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August 21, 2025

Interactive representation of trauma in postmodern theatre: Audience and character interaction in Bryony Lavery’s Frozen

Key Points

Theatre techniques in Frozen engage the audience, transforming them into witnesses and participants in the story.
Cathy Caruth and other trauma theorists highlight that trauma is depicted and shared through immersive performances.
Postmodern strategies, like direct address and fragmented narrative, destabilize traditional storytelling methods.
The exploration of trauma representation in Lavery's work may inform future studies of interactive performance styles.

Abstract

This study explores the interactive representation of trauma in Bryony Lavery’s Frozen (2015), emphasizing the crucial role of audience and character interaction in postmodern theatre. Rather than portraying trauma as a static or detached narrative, Lavery utilizes theatrical techniques that engage the audience emotionally and cognitively, transforming them into witnesses and participants. Drawing on trauma theorists such as Cathy Caruth, Shoshana Felman, and Judith Herman, the study illustrates how trauma is not only represented but transmitted through performance. The characters Nancy, Ralph, and Agnetha – each embody different aspects of trauma, inviting the audience into a shared emotional space. Through direct address, monologues, and fragmented narrative, the play destabilizes conventional storytelling and fosters catharsis. This paper analyzes how postmodern theatrical strategies blur boundaries between character and audience, enabling an immersive experience of trauma and recovery. The implications of such interactive forms are discussed, with suggestions for future research on trauma representation in contemporary performance.

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