Persona, defined as the ‘aspect of someone’s character that is presented to or perceived by others’ (Oxford Dictionary, 2017), is derived from the Latin words “theatrical mask”. I find it interesting how, in our language, we choose to describe a person’s personality as a “mask”, which is something that I wish to explore in my performance. I feel that this fits well with my idea of using mirrors, or reflections, as it is about not portraying a true version of yourself. I thought about a few scenarios in which a person may reflect a slightly different version of themselves:
– At home, alone. (Maybe this is the truest version of yourself?)
– In the workplace. (A more professional, organised ‘version’?)
– With parents. (More conservative?)
– With a romantic partner. (More caring, loving?)
Do we adapt the ‘versions’ of ourselves to benefit us, or to please the people around us? Are we more ‘professional’ and ‘organised’ in the workplace to please our employer, or to improve our work-load (something which has a personal gain)?
I am not trying to answer these questions, because everyone is different and I cannot make assumptions, although I could attempt to make the performance just personal to me. I have been debating this idea, as I don’t think I want my performance to be about me. Either way, I will use these questions to start to shape my piece.
Works Cited:
Oxford Dictionary (2017) London: Oxford University Press.