Happenings Page 2

Typically, a happening is a non-verbal, theatrical production that abandons the stage-audience structure as well as the usual narrative line or plot of narrative theatre. The real importance of happenings, however, lies not in its definition but rather how it overtly went against the conventions of the time.

Indeed, no theatre conventions were sacred for happenings. The convention of time was questioned, as happenings held no concern for the concept of linear time; the convention of place was questioned, as happenings were often held in obscure places such as lofts, abandoned factories, or parks; the convention of the audience was questioned, as many events were often shaped by the actions of the audience; and the convention of the performer was questioned, as the characters were often treated as objects and used in a more allegorical function. Every main component of "theatre" as we know it was challenged by happenings.

The direct rejection of convention gave happenings a very spontaneous feel. Yet despite the apparent spontaneity of a happening, the events were often meticulously scripted and choreographed. For example, Kaprow described his work 18 Happenings as, "something spontaneous, something that just happens to happen", though the entire piece was rehearsed daily for two week prior to its opening (128).

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