Theater Without a Stage

Theater-goers know the routine: You make sure you have your tickets before you leave the house, or you pick them up at the box office. You hand them to the usher, who pilots you to your seats. You speak in hushed tones under the soft glow of the house lights as you wait for the performance to start. Then eventually the lights dim, the curtains part, and the actors take over.

Nothing wrong with the traditional theater experience, of course. But don’t expect that scene if you’re headed to Dartmouth this weekend to see “Etiquette”. This is not your typical performance. Your first tip might be that the venue is a bookshop, not a theater. And that’s just the beginning. In “Etiquette”, there is no audience, aside from yourself. And there are no actors, aside from you and a partner.

“Etiquette” is the brainchild of Ant Hampton and Silvia Mercuriali. They’re the two core members of the art collective Rotozaza, and they’re bringing “Etiquette” to the Dartmouth Bookstore from November 8-16 (more info). Co-creator Ant Hampstom joins Word of Mouth to describe the experience. We also hear from someone who’s participated in “Etiquette”, New York Times reporter Melena Ryzik. She tried it out at the Under the Radar Theater Festival in New York in January, and she produced a segment about it for Urban Eye, the paper’s online video series. Click here to watch Melena’s video about her experience with "Etiquette."

(Photo courtesy of Ant Hampton)