To blend International brands, I like the idea of getting a cup of water
from the "Furphy" and going to the "John" (the American 'can') to take a
leak. The makers of Furphies and Johns - in their day - were some of the
most wealthy industrialists in the world. Did they also go to theater? I
don't know. Clearly they both understood and built their instruments to
comfort and satisfy the assertions and needs of the language of the body.
Clearly many playwrights have turned these assertions and functions into
theater! (Albert Jarry's Ubu Roi for starters. I remember when Oscar Wilde -
in jest - publicly asked whether or not Furphy and John were lovers. That,
too, almost put him in "the can."
In any case, Alison, it's exciting for me to hear that Australian theater,
or parts of it, are resurrecting the body as an implicit part of powerful
theater. After a big run here of groups here in the States of physically-
centered acting - groups such as La Mama, The Living Theater, The Bread and
Puppet Theater - and the plays of say David Rabe, for example - acting and
theater seemed to become a talking head profession - where the focus was put
on troubled faces, and relatively constipated physical gestures. It's
often scary, tough stuff for actors and directors to do well. Audiences are
not really prepared, and there were many casualties among the actors in the
sixties and seventies. But I suspect you know that, and Caleb has
testified to it. It would curious to see what lessons have been learned,
or how this new generation is different, as you suggest.
Stephen V
http://stephenvincent.net/blog/
> A furphy is a galvanized tin and steel water cart. During the First War,
> troops would gather around them and exchange gossip. Hence 'furphies'.
> Or so it's said. Made by J.Furphy & Co. Joseph Furphy wrote Such is Life
> (as Tom Collins):'temper democratic; bias, offensively Australian'.
>
> Caleb
>
>
>> Whatever a furphy is, it's no furphy that a soso
>> play can be used as a scaffold for an interesting
>> evening of theater. As to the rest, we can assert
>> at each other with no end in sight.
>
>
>
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