Threshold theatre refers to a style or approach to performance that centers on liminality, transformation, and crossing boundaries—both physical and psychological. The term "threshold" itself implies a point of transition, and in theatre, it often means leading the audience (and sometimes the performers) from one state of being or understanding into another.

Key Concepts of Threshold Theatre:

1. Liminality:
   Derived from ritual theory (e.g. Victor Turner and Arnold van Gennep), liminality is the “in-between” state—between what was and what will be. In threshold theatre, characters or audience members often undergo transformation or revelation during this space of flux.

2. Immersion & Participation:
   Audiences are often participants, not just observers. They may physically move through spaces, interact with performers, or be symbolically initiated into a different realm or mindset.

3. Ritual and Myth:
   Performances may draw from ancient stories, folklore, or ceremonial structures, guiding the audience through archetypal journeys—death and rebirth, separation and reintegration, loss and discovery.

4. Environmental/Site-Specific Settings:
   Threshold theatre often occurs in non-traditional spaces like forests, ruins, old buildings, or urban environments. These spaces themselves act as thresholds between different worlds—natural and cultural, ancient and modern.

5. Personal and Collective Transformation:
   The aim is often to change how people feel, see themselves, or relate to the world—awakening emotional, spiritual, or ecological awareness