Three-Layered Dramaturgy: The Use of Organic-Narrative-Evocative Levels in Performance Analysis

Abstract

This article aims to transform Eugenio Barba's three-layered dramaturgy approach, which he defines as organic/dynamic, narrative, and evocative dramaturgy, into a methodological framework for performance research. The aim is to create a roadmap for both the performance spectator and performer by presenting conceptual information on the three-layered dramaturgy approach. This roadmap is explained to enable the audience to follow the performance effectively and to help the performer construct their own personal understanding of the performance. Since performance studies contain the autonomous thinking of the team working together, and sometimes invisible meanings and contextual content, an example performance analysis related to dramaturgy analysis is not presented. In summary, Eugenio Barba defines organic dramaturgy as the organization of rhythm, dynamism, and physical/vocal action intended to stimulating the audience's senses; narrative dramaturgy as guiding the audience towards meaning through the intertwining of events; and evocative dramaturgy as an intimate level of resonance that echoes uniquely in each viewer and cannot be consciously programmed. The article demonstrates how this model expands within the Odin Teatret practice in the context of montage (weaving actions and changing direction/tension), pre-expressive principles, and the three levels of meaning (actor-director-audience). It also aims to strengthen the analytical thinking by including parallel views of performance theorists regarding the Three-Layered Dramaturgy performance analysis. Ultimately, this study aims to develop an exemplary model for performance analysis by arguing that three-layered dramaturgy is not a fixed schema but a compositional procedure that isolates and re-assembles layers during rehearsal, producing relational plurality rather than singular meaning.