Involving the audience
This was a performance mounted by Co-coism at the Taipei Arts Festival in 2018. Entitled Provisional Alliance, the production represented the decision-making process of a modern deliberative democracy. Everyone attending the performance was a “delegate.” Bills were freely introduced and advocated, encompassing quite a few highly controversial and polarizing topics, such as “Humanitarianism and the Rights of People with HIV/AIDS,” “The ‘Hand Angels’ and the Sexual Autonomy of Disabled People,” and “Legalizing Nudity.”
What made this performance special was the audience’s involvement. Ticket holders found themselves temporarily taking over Taipei’s Zhongshan Hall and being invited to participate throughout the performance. In the auditorium, the mesmerizing lighting and the parody of folk rituals set the scene for this eccentric democratic congress. This half-playfully created meeting reminds us of the history of the hall itself, which was built in the Japanese colonial era and later housed the National Assembly of the Republic of China.
Co-coism has distinguished itself by breaking the “fourth wall,” allowing the audience to take part in performances. In Provisional Alliance, for example, the audience was involved in presenting proposals, in setting the agenda, in deliberations and debates, and in voting. The issues introduced were real, and so were the discussions and polls. The spontaneous interactions between attendees were integral to the entire performance.
More precisely, in conventional theatrical performances the stage belongs to the actors, while the audience are merely receivers. The stage is definitively separated from the seating area, and the audience passively take in the performers’ actions. Breaking away from these conventions, Co-coism’s creations are characterized by an immersive, participatory, and responsive approach. Giving pride of place to the audience, Co-coism invites them to act in the performances they are watching. As a result, each performance is uniquely special.
In Provisional Alliance, Co-coism creates an eccentric kind of democratic congress in a playful, almost irreverent way.