"That Girl" Said This!

While I'll be writing a longer post in the next day or two about my time in Manchester, I did want to put this up. I wrote this in response to a panel discussion at the Flare Festival on "The Future of Theatre." The discussion was good, albeit a bit depressing... and then it came time for Q&A. A man from the Arts Council pointed out that, in the UK, we're already very privileged to have great theatre and art, and that we ought to take some time to reflect on that. While he does have a point, I felt very patronized by it, especially as he was speaking to a room for students in contemporary theatre who are about to enter the professional world where funding etc. is difficult to come by. So I wrote this. The original post, as well as the Flare Festival blog, can be found here.




Indebted Artists? A Futuristic Appeal



Breaking News

Attempt made on life of panel discussion.

Reminder issued from auditorium rear to appreciate art we are privileged to have.

Why ponder theatrical futurity when there is so much theatre around for which to be thankful?

Well.

I am not grateful.

I will not worship a cash-greased art machine that only propagates more of itself.

I will not content myself to witness big art at big venues for big prices.

I will not be an insignificant atom of an indestructible organism.


I will:

Make theatre with zero (nada, nothing, nil) budget. It is all I have, and I will put it to best possible use.

Support my fellow artists. I will write about their work and borrow their critical brilliance in theory and practice. I will reference Richard Schechner and my friend Ruth. I will foment a culture of discourse discreet from marketability.

Make love on the fringes. Dozens, not thousands, of people may see my work. But I will appreciate each one, digest their feedback, listen. I will take pride in my localized work and reject bums-in-seats agenda.

Continue to dream big. I will create effects without pyrotechnics and borrowed beach balls as props. I will turn financial poverty into artistic gain by investing in ingenuity.

Shout and not whine. I will not stop if funders cannot affix a price-tag to my forehead. I will make work and bartend and produce work and shuffle bills. My practice will not be dictated for me.

What will you do?