Conclusion

 

The exploration of gesture in naturalism can be vitally enhanced through an understanding of the research that psycholinguistics offers. A phenomenological approach in performance pedagogy considering each actor as a body/subject in constant interaction with her or his own ‘lifeworld’ offers a contextualised vision of how bodies interact on or off stage. Assisting in each actor’s developing awareness of the interconnections between their felt meanings and their physical and vocal expressions is a rich pedagogical investment in enabling ongoing learning processes for any student of performance. Whilst the concept of universal ‘body language’ is erroneous given the complex interventions of culture with any body/subject, the psycholinguistic research revealing the interconnections between imagery, language and gesture provide fields of possibilities for exploring subtle interactions0 in face-to-face spoken communication in performance. Through such means it is possible to gain an enlightened view of how through bodies and voices human beings bridge their separateness as they act, talk and listen.

 


 

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