Robinson Crusoe enacts a Ponzi Scheme on a Deserted Island is a participatory performance conducted via Zoom. The piece is inspired by this reflection: is capitalism a distinctive feature of the global North? Considering recent developments in world economy, it does not appear to be so, as late modernity has witnessed not only the conversion of world economy to the capitalistic modality of accumulation but also the rise to prominence of “Southern” countries as major capitalistic actors. Moreover, the association of Northern identity to capital neglects the antagonisms that marked the development of modern capitalism in the global North as well. Yet, one could argue that capital is the most prominent historical product of what the global North has termed its “Modern Age.” In this regard, capital appears as an historically and geographically located entity that has been able to delocalise and “re-localise” itself in other cultures and societies through a process that has been both coercive and cultural, maintaining its tendency to the establishment of antagonisms manifest in conflicts of class, gender, and race. This performance explores the malleability of capital through the figure of Robinson Crusoe, not the character of Daniel Defoe’s novel but the abstract model of human subjectivity adopted by the neoclassical school of economics and, consequently, neoliberal ideology.
Since the start of the pandemic, a consistent number of performances have been held via Zoom or other digital conferencing platforms, whether as specifically conceived in this format or as adaptations of live performances. In this case, a model of participatory performance is specifically developed to treat the social space of the conferencing platform as a heterotopia in which delocalised subjectivities interact within a collective digital space through the management of digital presence and information exchange. Drawing from the practice of the didactic play, which was invented by German theatre artist Bertolt Brecht to develop a form of embodied interaction with radio through performance, the work employs the form of a collective reading to enact a dramatic text. Just like the Brechtian practice, Robinson Crusoe enacts a Ponzi Scheme on a Desert Island is meant for participation rather than spectatorship. The significance of the performance lies in the collective assumption of identity and subsequent reframing of the constitutive process of abstraction of Robinson Crusoe’s subjectivity from an historically localised body to one presented as ideal model of economic and social behaviour. Thus, the digital room assumes the form of a heterotopia by employing its modalities of communication and socialisation to explicate and scrutinise critically the constitution and normalisation of capitalistic subjectivity through the deconstruction of its theoretical model.
The performance takes the form of a closed workshop with a number of participants ranging from four to seven. The event is then followed by an open discussion where the specific dynamics of the performance can be presented to an external audience and participants are invited to discuss and relate about their experience.
Francesco Sani De Montfort University, UK
HOW TO TAKE PART TO A E-LEHRSTÜCK
If you are reading this, it means that you decided to take part to the Lehrstück How Robinson Crusoe Set Up a Ponzi Scheme on His Deserted Island. In the few pages that follow, this document will provide all the information you need to take part to the workshop, along with some visual examples. Remember that there will be a little time to ask for clarifications before the beginning of the workshop in case anything may not result immediately understandable.
1) What do I need to participate?
The basic requirement to participate is the possibility to access a Zoom videocall from any device that would allow you to a) speak and share your camera; and b) hear other speakers and see other people’s screen. It is highly recommended to ensure the access to a stable internet connection before the beginning of the performance. You will be required to keep your microphone and camera on throughout the performance.
Please, do take notice of the fact that music will be played throughout the performance and that images and text will be shared and affect the development of the performance, so participants are required to engage with these elements throughout the entire event.
2) What am I required to do?
Mostly, you will be required to do two things: The first is reading aloud, and the second is watching the screen when you are not reading, or at least keeping an eye on it. You will see your name appear on the screen followed by some lines of text. This is the moment when you are required to start reading aloud. You will know when your part ends because the end of an individual speech is indicated by the direction: (Silence). EXAMPLE: Let’s say that we have two performers, Josephine and Joe. When it is Josephine’s turn to speak, the screen will look like this:
Since the start of the pandemic, a consistent number of performances have been held via Zoom or other digital conferencing platforms, whether as specifically conceived in this format or as adaptations of live performances. In this case, a model of participatory performance is specifically developed to treat the social space of the conferencing platform as a heterotopia in which delocalised subjectivities interact within a collective digital space through the management of digital presence and information exchange. Drawing from the practice of the didactic play, which was invented by German theatre artist Bertolt Brecht to develop a form of embodied interaction with radio through performance, the work employs the form of a collective reading to enact a dramatic text. Just like the Brechtian practice, Robinson Crusoe enacts a Ponzi Scheme on a Desert Island is meant for participation rather than spectatorship. The significance of the performance lies in the collective assumption of identity and subsequent reframing of the constitutive process of abstraction of Robinson Crusoe’s subjectivity from an historically localised body to one presented as ideal model of economic and social behaviour. Thus, the digital room assumes the form of a heterotopia by employing its modalities of communication and socialisation to explicate and scrutinise critically the constitution and normalisation of capitalistic subjectivity through the deconstruction of its theoretical model.
