There is something about live theatre - being the same size and breathing the same air as the actors, perhaps? - that encourages empathy (when it's done well). Also our level of engagement increases because we mentally and emotionally do the 'panning' and 'zooming' that screen directors/ cinematographers/ editors do for us. Live theatre is always interactive.
I should add that I absolutely loved both live performances of The Haka Party Incident that I reviewed in 2021 and saw agin in 2023 - and, for all the reasons you enummerate, I love the screen documentary too.
🤔 Vague vague vague echoes about the Haka Party incident... Sounds like I need to go see the doco as the trailer is disturbing (as in the pale male stale persisting attitudes 🤮) It is also a (little) bit affirming as to how far we've come in Aotearoa to reflect that this would outrage far more people today (the parties not the protests🤨) despite the rise to power of the Seymours et al trying to say being Maori means getting privileged treatment rather than the privilege of being Maori is actually being Maori per se - cultural & historical support & grounding if we care to access it. 💪
There is something about live theatre - being the same size and breathing the same air as the actors, perhaps? - that encourages empathy (when it's done well). Also our level of engagement increases because we mentally and emotionally do the 'panning' and 'zooming' that screen directors/ cinematographers/ editors do for us. Live theatre is always interactive.
I should add that I absolutely loved both live performances of The Haka Party Incident that I reviewed in 2021 and saw agin in 2023 - and, for all the reasons you enummerate, I love the screen documentary too.
https://www.theatreview.org.nz/production/the-haka-party-incident/#tireless-ensemble-brings-the-mahi-of-many-to-dynamic-fruition
🤔 Vague vague vague echoes about the Haka Party incident... Sounds like I need to go see the doco as the trailer is disturbing (as in the pale male stale persisting attitudes 🤮) It is also a (little) bit affirming as to how far we've come in Aotearoa to reflect that this would outrage far more people today (the parties not the protests🤨) despite the rise to power of the Seymours et al trying to say being Maori means getting privileged treatment rather than the privilege of being Maori is actually being Maori per se - cultural & historical support & grounding if we care to access it. 💪