10/6/2009 1:10:15 PM
Unnecessary theatrics
Author: nasamaria
I love the theatre. The figuring out what to wear for what shows (musicals = something in theme with the show; drama = lots of eyeliner; comedy = jeans, t-shirt ; shakespeare = something classy; abstract/uncategorisable = something abstract/uncategorisable), who to go with, where to have dinner before and where to go for drinks after, are all part of the fun, but secondary to the show itself, of course.
I don't go that often, so when I do, it's kind of special - you get this uppity sort of feeling that you're *ahem* Cultured, and have class. I dunno.. I guess it stems from when I was in Uni and a few friends and I were so into theatre and going for a show would be an 'Occasion', and yup we'd get dressed up and eat at the mcdonalds (we're Cultured, but we were Students first) near actors studio in bangsar and after that we'd Discuss the play. So we felt kind of different from our coursemates who weren't into theatre.
Anyway, safe to say, I like theatre very much. But lately, I've begun to sort of, er.. dread theatre.
Thing is, I like most of the actors/directors/theatrefolk I interview/interact with. I respect their choices. I enjoy discovering why they do what they do and why they love it. But what has begun to bug me a lot is, sigh dare I sound like a prude? The sexual elements.
Yup, I condone sex as an act between two people that love each other, or are out for a good time , and I'm accepting of people's choices of who and how many people they want to sleep with, but no, I do not want to see it on stage.
In the beginning, I was impressed by actors who could step past that boundary, who could disrobe and perform controversial acts in front of a live audience. It puts them in a class of their own, a breed of actors who fear nothing, as long as it services the show.
The thing is, sometimes it just becomes.. unneccessary. This has nothing to do with living in a conservative society or upbringing or whatever, I just feel like sometimes it's just being done for the sake of doing it.
There have been instances where something of this nature is staged in a play and in myopinion, it distracts the audience member more than it enhances the scene/dialogue. First of all we're like OMG did she/he just do that? Second we're like Ok, maybe this has something to do with what she/he is saying. Third we're like Er... what was she/he saying again?
After the initial shock (I dunno, I assume people still get shocked by seeing these things live) I start to wonder if that element serviced the story at all, or if could have been done minus the live visuals.
It's been done in movies, and I'm starting to get used to it, but I'm not sure if I want it in my theatre, in every single show.
Again, I applaud the men and women who dare to do the deeds, but just a thought to playwrights/directors/screenwriters - could we do without it? (or find a subtle, less graphic way of getting the message through)
Leave a comment
