It's like sexual frustration, but artistic.
"We're artists, not scientists. Thank God for that."
Been feeling a little lost and misguided lately. Sounds so cliche.
It's as though I've spent so much time encouraging and facilitating the creativity of others, that my own creativity has drawn itself into a dark corner, infuriated and pouting. It doesn't want to come out. I want to do everything--write, direct, act, find new writing... But how do I get good at all of those except by focusing on one thing at a time? How many successful indie film actresses do you know who also run a theatre company or work as a literary manager? Exactly.
Eh, anyway, the last thing I saw was a cycle of three new plays at the National. Burn/Chatroom/Citizenship were all commissioned specially to target a teenage audience. They are meant to address the issues of growing up in our modern society. Chatroom (by Enda Walsh) ends up as an overly-stylized after-school special, but Burn (by Deborah Gearing) is a beautiful and haunting tale of a foster kid, whose life becomes a legend retold before our eyes. And Citizenship is Mark Ravenhill's latest effort, funny and socially conscious, although still smacking of a heavy-handed "It's okay to be different" message for sexually confused teens.
Call me crazy, but I don't think we need to talk down to adolescents. Let's challenge them instead.
Burn/Citizenship/Chatroom continue at the Cottesloe, National Theatre through 3 June, although not all three run at every performance.
Been feeling a little lost and misguided lately. Sounds so cliche.
It's as though I've spent so much time encouraging and facilitating the creativity of others, that my own creativity has drawn itself into a dark corner, infuriated and pouting. It doesn't want to come out. I want to do everything--write, direct, act, find new writing... But how do I get good at all of those except by focusing on one thing at a time? How many successful indie film actresses do you know who also run a theatre company or work as a literary manager? Exactly.
Eh, anyway, the last thing I saw was a cycle of three new plays at the National. Burn/Chatroom/Citizenship were all commissioned specially to target a teenage audience. They are meant to address the issues of growing up in our modern society. Chatroom (by Enda Walsh) ends up as an overly-stylized after-school special, but Burn (by Deborah Gearing) is a beautiful and haunting tale of a foster kid, whose life becomes a legend retold before our eyes. And Citizenship is Mark Ravenhill's latest effort, funny and socially conscious, although still smacking of a heavy-handed "It's okay to be different" message for sexually confused teens.
Call me crazy, but I don't think we need to talk down to adolescents. Let's challenge them instead.
Burn/Citizenship/Chatroom continue at the Cottesloe, National Theatre through 3 June, although not all three run at every performance.
posted by Annie at 12:36 PM
2 Comments:
How many successful indie film actresses do you know who also run a theatre company or work as a literary manager?
Well not very many... But don't let that stop you.
The times they are a'changing.
I agree with Boo. Just because it's never been done before shouldn't be a deterrent. In fact, it should be a motivator -- why not be the first?
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