Overview
What does 'performance theory' really mean and why has it become so
important across such a large number of disciplines, from art history to
religious studies and architecture to geography? In this introduction
Simon Shepherd explains the origins of performance theory, defines the
terms and practices within the field and provides new insights into
performance's wide range of definitions and uses. Offering an overview
of the key figures, their theories and their impact, Shepherd provides a
fresh approach to figures including Erving Goffman and Richard
Schechner and ideas such as radical art practice, performance studies,
radical scenarism and performativity. Essential reading for students,
scholars and enthusiasts, this engaging account travels from
universities into the streets and back again to examine performance in
the context of political activists and teachers, countercultural
experiments and feminist challenges, and ceremonies and demonstrations.