The 'dirty work' of the Lie

The Panel ‘Duplicity / Complicity: Performing and Misperforming Lies’ at PSi#15 in Croatia in July 2009 examined the half-truths, hidden assumptions and power relations embedded in every act of performance through an analysis of the way in which bodies, communities and buildings perform and misperform lies. Panelists Jelena Rajak, Bree Hadley, Rebecca Caines and Andrew Filmer presented a multi-layered analysis of performances that lie, intersecting and colliding, and at times outright lying, with each other and with commentary from Alan Read. Here, we take up the challenge set by the Prelude Panel at PSi#15, and subject the intersecting ideas about impression management, belief, disbelief, and the productivity of the lie that emerged during the panel to ‘friendly fire’. We each respond creatively to a paper presented by another, producing a reflexive, multi-authored interrogation of the duplicity inherent in the performances, in our academic analyses of the performances, and in our ways of reflecting, responding and listening to each other as well as to the work.