The thesis shows how cultural systems,

individual horizons of expectations and accepted

theatrical conventions all 'activate the reception

process and that all these are open to revision in the
experience of performance. The description of an

individual's experience of a particular performance is

not, however, the object of this study. Instead the

concern has been with an individual's culturally-

constructed expectations which can be both met and/or

challenged in a diverse range of contemporary theatrical

performances.

iv