ABSTRACT
At the end of the twentieth century, theatre is undergoing yet another transformation; while mainstream theatre is having to compete with the modern technology of film, theatre and video, there is a whole range of theatrical activity beginning to develop outside the restricting walls and conventions of traditional theatre. The borders between entertainment and art, between audience and performer and between the performance itself and the larger social event are becoming less defined. New methods are being tried out, new relationships sought. What is important about outdoor theatre is not that it has no roof over it-many of the groups described in this book also perform indoors in such spaces as old churches, warehouses, tents, museums and exhibition halls-but that it is away from the predefined structure of a theatre building. It has to be reinvented, often by people with no formal drama training. Within this area of work are some of the most exciting new developments in theatre, exploring possibilities that have never been foreseen.
