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Ashley Williamson
Canadian Theatre Review, Volume 156, Fall 2013, pp. 24-29 (Article)

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DOI: 10.1353/ctr.2013.0060

For additional information about this article

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/ctr/summary/v156/156.williamson.html

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FEATURES

Curating Performance Remains

The Archive on Display:

Issues of Curating
Performance Remains
by Ashley Williamson
So it turned out not to be about the archival turn ...
Carolyn Steedman, Dust

Original model of the Festival stage, designed by Tanya Moiseiwitsch,

1953.
Photo by Krista Dodson, courtesy of the Stratford Festival

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ctr 156 fall 2013

Maybe, then, in the twenty-first century it turns out to be about

us? The archival turn refers to a moment in academia when
scholars directed themselves to material collected in archives and
used it to describe the narratives within their research. This turn
is generally acknowledged as having happened in the late 1960s.
The seminal shift began with Michael Foucaults work Archeology
of Knowledge and his reference to the magical quality of the archive (Steedman 2), or what he calls the system of discursivity
that establishes the possibility of what can be said (Manoff 18).
This possibility of telling was essential to Canada going beyond
thinking of archives as just collections of ephemera. According
to Scott James, the former head of the City of Toronto Archives,
this happened in the 1960s, when the government granted federal, provincial, and local institutions money to establish archives
as part of the Centennial celebrations (Personal Interview). There
was a realization that much of Canadas social, cultural, and artistic history would be lost as the country got older and those who
could remember its early years were now gone. The archivists in
these newly funded institutions collected, preserved, and provided
access to researchers. This urgency to establish archives came from
the recognition of the possibility of lost narratives and reflects
Jacques Derridas idea that the archive affirms the past, present
and future; it preserves the records of the past and it embodies the
promise of the present to the future (Manoff 11). This impetus
to preserve the past while supporting the present and encouraging future work is also apparent through the work of preserving
theatrical archives.
This effort to preserve materials and create narratives is seen
in two recent exhibitions: the Stratford Festivals Most Rare Visions: Celebrating Sixty Years of the Stratford Shakespeare Fesdoi:10.3138/ctr.156.005

tival, presented at their own gallery space

on Downie Street in Stratford from April to
November 2012, and the National Ballet of
Canadas exhibition, 60 Years of Designing the
Ballet, which was held at the Design Exchange
in Toronto from 11 July to 3 September 2012.
These exhibitions seem to be part of a trend
for theatres to use their archives as another way
to connect with their audience; however, the
exhibitions also raise some difficult questions
about who chooses the material and how it is
displayed. Moreover, there are challenges with
having an archivist create the exhibition; those
who have been entrusted with the preservation and categorization of these performance
remains might not be their best advocates in
a gallery space. How do these issues affect the
The biscuits and jellies from the party scene of The Nutcracker are expertly balanced.
Photo courtesy of Design Exchange (DX)
publics engagement with the archive? Theatre
researchers, as well as the public, have been
finding an increased need for and interest in
archives and archiving. Is this an indication of
an archival turn outward? In what ways is the
archive trying to find a way to turn to us?
It was in the early 1990s in Canada that
the archive began its first turn outward, toward
the public (James E-mail). In an effort to keep
it culturally relevant, archivists began to look
for ways to democratize the archive, to open it
outward so the general public could find narratives within its fonds, the idea being not to
limit archival explorations to historians or other
scholars. For example, the City of Toronto Archives began engaging in outreach by publishing booklets to help Torontonians look up their
houses, sending corresponding information
packages to schools, and mounting archival
exhibitions within the gallery and in municipal spaces where archivists displayed their most
compelling pieces. Archivist Scott James, says
that when he created displays in his space in
the St. Lawrence Market, he thought carefully
The table of sweets and cakes from the party scene of The Nutcracker.
about the reaction he wished to elicit: I want
Photo courtesy of Design Exchange (DX)
them to be amazed by what they [had] never
seen before (Personal Interview). These tactics
The gallery featured a number of beautiful objects that represented
were to prompt the public to seek out the archives, and to want
a multitude of eras, departments, and people; what it didnt have,
to use them. Once the public took some notice, the next rotation
however, was a concise narrative, which is an essential element of
outward came in the form of larger exhibitions of archival material.
museum design (Lord and Lord 144). Turning the archive inside
This enthusiastic and genuine desire to show off archival treaout isnt enough. I found myself vexed on my excursion to Stratsures was apparent in Stratfords Most Rare Visions. A Festival
fords exhibition. Visitors who might be lacking the archival litpress release describes the exhibition as;
eracy of a seasoned researcher were left to navigate a path through
... dedicated to the 60 years of the Festival, and features
the objects themselves which can feel overwhelming and frustratcontent from each decade of the Festivals history, including:
ing. For example, the original wooden chairs used in the tent were
costume pieces, props, set models, rare photographs and footincluded in the exhibit, but their placement against the windows
age, an interactive lighting design display (which appeals to
of the storefront seemed to undermine their significance to the
both children and grown-ups), and a room with rare artifacts
theatres history. Rather than presenting nostalgic reminders of the
dating back to 19531956 (the years of the Festivals original
tent). (Stratford Festival)
early years, it looked as though the gallery hadnt taken the time to
doi:10.3138/ctr.156.005

