1. Introduction

This study highlights aesthetic and performative action within a digital environment. It examines the technological influences - on the creation, exhibition, and audience interaction - of the theatre productions presented at the 20th edition of the Annual Lisbon Academic Theatre Festival (FATAL), which took place online in 2021.

While the transition from in-person performance spaces to digital environments is not a recent phenomenon, it has been significantly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift has introduced a range of changes and constraints for the university theatre groups that regularly participate in FATAL. These challenges emerged during the creation process, particularly during rehearsals conducted via videoconference, and extended to audience interaction and the groups' traditional collective relationships.

The absence of the traditional theatre and festival atmosphere prompted amateur artists to explore alternative languages in their projects, ranging from video art to cinema. In this context, two primary questions arise:

The history of video in the performing arts, from its initial use as a recording tool to its incorporation as an integral element in performances, illustrates a trajectory of continuous innovation and adaptability. In this context, ^{Célia Vieira and Rosimaria Sapucaia (2022}) argue that the transition from physical to digital performance is rooted in the traditional histories of theatre and dance. They add that this evolution reflects the ongoing adaptation of technologies to enhance the aesthetic effects and meanings of performances.

With the onset of the pandemic in Portugal in 2020, the need for social distancing and mandatory confinement, as noted by ^{Mariana Letras (2023}), has led to an unprecedented acceleration in the adoption of technologies by artists and institutions, who have turned to digital formats as new spaces for creation and interaction. This context prompted the current study, which analyses the recordings of the shows from the 20th edition of FATAL using the grid for intersecting vectors and agents of cyber-performance developed by Pedro ^{Veiga (2022}), which we adjusted and expanded in this article. Additionally, we include an analysis of a digital media art artefact whose genesis is linked to video-performance. In our expanded grid for examining the vectors and agents of cyber-performance, video-performance, and the digital media art artefact, we documented the technological and communicative patterns observed in the performances.

2. Introducing Video Into Performing Arts Practice

The integration of video into the performing arts represents a significant expansion of expressive, participatory, and narrative capacities. It has offered artists across various disciplines a dynamic medium for exploring new dimensions of time, space, and interactivity, thereby profoundly transforming the performance experience. The origins of video as an artistic tool can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s when artist Nam June Paik began incorporating audiovisual media into his work. According to Fernando Flores ^{Moletta (2022}), Paik is regarded by many historians as the founder of video art. His notable works include TV Cello (1971), created in collaboration with cellist Charlotte Moorman, in which stacked television sets formed a cello that Moorman played using a traditional bow; Global Groove (1973), a seminal video that blends images of cultural dances, performances, and commercial videos synchronised with sound, reflecting on the future of global communication and the impact of television media; Good Morning, Mr. Orwell (1984), a live satellite event that connected artists from around the world and anticipated streaming processes; and one of Paik's most ambitious works, Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii (1995), a map of the United States created from hundreds of television sets, filled with vibrant images representing the culture of each state, highlighting media saturation. As ^{Moletta (2022}) points out, it is evident that by using television sets, Paik aimed to transform the passive relationship between the viewer and the medium.

It is also important to highlight Jeffrey Shaw in this study. Influenced by movements such as Fluxus and Viennese actionism, Shaw has been a key figure in exploring the intersection of video and performance in large media since the 1960s. With a focus on interactivity, the artist has incorporated video and new technologies to revolutionise the spectator's experience. His intention to explore new media, supports, and spaces is exemplified in Smokescreen (1969), a work that concealed the façade of Swansea University behind a smoke screen. Additionally, as Carolina Fernández ^{Castrillo (2012}) notes, Corpocinema and MovieMovie, created in Holland in 1967, were crucial in introducing the concept of expanding the visual environment. These projects fused diverse elements and generated a dynamic interplay of images and sounds within a complex multi-screen environment.

