On the idea of "presence" in contemporary theater

"Presence" is a core concept in theater which contains overlapping and conflicting connotations. In modernistic tradition which prioritizes dramatic narrative and degrades spectacles, "presence" is defined as the materialization of fictional drama, so that the audience feel that they are witnessing the real events here and now and tend to be emotionally engaged in the process. In the 1960s, under the influence of Artaud, many theater …