As soon as I became more seriously interested in drama, I felt like there was something wrong with that. But after seeing so many shows in the past two weeks, I've come to appreciate my skewed eye. I think I so often sound forgiving of shows because when I go into one, I immediately try to figure out how the director/company wants me to see it. And honestly, once I have a grasp on that, how could I not enjoy it? It's the act of trying to understand a different perspective that I love, not just the story line of the play; so, it is rarely a bad experience. I notice the intricacies, I understand the symbolism, and I slip easily into the characters' heads. I guess that when I don't enjoy a show, like Catch or The Fall of Man, it's because I just can't align myself with the director's way of thinking.
I got to thinking about this because I've seen a few shows recently with people who react very strongly one way or the other. Most of the time, it seems like they were watching with the sole intent of finding aspects about it that would make them sound intelligently critical after the show. I understand that; I've done that before, too. Sometimes I wish I were able to watch a show from an intensely critical standpoint. But now, I prefer to sit back and watch the show for what it is, and I'll be able to trust my gut on whether or not I liked it.
I just noted in re-viewing your review on Catch, I noticed that you were going to write a three-word impression of each play. I'm curious now as to what three words you created for the other plays. (Not trying to make more work for you--just really interested!)
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely easier to find faults rather than successes when you're reviewing anything... Just the act of reviewing anything is problematic, especially if you don't know your own standards, or why you are reviewing in the first place.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you know your criteria well: You want to get inside the director's head and figure out how you are supposed to watch it. Which raises the question: Should that level of audience participation be a requirement for watching plays? Is it a necessary step to enjoying the performance? Does this apply to every play from Shakespeare to modern works, or do your standards adjust depending on preconceived notions before you even enter the theater? Is that even fair??
Yeah I don't know either.
is always easier to find faults. i know people that make money doing just that...... interesting gig. not my bag though.
ReplyDeletelove that you are really getting into this. i never thought about it like this before and it adds interesting perspective. i guess i have always thought of plays or movies or similar in terms of if i just enjoyed it. did it allow me to escape into the alternate reality of thier world. if it did then great. i love the escapism of it all. and maybe because i am easy to see an alternate side of things it makes that all the more easy. but i never thought of it as understanding where the director was coming from. only about where i was able to go. nice review of your experience.
As a former English teacher I have mixed feelings about all this intellectual banter. I remember trying to get high school students to appreciate levels of interpretation in a piece of literature or a play. Typically my efforts were met with great skepticism and disdain. I soon learned that experiencing a piece of literature or theater was a very personal thing. It all depends on where the reader/viewer IS when they read/view the author's work. Inotherwords, where are they intellectually, psychologically, and in time. (It's probably a corollary to Piaget's theories on learning readiness.) If you go into a theater production looking for entertainment or escape, you'll likely have a very different experience than if you go into that same production looking for something profound or insights into the creative process or the author's psyche. And, if you see the same production at different times, the experience will likely be different too depending on your personal frame of reference. I'm reminded of a comment made by a writer (I can't recall who) remarking on his experience reading Moby Dick when he was a young man and then reading it again when he was much older. In short, the writer was very impressed with how much Herman Melville had learned during those intervening years.
ReplyDeleteOh by the way....I never did read Moby Dick. Saw the movie about four times and thought Gregory Peck was a terrific Ahab. Love that scene at the end when Ahab's body is entangled in harpoon lines, lashed to the great white whale's side and as the whale dives, Ahab's arm makes a beckoning motion for all to follow.
ReplyDelete