^{Castrillo (2012}) notes that Shaw was inspired by the Wagnerian concept of the "total work of art", seeking new methods of media interaction to approach the ideal of totality. She describes his projects as expanded cinema environments, including Continuous Sound and Image Moments, created between 1966 and 1971. This intermedia performance explored the use of mobile screens to generate effects of depth and movement. In addition to the screens, other material elements were introduced, such as inflatables and pyrotechnics, which enhanced the interactivity of visitors as they navigated between the images, which were also projected onto their bodies.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the intersection of performance and video became increasingly prominent, serving both as documentation of processes and as a hybrid artistic practice. Artists such as Bruce Nauman began to explore the combination of live actions with video recordings. Nauman gained recognition for his experimental approach, blending various artistic languages, including performance, video, sculpture, and installation. He often transformed the documentation of the creative process into an artistic work itself: often, his performances were private affairs - exercises conducted in his studios, recorded but not necessarily presented to an audience.

Rather than producing marketable objects such as paintings or sculptures, the physical process of creating art became a work in itself. In this context, the camera served as the Other or the public. (^{Gomes, 2012}, p. 9)

Thus, through the intersection of performance and video, Nauman contributed to pushing the boundaries of contemporary art and challenging traditional norms of stage representation.

In the 1970s, performer Dan Graham actively investigated audience behaviour during his performances. According to ^{RoseLee Goldberg (1988/2012}), the artist aimed to merge the roles of active performer and passive spectator within a single individual, employing mirrors and video equipment. The performers could observe themselves while executing actions, thus becoming spectators of their own activities. In Two Consciousness Projection(s) (1973), Graham heightened this awareness by having two individuals verbally express how they perceived themselves in front of the audience. A woman examined her own face in a video while a man looked through the camera. In this dynamic, both individuals served as active parts, contributing to the performance while simultaneously acting as passive spectators, watching each other. Later, the artist further developed this technique by incorporating elements of time and space to create effects that encompassed the past, present, and future. In Present Continuous Past (1974), the mirror reflected the present moment, while the video displayed past actions, generating a sense of continuous temporal flow. Consequently, when viewers entered the mirrored space, they initially saw themselves in the present, but after a brief period, they could observe their past actions portrayed in the video. In the 1980s, the Italian group Falso Movimento began creating small installations that explored cinema within the aesthetic framework of the 1970s, characterised by experimentation and authorial expression while addressing controversial subjects from a realistic perspective. ^{Goldberg (1988/2012}) notes that the group made a sudden shift in its aesthetic direction, opting to use video representations of metropolitan landscapes on large sets. A notable example is Tango Glaciale (1982), in which the group transformed the stage into a kind of cinema screen, employing various sets within a single theatre space to evoke a house, a swimming pool, and gardens through projections.

By the end of the 20th century, with the ongoing advancement of technology, new types of performance began to emerge. In the early 1990s, as ^{Rocha et al. (2023}) note, the first performance experiences in virtual environments appeared through chats and MUDs¹, initially in text format and later incorporating graphic elements. Within this context, one of the first documented performances was Hamnet (1993), an 80-line adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, presented in a chat format by the Hamnet Players group. Subsequently, these variations in performance began to expand into virtual worlds such as Second Life and Upstage, collectively referred to as “cyberformance”. This term, coined by Helen ^{Jamieson (2008}), combines “cybernetics”, “cyberspace”, and “live performance”. Jamieson adopted this designation to circumvent the dichotomy between the concepts of “virtual” and “real”, opting to avoid terms like “online performance” or “virtual theatre” for this new category.

Within this framework, José ^{Bidarra et al. (2023}) suggest that technology plays a dual role simultaneously, acting as both an intermediary and an active participant in the creative process. In these types of performances, performers may share the same physical space while others participate remotely. Certain segments can be pre-recorded and edited, and the audience can interact from a distance, thereby enriching the artistic experience, as noted by Pedro ^{Veiga (2022}).

During the lockdowns of 2020, performative acts within everyday contexts became intertwined with video and cinema through videoconferencing interfaces, leading to projects like Host, directed by Rob Savage. Faced with the constraints of the pandemic, this film demanded a unique approach from the entire technical and artistic team, particularly the actors. Luciano ^{Marafon and Denize Araujo (2021}) highlight that Host adhered to the principles outlined in Bekmambetov's manifesto, which set specific rules for place, time, and sound for creating films in virtual environments. In terms of place, the setting is generally within virtual reality, where each computer screen belongs to a character, and the action never shifts beyond that space. Regarding time, the action unfolds in real-time, creating an uninterrupted flow with real-time editing and no visible transitions. All sounds originate from the computer environment, enabling the viewer to discern the specific space or screen from which the sound emanates.