ctr 156 fall 2013

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Curating Performance Remains

The wardrobe bible was presented open and free of a barrier so that visitors could page through it.
Photo courtesy of Design Exchange (DX)

The costumes for the Rat Battle from The Nutcracker are displayed in the truck the ballet uses to transport them on tour.
Photo courtesy of Design Exchange (DX)

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ctr 156 fall 2013

doi:10.3138/ctr.156.005

Curating Performance Remains

find nice chairs for exhibition patrons to

sit on. A sign to the right of the second
bank of chairs announced their provenance and invited the viewer to sit on
them carefully, but on both my visits I
was the only one who did. The chairs
just did not look important enough to
warrant attention. The early years that
Stratford spent in the tent have become
part of the mythology of the festival and
are celebrated in everything from their
logo to a statue on the festival grounds;
to wit, in the very same room as the
chairs, a piece of the original canvas was
displayed lovingly under glass. Without the proper curatorial guidance, the
chairs lost their significance within the
story of the tent, and thus their role in
the narrative of the festival.
One role of an archivist is to collect
materials relating to the archives mandate (James E-mail) in order to cultivate
the fullest and most complete anthology of a subject; the main focus is not
to find a narrative within the collection.
Uncovering a narrative from archival
material is what a researcher does and
what makes archival research so rich
and rewardinglooking at all of the
objects, manuscripts, documents, and
discovering a story. However, uncovering a narrative from among the items on
display is not how an exhibition is supposed to work. The narrative is created
by a curator who combines his or her
research skills with an understanding of
the principles of design. A good exhibition is as much about what is not shown
as what is: the best exhibits tell a story
and curatorial decisions lead the public
to answers using the objects. There is an
inherent contradiction in the goals of
an archivist and a curator, and I would
argue that the work of exhibit design is
counter-intuitive to the training of an
archivist. In my interview with James he
talked about curatorial and design skills
coming near the end of the list of an archivists concerns and expertise. In addition he spoke about the tight division of
labour in an institution that had fewer
than ten people on staff. The archivist
as sole curator of a show might not be
a deliberate choice, then, but rather a
result of strained resources and an everexpanding job description.

doi:10.3138/ctr.156.005

FEATURES

Interactive lighting design display, designed by Michael Walton, featuring the 2000 Fiddler on the
Roof set model by Debra Hanson.
Photo by Krista Dodson, courtesy of the Stratford Festival

A good exhibition is as much about what is not

shown as what is: the best exhibits tell a story and
curatorial decisions lead the public to answers
using the objects.

