Performances in Law: a Lesson from Literature.

This paper explores the idea of „performance‟ in relation to law. My starting point is to analyse the performance of law through text. The basic argument is that rather than simply reading the text of law as „black-letter‟ law, appreciating it as „performanceoriented‟ enhances our understanding of it, expands the paradigm and opens new avenues for interpretation. Next, I examine „performances‟ of justice in and through law.3 Finally, the scheme and rituals of the courtroom setting arediscoursed to situate the character of the lawyer within this space, as a performer