In Host, each element was meticulously planned, with the visual effects drawing inspiration from traditional film effects techniques, such as the sound of a chair being dragged or a door closing. Each actor and actress acquired the necessary skills to apply Zoom interface effects during the recording process independently and learned how to interact convincingly with the computer camera (^{Marafon & Araujo, 2021}).

The integration of video into the performing arts, from its initial experimentation to complex contemporary hybrid practices, illustrates a remarkable trajectory of innovation and expansion in the expressive and communicative possibilities of both disciplines. Furthermore, cinema has had a notable impact on the performing arts, particularly theatre, with figures like Jeffrey Shaw playing a pivotal role in formulating the concept of "expanded cinema". The artist has focused on exploring how digital technologies can shape new ways of storytelling and experiencing art (^{Castrillo, 2012}). His immersive works prompt us to question and reformulate conventional artistic practices, establishing him as a key figure in the evolution of the intersection between art and technology. Similarly, Nam June Paik played a crucial role in cementing video sculpture within art history, as ^{Moletta (2022}) points out. Bruce Nauman, who moved beyond using video solely as a recording medium to blending it with multiple artistic languages, has become a landmark figure in the history of performance art (^{Goldberg, 1988/2012}).

3. Empirical and Methodological Framework: Performance, Film and Video

In his first performance, 18 Happenings in 6 Parts (1959), Allan Kaprow introduced the term "performance art" in his book Essays on the Blurring of Art and Life (1965; ^{Toro, 2010}). His definition of "performance" established a foundation for a new field of study that has since expanded into various disciplines, including theatre. While the concepts of "performance" and "theatricality" are interrelated within the performing arts, ^{Fernanda de Toro (2010}) argues that performance specifically refers to the act of performing in front of an audience, emphasising the actions conducted by the artist. This term is broad and encompasses various forms of presentation, ranging from theatrical performances to dance, poetry readings, and even performances in public spaces that extend beyond the conventional stage. In contrast, theatricality refers to a set of elements that contribute to the construction of a distinct dramatic universe, such as the use of scenery, costumes, and lighting, which enhance the audience's understanding of the narrative.

Theatricality is closely associated with creating an immersive and often illusory experience underpinned by the visual and auditory elements characteristic of theatre. In contrast, performativity, while connected to performance and theatre, extends beyond the traditional boundaries of these art forms. According to Cláudia ^{Madeira (2020}), performativity permeates all facets of life, impacting everyday behaviour, professional practices, the internet, the arts, and language. The terms "performative" and "performativity" encompass a range of meanings, reflecting the diversity and complexity with which actions and discourses are shaped by social reality. Thus, the concept of "performativity" compels us to recognise actions that contribute to constructing that very reality. In this sense, these concepts coexist within the performative space, whether physical or virtual, where theatricality enhances the performance, providing it with depth, context, and meaning through performativity.

At the crossroads of performance, video, and cinema, the three concepts discussed hold particular significance. Video's capacity to capture and manipulate time and space opens up new possibilities, enabling artists to investigate non-linear narratives and immersive experiences. Consequently, both video and cinema - especially within the realm of expanded cinema - integrate into performances, creating a dimension that intricately blends reality and fiction.

