At times, I shall use this space to discuss wider themes/ideas, regarding the four directions in which our Project is moving: Education, Performance, Entertainment, & Clearinghouse/Meeting Place. These’re Commentaries, Opinion Pieces, Narratives; I claim or admit the views are mine own, unless some other author’s name is on them. Factual Accuracy and Opinion-Status will prevent them from being Defamatory. . .
It is times like this I am MOST THANKFUL for the First Amendment (See our play, Schenck v. United States) and Free Speech. Why do I say that? It is mainly because my Commentaries will be exactly that, analyses, insights, and opinions on the persons, personages, ideas, events, and occurrences described. Some of my comments will be complimentary. Some will be not so. Some will be not-complimentary at all.
Put another way, if I think the Empress or Emperor has NOTHING ON, and is NUDE, I shall say so. It’s all these years of studying, teaching, and thinking about Philosophy, Ethics, & Law, I suppose. Critical Thinking=GOOD! NOT “bad.” It’s all in the delivery. . .
Today, we call “the Kid, who blew the lid off the Emperor’s Nudity,” a Whistleblower, right? The Kid woke sycophantic people, scared by the power of what the Emperor could have done to them, from their fear-induced stupours and spoke “the FACTS”! Deconstruction is SOOOO much FUN, so long as you are NOT KILLED for doing it!
Today’s entry is about an “interesting” occurrence I attended at the Kennedy Center on 3 June 2016, for the Low, Low Price of $19.00!. . .
I had the occasion to attend a “conversation” among five “superstars” of Entertainment, in general, and four of those of Shakespeare-Variations, in specific. It was an evening of Post-Modernism Meets Rap-&-Classics-&-Re/Un-Gendering-&-And-I-Don’t-Know-What. . . Unless you’re tuned in, to certain places, several of these people’s names would be new to you. They were to me, though I try not to judge a generalisation, based on my own experience and exposures. . .
If any would be known, straightaway, the Moderator’s name would probably be: Fiona Shaw, very accomplished and resume`d Actor/Performer, across a spectrum of different Performance Art Forms. Her co-panelists were: The Q Brothers, Phyllida Lloyd, and Elizabeth Streb, alphabetically by surname. The titled purpose of this panel was to discuss the Future of Shakespeare’s work. . . There’s the stuff of dreams, books, and OCTILLION words!. . . (Sorry, Billie, though I’m sure, if there’s an After-Life, you’re smiling!)
Here’s a “quickie,” on each one. First, the Q Brothers are Rap Artists, who educate, compose, and perform a variety of contents, prime for last eve’s purposes among them several (four and counting) Shakespeare’s plays in “updated” and “re-mixed” forms. These re-vamped plays are meant to appeal to certain socio-cultural demographics, within the U.S., primarily. Old Wine, New Wine-Skins, showing how relevant Shakespeare, “Old White Guy,” is to anyone outside THAT demographic. . . That spectrum is WIDE, and need not be limited to one set of demographics. . .
Second, Phyllida Lloyd, is a Director, who has done Mainstream, Off-Mainstream, and Award-winning Stage and Film pieces. She’s directed Fiona Shaw and Meryl Streep, among others. Her current enterprises include doing Shakespeare’s plays with all-womin casts, with all the re-tooled (pun only PARTIALLY intended) dynamics and thought-processes that entails.
Third, Elizabeth Streb, is a self-described “Action Artist,” who seeks to turn Actions into a “Language of a different form.” By the bio in the program, she has jumped through huge glass panes on a building, climbed down a London landmark, had a ton of dirt dumped on her head (presumably, not all at the same instant, since she was ambulatory), and, most interestingly, a Recipient of a MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant in 1997. To be fair, I suspect she began as a dancer and choreographer/dance artist, whose resume` includes dance/choreography work from the 1980s to present, who “branched out,” literally, actually, and figuratively. . .
What I was later struck to observe was that I was witness to another variation on the Super-star(s)-Adoring Audience Phenomenon. As the audience, we were supposed to sit there, and be awed. Here’s where I have SPLIT my own persona, from most, if not all, of the rest of the audience, because, after “Awe” wore off, in all of about (generously) five minutes, I got onto what was going on!
Example: early on, Ms. Streb, at Fiona Shaw’s urging, invited the audience to get up and do quite a few shifts of position, stance, gesture, particularly but not only, of their bodies below the waist. While this was going on, I sat on my scooter, within eye-shot and visibility of the stage, with braces on both legs, and held one of my canes UP over the crowd the entire time, its chrome steel shining in the glare of the overhead/House Lights(!). . . In Ms. Streb’s terminology, I was ACTING out a “grammar,” whose message probably “slipped a Fast Ball” past the people on that stage, as well as my fellow audience members. . . Think about THAT message!
Of course, I found Ms. Streb’s disavowals of verbal and auditory language forms to be rather faux, since, for example, during that latter demonstration of “amiable” (Liberal/Volitional) “Mass-/Herd-Psychology,” (WHERE’s Herbert Marcuse, when we NEED HIM??!!), she verbally described the results of all those gyrations, succinctly albeit, as a few years’ of studying Ballet.. . . Interesting, hmmmm? So much for “Action.”