View of one of the 2012 Festival Exhibition rooms.

Photo by Krista Dodson, courtesy of the Stratford Festival

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Curating Performance Remains

It would seem as though a logical solution to the limited skills

of an archivist as a curator might be collaboration. Augmenting
the expertise of a designer with the knowledge of the archivist
seems necessary for the next turn the archive makes toward the
public. This alliance would add another facet to the archival experience relieving the archivist from having to go against his or her
training to choose some objects rather than including them all.
The archivists passion for his or her collection then is mediated by
the designers eye. A successful example of this kind of collaboration was The National Ballet of Canada exhibit presented at the
Design Exchange. The Design Exchanges About DX page says

As is the case for much of the art

world, the allocation of sufficient
resources (both artistic and financial)
can significantly affect the commercial
success of an exhibit.
they are Canadas only museum dedicated exclusively to the pursuit of design excellence and preservation of design heritage, and
they have both a dedicated curatorial staff and exhibition space.
Theirs was an excellent and engrossing exhibition that managed
to evoke the live-ness and liveliness of performance as well as moments of true visitor engagement. The exhibition told the story of
designing for the ballet, including the particular challenges that
arise for the medium; for example, the didactic panel on the jiggling desserts from The Nutcracker discussed the need for the
fruit and cakes to appear precariously placed but to be fixed and
balanced so the dancers wouldnt need to adjust their movements
to carry them. The gallery displayed costumes and props, but also
items that would not normally be available to the ballet audience,
like the wardrobe mistress bible with notes. The audience was
invited to touch the book and see the notes, fabric samples, and
measurements for each tutu, cape, or jacket. The items were well
chosen and displayed to support a clear narrative thread. Attendees could literally dance their way through that exhibit and leave
with a sense of love and appreciation for the ballet.
As is the case for much of the art world, the allocation of
sufficient resources (both artistic and financial) can significantly
affect the commercial success of an exhibit. In her article Outreach in Corporate Archives, Claire Hackett writes about the
reasons corporate archives open themselves up to the public. She
lists contibut[ion] to their CSR [corporate social responsibility]
programmes, generat[ion] of positive public relations, or rais[ing]
brand awareness (Hackett 125) as the central reasons. The examples of corporations who have used their archives well include the
Guinness Storehouse Brewery Experience, whose archive serves a
front-of-house function within the Storehouse; a customer-facing unit that deals with visitors (Hackett 120); HSBC, who has
used archival material to create an art installation at their corporate headquarters; and British Telecom, whose website has created
a virtual museum on the internet (Hackett 123).
In a theatre or other performing arts context it may well be
brand development and public relations that an archive could
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Visitors were invited to dress up in tutus, and crowns and try out their
moves at the barre. Likely intended for children to use, this interactive
exhibit attracted most of the adults in the room the day the author
visited.
Photo courtesy of Design Exchange (DX)

work toward as a means for developing an audience for both the

art and the archive. Hackett calls it using the archive-meets-museum set-up (124), which will highlight the work of the archive
as an integrated and essential element of the brand. What would
it look like if, like Guinness, theatres were to use their archives as
a front of house point of contact with their audiences? This may
be difficult as Hackett also clarifies how this integration comes
aboutfunding. Since she is writing about large corporate archives, she can say companies have resources at their fingertips
such as IT expertise, marketing and public relation functions, and
financial resources (125), which may not be a certainty for a theatre archive.
If what Hackett suggests is true, that an archive can function
as a brand extension, then the next turn outward for the archive is
commercial. Both Stratford and The National Ballet had commercial intentions with their exhibitions. Stratford offered a ticket to
see Most Rare Visions in the add on section of their online ticket
purchasing. Along with pre-ordering your intermission wine, for
ten dollars you could add a trip to the gallery as part of the package. The National Ballet of Canadas collaboration with the Design Exchange on both 60 Years of Designing the Ballet and The
Tutu Project was widely covered by the Canadian media. Opening
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Curating Performance Remains