According to Radael ^{Júnior (2015}), video, which initially served as a bridge between 20th-century cinema and the digital imagery of computers, began to lose its distinct identity by adopting characteristics from both cinema and computing. To counter this trend, it gradually developed its own language and established a unique realm known as "video art". In the context of video-performance, ^{Wayner Tristão Gonçalves (2018}) has conducted an in-depth analysis of the concept, proposing a fresh perspective on the relationship between performance and video art, as well as the notions of time and space. By integrating video into performance, artists can manipulate time and space in ways that are unattainable in straightforward live performances, thereby introducing a new dimension to the performance art experience, where temporality and spatiality become fluid. Video and film are media that are closely aligned with reality and have developed into artistic languages capable of constructing worlds and narratives that would not be achievable through the work of performers and actors alone. However, the primary distinction between the two lies in their approaches to representing reality. Júnior (2015) notes that cinema focuses on capturing or reproducing reality in a clear and straightforward manner, while video presents reality through layers of distortion and fantasy, where interference plays a significant role in shaping the work's aesthetics. In the shift from live performance to videoperformance or cyber-performance, these layers of distortion facilitated by digital technologies provide new avenues for expression and interaction, transforming how performances are created, experienced, and perceived. With video tools, artists can explore new dimensions of theatricality and performativity, with video evolving from merely a recording to an integral component of the performance. In this manner, video-performance and cyber-performance intertwine theatricality and performativity, creating a place where time, space, and the performer converge.

Throughout the mandatory lockdowns of the pandemic, the performing arts adapted, with artists turning to digital media as a substitute stage for artistic creation and performance (^{Letras, 2023}). This shift sparked a new wave of experimentation within the performing arts, encompassing streaming and live streaming, as well as digital and interactive experiences on platforms such as Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams (^{Veiga, 2022}).

As we have observed, video has evolved far beyond being merely a record of performances; it has become an integral component of the artwork itself, imbued with its own distinct meanings:

the video-performance functions as a means of recording a unique event situated in time, serving both as an archive or document and as a standalone work. It employs the language of cinema and video to assemble elements from prior performances. (^{Gonçalves, 2018}, p. 82)

Conversely, video in cyber-performance embodies a digital era that delves into interactivity, virtuality, and connectivity, broadening the expressive and perceptual possibilities of performance and other technologies. It challenges the distinctions between reality and virtuality, presence and representation (^{Veiga, 2022}). Videoconferencing - a technology enabling real-time communication between individuals in different locations - has become particularly significant for the evolution of cyber-performance, simulating face-to-face interaction through cameras and audio systems on electronic devices. In addition to the traditional videoconferencing platforms previously mentioned, artists utilised various virtual environments during the lockdowns, such as YouTube, Second Life, Facebook Live, and UpStage. Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram were also extensively employed to stream artists' video-performances.

^{Veiga (2022}) argues that cyber-performance is defined by its capacity to forge hybrid spaces that connect the physical and virtual realms, thereby challenging the boundaries of materiality that shape both the narratives of the works and their aesthetics. The author points out that cyber-performance encompasses a hybrid timeline within its structure, which includes the time of the story, the definition of the temporal structure of the fictional universe, the duration of narrative events, the indication of the programme schedule, and the determination of the interaction time with the audience. This interplay of times and spaces enables diverse scenarios, such as performers sharing a physical space with an audience participating remotely or works that incorporate pre-recorded and edited segments to create an immersive experience. To analyse these elements, ^{Veiga (2022}) developed a grid of intersecting vectors and agents inherent to cyber-performance (Table 1), highlighting the interfaces, spatial and temporal structures, and the roles of each agent involved.

Table 1 The intersection of vectors and agents 

Source. ^{Veiga, 2022}, p. 14

4. The Annual Lisbon Academic Theatre Festival During Pandemic Times

The University of Lisbon launched a university theatre festival in 1999, incorporating it into the city's cultural programme. University theatre is one of the most notable extracurricular activities for students in Portugal, owing to its socio-cultural and historical significance, as demonstrated by the impressive longevity of some theatre groups, some of which have been in existence for nearly 50 years.

In 2021, Portugal experienced a notable shift in its cultural landscape due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. FATAL, which traditionally facilitated live encounters and interactions, was compelled to reinvent itself, leading to the first and only online edition of the festival to date (https://fatal.ulisboa.pt/2021/).

The festival screened the following shows via its Facebook page:

Our examination of the videos from the FATAL projects, the majority of which remain accessible in the festival's archive, leads us to conclude that while some of these videos were initially intended for documentation, they have subsequently evolved into artistic works within the festival context. This transformation will be further explored in our categorisation, which is informed by Pedro Veiga's grid (see Table 1).

