Audience participation

Japanese: 観客参加 - かんきゃくさんか（英語表記）audience participation

The idea is that the audience, an essential element in the establishment of theater, is not merely a spectator watching the play on stage from their seats, but participates in the creation of the theatrical world that takes place on the spot together with the performers who advance the play. Theater originally originated as ceremonial plays performed by religious communities and other groups in order for all members to share an experience, and from there the roles of performer and viewer were separated. In early theater, although the roles were different, everyone participated in the creation of a single world through the acts of "acting" and "viewing," and this spirit was passed down even after the spatial differentiation of the stage and the audience seats progressed.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

演劇の成立に不可欠の要素である観客は，舞台上の劇を客席から鑑賞するだけの見物人ではなく，劇を進行させる演者とともに，その場で成り立つ演劇世界の創造に加わっているという考え方を指す。本来演劇は，宗教的共同体などで構成員全体が体験を共有するために行う祭礼劇を起源とし，そこから演じる立場と見る立場が分かれて成立した。当初の演劇では，立場は異なるが，それぞれ〈演じる〉〈見る〉という行為を通して全員が一つの世界の創造に参加していたのであり，その精神は舞台と客席という空間の分化が進んだあとも受けつがれていた。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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