"remove the audience from the artificiality of a critical discourse of artifice by introducing real play into a play that, for all of its avant-garde seminality is, to a contemporary ear, far too self-conscious to be listened to. The childrens’ lack of pretense allows the audience to experience the piece empathetically." They go on to call it a "conceptual gesture"[1]but towards what end? There is certainly laughter, but very little critical distance. 11:30-12:30 is a great moment where there is an explosion of laughter resulting from "kids being kids."
Offending The Audience from Emily Mast on Vimeo.
It is particularly curious that the event takes place in a "panorama theatre," a 19th Century invention mean to transport the viewer via an illusion of continuous space--the LA venue is painted in a 360ยบ format. According to the theatre's web site,"The Panorama, Cyclorama, Diorama, Cosmorama and other multitudinous variations on the sensational venue were popular places to spend leisure time and embark upon imagined travels to unfamiliar and significant places in space and time."[2]How curious to present a play that that is designed to disrupt illusion in a production engineered to evoke empathy and affection through its "attempts" at offense. Handke's play is necessarily considered in 360°, though any sense of transportation or transformation corrupts his essential message. I'm still thinking on it and will develop my thoughts on my personal blog, but wanted all to be able to see the video in light of its applications to today's discussion. You can check out the Panorama Theatre here.
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