5. Video-Performance in a Digital Media Art Artefact: Dão Água aos Mortos que Já Não Têm Sede

I began to develop various performance projects incorporating video during the COVID-19 pandemic as a natural response to the confinement period and the growing demands of an increasingly digitalised and interconnected society. As a theatre artist, this paradigmatic shift has transformed my approach to the creative process, allowing me to explore the integration of performance and video, which has enriched my artistic works.

Video, which I previously used solely for documenting or extending the lifespan of ephemeral performances, has evolved, during and after the pandemic, into a crucial component in the creation of complex and multidimensional artistic experiences. Dão Água aos Mortos que Já Não Têm Sede (They Give Water to the Dead Who No Longer Thirst; Figure 1) exemplifies this shift; it transcends the label of a mere video performance and can even be likened to Nam June Paik's video sculptures. The establishment of this video performance as a digital media art artefact reflects the capacity of the performing arts to adapt and innovate in tandem with technology.

Ruben Ferreira

Figure 1 Digital media art artefact - Dão Água aos Mortos que Já Não Têm Sede 

The artefact was produced using the a/r/cographic method, which involves a process of creation and research in digital art that enables artists and researchers to progress simultaneously in multiple directions (stages). This approach facilitates new developments of the artistic artefact and enhances other projects within the same research line (^{Veiga, 2021}). The work was publicly presented in Lisbon from July 17 to 19, 2024, at the “Circuitos: Exhibition of Digital Media Art” to serve as a reflection of human interaction with the environment and address the climate emergency. It provided a profound experience that merged art and activism (artivism), prompting viewers to confront environmental realities through a sensory experience that integrated performance with video. In addition to the digital aspects, the performance engaged with the natural and manufactured physical elements of the sculpture, creating an atmosphere that piqued the spectators' curiosity.

The performer played a pivotal role in conveying the message and emotion of the work. Acting as a communicative bridge between artefact and audience, he utilised his body to raise questions about society and its impact on the environment. His body became a vehicle for emotional expression, projecting feelings and reactions through gestures, facial expressions, movements, sounds.

Luciano ^{Vinhosa (2020}) asserts that the performer's body is inherently an image capable of producing further images, whether through photography or videography. In the artefact (Figure 2), the human body transformed into a living canvas, upon which the narrative was illustrated, representing both humanity as a whole and specific elements of nature.

Ruben Ferreira

Figure 2 Sensory experience of the video performance 

Dão Água aos Mortos que Já Não Têm Sede transcended mere visual display, evolving into a multidimensional sensory experience. The integration of sensory elements - sight, sound, touch, and even smell - was designed to forge a deep and personal connection with the viewer, aiming to evoke an urgent response to the pressing challenges of climate change.

In light of the above, we can relate Dão Água aos Mortos que Já Não Têm Sede to the aesthetics of Jeffrey Shaw's Continuous Sound and Image Moments, albeit on a smaller scale. The seven screens created effects of depth and movement, while the incorporation of sensory elements enhanced the interactivity between the audience and the artefact. As the video-performance did not adhere to a linear narrative, it allowed spectators to construct their own visual journeys, similar to the video-performance Vanitas, the only one of its kind in the 20th edition of FATAL.

6. Analysing the Vectors of the FATAL Shows and the Digital Media Art Artefact

In this study, we have observed that digital technologies have significantly transformed the performing arts landscape. Video-performance and cyberperformance have introduced numerous interactive and media-driven forms, blurring the conventional boundaries between artist, artwork, and audience.

The grid of intersecting vectors and agents in cyber-performance (see Table 1) provided a valuable analytical framework for the case studies in this research. For this study, we expanded and adapted this grid (Table 2) to include key elements within its vectors - space, time, functionality, and interfaces - which are crucial for understanding how performances unfold in digital contexts. Additionally, we redefined the agents as variations of performance, adding two new types: the "video-performance" and the "digital media art artefact", which incorporates video performance at its core. To enhance readability and analytical clarity, the expanded grid now classifies "agents" as everything defined by the artistic teams - the show itself, including text, staging, scenography, and technical aspects. As these elements lie outside the main focus of this research, we leave their detailed analysis to studies on audience reception. On the other hand, the vectors are now organised in columns and encompass all elements related to the technologies, including the narrative that accompanies these vectors, allowing us to discern what shapes the visual narrative. This re-appropriation aligns with ^{Veiga's (2022}) observation that "the table is not intended to list the various intersections and their possibilities exhaustively, but merely to highlight potential directions" (p. 13). Therefore, based on the viewing of the theatrical and performance projects from the 20th edition of FATAL, along with the outcomes of the digital media art artefact, the following table has been generated.

