dramaturgy | Alexandra Drakoulaki

#1: Introduction to dramaturgy

Dramaturgy is a mode of thinking and looking. It’s a perspective that, when incorporated into the making of a performance, can expand the possibilities of both the process and the final product. By simultaneously focusing on composition, context, and audience, dramaturgy caters to both the makers and the spectators, helping to shape meaning, engagement, and experience for all.

Central questions in dramaturgy include: What new possibilities emerge once we modify x, y, z ? How are spectators addressed and positioned? How can we guide spectators make a certain sense? How does a performance relate to the outside world?

Dramaturgy, as inherently broad and fluid as it is, often proves difficult to define, specify, and explain. Over the past thirty years, scholars in the Western performing arts field have attempted to articulate its essence as follows:

“Dramaturgy […] implies an analysis of the orchestration of elements within an overall architecture.” – Cathy Turner and Synne K. Behrndt, 35

“Dramaturgy […] concerns the meaningful coherence of all theatrical means employed, of their organization and structure in time and space, and how their interplay generates meaning and experience. ‘Theatrical means’ is an umbrella term which includes the multiple methods and ‘tools’ for creating theatre and dance, referring to the use of bodies, spaces, objects, text, media, gesture, acting or movement styles, light and sound design, music, cameras, screens and other technological equipment, and more.” – Liesbeth Groot Nibbelink and Sigrid Merx, 7

Dramaturgical analysis offers “an initial synthetic approach to performance; it avoids a fragmentated perception of a performance by underlining its lines of force.” – Patrice Pavis, 8

Dramaturgy is “to weave the actions in sequences while conserving their backbones and melting the metal of technique.” – Eugenio Barba, 170

#2: Dramaturgy as a critical and political practice

Dramaturgy is no less than a critical lens. It sparks imagination, provokes critical thinking and challenges canonized forms of expression and perception. It doesn’t just shape artistic work – it shapes discourse, expanding how we engage with the world.

By placing social and political norms under the microscope, dramaturgy not only questions them but also plays with them. It is a space where dominant narratives can be examined, alternative voices can emerge, and the boundaries of performance can be pushed and reimagined.

#3: Common misconceptions about dramaturgy

The role of the dramaturg varies widely depending on artistic, geographical, and cultural contexts. It is also shaped by each artist’s or company’s specific needs and objectives at a given moment.

Oftentimes, people mix up the dramaturg and the assistant director. While the assistant director works alongside the director, carrying out some of the director’s secondary tasks, the dramaturg’s work is entirely distinct. The assistant and director are preoccupied with the creation and execution of an artistic vision, while the dramaturg engages with the conceptual, contextual, and compositional aspects of a work, offering critical reflection on directorial decisions. [more on that can be read in sections #3 and #5 ]

Yes, the dramaturg can be involved in creating an artistic program (for a festival, cultural centre, theatre, etc.), contribute to the writing of the respective texts (for brochures, websites, media, etc.), and, when requested, even revise the script of a performance. But dramaturgy extends far beyond these roles.

A dramaturg can offer structured guidance in conceptualizing artistic visions and transforming them into applicable plans. This can include asking though-provoking questions, adding and/or analyzing semantic layers, establishing connections between artworks and localities, curating the visual, auditory, sensorial, spectatorial stimuli to create a well-curated and coherent experience. A dramaturg wears many hats – sometimes switching between them, sometimes, wearing them all at once.

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#4: My take on dramaturgy

Dramaturgy is a dynamic, ever-evolving process where research, experimentation, and dialogue shape artistic work. It is a space of mutual exchange, where ideas grow, shift, and take on new forms.

I approach dramaturgy as both a critical and generative practice—a tool for shaping artistic choices, but also for questioning assumptions, unsettling conventions, and opening up alternative ways of thinking and doing. I welcome ambiguity, friction, and transformation, embracing the unknown, the unexpected, the possible.

Whether through interdisciplinary research, experimental studio sessions, or conversational guidance, my dramaturgical approach is about uncovering the full potential of both the makers and the artwork while exploring emerging spectatorial possibilities.

#5: Working with me as dramaturg

I enjoy collaborating on projects that explore dramaturgy in its many forms. My artistic interests often gravitate toward themes of identity, mental health and trauma, politics and power structures, philosophy, and protest culture.

If you're working on a new project and are looking for a collaborator, a fresh perspective, or dramaturgical guidance, feel free to reach out. Let's start a conversation and see where it leads.