In the Lurch: Verbatim Theater and the Crisis of Democratic Deliberation
In the Lurch: Verbatim Theater and the Crisis of Democratic Deliberation
by Ryan Claycomb
University of Michigan Press, 2023
ISBNs
Cloth: 978-0-472-07574-4
Paper: 978-0-472-05574-6
eISBN: 978-0-472-90333-7 (OA)
About the Book
Some of theater’s most powerful works in the past thirty years fall into the category of "verbatim theater," socially engaged performances whose texts rely on word-for-word testimony. Performances such as Fires in the Mirror, The Laramie Project, and The Vagina Monologues have at their best demonstrated how to hold hard conversations about explosive subjects in a liberal democracy. But in this moment of what author Ryan Claycomb terms the “rightward lurch” of western democracies, does this idealized space of democratic deliberation remain effective? In the Lurch asks that question in a pointed and self-reflexive way, tracing the history of this branch of documentary theater with particular attention to the political outcomes and stances these performances seem to seek.
But this is not just a disinterested history—Claycomb reflects on his own participation in that political fantasy, including earlier scholarly writing that articulated with breathless hopefulness the potential of verbatim theater, and on his own theatrical attendance, imbued with a belief that witnessing this idealized public sphere was a substitute for actual public participation. In the Lurch also recounts the bumpy path towards its completion, two years marked by presidential impeachments, an insurrection, a national reckoning with racism, and a global pandemic. At the heart of the book is a central question: is verbatim theater any longer an effective cultural response to what can look like the possible end of democracy?
But this is not just a disinterested history—Claycomb reflects on his own participation in that political fantasy, including earlier scholarly writing that articulated with breathless hopefulness the potential of verbatim theater, and on his own theatrical attendance, imbued with a belief that witnessing this idealized public sphere was a substitute for actual public participation. In the Lurch also recounts the bumpy path towards its completion, two years marked by presidential impeachments, an insurrection, a national reckoning with racism, and a global pandemic. At the heart of the book is a central question: is verbatim theater any longer an effective cultural response to what can look like the possible end of democracy?
About the Author
Ryan Claycomb is Professor of English and Theater and Associate Dean in the College of Liberal Arts at Colorado State University.
Reviews
“Is verbatim theatre dead? In an era when western liberal democracies ‘lurch’ toward the right, and when the ideal of open, pluralistic, even-handed discussion of issues is eroded, this book poses a timely and provocative question. Bright, smart, and immensely timely, In the Lurch draws on a wide range of voices and sources to illuminate this specific intersection between theatre and politics and makes an argument that is both persuasive and engaging.”— Jenn Stephenson, Queen’s University
"This expertly argued, self-reflective study wrestles with the question of verbatim and documentary theatre's efficacy against the backdrop of what Claycomb calls the "rightward lurch" of Western democracies. Yet this is not just a book about verbatim theatre's potentials and pitfalls; it also maps a cultural transformation over the past five decades and how changes in history have engendered changes in affective form." — Megan Lewis, Theatre Journal
"Poignant, self-interrogative, deeply informed yet engagingly written, Claycomb’s In the Lurch might be my book of the year. Perhaps all the best books are written out of exactly the combination of love and frustration, hope and despair."
— The Year's Work in Critical and Cultural Theory, Hannah Simpson“There is a real sense of urgency to the book, addressing contemporary concerns in a very direct and insightful way . . . Its re-evaluation of verbatim theatre touches on extensive debates around what constitutes the political dimension of the theatre and will have salience for scholars and students well beyond the current ‘crisis’ that motivates the author.”— Tony Fisher, University of London
"Claycomb's analysis raises important questions about verbatim theatre's capacity to be political and skillfully examines how the current political context reshapes audience engagements with these types of practices. It is difficult to read In the Lurch without being impressed and somewhat moved by Claycomb's honest and heartfelt reflections the anguish of losing faith with theatre. There is something poignant and recognizable expressed in this sentiment that makes the book a refreshing and potent statement of our times." — Amanda Stuart Fisher, Modern Drama
"In the Lurch is a compelling prompt for these and other inquiries. It will be an invaluable resource in the classroom and for future research about documentary theatre, feminist scholarship, and democratic theory"— Jordana Cox, Theatre History Studies
Tags
Theater, Political Ideologies, Political aspects, History & Criticism, Performing Arts, History and criticism, Political Science, History
Open Access Information
License: CC BY-NC-ND
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