Table 2 Expanded grid for analysing the vectors and agents of cyber-performance, video-performance and the digital media art artefact 

Data on the recordings of Só and Thanksgiving could not be collected because these videos were no longer accessible in the festival archive. From the analysis, and grounded in the concepts of video, cinema, cyber-performance, and videoperformance, only the 4 Ionescos project emerges as notable for its creation of hybrid spaces. In this work, audience interaction and participation have the potential to influence the narrative, situating it firmly within the realm of cyber-performance.

After examining the expanded grid for analysing the vectors and agents of cyber-performance, video-performance, and the digital media art artefact (see Table 2) and considering the descriptions of the shows previously presented of this study, we conclude, in agreement with ^{Gonçalves' (2018}) view on videoperformance, that this involves a dual issue - video as both documentation and as an independent artwork. In other words, No Common Language, Cântico Negro, Viver a Máscara, and Pelo Menos Hoje transcended the function of mere recordings of performances, becoming digital artistic works crafted for a specific audience within the context of the FATAL programme.

Drawing from the performance variations examined in this study, only Vanitas and Dão Água aos Mortos que Já Não Têm Sede align with the video-performance aesthetic. According to ^{Júnior (2015}), this aesthetic involves video working in tandem with abstract body performance, embedding a hidden reality within layers of distortion and fantasy, and transforming interference into key elements that shape the interaction with the performers' actions. In both video-performances, the video served as a fundamental component of the work's aesthetic and visual narrative.

In Quebra, 9 Personagens à Janela, and Rockaby, the videographer's choices, including closed and open shots, camera movements, and post-production techniques, shape a significant portion of the visual narrative. This demonstrates an intention to capture reality in a clear and precise manner, aligning closely with cinematic language.

7. Final Considerations

Drawing from the vectors outlined in our expanded grid for analysing the vectors and agents of cyber-performance, video-performance, and the digital media art artefact (Table 2), it becomes evident that the digital device not only facilitates but also expands and redefines the practice of artistic performance. Among the most significant vectors in this analysis is space, which highlights a distinct difference between physical and digital spaces, with the latter offering opportunities for manipulation that go beyond traditional physical constraints.

Temporality is another essential vector. In cyber-performances and videoperformances - particularly those that extend beyond mere documentary formats, such as some of the FATAL shows we examined earlier - time can be distorted or fragmented. The interaction time, as defined in the table above, underscores specific instances where the audience has the opportunity to influence or alter the course of the cyber-performance.

In the digital age, the image space often becomes the performance space itself, given the myriad possibilities for editing and capturing images. This shift enables discussions around video, cinema, and performance, as well as hybrid processes that encompass experimentation, documentation, and artistic works intended for viewing in digital spaces.

This article underscores the pivotal role of performativity and theatricality in the evolution of contemporary artistic practices within the fields of videoperformance and cyber-performance. The examination of the works showcased at FATAL, alongside the digital media art artefact Dão Água aos Mortos que Já Não Têm Sede, demonstrates how emerging digital technologies facilitate a reconfiguration of the boundaries between the real and the virtual, as well as between the performer, the artwork, and the audience.

This research not only provides a pertinent analysis of a distinctive edition of the largest academic theatre festival in the country - celebrating its 22nd edition in 2024 - but also offers a valuable contribution to the documentation and reflection on the evolution of university theatre in Portugal, in a context where only six editions of the Revista FATAL, published between 2008 and 2013, recorded information on previous editions. Moreover, it makes a noteworthy contribution to the field of performance and digital media art by illustrating that digital technologies and their interfaces serve not only as exhibition platforms but also as crucial elements in the creation of new aesthetic and narrative forms.