Bergson and Durational Performance

'This volume invites diverse disciplines to engage with Bergson’s conceptions of pure duration and memory, presenting a manifesto for durational performance’s potential to challenge contemporary society’s prevailing experience of time... One of the most effective techniques Layton employs is placing Bergson’s ideas in historical context while simultaneously relating them to contemporary cultural phenomena. This dual perspective allows readers to appreciate the enduring relevance of Bergson’s thought while simultaneously demonstrating how our contemporary world views ideas of duration, memory, and time...

While researchers will find Layton’s work thought-provoking, one of the volume’s real strengths lies in its potential as a model for emerging researchers. The author’s measured, careful approach to contextualising not only Bergson’s concept of durational time but the parallels between Bergson’s historical moment and the author’s is a masterclass in the weaving together of disparate but fascinating threads. It is also an exceptional work for guiding scholars of other disciplines into conversation not just about Bergson but about audience response in general. Game studies, anthropology, sociology, literature, and disciplines intersecting with the concept of storytelling and time will find his work provocatory, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in performance theory, philosophy, or the intersection of art and society. The book’s meticulous analysis and accessible writing style make it a compelling read for a wide variety of levels, offering practical and theoretical windows into how performance can reshape our experience of time in an era of relentless acceleration.'

-- Alicia Corts, Participations: Journal of Audience and Reception Studies

'As a practitioner of Dialectical Collaborative Theatre, I find Layton’s study inspiring in its commitment to the exploration of the dialectical tensions of ideology and daily living as a route to ethical, fulfilling participation in society. Layton’s analysis of Bergson’s duration through performance makes this book an excellent starting point for those interested in practical explorations of this philosophy. The book’s structure makes it accessible to undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers, and practitioners looking for new ways to engage with theory as well as to embody a critical appreciation of durational performance. It may also enable those who “have no time” to “make time,” through a complex but rewarding theoretical journey and an honest, intuitive analysis of embodied durational performance, relevant not only to academics and artists, but to anyone concerned with well-being and sustainability.'

-- Jo Ronan, PARtake: The Journal of Performance as Research

'Layton’s world of references is very rich, both in terms of referring to important theorists and disciplines when discussing a particular notion, as well as in terms of associating complex theoretical arguments to everyday contemporary and popular issues. [...] One cannot help but appreciate Layton’s explicit recognition of his and the book’s limitations, his elaborate discussion of what on the surface might appear as paradoxical statements, his step-by-step exploration of very complex ideas, his mastery at defining a clear framework around his discussions and about his approach. Layton’s arguments also offer very accessible insights not only on Bergson’s philosophy but on other issues in contemporary performance as well as on the performances discussed in the second part as case studies. This is a must read for those interested in making or consuming durational performance.'

-- Ayşe Draz Orhon, Journal of Theatre Criticism and Dramat