Theatricalization of Memory: An Interactive Performance Exploring Collective Trauma Through Immersive Soundscapes and Live-Looped Narratives

Project Abstract

This study investigates how memory can be transformed into a shared lived experience through an interactive theatrical performance that combines immersive soundscapes, live-looping, and participant-driven narratives to explore collective trauma. Grounded in theatre anthropology, memory studies, and contemporary performance technologies, the project interrogates the politics of memory, memory localization, and the ethics of witnessing within the constraints and opportunities of live performance. The research design integrates practice-based methodologies with a robust theoretical framework, employing iterative cycles of creation, performance, and critical reflection to capture the dynamic relationship between auditory ambience, spatial movement, and audience agency. A central aim is to decode how sound design and looping techniques can layer individual recollections into multi-voiced tableaux that illuminate shared histories while preserving the singularity of personal memory. The performance prototype unfolds in three interwoven modalities (1) immersive soundscapes generated through real-time processing and spatial audio to evoke subjective temporalities; (2) live-looped fragments of memory—speech, song, ritual utterances—stitched into evolving textures that respond to audience input and performer cues; and (3) dramaturgical structures that foreground memory as performative action, enabling participants to contribute, reinterpret, or resist narratives within a safe, mediated space. Ethnographic and action-research tools guide data collection, including participant observation, post-performance interviews, and reflexive journals maintained by performers and collaborators. Analytical focus centers on (a) memory as a performative act that renegotiates trauma into communal discourse, (b) the ethical dimensions of elicitation, representation, and consent in shared recollection, and (c) the dispositif of sound and movement in shaping affect, memory retention, and civic empathy. The project hypothesizes that immersive soundscapes, when coupled with interactive dramaturgy, can elicit embodied remembrance that transcends individual recollection, thereby fostering collective acknowledgment and resilience. It further investigates how live looping can function as a metaphor for memory reconstruction—iterative, non-linear, and co-authored by audience and performers—while examining potential risks of retraumatization and strategies to mitigate harm through dramaturgical design, clear opt-out mechanisms, and post-performance access to resources. The expected outcomes include a fully realized performance prototype accompanied by a comprehensive analytical framework that maps the user experience, emotional trajectories, and memory-work processes, alongside a rehearsal-and-reflection archive that documents creative decisions, ethical considerations, and audience responses. The study also contributes methodologically by detailing a praxis-led approach that integrates sound engineering, dramaturgy, and performance studies to advance discourse on how theatre can facilitate healing, memorialization, and critical dialogue around collective trauma in contemporary society.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

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This project looks at how memory and traumatic events can be explored on stage by blending storytelling, sound, and live performance. It uses interactive elements and looping sounds to let audiences experience memories from different perspectives, rather than presenting a single, fixed narrative.

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The Problem It Addresses

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Many theatre pieces on trauma rely on straightforward narration or linear plots, which can oversimplify memory and overwhelm audiences. This project seeks a more layered approach that invites personal reflection, collaboration with the audience, and a more democratic representation of collective memory.

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Objectives of the Project

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1. Explore how memory can be presented through soundscapes and live looping.
2. Develop a modular performance structure that can adapt to different audiences.
3. Test audience responses to interactive elements and their impact on memory interpretation.
4. Document the process and assess the effectiveness of the methods used.
5. Provide a practical framework for future theatre makers working with collective trauma.

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What You Will Do Step by Step

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1) Read and review key texts on memory and theatre. 2) Design a creative concept that integrates sound, looping, and audience interaction. 3) Build a prototype performance segment and rehearse with a small audience. 4) Collect feedback through surveys and short interviews. 5) Refine the piece based on responses. 6) Document the technical setup and rehearsal notes. 7) Prepare a final performance and a reflective report. 8) Share learnings with peers and consider broader implications.

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Expected Outcome

A playable, research-informed performance piece that demonstrates how immersive sound and audience participation can convey collective memories of trauma, along with a clear guide for future practitioners.