Rufus Wainwright “Rules and Regulations.” from phil tidy on Vimeo.

Does every game need rules? Who’s making them? And which would be the consequences for breaking them? As we turn into the final spurt of this years festival week these really seem to be the main questions in our discussion about contemporary performing arts. Most if not all of this weeks performances were challenging conventional ways of making and consuming theatre. Some of them close to anarchy, some quietly fighting for more dramatic freedom. Some of them strictly personal, others absurdly ecclectic. But each and everyone of them was definitely questioning the rules of traditional stage performances and their power over dramatic storytelling. So I guess it’s about time start the rethinking process on the other side of the stage as well. Time for us, the audience, to start adjusting. And on the way maybe even bidding some good old friends a very dearly felt goodbye. But remember that the road that leads you away can always bring you back home.