Reading and embodying the script during the theatrical rehearsal

Abstract

Abstract The paper develops an ethnomethodological, conversation-analytic and multimodal approach of the theatrical rehearsal, examining how participants collaboratively read, understand and embody the script. After examining the spatial organization of the setting, the paper focuses on the following interactional practices: (1) from the participants’ perspective, the script appears as a written sequence of lines to connect with their knowledge of social interaction; (2) participants understand the script through their sequential and contextual readings; (3) they collaboratively connect the utterance of written lines with embodied behavior through the check-reading, and (4) by coordinating the lines with pauses and gaze directions. The analysis relies on video-recordings in French and Japanese collected at an Art center in Japan.