Steffany Nichols

= Division III =

This article is part of a Climax Div III Issue. By Alejandra Cuellar, Staff Writer.

Teff Nichols's Division III began with her experience of encountering psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan in her studies. She was interested in developing some of the concepts Lacanian psychoanalysis presents about anxiety, the idea of the whole and the lack in human experience and paradox. Through experimental theatre, Teff approached these abstract notions of the self and held two performances throughout the year. The Other Shore, a play written by Chinese playwright Gao Xingjian was held in the fall and compiled many of the ideas from both Lacan and Zen Buddhism. She experimented with her actors in a way that allowed them freedom of movement and personal expression in tackling the central idea of crossing a river to the other shore. Teff found an interesting parallel working with this play—the intersection between Buddhism and Lacanian psychoanalysis was surprisingly elucidating. Xianjian’s thoughts about Zen seemed to coincide with Lacanian concepts. he said, “Zen does not manufacture mystery: it is an understanding. It is eating, drinking, shitting, pissing and sleeping as usual. It is only an attitude towards living, a thorough understanding of the world and of life.” Seeing both of these disciplines as lenses into human experience rather than self-evident truths pushed Teff forward into exploring psychoanalysis further through theatre. Bird Hand Speak, her second performance, was held in the Hampshire woods in the spring.

She focused on developing ideas about the limitation of language and emphasized movement as a form of communication. She worked towards breaking the need for sense in theatre, and instead searched for a new form of expression through body language.