Philosophy as Drama: Deleuze and Dramatization in the Context of Performance Philosophy

This article draws from Gilles Deleuze's concept of "the method of dramatization" as well as his wider engagement both with dramatic plays, to explore the idea of philosophy as drama, and indeed, with drama or dramatization as a vital new form of philosophy. Here, we see how Deleuze's concept of dramatization invites us to think of philosophical texts as stage directions and philosophical concepts as characters waiting to be played anew in specific contexts. In turn, we see how dramatization allows Deleuze to construe both concepts and characters, not as fixed essences, but as individuals arising from a drama of relations. The discussion is placed in the context of recent debates in the emerging field of performance philosophy as to what extent philosophy and performance should be considered separate endeavours.