“The Future Is Gonna Be Better Than Today”: The Metamodern Theatre of Verbatim Musical <i>Public Domain</i>

Abstract Metamodernism has increasingly been put forward as the predominant cultural logic of the opening decades of the twenty-first century, shifting away from or beyond the postmodern sensibility of the late twentieth century. This article puts forward the verbatim musical Public Domain , written and performed by Francesca Forristal and Jordan Paul Clarke, as a key example of metamodern theatre. Through close analysis of Public Domain ’s livestreamed run from Southwark Playhouse in January 2021, performed under lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, this article demonstrates how Forristal and Clarke, together with director Adam Lenson, achieve metamodernism’s oscillating aesthetic and emphasis on felt experience. I explore how Public Domain utilises the verbatim musical form, their chosen subject matter of social media and online culture, and pandemic performance modes and aesthetics to evince a metamodern sensibility. Specifically, I consider the “depthiness” of Forristal and Clarke’s music, lyrics, and performances, and how this was brought out further through Lenson’s directorial decisions for Public Domain ’s livestreamed run. In doing so, I propose that Public Domain is exemplary in demonstrating the metamodern shift in theatrical aesthetics and online culture as well as providing an important cultural artefact of pandemic performance.