The dialectic of the real and the virtual in the theatrical actor’s performance: A dialectical approach to the play Ya Rab (Oh Lord), directed by Mustafa Sattar Al-Rikabi

Abstract

The emergence of digital technologies in the second half of the 20th century was accompanied by the rise of numerous philosophical propositions that examined social and human existence as a new stage that introduced a cognitive rupture and generated new concepts concerning humanity and its various practices. Among the most significant of these concepts is the notion of the virtual and its comparison with reality. Given that theater art in general, and acting performance in particular, are practical human activities grounded in human experience, the study of the dialectic between the real and the virtual in theatrical performance has gained research significance. Consequently, the researchers embarked on this study, which includes an introduction outlining the research problem and its necessity, as well as the research's objectives and significance.

The first section of the study addresses the theoretical foundation, exploring the concept of the "Dialectic of the Real and the Virtual" in light of philosophical propositions. The second section discusses "Acting as a Substitution and Transformation between Reality and the Virtual" through the lens of theatrical applications. The third section examines the "Dialectic of Meaning Formation between the Actor and the Theatrical Space." In the "Research Procedures" section, the study analyzes the selected research sample, which is the Iraqi theatrical performance Ya Rab (Oh Lord), using the descriptive-analytical method.

Among the most significant conclusions are the following: the use of multimedia in theatrical performances, according to the conceptual approach to the dialectic exchange between the real and the virtual, has effectively contributed to embodying the nature of the internal conflict and expressing the separation of the human self as a material existence from its essence. Additionally, the dialectic exchange between the real and the virtual in the actor's performance helped create a multi-layered theatrical image simultaneously. Furthermore, the dialectic of the real and the virtual has worked to express the latent image within the character, leading to a transformative and complex performance pattern.