As we attempt to put labels and definitions on forms of performance, there will always be the possibility that certain ones will have the capability of falling into more than one category. I definitely can see how the naturalistic, theatrical form and a more evolved, technological form of performance could get very close in similarity; but, I don't think that they will ever be the same or dilute completely into one another, though they may come very close. Speaking first hand as someone who is attempting to produce a solo performance show, I can say that I am taking a more theatrical take to my performance. I speak of the past, I have flashbacks, I speak in verse and prose; but, I am me and the words spoken are my thoughts and I'm making the decision to share them so I suppose I'm present, right? My project is not quite theatre, but it's not quite performance art. It's a little or both. I took the aspects of each that I felt would most compel an audience and, in good mastrabatory fashion, would compel myself. I see many solo performance artists taking the same approach to their work. They don't confine it to a form. They just do what they want.
In regards to media filters and imagined memory, I think that the form of media that most affects our worldly experience is video. Take this article/video, for example.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tasered-passenger-my-civil-rights-were-just-thrown-out-window-n219916
An Indiana man tells his side of the story and claims that police used excessive force when they broke his car window and tased him. His son got the whole thing on camera. The man's attorney, states in the article, "Thank goodness Joseph took the video, because the video stands for itself that these officers engaged in excessive force." However, this video only shows one fraction of the entire exchange, but after seeing the video, I can't help but be impacted by it. How can occurrences, such as these impact the theatrical experience? Well, for one thing, they become the basis for our recollection of that particular experience, particularly if we have nothing else to go off of, but someone's word. They may have words, but the other side may have words AND video and that will always make more impact. A video could be the representation of not just an entire experience, but an entire era.
I think it is interesting what you say about your thesis project, because mine is also a personal story. I have had a bit of a hard time trying to define it for myself as well. I like that you talk about writing things that you thought would compel an audience as well as adding in things that would compel you. I think you might have mentioned this in class, that even though a solo show may seem masturbatory, if it is something that really brings you to life, that you feel compelled by, and speaks to something that most people can empathize with, is it actually masturbatory? An interesting thought to ponder.
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