Proxemics is the study of space and how physical distance between people is related to cultural, social as well as environmental factors. The changes that take place in the physical relationship among the actors affect the way in which information is conveyed to the audience. Proxemics is a nonverbal form of communication which includes eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture as well as listening skills and the correct use of the space, be it on stage or an outdoor performance.
There are many different actions that are related and could sometimes affect proxemics in that they are able to influence the behaviour of the other performers and "read" through the message the other actors send to them through their vision of using the space. The use of levels is one example of how relationship between the characters is conveyed to the audience. If one actor is interpreting the character of higher importance, for example in Agamemnon one performer is representing King Agamemnon, and one other actor would perform Clytemenestra, which in comparison to Agamemnon is a character of lower importance, we would most certainly see a difference of levels in that the King would always stand higher than his wife. Be it on a high chair, or standing on blocks, the actor giving life the male character represents power and dominance as opposed to Clytemenestra who could be seen kneeling in front of Agamemnon's feet, humble, although she is higher in rank than the Chorus, thus always represented one level above them. In this way the director emphasises the contrast between the characters relationship and shapes their status and personality.
Another dynamic that we have to take into consideration is distance between performers. If two actors are facing each other, almost touching, depending on their facial expressions we could gather that they nurture loving and caring feelings or that they are filled with hatred. This latter feeling could also be expressed by actors facing opposite directions but still be close to one another, or use space that would undoubtedly transmit the right message to the audience. The use of space also depends on the director, whether he wants to give the idea of tension, filling the space with objects, or just pass an idea on to the audience, by using hardly any props. Also, the position and the shape of the actor gives added meaning to the scene and the way the audience empathises with the character.
When it comes to space and the way actors and directors use it, Edward Hall states that there are three types of space: "fixed-feature space defines the parameters of the acting area: the location of the permanent walls, columns, doorways, windows, and so forth. Semifixed-feature space identifies those objects in the stage environment that have size, shape and substance but can be moved during the performance: furniture, props, and scenery pieces. The third type is informal space. This is open space; it has no structural definition." (Whitmore, Directing Postmodern Theatre, p. 121)
Picturization and blocking are some other aspects we look into when talking about proxemics and how the message gets across. Stage pictures carry a great deal of significance for spectators when they observe either a static or a kinetic form of picture. That is, the audience is presented with a still-image or they observe an ever-flowing sequence of stage pictures that aim to constantly change the meaning of the play. This way the character relationship, emotions and motivations are better portrayed and it allows the spectators to take a better look at the performers. It is a way the director and the actors communicate with the audience by providing visual composition. How actors move onstage and the way their characters create patterns of spatial relations both among themselves and with the setting reveal the bond and the hostility the script asks.
Time is also an important aspect to be taken into consideration when creating stage relationships. The amount of time a character holds a pose or a movement the performer makes in either a short or a long period of time helps with creating the proximity effect. The rhythm imposed in one scene or the velocity one actor adopts when creating his character or conveying the relationship between characters emphasise the role time plays when talking about proxemics.
Given the complex nature of proxemics, it is of paramount importance that every actor knows what the character's requirements are and how the director visualizes the play. Thus, it is during rehearsals that the director expresses his wishes and works on the spatial relationships. Of these, Edward Hall identified four major classifications which further defined by subdividing: "intimate, personal, social and public" (Whitmore, Directing Postmodern Theatre, p. 123), each having a close and a far phase. Directors can use them as a guide in creating and developing both the static placement and the movement of the performers on stage. Also, the director has to take the spatial relationship between the audience and the performers into account as this is another aspect of the play that produces signifiers. To make sure he achieves all stage management and proxemics requirements, the director makes a ground plan.
In designing our performance we made a ground plan ourselves, which knowing all this about proxemics made easier and more accessible. Once we went through the whole text and tried to create a rough image of our characters and their relationships we started devising.
We created a plan and then started rehearsing, adding or taking out parts of our acting, as we considered they were not suitable for the kind of image we were trying to portray. Given the fact that there as a constant alternation between the Chorus and Paris, who was the main character in the scene we chose, as well as the soldiers, we decided to take each character separately and try to shape them so as to fit together with our vision of the scene.
Paris, the character who carried the most importance in the part we chose to represent from Steven Berkoff's "Agamemnon" was at first in the background, climbed on two blocks, holding an apple in his hand, representing a still image, while the two soldiers fighting for his cause were using the front of the scene to reproduce a battle scene, using the pushing and pulling technique. During this moment the performers used different levels, at one time facing each other in a very close position, and shapes, as well as different types of movement, to emphasise the tension and hatred they expressed with their words. When Paris comes into scene the soldiers are menacingly walking around him, while repeating "You're killing me!". Now, all the tension that was previously present between them was turned towards the main character in the scene, as the levels of the performers and the distance revealed.
In order to make a clear separation between the soldiers and the Chorus, as they were played by the same actors, we used time; a pause between lines helped the audience understand the change in character, as well as the levels and the rhythm in our movements. In the end of the play we decided to physicalize some of the lines, giving signification to the audience through the kinetic format of the stage pictures, while one of the performers was first naming the images and then singing when the other performer's actions became more naturalistic.
The actor holding the sill image representing Paris was not the one to represent a static picture. While Paris was delivering his monologue, the other actors who had previously played the soldiers and the chorus are holding a pose representing Paris and Helen.
All the actors approach the front of the stage in the end of the scene and act together in a rather short distance from the audience, portraying the image of powerful soldiers and warriors. The audience might have empathised more with the characters and felt more implicated in the play.
These proxemics features helped us make a good use of the space and levels, conveying meaning-bearing images to the audience. Together with the different positions every performer had, either facing or not the audience, the rhythm we imposed to our piece helped the audience understand the circumstances the action took place in.
