Lost in Translation? Experiencing the body on stage and screen

This presentation will seek to explore how audiences respond to the body on stage and on screen. We will explore the concept of ‘liveness’ and question how the physical presence of an actor alters our expectation of a cinematic/ theatrical event. We will touch on spectator theory, in both theatre and film, briefly explaining the key theories and concepts in relation to this. Finally, we will apply this to a practical example, using the play The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs and the corresponding film to explore what all this theory means in practice. We will conclude by offering up for discussion the question of to what extent we apply ‘theatrical’ or ‘cinematic’ modes of interpretation when we look at bodies in real life.