A 1983 BBC television presentation of Shakespeare's Cymbeline. This was broadcast as part of the 37-play BBC Television Shakespeare project.
Truthful Beauty
In his lecture at Harvard titled "A Century of Process Thought" (September 27, 2024), Philip Clayton proposes that art can serve as a primary medium for fostering an ecological civilization. (Click here.) He argues that this civilization should be grounded not in kingdoms, cities, or religions of the book, but in an aesthetic vision based on beauty and value. Clayton envisions art as both a way of living, deeply oriented toward beauty, and as the artistic creations produced by human beings, which can guide society towards more humane, sustainable and interconnected ways of being.
Beauty is more than harmony; it includes intensity and truthfulness, appreciating what is as well as what could be. "Truthful beauty" embraces the raw reality of life, both its inspiring and challenging aspects. A primary purpose of art is to evoke an awareness of truthful beauty. Thus, art can be both comforting and disconcerting, inspiring and troubling, as it reflects the full spectrum of human experiences. This capacity of art to evoke strong, sometimes contradictory emotions, is what makes it an essential tool for fostering empathy, prompting reflection, and encouraging transformation.
Today, television, film, and theatre are among the most influential forms of art due to their accessibility, cultural reach, immersive storytelling, and ability to transcend geographic, cultural, and linguistic barriers, capturing the collective imagination and shaping popular culture on a global scale. Through their wide-reaching narratives and evocative performances, television, film, and theatre can highlight social and environmental issues, foster a deeper understanding of diverse cultures, help us better understand the complexities and depths of human experience, and influence people's values and beliefs. Their power lies not only in their entertainment value but also in their ability to shape perspectives and drive social change.
A process-relational approach to art. With regard to theatre, television, and film, it does not promote one way of thinking about art but rather many: Aristotelian (mimesis and catharsis), Brechtian (inspiring social change), Stanislavskian (naturalism and realism), Postmodern (destabilizing and surprising), Ritualistic, Existentialist, Feminist, Marxist, Performance, Psychoanalytic, Theatre of the Oppressed, Phenomenological, and Educational. Each of these approaches brings a unique lens to the creation and appreciation of art, understood as truthful beauty.
The process-relational approach values the interconnectedness of these perspectives, recognizing that art is not static but is a dynamic and evolving process shaped by context, audience, and environment. This inclusive framework allows art to serve multiple roles—providing entertainment, fostering critical reflection, promoting social justice, and enhancing spiritual and emotional well-being—thus making it a powerful force for cultivating an ecological civilization that values both beauty and the interconnectedness of life.
Beauty is more than harmony; it includes intensity and truthfulness, appreciating what is as well as what could be. "Truthful beauty" embraces the raw reality of life, both its inspiring and challenging aspects. A primary purpose of art is to evoke an awareness of truthful beauty. Thus, art can be both comforting and disconcerting, inspiring and troubling, as it reflects the full spectrum of human experiences. This capacity of art to evoke strong, sometimes contradictory emotions, is what makes it an essential tool for fostering empathy, prompting reflection, and encouraging transformation.
Today, television, film, and theatre are among the most influential forms of art due to their accessibility, cultural reach, immersive storytelling, and ability to transcend geographic, cultural, and linguistic barriers, capturing the collective imagination and shaping popular culture on a global scale. Through their wide-reaching narratives and evocative performances, television, film, and theatre can highlight social and environmental issues, foster a deeper understanding of diverse cultures, help us better understand the complexities and depths of human experience, and influence people's values and beliefs. Their power lies not only in their entertainment value but also in their ability to shape perspectives and drive social change.
A process-relational approach to art. With regard to theatre, television, and film, it does not promote one way of thinking about art but rather many: Aristotelian (mimesis and catharsis), Brechtian (inspiring social change), Stanislavskian (naturalism and realism), Postmodern (destabilizing and surprising), Ritualistic, Existentialist, Feminist, Marxist, Performance, Psychoanalytic, Theatre of the Oppressed, Phenomenological, and Educational. Each of these approaches brings a unique lens to the creation and appreciation of art, understood as truthful beauty.
