falling into theory...

[james hoffman]

Hello everyone,
Just back from holidays, with little to add to the current theory/practice
discussion except perhaps to remind us all (certainly including
practitioners, students) that whether we like it or not we're all "Falling
into Theory" (title of a recent book by David Richter), because of the
breakdown of enabling paradigms. Until a new paradigm(s) becomes
established, and maybe we're all somehow questing for this, we remain in a
Kuhnian state of transition in which every assumption is suspended--and we
NECESSARILY fall into theory, endlessly locating, positioning, asserting,
deconstructing, etc.  When there is no consensus, no certainty, we MUST be
particularly, individually zealous in defining our terms and marking out our
arguments. There's really no choice.  How can we NOT fall into theory?

It's good to see the too-often dormant CANDRAMA line used for discussions
like this. Hope to see some provocative threads followed this year.
Jim Hoffman

**********************T*H*E*A*T*R*I*X**************************
Jim Hoffman, Theatre Program, University College of the Cariboo
Box 3010, Kamloops, British Columbia, V2C 5N3
Phone: 604-828-5315  E-Mail: jhoffman at cariboo.bc.ca