This book investigates the ontological status of performance and the role of reenactment in shaping our understanding of history and representation. Rebecca Schneider, a prominent scholar in performance studies, utilizes a series of essays to challenge traditional notions of the ephemeral nature of performance. By analyzing the intersection of art, war, and the theatrical, she argues that performance does not simply disappear but remains as a persistent, material force that complicates linear historical narratives.

Scholars and students of performance studies frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the relationship between live art and historical memory. Readers often note the dense, theoretical nature of the prose, which demands careful engagement with its complex arguments regarding the persistence of performance.