The process-relational approach values the interconnectedness of these perspectives, recognizing that art is not static but is a dynamic and evolving process shaped by context, audience, and environment. This inclusive framework allows art to serve multiple roles—providing entertainment, fostering critical reflection, promoting social justice, and enhancing spiritual and emotional well-being—thus making it a powerful force for cultivating an ecological civilization that values both beauty and the interconnectedness of life.
Theatre, Television, and Film
further discussion
In a recent lecture on "A Century of Process Thought" at Harvard (September 27, 2024), Philip Clayton argues that "art" can be a primary medium for fostering an ecological civilization. His aim is to point us toward an aesthetic theory of civilization, based not on kingdoms, cities, and religions of the book, but on a sense of beauty and value. He envisions art as both a way of living, oriented toward beauty, and as artistic creations produced by human beings.
Beauty, so I suggest, transcends the notion of mere harmony. It includes intensity and truthfulness, evoking not only a sense of what could be but also a profound appreciation for what is. This concept of "truthful beauty" is not confined to pleasant forms or neatly arranged harmony but embraces evocative intensity—a beauty that reveals the raw reality of life, encompassing both its inspiring and unsettling aspects. This, it seems to me, is the kind of beauty important in an ecological civilization, which artistic creations can evoke and communicate. Such creations can beckon and inspire, but they can also, to use the language of Bertolt Brecht, unsettle and "make the familiar strange." Art can be enjoyed but can also help us understand, even when what we understand is not enjoyable.
"Artistic creations" are delightfully diverse. They include painting, sculpture, music, literature, dance, performance art, and the dramatic and performative arts, including theatre, television, and film. Television and film have become dominant entertainment forms due to their accessibility, convenience, mass appeal, and ability to use sophisticated special effects, reaching audiences worldwide in ways that theatre, with its reliance on physical presence and localized performances, cannot. The immediacy and immersive storytelling of film and television, combined with their ability to transcend geographic, cultural, and linguistic barriers, have made them particularly effective at capturing the collective imagination and influencing popular culture on a global scale. The cultural shift toward digital consumption, especially among younger generations, has further entrenched the popularity of screen-based entertainment.
This does not mean that live theatre, an artistic predecessor to television and film, has lost its significance; rather, it suggests that, despite its unique and irreplaceable qualities, live theatre is likely to maintain a smaller audience compared to the widespread appeal of television and film in the foreseeable future. The need today is to promote theatre as a companion, rather than a lesser alternative, to television and film, because it retains an irreplaceable role by offering a unique immediacy and shared experience. The emotional connection forged through the intimacy of live performance, with energy flowing between actors and audience members, creates an unmatched experience that screens cannot replicate. Additionally, theatre serves as a space for artistic experimentation, boldly addressing social and political issues, and plays a vital role in fostering cultural and local identity.
In any case, my comments below pertain to all three: theatre, television, and film—and the role they might play in an ecological civilization. Below I list some approaches to theatre, television and film, all of which are advocated today, and each of which can play a role in an ecological civilization. All produce various kinds and forms of truthful beauty, understood not only as pleasant forms of harmony but also forms of evocative but truthful intensity,
1. Aristotelian Theory (Mimesis and Catharsis)
2. Brechtian Theory (Epic Theatre)
3. Stanislavskian Theory (Naturalism and Realism)
4. Postmodern Theory
5. Ritualistic and Symbolist Theory
6. Existentialist Theory
7. Feminist Theory
8. Marxist Theory
9. Performance Theory
10. Psychoanalytic Theory
11. Theatre of the Oppressed (Boalian Approach)
12. Phenomenological Theory
13. Educational Theatre (Didactic Purpose)
14. Process-Relational Theory (Dynamic Process)
These theoretical frameworks offer a range of ways to understand theatre, television, and film—revealing their complexity and their potential to entertain, provoke reflection, educate, and challenge the status quo. They show that these mediums are not only forms of entertainment but also cultural practices that reflect and shape our understanding of the world.
