“Communication is theatre” exclaimed a seasoned performance coach recently. This statement got us thinking.
Theatre is an act by a live performer who presents the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience. In both the world of professional communications and live theatre, messages are carefully designed and disseminated with the intention of meeting the needs of an audience. In the latter, audiences want to explicitly be entertained, delighted. This also applies to the former: audiences want something as a result of you speaking to or with them.
In theatre, messages are products of a script. A story has been written and play lines are shared to portray an image in the minds of its audience. Emotions are aroused and perspectives may be formed on issues or topics.
A venue and stage are carefully selected so as to maximize impact of storytelling. Likewise, actors are chosen on the merit of skill and reputation. Delivery is timed and deliberate while actors feed off the energy of their audiences. The very act of breathing is controlled, as well as eye contact so as to emphasize the point. Actors – good actors – have a heightened sense of self-awareness and are able to turn up or down their delivery methods just by stepping back and checking if what they are doing resonates with their audience.
If we view the act of professional communications as a form of theatre, we see all too clearly the underlying theme of being prepared, speaker impact and audience satisfaction. If we incorporate aspects of theatre into our communication activities, our audiences will be mindful of our efforts to offer something great.
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