Theatrical Space as Social Metaphor: A Comparative Analysis of Public Memory in Post-Conflict Urban Theatres

Project Abstract

This study investigates how theatrical spaces function as social metaphors in shaping, contesting, and disseminating public memory within post-conflict urban theatres. By adopting a multidisciplinary framework that integrates theatre studies, memory studies, urban sociology, and performance anthropology, the research examines how architectural configurations, audience flow, stage configuration, and material remnants of theatres encode collective memories and power relations in cities recovering from violence. The core argument posits that theatres are not passive venues but active agents of memory work, where space-time arrangements, audience visibility, and material culture become mediators of communal storytelling, forgetting, and resilience. The study employs a comparative case methodology across three post-conflict urban theatres located in distinct geopolitical contexts to illuminate both universal patterns and local specifities in how space articulates memory politics. Through a mixed-methods design combining ethnographic fieldwork, performance analysis, audience surveys, and in-depth interviews with directors, designers, curators, and community stakeholders, the research traces how decision-making about renovation, access, and programming reflects competing narratives of victimhood, heroism, reconciliation, and resistance. One strand investigates how proscenium and non-traditional stages transform spectatorship, enabling negotiated memory claims and shifting the locus of authority from official archives to performative publics. A second strand examines spatial remnants—walls, seating, foyers, and backstage infrastructure—as mnemonic artefacts that narrate histories of displacement, occupation, and reclamation, while influencing contemporary urban identity. A third strand analyzes repertoire and dramaturgical choices, considering how contemporary plays, archives, oral histories, and site-specific performances repurpose memory fragments to challenge or reinforce hegemonic narratives. The research pays particular attention to gender, class, and minority experiences in the memory economies of post-conflict theatres, revealing intersections where space amplifies marginal voices or reproduces exclusion. The anticipated findings will illuminate how post-conflict theatres negotiate memory sovereignty by curating spaces that enable affective engagement, collective remembrance, and critical inquiry without omitting trauma. The study contributes theoretically by refining the concept of theatres as mnemonic infrastructures embedded in urban form, and methodologically by proposing a transferable framework for analyzing the politics of memory through spatial and performative data. Practically, the research offers strategic recommendations for theatre practitioners, policymakers, and heritage professionals seeking inclusive, situated, and ethically responsible memory practices that acknowledge diverse stakeholder perspectives while fostering social cohesion and cultural resilience in cities emerging from conflict.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

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A plain-language overview of how theatres use space, props, and audience positioning to reflect collective memories after conflict, comparing different urban theatres to see how design choices shape what people remember and discuss publicly. The project asks how physical space in a performance setting can act like a “social memory” tool, helping communities process trauma, reconcile differences, and imagine future futures. It will look at how stages, seating, lighting, and set design influence what stories are told and which memories are foregrounded or silenced. Concepts explained in plain terms will include social memory (shared memories shaped by culture and society) and urban theatres (theatres located within cities, accessible to diverse communities).

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The Problem It Addresses

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Many post-conflict cities struggle with competing memories and narratives about the past. The way theatre spaces are designed can privilege certain stories over others, potentially reinforcing divisions. This project investigates how physical theatre spaces either amplify dialogue and empathy or reinforce silence and exclusion, aiming to identify design and curatorial practices that promote inclusive memory work.

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Objectives of the Project

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1. Explain how theatre space influences audience memory and interpretation.
2. Compare at least two post-conflict urban theatres to identify common patterns and differences.
3. Explore the relationship between stage design, seating arrangement, and audience engagement.
4. Propose practical guidelines for inclusive memory-spreading theatre spaces.

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What You Will Do Step by Step

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1. Review existing literature on social memory and theatre space.
2. Select two or more case study theatres in post-conflict urban settings.
3. Document design elements (stage, seating, lighting, scenery) and analyze their social meaning.
4. Gather audience and practitioner insights through interviews or surveys.
5. Analyze data to see how space shapes memory narratives.
6. Identify patterns and conflicts in memory representations.
7. Draw conclusions about inclusive space design.
8. Prepare a practical toolkit for theatre makers and educators.

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Expected Outcome

A clear understanding of how physical theatre space influences public memory after conflict, plus a practical set of design and programming recommendations to create more inclusive and dialogue-promoting theatres.