A Process-Relational Approach
I list the process-relational approach above as one among fourteen, but in truth it is, to my mind, an inclusive approach that can appreciate and learn from all of the approaches just named The process-relational approach can and should include all the previous forms, relative to different contexts. Process-relational approaches are, or can be:
The process-relational approach therefore provides a broad and flexible framework that respects the diversity of human experience and the multifaceted nature of art. By integrating elements from each theoretical perspective, it sees theatre, television, and film as vibrant, living processes capable of fostering empathy, inspiring reflection, promoting social change, and creating new, transformative possibilities for understanding the world.
At the heart of a process approach is an emphasis on Truthful Beauty. Truthful Beauty includes but is more than pleasant feelings, a sense of wonder, and harmony understood in a shallow way. As Clayton emphasizes in his talk, it includes truth, goodness, peace,
Beauty, so I suggest, transcends the notion of mere harmony. It includes intensity and truthfulness, evoking not only a sense of what could be but also a profound appreciation for what is. This concept of "truthful beauty" is not confined to pleasant forms or neatly arranged harmony but embraces evocative intensity—a beauty that reveals the raw reality of life, encompassing both its inspiring and unsettling aspects. This, it seems to me, is the kind of beauty important in an ecological civilization, which artistic creations can evoke and communicate. Such creations can beckon and inspire, but they can also, to use the language of Bertolt Brecht, unsettle and "make the familiar strange." Art can be enjoyed but can also help us understand, even when what we understand is not enjoyable.
"Artistic creations" are delightfully diverse. They include painting, sculpture, music, literature, dance, performance art, and the dramatic and performative arts, including theatre, television, and film. Television and film have become dominant entertainment forms due to their accessibility, convenience, mass appeal, and ability to use sophisticated special effects, reaching audiences worldwide in ways that theatre, with its reliance on physical presence and localized performances, cannot. The immediacy and immersive storytelling of film and television, combined with their ability to transcend geographic, cultural, and linguistic barriers, have made them particularly effective at capturing the collective imagination and influencing popular culture on a global scale. The cultural shift toward digital consumption, especially among younger generations, has further entrenched the popularity of screen-based entertainment.
This does not mean that live theatre, an artistic predecessor to television and film, has lost its significance; rather, it suggests that, despite its unique and irreplaceable qualities, live theatre is likely to maintain a smaller audience compared to the widespread appeal of television and film in the foreseeable future. The need today is to promote theatre as a companion, rather than a lesser alternative, to television and film, because it retains an irreplaceable role by offering a unique immediacy and shared experience. The emotional connection forged through the intimacy of live performance, with energy flowing between actors and audience members, creates an unmatched experience that screens cannot replicate. Additionally, theatre serves as a space for artistic experimentation, boldly addressing social and political issues, and plays a vital role in fostering cultural and local identity.
In any case, my comments below pertain to all three: theatre, television, and film—and the role they might play in an ecological civilization. Below I list some approaches to theatre, television and film, all of which are advocated today, and each of which can play a role in an ecological civilization. All produce various kinds and forms of truthful beauty, understood not only as pleasant forms of harmony but also forms of evocative but truthful intensity,
1. Aristotelian Theory (Mimesis and Catharsis)
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are imitations (mimesis) of reality, representing human actions in structured narratives.
- Purpose: Their purpose is to provide catharsis, allowing audiences to experience and release emotions like fear and pity. Many traditional dramas, films, and TV shows, especially those with strong narrative arcs and character development, follow this structure—aiming for catharsis by engaging the audience in the emotional journey of the characters. Classic films like The Godfather or Schindler’s List evoke deep emotions, helping viewers release and process those feelings.
2. Brechtian Theory (Epic Theatre)
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are platforms for critical engagement rather than emotional immersion.
- Purpose: To inspire social change by creating a sense of alienation (Verfremdungseffekt) that encourages audiences to critically analyze societal issues. Some films and TV shows intentionally distance the audience to provoke critical thinking rather than emotional involvement. Directors like Jean-Luc Godard often used techniques to "alienate" viewers—breaking the fourth wall, non-linear storytelling, and jarring music—to emphasize social or political commentary over pure entertainment.
