Popular Performance Working Group 2017

Full Name: Catriona Craig

Annual Conference Theme (if applicable): Localisation, commercialism and globalisation

What were the main points that emerged from your WG this year?
The theme opened up a range of research and debate on international perspectives that we had not accessed before. As we had hoped with the CFP these ranged from the local to the global. Consequently, questions of cultural and material power, ownership, displacement and appropriation emerged with great energy. This gave our more familiar debating points more edge and specificity. For example, we heard about fantasies of escape and the other mediated through Dynamo’s magic as performed on a televised overseas beach holiday. We were also left with a sobering confirmation of the global reach of certain Anglophone texts/performers and the over-arching impact of post-colonial influence. Focus for the future may include escapism, the Other and the uses of technology.

What was discussed at your business meeting?

• Thanking former convenor and making a callout for someone new.
• How to ensure that we stay engaged with the influence of changing technology/social media on popular performance making and reception.
• Interim events. How to embed an experience of popular performance into the event without the scale and cost escalating.
• Publishing successes and future ideas with a commitment to encourage further work by promoting the work, e.g. by using the ‘output’ section of the website.
• The possibility of closer ties with other groups, e.g. Performance and New Technologies.

Types of contributions:
All our contributions were formal 20-minute papers, apart from one, which was a demonstration of applied clowning in character.

Number of formal contributors (those listed in book of abstracts) We had 12 contributions, one of which was co-written, so we had 13 contributors scheduled. However, 2 pulled out due to sickness leaving us with 11 contributors in attendance.

Approx. overall number of delegates who attended your WG Sessions Approximately 15 – 20 delegates attended each WG session
Composition of WG (PG, ECR, etc.)
Roughly 7 postgrads and 4 ECR attended the group.

Did you have any non-UK participants? Yes

If your WG hosted an Open Panel, do you have any feedback?

It was a strong panel taking contrasting drag practice as its theme, which sparked a lively discussion.

Any additional points or feedback not covered above?

Nothing to add.