Erminia said:
"I also did not completely understand why you wished to anticipate the
nature of what you were saying in such a self-offending fashion, by
putting
the heading "bitch alert!" to your own post.
I honestly do not think that what you said sounded that
nasty...."
Dear Erminia
I think you might be missing the tonalities of Anglophonic humour there.
Possibly the keytone to Alison's self-declared-interest to the review of
Daniel Keene's magnificent piece, which I've just had the pleasure of
reading, while still fuminating about 'Prospect', is the phrase: "Is it
valid to try to make middle class audiences feel guilty that violence is
still going on? ."
Neo-Victorian complacency is coming at us from all sides, I saw today a
statement that more goods or goods in terms of fiscal value are traded in an
hour now than in the whole of the nineteenth century. Alongside that a new
international bourgeosie that leaves the Anglo-US-European one of the
nineteenth century is emergent, under the shadows of the corporate hawks'
wings, that values conformity and group acceptance as primary, and hates any
instances of individuality, whether it be from me, thee, say, or persons in
Melbourne, or people in call-centres, or voters, or say the Zapistitas.
Best
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: "Erminia H. Passannanti" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 7:13 PM
Subject: Re: Eh?
I excuses myself for having only partially appreciated what was posted by
you, Alison...
I also did not completely understand why you wished to anticipate the
nature of what you were saying in such a self-offending fashion, by
putting
the heading "bitch alert!" to your own post.
I honestly do not think that what you said sounded that
nasty....
Best , Erminia
On Sun, 8 Jul 2001 12:37:36 +1000, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>> I presume that the problem arises from the fact that in the last 4
>>decades, Anglophone poetry, from Philip Larkin on, has granted credibility
>>mainly to the tamed narrative voice of the good citizen (who is allowed to
>>be "strange" or "eccentric" only in a measure that does not exceed that
of
>>all the others).
>
>Bitch alert...
>
>Thing by Robin Usher in the Sunday Age this morning attacking the latest
Keene/Taylor Theatre Project's season The Choirbook. (For those who don't
know, the Keene of the company is my husband, and I am on the Board, just
declaring my interests here).
>
>The season is three plays - one a lyrical (?) narrative on ethnic
cleansing, one a longer three-person play called The Share about three
violent young men, and the last a post-apocalypse monologue which I don't
know how to describe. Mr Keene is, according to Usher, "one of Australia's
best playwrights in one of Australia's most innovative companies" (the
artistic level of the work - writing, performance and production - is
undeniable even for a grade one moron and besides the French love him, so
you can't be too critical) but this time the kttp has gone too far.
>
>"Is it valid to try to make middle class audiences feel guilty that
violence is still going on? ... The Share, the second and most dominant of
the three plays making up The Choirbook ... might be harrowing and grim
with outstanding performances, but its limited focus opens Keene up to
charges of misanthropy. ... It may be that Keene has gone as far as he
can in exploring violence among society's underclass without alienating his
audience. Beyond its shock value, its preoccupations seem thin..."
>
>And so on.
>
>I don't know why The Share has been so controversial - it's no more
violent, I don't think, than other plays the kttp has done in the past.
But for some reason it seems to have hit a nerve. The Share is guilty of
nothing that Usher accuses it of (absolving people of crime, for example)
but it is an intensely disturbing and violent work, and (I think)
terrifyingly, harshly, _moral_. The play doesn't seek to make anyone feel
_guilty_. What it does do is move outside a certain comfort zone and
demand that you _think_. Pity for "those people" is not an option.
>
>What I don't get is that writing plays about people you can see on the
train every day (and about impulses that are commonly human) is apparently
a crime itself, a sign of "misanthropy". One step further into
consciousness, and you might see that impulse as the reverse of that -
Maybe these people don't travel on trains.
>
>In the same newspaper is one of the most complacently racist articles I've
ever read, on "colourblind" casting by another person who is also
apparently "one of Australia's best playwrights". And this is "culture"?
>
>Any Melburnians interested in seeing the plays for themselves (they also
happen to be pure poetry, for anyone interested in _language_) can catch
them at Span Gallery in the city until next Saturday.
>
>And sorry for the rant - I shouldn't get riled by idiots, but I do - it
induces a poison fog of despair -
>
>Best
>
>Alison
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