3. Stanislavskian Theory (Naturalism and Realism)
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film should reflect real life as authentically as possible, using deep character development and realistic portrayals.
- Purpose: To foster empathy and understanding by allowing audiences to connect deeply with characters’ emotional experiences, gaining insight into human nature and social issues. Shows like Breaking Bad and films by Ken Loach are deeply rooted in realism, focusing on character psychology and social contexts to evoke empathy and a sense of authenticity.
4. Postmodern Theory
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are often fragmented and decentralized, breaking conventional narrative forms and challenging traditional boundaries between audience and performer.
- Purpose: To question established narratives, identities, and power structures, encouraging audiences to see multiple layers of meaning and interpretations. Films like Pulp Fiction or shows like Twin Peaks and Rick and Morty mix genres, deconstruct storytelling conventions, and challenge viewers’ perceptions of reality, often with a sense of irony.
5. Ritualistic and Symbolist Theory
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are akin to rituals, often using symbolic gestures, music, and minimal dialogue to communicate deeper truths.
- Purpose: To evoke transcendence, explore the mystical aspects of existence, and connect with the spiritual dimensions of life. Directors like Andrei Tarkovsky or Terrence Malick create films that are meditative and symbolic, evoking an emotional or spiritual experience rather than delivering a conventional narrative.
6. Existentialist Theory
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are means of exploring the absurdity of existence and the human condition.
- Purpose: To delve into themes of alienation, freedom, and the search for meaning, reflecting existential challenges and encouraging audiences to face life's uncertainties. Films like The Seventh Seal by Ingmar Bergman or shows like True Detective often explore the meaninglessness of life, the search for purpose, and the confrontation with mortality.
7. Feminist Theory
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are sites for questioning and subverting patriarchal narratives, using female perspectives and voices.
- Purpose: To highlight women's experiences, challenge gender norms, and provide space for feminist discourse, aiming for social equality. Films and shows like The Handmaid’s Tale and works by Greta Gerwig or Kathryn Bigelow emphasize women's voices, challenge patriarchal structures, and promote gender equality.
8. Marxist Theory
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are reflections of socio-economic conditions and class struggle.
- Purpose: To expose class inequalities and critique capitalist structures, often aiming to incite revolutionary thought and solidarity among oppressed classes. Films like Parasite and shows like Squid Game depict the harsh realities of socio-economic disparity, emphasizing the struggles of the working class and systemic inequalities inherent in capitalism.
9. Performance Theory
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are forms of performance that blur the lines between reality and representation, emphasizing live interaction and the performative nature of identity.
- Purpose: To explore the performative nature of identity and social behavior, highlighting how human actions are shaped by cultural scripts. Content like mockumentaries (The Office) or reality-based films (Borat) emphasize the constructed nature of performances and explore the role of the audience in interpreting what they see.
10. Psychoanalytic Theory
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are expressions of the unconscious, with symbolic elements reflecting hidden desires and fears.
- Purpose: To explore psychological conflicts, allowing audiences to connect with deeper, often repressed aspects of their psyche. Hitchcock’s Psycho or David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive delve into the unconscious mind, utilizing symbolism, dream sequences, and psychological depth to reveal hidden motives and fears.
11. Theatre of the Oppressed (Boalian Approach)
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are tools for empowerment and social activism.
- Purpose: To enable marginalized individuals to express their struggles and rehearse solutions, using interactive methods to involve audiences in finding solutions to oppression. Films like 12 Years a Slave or documentaries such as 13th highlight oppression and prompt viewers toward social change.
12. Phenomenological Theory
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are embodied experiences, emphasizing the perception and presence of actors and audiences in the moment.
- Purpose: To explore the immediacy and sensory experience of performance, focusing on the embodied encounter. Directors like Terrence Malick, with films such as The Tree of Life, create experiences focusing on perception, presence, and the immediate encounter of being, evoking a sense of contemplation.
