Centering art-making in Research-based Theatre

A language and artistic inquiry

Abstract

This article explores the intersection of the artist-researcher and French-English in a Research-based Theatre project through an a/r/tographical lens. To do so, I explore the development of Mon Histoire a play that explores my ancestral journey. The play moves from past to present, weaving stories that span 400 years around Acadian identity, culture, and language. The play is anchored by various historical accounts and documentation around the French Acadians. It also brings in contemporary and relational perspectives through personal journals. Although the Acadian content is critical to the project, this article focuses on the artistic unfolding used during the devising and performing of the piece, along with the language choices used during the process. Research-based Theatre exists on a continuum of exploring research phenomena using the art of theatre, and has a dual commitment to art and research. The work of generating performative pieces that are truthful to the research is critical, though this article highlights how the art-making process plays a pivotal (yet seldom discussed) role in discovering further ‘truths’. Specifically, how the workshop and rehearsal exploration space warrants further attention in RbT methodology, thus highlighting the ARTIST-researcher.