Staging the Nation: Theatricality in the Law

Abstract

Theatrical practices in the courtrooms of the United States and Great Britain are examined in this article. These practices are viewed specifically in relation to the concept of "staging the nation." This concept deals with the notion of the nation as an imaginary entity, an idea constructed through cultural practices. Theater plays a strong role in the workings of the imagined nation. Yet, theatrical practices, outside of the offical theater, operate in many of the institutions that comprise soceity. The law, as a foundational institution, contains theatrical elements that aid in the "rehearsal" of the nation. Explorations of the idea of an imagined nation, the representations of national identity in the thater, and the presence of theatricality in the courtroom are synthesized in a study that seeks to elucidate the possible functions and purposes of theatricality in the law.