The performance takes the form of a closed workshop with a number of participants ranging from four to seven. The event is then followed by an open discussion where the specific dynamics of the performance can be presented to an external audience and participants are invited to discuss and relate about their experience.
Francesco Sani De Montfort University, UK
HOW TO TAKE PART TO A E-LEHRSTÜCK
If you are reading this, it means that you decided to take part to the Lehrstück How Robinson Crusoe Set Up a Ponzi Scheme on His Deserted Island. In the few pages that follow, this document will provide all the information you need to take part to the workshop, along with some visual examples. Remember that there will be a little time to ask for clarifications before the beginning of the workshop in case anything may not result immediately understandable.
1) What do I need to participate?
The basic requirement to participate is the possibility to access a Zoom videocall from any device that would allow you to a) speak and share your camera; and b) hear other speakers and see other people’s screen. It is highly recommended to ensure the access to a stable internet connection before the beginning of the performance. You will be required to keep your microphone and camera on throughout the performance.
Please, do take notice of the fact that music will be played throughout the performance and that images and text will be shared and affect the development of the performance, so participants are required to engage with these elements throughout the entire event.
2) What am I required to do?
Mostly, you will be required to do two things: The first is reading aloud, and the second is watching the screen when you are not reading, or at least keeping an eye on it. You will see your name appear on the screen followed by some lines of text. This is the moment when you are required to start reading aloud. You will know when your part ends because the end of an individual speech is indicated by the direction: (Silence). EXAMPLE: Let’s say that we have two performers, Josephine and Joe. When it is Josephine’s turn to speak, the screen will look like this:
When it is Joe’s turn to speak, the screen will look like this:
SOMETIMES you will be asked to engage in short dialogues with other performers. In this case, you will distinguish your lines by the fact that they are introduced by your name in caps, in the same way characters’ lines are introduced on the printed text of a play. For instance, a single slide may look like this if we had Joe and Josephine engaging in a dialogue:
SOMETIMES all participants may be required to speak together. In this case, the lines appearing on the screen will be introduced like this:
SOMETIMES all participants may be required to speak together. In this case, the lines appearing on the screen will be introduced like this:
SOMETIMES all participants may be required to speak together. In this case, the lines appearing on the screen will be introduced like this:
SOMETIMES you will be asked to perform some very short physical action that you can improvise. The slide introducing these actions will always look the same with a black background, a title in white starting with the word “AN ACTION”. Your action will be indicated by a sentence in italic placed between brackets. The action consists in showing or hiding an emotion from the rest of the group. Let’s see another example with Josephine and Joe:
REMEMBER that there is no way to do this wrong. All interpretations of the suggested action are equally good. You can give a very energetic interpretation or a very mild one. You can even choose not to engage with it at all. The more your reaction is spontaneous, the better.
LASTLY, note that sometimes text may simply appear on the screen without the implication that someone has to read it aloud. You may distinguish this case by the fact that no speaker will be suggested on the slide.
Is there anything else I should keep in mind? Well, I can give you two pieces of advice:
First, remember that there are no standards as to how one should read or behave during the performance, except the mutual respect among participants and the attention not to create disturbance when other people are speaking. What I want to emphasise is that there is no correct way to speak the lines or perform any sort of action. Also, remember that you can take all the time you need when doing so.
Second, whereas it is recommended to monitor the screen regularly, no one hinders you from looking around from time to time. What are the other performers doing as the performance develops? What else is happening outside of the Zoom call either on your device or in the physical space around you? Why not check it out?
LASTLY, note that sometimes text may simply appear on the screen without the implication that someone has to read it aloud. You may distinguish this case by the fact that no speaker will be suggested on the slide.
Is there anything else I should keep in mind? Well, I can give you two pieces of advice:
First, remember that there are no standards as to how one should read or behave during the performance, except the mutual respect among participants and the attention not to create disturbance when other people are speaking. What I want to emphasise is that there is no correct way to speak the lines or perform any sort of action. Also, remember that you can take all the time you need when doing so.
Second, whereas it is recommended to monitor the screen regularly, no one hinders you from looking around from time to time. What are the other performers doing as the performance develops? What else is happening outside of the Zoom call either on your device or in the physical space around you? Why not check it out?