Live Feed and Adaptation: An Analysis of Katie Mitchell and Ivo Van Hove's Use of Live Footage in Theatrical Performance

The introduction of live-feed to the performing arts has transformed the modern theatrical landscape. Live-feed is the process of utilizing camera footage filmed during a live broadcast and event. When used on stage, it is explosive. But how is it effectively explored on stage? Is the audience overwhelmed by the sheer number of images presented both on screens and at the stage-level? Critically lauded European directors like Katie Mitchell and Ivo van Hove have consistently utilized this digital technology since the early 2000’s in their adaptations of classical texts or film scripts, respectively. The following thesis discusses the directors’ use of live-feed as a tool to explore theme and character in performance, to experiment with scale, and to connect a more modern audience to antiquated or unfamiliar texts.