Scenography is in crisis. The boundaries of what is, and is not, scenography have become increasingly elusive in the early twenty-first century. Concurrently, the significance of design practices within the conception of new dramaturgical possibilities has been given greater artistic and critical attention than ever before. From the mixed reality events of Blast Theory to the audio-walks of Janet Cardiff, the material contexts of scenography have expanded into a wider consideration of how questions of environment and motion are composed for the purposes of performance. Nonetheless, these experiments with stage geographies have dictated a progressively expanded, and proportionally elusive, rhetoric of scenography.

1. Scenographic Rhetoric
Dr. Rachel Hann

2. Performance
Design
Scenography
Scenographic

3. Debating Scenography: Points of Departure
Scenografi
Scenografia
Scénografie
Scénographie
Anglophone Lexicon circa 1950:
Scenic Design
Stage Design
Theatre Design
Set Design
Or, just Design
Escenografía
Scenografija
Bühnenbauer
Scenovedenie
Scenography

4. Debating Scenography: Points of Departure
Even though the practice has existed for hundreds of years in
various forms, as a term ‘scenography’ is relatively new and still
unfamiliar. It has superseded the phase ‘theatre design’, for
‘scenography’ denotes the integrated work on all elements of a
production, from costumes though soundscapes to masks, a
breath which the expressions ‘stage design’, ‘scenic design’ and
‘theatre design’ cannot encompass.
(Allain and Harvie 2006: 203)

5. Debating Scenography: Points of Departure
While the word has to some a faintly pretentious ring to it (some
seeing a too-foreign influence in its use), others are beginning to
see the real differences that lie between scenographer and
scenic designer.
(Payne 1994: xxi)

6. Debating Scenography: Points of Departure
One might argue that scenography has become the principle
dramaturgy of performance-making – perhaps close to a direct
translation of scaena and graphos ‘drawing with the scene’ –
where all aspect of ‘the scene’ (scenic space, embodied action,
material, clothes, light and sound) may become the materials
laid out on the performance-maker’s ‘palette’.
(Baugh 2013: 240)

7. a manifesto …
Scenography with a ‘y’ /
why Scenography?

8. Scenography is 'of the theatre'.

9. Scenography is one
‘discipline of the stage’

10. Scenography is not set: scenography
is active, in a state of revelation.

11. Within the expanded field of
Performance Design, scenography
rereads as 'to graphos scenarios'.

12. Scenography denotes the
relational practice that occurs
between/betwixt the design(ed) elements
(light, environment, object,
sound, costume).

13. a manifesto …
Scenography with a ‘y’ / why Scenography?
Scenography is 'of the theatre'.
'Scenography' is one ‘discipline of the stage’.
Scenography is not set: scenography is active,
in a state of revelation.
Within the expanded field of Performance Design,
scenography rereads as 'to graphos scenarios'.
'Scenography' denotes the relational practice that
occurs between/betwixt the design(ed) elements
(light, environment, object, sound, costume).

14. Scenographic Practices
beyond the theatre

15. Arguing the ‘Scenographic’: Points of Departure
The public realm is the performative realm. […] Perhaps,
though, the idea explains too much and too conveniently.
The temptation needs to be tempered, and the claims
particularized.
(Davis and Postlewait 2002: 29)

16. Arguing the ‘Scenographic’: Points of Departure
John Smith
The Girl Chewing Gum
(1976)

18. The term ‘scenographic' denotes a
practice that evokes the methods of
scenography, but is not necessarily
'of the theatre'.

19. Blast Theory

20. Blast Theory

21. A 'scenographic' perspective focuses
on the agency of design practices in a
state of revelation.

22. Fivemiletown, Northern Ireland

23. Fivemiletown, Northern Ireland

24. Fivemiletown, Northern Ireland

25. Fivemiletown, Northern Ireland

26. Anthem, Paris

27. While not all design is 'scenographic',
it is productive to consider how a
scenographic perspective operates
beyond the theatre in order to grow
the critical distinctiveness of
scenography (within the theatre).

28. Ai Wei Wei, Venice Biennial

29. Ai Wei Wei, Venice Biennial

30. Principles of a ‘Scenographic’ Perspective
The term ‘scenographic' denotes a practice that evokes the methods of
scenography, but is not necessarily 'of the theatre'.
A 'scenographic' perspective focuses on the agency of design
practices in a state of revelation.
While not all design is 'scenographic', it is productive to consider how a
scenographic perspective operates beyond the theatre in order to
grow the critical distinctiveness of scenography (within the theatre).

31. Holiday Snaps …

36. Bibliography
THANK YOU
www.rachelhann.com
Allain, P. and Harvie, J. (2006) The Routledge Companion to Theatre and
Performance, London: Routledge
Baugh, C. (2013) Theatre, Performance and Technology: The development and
transformation of scenography, [2nd edition] Basingstoke: Palgrave
Bradby, D. and Sparks, A. (1997) Mise en Scène: French Theatre Now, London:
Methuen
Davis, T. C. and Postlewait , T. eds. (2002) Theatricality, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press
Payne, D. R. (1994) The Scenographic Imagination, [3rd edition] Carbondale and
Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University Press