The more interesting moments of the evening, for me, anyway, came when the Q Bros. and Collaborators did a “short” rendition of Othello, they termed “The Remix,” and, when Ms. Shaw demonstrated her wonderful command of various Shakespeare “conversations.” To be fair, Ms. Lloyd’s discussions of the challenges of turning Shakespeare’s often-misogynistic stories and/or characters on their heads, with Female Actors in traditionally-male roles, were very enlightening. . .Ms. Streb identified her own Muses (though she didn’t use that term) as Slapstick Comedy, especially the Three Stooges, which she indicated still made her laugh, though she did concede the cruel nature of that humour. . . [Personally, I’m GLAD I lost touch with Moe, Larry, Curly, Shemp, and Curly Joe, longer ago than I can recall! But then, that’s I. . .]
As an aside, I must say the evening did remind me of the variations and great effects of hormonal balances in the Human Species, given so-called Gender, Sex, and Age, both Older, Younger, and Fair-to-Middling. . . I also wondered if the Industrial Revolution (and Environmental Crises we now face) were culprits in such variations. . . I suspect yes, but the massive, though-often-denied variety in our Species, also has its own genetic, genomic, and micro-biological causative factors!. .
Too often, we create False Dilemma Fallacies, in our attempts to create, understand, place limits on (“define”), and control our Knowledge. . . Either/Or. 2-3 choices of cause, ONLY. These are examples of WHY we should AVOID such False and Limited Choices/Alternatives. This is also why we speak of Causative Factors, instead of Causes. “Cause” suggests a direct link between the “winner” of our False Choice and the Effect. . . Get it?
Mark Twain was partially wrong: It IS what you don’t KNOW that can get you into trouble. Sorry, Mark, you DIDN’T KNOW!. . .
I was also reminded of how the Discipline the evening NEEDED was Philosophy, since, after all, it was that Field, which first tried to define Beauty and Art, and USED Performance and Drama to teach Public Morality Lessons to the Crowd. . .(We need not go into the Questions of Ethics’ Absence, last night, as well. . .). . . A person (“one”) versed well in Critical Thinking would have had TRUE fun with what was being said on that stage last night! (And She WAS, within the confines of her own thoughts! You’re reading a few now!)
When finally “Q-&A” (otherwise known as “Sycophants Talk Back”) Time came, after several others had been heard, I could no longer resist the chance to put up the cane for recognition of my comment.
Ms. Shaw called to me, as “the lady with the big stick.” I think of it as a “facilitator of mobile freedom,” and as a device for showing my respect and esteem, for in that capacity I use it and its companion to express MY version of a “Standing Ovation.” Interesting what’s in a word, eh? All in the eye, mind, and mouth of the beholder/speaker. . .
I did not reply to her description of my “chrome friend,” in the way I could have, as just noted.
But I began,“Mine is a comment, not a question. As a playwright and as a one who has taught Philosophy for many years, what I am hearing from you all is that the future of Shakespeare is dependent on ‘getting out of the box,’ in the ways we present, and portray his works. . .” I embellished, but need not try to recall every word, here.. .
You’d have thought I had just spoken Klingonese to these people! Perhaps Brits and Irish folks (I’m Irish, Moiself, of course, not to mention British, among other cultures– AHHH, the Grandeur of Being A Mutt!) don’t know about that expression. I find that HARD to believe, since U.S. Pop Culture has overrun the Planet, especially the countries from whence Ms. Shaw and Ms. Lloyd have sprung! I KNOW that expression has reached the Bronx!. . As Timothy Bottoms’ character in The Paper Chase said, early in that flick, “Genius. . .”
Oh, well, but I digress. . . One evening does not a full experience/knowledge of a person’s work, etc. make, to paraphrase from a Master. . . While trying not to Externalise folks into their actions and words, I must say, conversely, if they ask for it, I’ll suggest, NEVERTHELESS, they should WEAR the footwear, if it FITS!
That’s the PROBLEM, with a Public Event. It attracts those of us, who DON’T WANT THE KOOL-AID and know it’s LACED, and who will call a NAKED BOD, WHAT IT IS. . .
I gave up my Sycophants’ Charter Membership at birth, I guess!
From the evening I took away these conclusions. (A) It’s a BIG Planet; Shakespeare’s GOT a future, no matter how his work is presented. (B) Newer formulations and contextualisations will “hook” younger folks, get them interested, and stimulate creativity, both in those recipients AND in the Artists/Writers, seeking to reach them. (C) Art is a BIG PLACE; I don’t use “tent,” since THAT is too limiting and gives off territorial boundaries that don’t belong there. (D) Art’s Subjective and SHOULD BE. (E) There are more “geniuses” on the Planet than only the “Super-stars,” and Life is Luck/Chance. Forget Stoicism and “there-are-no-accidents,” for a while. . . Quantum “Stuff” happens. (F) Externalisation and Objectification of Selves and Others by human beings ARE STILL problems; Environmental problems, among many others, are symptoms of those. . .
I hope the Species survives, and I’m betting on it, Even Money. . . Laying THAT Bet is a LOT MORE FUN, than anger!
But THEN I’VE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BE AN INCURABLE OPTIMIST! That’s the only way to be, if one wants to avoidfollowing the Lemmings over the Cliff. . . It’s NOT the LEAP, but the SUDDEN <THUD!> that Kills You.. .!!! . . I wouldn’t look good, splattered on the pavement. Neither would you. . .
Until Next Time------- Be Creative, in Peace, Tolerance, and Acceptance!! Please!!. . .