I heard a lot about Black Watch, which was on in Sydney this year, but
didn't see it myself (the Sydney Festival is on at a bad time for me,
again this year - I am taking time out to not go to the theatre at the
moment). People were mostly blown out by it, but many theatre types
were more impressed with a smaller National Theatre of Scotland
production that came with it, a piece of documentary theatre based on
a case of parents who killed their own children, and which sounded
pretty powerful.
Writing for theatre is a very particular art. (And playwrights are a
very particular breed of writer - I remember a story about Phil
Motherwell being chased out of a blood-and-sawdust pub here in
Melbourne, his pursuer crying: "you...you... you...PLAYWRIGHT!!!" That
being, I suppose, the worst insult he could think of...)
Writing for theatre means thinking of language as action, which I find
deeply interesting. Illuminating too if you're interested in poetry.
They're deeply related arts, but also with very different demands.
xA
On Mon, Dec 8, 2008 at 11:20 AM, Judy Prince
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Thanks for the correction, Alison, tho, natch, right after I'd clicked
> 'send' I remembered it.
> You rightly draw attention to 'movement', the import which's, typically,
> blindingly obvious to directors and actors, but not to the audience, or,
> often, to critics. As a playwright, I didn't seriously credit it until I
> saw the effects of an inspired director of one of my short plays. This past
> summer that import magnified thousandsfold when I saw Black Watch here in my
> home city of Norfolk, VA, with the original cast of the National Theatre of
> Scotland. I credit Steven [do correct me!] Hoggett, Director of Movement,
> for much of the play's success.
>
> If you've not read it already, do try to take time to read Jane Edwardes'
> excellent review of the play for Time Out London:
> http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/features/5033/-Black_Watch--preview.html
>
> You're quite right about movement as well as silence being effective [and
> underrated] factors in plays. The long silent miming portion of Black Watch
> caught me quite emotional, and that surprised me, given the nearly
> continuous dramatic speech, music, and battle sounds throughout the
> performance. Powerful. Like modern dance. The metaphoric art of it rivals
> poetry. Do keep us posted on what you observe and involve yourself with in
> the areas of modern dance and theatre.
>
> Best,
>
> Judy
>
>
>
>
>
> 2008/12/7 Alison Croggon <[log in to unmask]>
>
>> Roger's already pointed its nickname is the Grauniad, due to its
>> notorious typos. (It's Lyn Gardner, btw, and yes, she's a very fine
>> critic). When I'm in the UK, I take particular pleasure in the
>> newspapers. I don't buy them here any more, unless I have a review in
>> and need the tearsheet. Which is rather sad, really, I used to like
>> spreading them over the kitchen table and having a leisurely read with
>> a coffee. But they're thin and disappointing, and I get my news online
>> these days.
>>
>> It's particularly challenging and interesting to write about
>> performance (which is really what drives me). It never feels adequate.
>> In the past couple of years I've been investigating contemporary
>> dance, which is even more challenging. The companies seem to like it
>> and keep inviting me, and I find it incredibly stimulating. It's a bit
>> like looking at visual art (no words, very good for a poet). But it
>> drives you straight up against the limitations of language.
>>
>> xA
>>
>> On Sun, Dec 7, 2008 at 11:42 PM, Judy Prince
>> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> > Hi, Alison. Interesting, your saying you're 'home there' in the theatre.
>> I
>> > feel the same. Almost like a secular religious experience.
>> > BTW, I call the Guardian 'Groan' as a ref to what many call it but I
>> can't
>> > remember how they spell it. Their ref comes from noticing the constant
>> > misspellings in the paper itself, which seem to persist, but not
>> > super-often. I love the paper. Can only contrast it, UK'ly, with The
>> Times
>> > and The Scotsman, both good, but not as Whole and Human as Groan,
>> IMNeverHO.
>> > USA papers I read regularly are NYT, and the LATimes. As to newspaper
>> > theatre critiquing, I'm aware that Groan has not only MIchael Billington
>> but
>> > Nancy Gardner, she whose coverage, concision-with-meaning, and spot-on
>> > assessments astound me! I've found, as well, one or two exceptional
>> critics
>> > in London's online Timeout.
>> >
>> > My attempts at reviewing [which at the time I thought were excellent]
>> > turned out to be analyses of the play, not the production---not what
>> folk
>> > want when they turn to a theatre critic! ;-) My hat's off to you and
>> > others who can manage Real reviews!
>> >
>> > Best,
>> >
>> > Judy
>> >
>> > 2008/12/6 Alison Croggon <[log in to unmask]>
>> >
>> >> Hi Judy - theatre's one of my thangs, certainly. I feel at home there,
>> >> even when I'm dodging brickbats.
