ABSTRACT
Steven Pinker argues that we need a theory of the ways in which the subjective qualities of sentience emerge out of mundane information access.1 The processing of data collected by the senses allows the body and brain to perceive and then interpret the theatrical event through subjective conscious judgment. One presumption about the theatrical event is that it is an intimate act, where the interface between actor and audience provides a type of experience that no other mediated experience in life does. What are the implications of sense (perception) theories for actors, directors, designers, and attendants? In this chapter, I set up a brief explanation of the ways in which human physiology is attendant to both sensory stimulation within an artistically mediated event and the direction of non-verbal thinking and analysis; furthermore, I explore the implications that an increased understanding of the role of the senses in performance has for theatre artists.