13. Educational Theatre (Didactic Purpose)
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film serve as educational tools, using dramatic techniques to teach lessons or values.
- Purpose: To impart knowledge, develop social skills, and facilitate personal growth. Shows like Sesame Street or documentaries use storytelling and performance to teach valuable lessons, cultural awareness, or social skills.
14. Process-Relational Theory (Dynamic Process)
- Nature: Theatre, television, and film are living, dynamic processes involving the interaction between characters, audiences, and the broader environment.
- Purpose: To create shared, transformative experiences that reveal new possibilities for understanding and acting in the world. Films like Richard Linklater's Before trilogy capture the ongoing, processual nature of relationships and identity, emphasizing growth as an evolving journey rather than a fixed state.
These theoretical frameworks offer a range of ways to understand theatre, television, and film—revealing their complexity and their potential to entertain, provoke reflection, educate, and challenge the status quo. They show that these mediums are not only forms of entertainment but also cultural practices that reflect and shape our understanding of the world.
A Process-Relational Approach
I list the process-relational approach above as one among fourteen, but in truth it is, to my mind, an inclusive approach that can appreciate and learn from all of the approaches just named The process-relational approach can and should include all the previous forms, relative to different contexts. Process-relational approaches are, or can be:
- Inclusive: Embracing multiple perspectives, such as the cathartic release found in Aristotelian drama, the critical detachment of Brechtian theory, and the mystical exploration in Symbolist theatre. Each form is seen as contributing to the richness of human experience, with value relative to its particular audience and context.
- Contextual: Recognizing that the value and purpose of theatre, television, and film change depending on the environment in which they are presented, as well as the needs and interests of the audience. A Marxist critique might be most meaningful in a context where class struggle is at the forefront, while a feminist approach may resonate in a context seeking gender equity.
- Dynamic and Transformative: Viewing each performance or narrative not as static but as part of an ongoing process—an interaction between audience, actors, and the world. As with Performance Theory, the process-relational approach sees all identities and interactions as dynamic, constantly changing in response to new influences.
- Interconnected: Emphasizing the interplay between different approaches and ideas. For instance, a film may offer Brechtian critical distance while also tapping into deep psychological archetypes (Psychoanalytic Theory) or presenting a feminist perspective. The process-relational view allows these elements to co-exist, acknowledging the interconnectedness of different interpretive lenses.
- Relational and Communal: Highlighting the relationships between individuals, communities, and the environment. Theatre, television, and film are seen as opportunities for co-creation and community-building, where participants (audience, actors, filmmakers) co-shape the experience, resonating with the communal aspects of Boalian approaches and Stanislavskian empathy.
- Open to Novelty: Encouraging new possibilities and novel interpretations. Rather than adhering to a single theory or tradition, the process-relational approach allows space for creativity, spontaneity, and the introduction of new forms of understanding and artistic expression. It shares commonalities with postmodernism’s challenging of conventions and Linklater's evolving exploration of relationships.
- Emotionally Engaged Yet Reflective: Combining emotional immersion with opportunities for reflection, thereby merging Aristotelian catharsis with Brechtian alienation. It invites audiences to feel deeply and, at the same time, critically engage with what they are experiencing, transforming the emotional resonance into a reflective, even transformative, force.
- Embodied and Experiential: Acknowledging that theatre, television, and film are not just intellectual pursuits but embodied experiences. Like Phenomenological Theory, the process-relational view stresses the importance of presence, perception, and the physical experience of performance as part of the ongoing creative process.
The process-relational approach therefore provides a broad and flexible framework that respects the diversity of human experience and the multifaceted nature of art. By integrating elements from each theoretical perspective, it sees theatre, television, and film as vibrant, living processes capable of fostering empathy, inspiring reflection, promoting social change, and creating new, transformative possibilities for understanding the world.
At the heart of a process approach is an emphasis on Truthful Beauty. Truthful Beauty includes but is more than pleasant feelings, a sense of wonder, and harmony understood in a shallow way. As Clayton emphasizes in his talk, it includes truth, goodness, peace,