Fourth Wall

2013
Performance

The imaginary fourth wall stands at the opening of a proscenium stage that keeps performers from recognizing or directly addressing their audience. The wall is invisible, yet has a presence. One could even say it occupies space within the theatre. But perhaps the space that the fourth wall truly occupies is in the minds of the players. We have seen the iconic red curtain; endlessly revealing and concealing. Could it be considered the visible boundary, opposing the invisible wall? What if this boundary became the player, and the player embodied the fourth wall itself? Rather than the curtain rising, it falls back onto the stage and obscures the performance. We cannot see the performers, yet we know that they are there.

Draped in a tailored curtain, the player stands motionless. After some time she raises her instrument and begins to play a composition. The sound is harsh as she struggles to manipulate her instrument under the weight of the fabric. Eventually the player becomes less concerned about the composition and begins to address how the curtain affects her range of motion, thus changing the style and emotional quality of the piece. Do performers struggle under the weight of tradition?