>> >>
>> >> And yes, it is "groan"... I get very tired of the whole
>> >> blogger/mainstream critic thing. I see on average about two -
>> >> sometimes three - plays a week through the theatre season, which can
>> >> get punishing. I guess it's also a bit different in Australia, since
>> >> many theatre bloggers are also mainstream theatre critics, me
>> >> included, so the question seems rather tired - I'm the Melbourne
>> >> theatre reviewer for the national daily here, the Australian, another
>> >> blogger, Chris Boyd, reviews for the Financial Review and the Herald
>> >> Sun, another edits a local weekly arts magazine, yet another is a
>> >> journalist on the Australian, etc etc. I write 400 word reviews for
>> >> the Oz, and on average 1200 word reviews for the blog, and in the blog
>> >> review many shows which don't get into the arts pages of the Oz. And I
>> >> like blogs because, unlike print reviews, what I write is available in
>> >> the archives all the time, and is easily accessible to anyone who is
>> >> interested. Which probably tells you all you need to know about the
>> >> difference between the two activities. I know which one is hardest
>> >> work!
>> >>
>> >> I freelance for the Guardian blog pages now and then. It usually
>> >> elicits charming comments like "why are we reading about those
>> >> colonials in Orstrilia?"
>> >>
>> >> xA
>> >>
>> >> On Sun, Dec 7, 2008 at 1:55 AM, Judy Prince
>> >> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> >> > Alison, I'm playing 'catch-up', just read your smashing essay on
>> Barry's
>> >> > *Ecstasy* in your Theatre Notes:
>> >> > http://theatrenotes.com/2008/08/on-ecstasy.html
>> >> >
>> >> > Really do feel that theatre's your 'thang', Ms A.
>> >> >
>> >> > As if, apparently, remembering that, I put in a last bit for you - and
>> >> > others - in this yesterday's comment to Groan [Guardian] online
>> article
>> >> on
>> >> > critics vs theatre bloggers:
>> >> >
>> >> > Dec 06 08, 5:23am
>> >> >
>> >> > Yes, indeed, definitely. May I present some further logic and then a
>> >> > proposal:
>> >> >
>> >> > 1) Bloggers're great, fine, and likely to be as astute, professional,
>> >> > thorough, backgrounded, and entertaining as paid critics----and as
>> >> quixotic,
>> >> > odd-focused, ill-tempered, and 'out to lunch', as paid critics, as
>> well.
>> >> > Blogs, yes, excellent, on the reasonable principle that more is
>> better.
>> >> But
>> >> > blogs do not have the grabability of a major newspaper. This and other
>> >> > newspapers [online or in print] draw readers in far greater numbers
>> than
>> >> > individual blogs can.
>> >> >
>> >> > 2) Most theatre critics have not been Educated Properly for their
>> >> > role---which I find all the better for what they must do: see a lot of
>> >> > plays, do a lot of research, grow along with the growing theatre
>> >> community,
>> >> > develop the long view that inevitably opens an impassioned observer to
>> >> > worthy, fresh work. They don't necessarily need a uni degree in any
>> >> aspect
>> >> > of the theatre; they do need play-immersion out of sheer adoration for
>> >> it,
>> >> > and they need A Life other than theatre.
>> >> >
>> >> > That said, even dedicated bloggers are few who would attend 12 plays a
>> >> month
>> >> > for years, and for each play submit a review that's responsible,
>> >> detailed,
>> >> > and helpful to theatre practitioners as well as theatre-goers. We
>> have,
>> >> > then, the continuing need for newspaper-paid theatre critics. In fact,
>> I
>> >> > propose the need for MORE newspaper-paid theatre critics.
>> >> >
>> >> > 3) We need more because we need to have more information. We need to
>> hear
>> >> > the unheard gossip, be moved to visit less-familiar-to-us play venues,
>> >> find
>> >> > out more of the techniques of playwrighting, acting, directing,
>> scene-,
>> >> > costume-, lighting-, sound- and movement-design. We need to hear it
>> from
>> >> the
>> >> > folk who actually work in those areas. Hence,
>> >> >
>> >> > 4) I propose Guest Critics in addition to main critics. A different
>> Guest
>> >> > Critic each month could be 'found' and tapped by the newspaper, or
>> they
>> >> > could volunteer themselves by submitting several reviews to recommend
>> >> them
>> >> > for the monthly spot. They could, as well, be from other countries
>> >> reporting
>> >> > on plays they've seen in their native lands.
>> >> >
>> >> > Surely this newspaper in this nation can manage enthusiastic inclusion
>> in
>> >> > its theatre criticism as well as in its theatres.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
>> >> Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
>> >> Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
>> >>
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
>> Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
>> Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
>>
>
--
Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
|