The Argentine contemporary performance director Vivi Tellas creates non-fictional theatre pieces involving the subject present on stage: rehearsed theatre with non-actors, 'specialists' in their field 'performing' within exquisitely drawn frameworks. This radical practice can be described as 'live documentary'.

I explore "the thresholds of theatricality". When and where does fiction begin? I trace the elements which constitute theatre - repetition, presence, the other's gaze, ritual, text - in lives, experiences, situations, or disciplines which are not part of theatre. This interest has formal consequences: the theatre is no longer an art of representation: it is 'live archive' - a practice of the presentation of cases.

Vivi Tellas will present an overview of her 'Archive Project' including footage of the five pieces created in South America in 2003-7.

She will discuss her work and the concept of 'Live Portraiture' with Gemma Brockis (Shunt), Ant Hampton (Rotozaza) and Greg McLaren , collectively known as performance group The Other People/La Otra Gente.

The Other People worked with Tellas to create what they term 'Live Portraits' - framed encounters with 'real' people both in galleries and other public sites, and will be presenting a collection of new work at the National Portrait Gallery on April 4th and 5th.

Tickets £5/3 concessions

Event organised in association with Shunt and the Other People.

www.theotherpeople.org

www.shunt.co.uk

www.rotozaza.co.uk

www.archivotellas.com.ar

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All images and text are subject to copyright protection. 21 November 2008