Verisimilitude
Overview
There are many types of performance. The most obvious one, and the one that interests us most, is Theatrical Performance - when the audience knows the actor on the stage isn't really themselves.
However, think about it: to a degree, you're aware that politicians are giving a performance of themselves. With late night comedians, or your favorite YouTuber, hopefully you're aware that you're watching a version of them. But you don't actually know the person themselves.
Even in your daily life, many of us aren't actually our jobs, but we put on a uniform and perform our job. Heck, if we're going on a date, we might want to really make sure we're performing the most attractive version of ourselves.
None of this dismisses Reality. You really did stub your toe. You really do love the smell of roses. You really are fond of your family or friends (although, hey, sometimes we perform there, too - life is tough).
So, with Verisimilitude, we're looking at the degree to which the Performer and the Audience are aware of the difference between Performance and Reality: between "Performing" and "Being."
Please note that the Taxonomy of Performance is the intellectual property of Emily C. A. Snyder.
However, think about it: to a degree, you're aware that politicians are giving a performance of themselves. With late night comedians, or your favorite YouTuber, hopefully you're aware that you're watching a version of them. But you don't actually know the person themselves.
Even in your daily life, many of us aren't actually our jobs, but we put on a uniform and perform our job. Heck, if we're going on a date, we might want to really make sure we're performing the most attractive version of ourselves.
None of this dismisses Reality. You really did stub your toe. You really do love the smell of roses. You really are fond of your family or friends (although, hey, sometimes we perform there, too - life is tough).
So, with Verisimilitude, we're looking at the degree to which the Performer and the Audience are aware of the difference between Performance and Reality: between "Performing" and "Being."
Please note that the Taxonomy of Performance is the intellectual property of Emily C. A. Snyder.
Verisimilitude
VERISIMILITUDE: The degree of closeness to reality. The difference between "Performing" and "Being."
- Theatrical: The Performers are not behaving as versions of themselves (e.g., Actors, Dancers, Singers, etc.). The audience, with a few exceptions, understands that the Performer is "performing" and not "being"
- Parasocial: When the Performer presents a version of themselves that may blur reality (e.g., Influencers, Politicians, Comics, etc.). Audiences may have difficulty discerning the Performer's "performing" from "being"
- Individual: When the Performer enacts social roles in their own person (e.g., Parenting, Teaching, Gender Presentation, etc.). The overlap between "being" and "performing" is extremely porous and fairly integrated.
Resources
Want more? Take a look at these videos for some enlightenment.
