Prof James R Hamilton
“What goes on there?”
4 October 2012

Prof James R Hamilton of Kansas State University is the world’s leading philosopher of theatre. Visiting the UK, he will be giving a talk at the Open University entitled ‘What Goes on There?’

Abstract
A general account of spectating conceived as information processing. Approaching spectating as information processing allows for those kinds of activities that require grasp of performer intentions (where “performer” is construed broadly enough to include directors, lighting designers, actors, etcetera), but does not preclude those kinds of activities that neither require such grasp or would be precluded were we to conceive of spectating as essentially involving grasp of intentions. The account is broad enough in scope to include spectating non-narrative theater of almost any kind without denying those features peculiar to the grasp and appreciation of narrative theater.