FEATURES

archival display. A theatre should ask the same marketing questions about an exhibition as it does any other aspect of its brand.
Does this fit within our mandate? Is it clear why we have added it?
Who is our audience and what are we trying to tell them? These
questions are perhaps not best answered by archivists. Their role,
to collect and preserve historical resources, is important enough all
on its own. Hacketts suggestion to the corporate archive is to look
for advice and assistance internally. This seems like a logical solution for the theatre as well. A big business has an IT department
that can help with websites; a theatre has designers who presumably have a sense of how to use space, light, and sound effectively.
However, this partnership would require a commitment to the
display from all the departments of a company, not just the archive, which may prove even more prohibitive than the financial
consideration of just hiring an exhibition designer.
The interest in the preservation and presentation of narrative is a natural extension of the publics appetite for stories and
storytelling, and it would be unwise for the theatre archive not to
take advantage of this hunger. However, it must be done strategically: theatres risk presenting themselves to the public in way that
is disadvantageous in the long run. This cannot be a short-term
marketing tactic; rather it must be a new way for theatres and their
archives to connect with patrons. Part of this long-term thinking
includes clearly defining the role that the archivist will play when
performance remains become the public face of the theatre. For
although archivists and curators have similar and often complementary skill sets, excelling as one is not necessarily an indication
of success as the other.

Poster, 1954 Stratford Festival season.

Photo by Krista Dodson, courtesy of the Stratford Festival

night pictures of a well-dressed young crowd and noteworthy Canadians posing next to tutus, leafing through the costume bibles,
and trying out their moves at the barre could be found in fashion
magazines and blogs, newspapers arts sections, and on television.
The archive as a marketing strategy is the next step to connect with
the public.
I think that Hacketts suggestions for the corporate archive
are valuable and necessary for theatre archives too. The next archival turn is certainly toward branding and marketing. However,
recognizing this important turn is only the first step for theatre
companies, for it will not be enough to ask the archivists to pull
objects from their collections that might interest an existing audience; rather the project must be approached as strategically as any
other branding and marketing exercise. Clarity, professionalism,
and audience engagement should be the primary goal of the exhibit, even before the subject of the exhibition is chosen, especially
for a theatre or other performing arts archive new to exhibiting. In
the contemporary theatre environment, a theatre company offers
a presentation of itself to the public and this image or message is
reflected in all areas of public engagement from the graphics and
photographs on printed material to the items available in the gift
shop or lobby bar to the restaurants, hotels, and shops it advocates
on its website. The same level of attention must be given to an
doi:10.3138/ctr.156.005

Works Cited

Design Exchange. About DX. Design Exchange. Web. 17 April 2013.

Hackett, Claire. Outreach in Corporate Archives. Eds. Ailsa C. Holland and Kate Manning. Archives and Archivists. Dublin: Four Courts,
2006. 115126. Print.
James, Scott. Article. Message to the author. 17 April 2013. E-mail.
. Personal interview. 5 April 2013.
Lord, Barry, and Gail Dexter Lord. Exhibition Galleries. The Manual of
Museum Exhibitions. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira, 2002. 143195.
Print
Manoff, Marlene. Theories of the Archive from Across the Disciplines.
Portal: Libraries and the Academy 4.1 (2004): 925. http://dx.doi.
org/10.1353/pla.2004.0015.
Steedman, Carolyn. Dust. Manchester: Manchester UP, 2001. Print.
Stratford Festival. Stratford marks its 60th season with opening of new
Festival Exhibition on Shakespeares birthday. Stratford, ON: Stratford
Festival. 23 April 2012. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.

About the Author

Ashley Williamson is a PhD Student at the Centre for Drama, Theatre

and Performance Studies at University of Toronto. In addition to her interest in museums, archives, and performance, her attention has recently
been piqued by augmented reality and computer coding.

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