The significance of audience participation in plays directed by Kristian Smeds.

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to explore audience participation and its significance in plays directed by Finnish theatre director and dramaturg Kristian Smeds. More precisely the focus is on Smeds' methods in creating the audience participation and to understand how a comfortable atmosphere for the audience to partake had created. The qualitative data was collected in two different ways. Firstly, it was collected from the critics (N=7) of two plays, The Unknown Soldier (2007) and Mr. Vertigo (2010). These plays were chosen to examine audience participation because they gathered a lot of attention around the involvement of audience during the performance. Secondly, director Kristian Smeds was interviewed about his audience participation in three different themes: general thoughts on audience and audience participation, and what audience participation is in his opinion. The interaction between the actor, audience and the stage is highly important in Smeds' plays. During this study I came to understand how significant audience participation is in Smeds' theatre and is one of the central factors in his performances. The central aim for Smeds is to activate his audience through different methods. He sees audience as a partner from whom a trusting environment is created in a performance. The interview with Kristian Smeds gave me a profound understanding of methods he utilises to achieve a successful audience participation.