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Immersion of the Individual in the Experience of Theatrical Performances · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  With the rise of modern technology in the field of
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  filmmaking, we find an immersive experience in movie theaters
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  engulfs the viewer deeply in the action.
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  This includes high resolution images, 3D technology, giant
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  wide screens, comfortable seating and surround sound.
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  The viewer of such films is captivated by this technology to
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  such an extent that he begins to identify with characters being
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  portrayed and begins to feel and experience things from the
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  viewpoint of that character. For a time, many totally forget
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  themselves and identify with the characters and activity taking
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  place in the film. Modern technology adds a form of
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  sensory overload to the older forms of engagement such as the
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  theater. This is a modern day update to
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  the type of experiences related by the Mother regarding theatres
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  in Paris during his her time in France.
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  These are simply illustrations of the way that individuals
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  separate from the narrow ego sense and identify with others
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  in a larger sense. Ultimately, the attenuation of
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  the ego sense and the widening identification with all the
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  apparently separate beings in the manifestation, while still
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  maintaining the individuality for its unique purpose and
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  expression is one of the goals of the yogic process.
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  The mother notes quote. There are in Paris theatres of
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  the 3rd or 4th rank where sensational dramas are
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  performed. These are suburban theatres.
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  They are not for intellectuals but for the masses, and all the
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  elements are always extremely dramatic, moving.
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  Well, those who go there are mostly very simple people and
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  forget completely that they are in a theatre.
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  They identify themselves with the drama.
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  And so things like this happen on the stage.
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  There is the traitor hiding behind the door and the hero
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  comes along, not aware naturally that the traitor is hiding there
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  and he is going to be killed. Now there are people sitting up
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  there in what is called the gallery, right up in the
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  theatre, who shout lookout. He is there.
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  Laughter. It has not happened just once.
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  It happens hundreds of times spontaneously.
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  I had seen a play of this kind called Le Bosu, I believe.
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  Anyway, it was quite a sensational drama and it was
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  being played at the Theatre de La Porte St.
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  Martin. In this play there was a room on
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  the stage, A large room could be seen, and at its side a small
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  room. And I don't remember the story
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  now, but in the small room there was a button which could be
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  pressed, and by pressing the button the ceiling of the bigger
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  room could be brought down on those who were there so as to
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  crush them inexorably. And a warning had been given.
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  People had already spoken about it, passed on the word, and now
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  there was a trader who had hidden himself in the little
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  room and he knew the trick of the button.
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  And then there was the hero who came in with other people and
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  they started arguing and everyone knew that the ceiling
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  was going to come down. I didn't say anything.
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  I remembered I was in the theatre.
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  I was waiting to see how the author was going to get out of
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  this situation to save his hero, for it was evident he couldn't
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  kill him off like that before everybody but the others were
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  not at all in the same state. Well, there were spectators who
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  shouted, really shouted. Look out, mind the ceiling.
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  That's how it was. End Quote.
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  Reference Sri Aurobindo and the Mother Powers within Chapter 13.
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  Power of Identification pages one O 8 to one O 9.