of colleges and universities across Delhi. To

mark the beginning of the new fest season, a 2-day extensive event called "Aarambh" is

conducted in the lavish greens of Delhi's Nehru Park. A random visitor to the park, on these two

days, would be surprised to see 50+ circles all around the 85 acres of the park situated in the

heart of central Delhi. During these two days, second-year members from various societies

participate in theatrical activities conducted by senior members, fostering camaraderie and skill

development. The event aims to introduce new members to theatre basics, promoting interaction

between societies and building lasting friendships. I believe this is one of the biggest reasons

why the Theatre Circuit is so closely knit as friendship is a strong pursuit that remains between

these members. Even during competitive events and functions you'll always find them supporting

each other. Be it borrowing instruments, exchanging props, or even performing for a different

team if they're short on performers, you'll find dctc members standing by each other's side like a
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pillar. A tradition of go-call exists, whenever a team is going to perform, members from the other

teams call out "Go Aadhaar '' for example- which is a go followed by the team/college name

along with a lot of cheers and claps. This acts as a major confidence booster for the teams. Wins

or losses, the support is always unwavering.

However, one of the best times to see the circuit flourish in its true colours, syncing together as a

unit is during- the common call, that takes place before every street play event as an attempt to

call the audiences for the performance and during the jamming. Jamming is THE most

anticipated thing for every circuit member. It is a long-standing tradition in the Delhi Collegiate

Theatre Circuit (DCTC), which sees coordinated singing of original songs alongside percussion

instruments. Aayaam- the Dramatics Society of Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology is

accredited for curating "the mashup" which is a compilation of songs and jingles from DCTC's

street productions and is unveiled at Runthrough- MAIT's Annual Street Play Event. Societies

eagerly anticipate this mashup, as having their play's song featured is seen as aspirational,

leaving a lasting legacy for future DCTC generations to sing.

Being a part of the circuit for three years, I've closely experienced the culture of belonging to this

cult-like unit. More than 250 members of the community, and you will find them singing to the

beats of the djembe and synchronically clapping their hands together. And the Jamming that

takes place on the evening of the second day of Aarambh, which concludes the event, is by far

the most intense, tremendous, passionate jamming of the circuit throughout the year. Having

experienced it again for the third time this Friday, I can only cite Friedrich Nietzsche’s

Dionysian principle. Jamming of the DCTC is one such act which transposes individuals into a

state of ecstasy, and transforms them into members of a dancing, singing community - a
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community in which the boundaries separating individuals are dissolved. Once the beats of the

djembe begin, ritualistically the whole community turns into a single unit singing every lyric of

the song in the same breath. The chorus comes together as one, it’s a social game wherein

Herrmann's definition of theatre as performance coming close to sacrilege stands to its true

meaning. My first hand experience believes that this moment takes us through all three

definitions given by Herrmann- (I) the mediality exists when the spectators and the actors are

both performers, in this case, it is a social game where everyone is a performer. (II) the physical

presence of the real body, being in touch (Eelco Runia) with the members of the community adds

to the materiality of the performance. And (III) 'the shared lived experience of real bodies and

real spaces' is what adds the final mark to the aestheticity of the event of Jamming at Aarambh

2023 of what it makes us feel.

A glimpse of

how the final

day jamming of

Aarambh looks

at Nehru Park

History is a state of unrest, it's an ongoing process of continuous changes. Such an event, taking

place annually, adds to its historical credibility. The Delhi Collegiate Theatre Circuit has stood

the test of time and remains a strong arena for college students to present their skills and let their
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passion nurture. It’s been a safe space for performing artists, and has created a niche for itself.

Writing a historical narrative, it passes down its traditions of common calls, mashups and

jamming sessions as a legacy to be upheld by the generations that are to come. New songs and

amalgamations would emerge every year, adding the richness to the cultural performative

heritage our seniors had once established.

Suchi Singh

Semester-1; MA Performance Studies

School of Culture and Creative Expression

Dr. BR Ambedkar University