Original scientific paper

UNSEEN AUDIENCE – DISREGARDED MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE IN CROATIAN THEATER REPERTOIRES, PLAYS AND CRITICAL RECEPTION

Darko Lukić

Abstract

This text is reflexing cultural representation of so-called „invisible audiences” (and „invisible performers” as well as „invisible topics”) in contemporary Croatian theater. Pointing on exclusion and marginalization, dereliction and oppression of large groups of citizens from public theatre system, the text is focusing on persons with disabilities, economically underprivileged, culturally different and generally oppressed communities. As dominant mainstream theatre culture in the public institutions of the performing arts generally represent mainstream dominant culture, and reproduce it’s privilege, there is quite a wide margin of social and cultural „invisibility” in which we can find different groups of citizens. They are not counted as audience target group, nor included as performers, nor even represented by the topics and plays concerning their problems. Basically concerning persons with different disabilities, the text explains how their multilevel exclusion is maintained by the lack of technical support, such as access, translation, and additional information, by ignoring them as the potential performers, and by the negligence of topics and plays treating their problems. The denial of access is evident in the lack of opportunities for „invisible” groups to represent themselves, to speak in their name, and to participate in activities of public theaters which are public funded and should be at civil service.

Keywords

theater; audience; performers; dereliction; oppression; privilege; disability; difference; cultural representation

Hrčak ID:

158037

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/158037

Publication date:

9.5.2016.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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