Blog #4: Reading Phase Finishes

Blog #4 Reading Phase Finalised Edited highlights 1) 4th playreading session went smoothly 2) evaluations done 3) plays selected for workshop phase 4) gathering of interested souls In contrast to the other three reading sessions this one went smoothly. Maybe it’s just us getting used to things or maybe it just went smoothly. A smallish group of five arrived, we gained entry onto the space without ado, and read through three scripts. We were also able to garner written and verbal feedback about the plays and the project. Overall the feedback was encouraging with everyone finding some element they liked or disliked. But as there were no unified dislike of any one element, most of the criticism was singularly subjective. Or to put it in analytical terms, there was no triangulation of data to suggest any one factor worth investigating further. Three dramas were selected for further development, although I am not convinced that a comedy should not have been included in that short list. I think the young actors voted for the dramas because they suggest gravitas, whereas comedy is lightweight stuff—not authentic theatre. It’s just another prejudicial construct I’ve bumped into in my journey through Theatreland. Actually Theatreland is full of conforming prejudices and conservative thinking. There’s the amateur/professional tension, which I have spoken about in other blogs, but there’s also a commodification of formats, genres, and presentations. That is, you can’t mess with a particular genre or style. Actually you can’t write anything that challenges the status quo and hope to live to write another day. It’s such a conservative world, Theatreland. I guess it’s about getting past gatekeepers who have honed their skills on experiences in certain structures and processes and if a writer presents anything even slightly outside of these existing parameters, then they are considered as inexperienced writers who ned to learn more about the craft. For example, try writing a play that doesn’t focus on the emotions of people and you will receive comments like “No emotional arc, dear boy”; “Audiences won’t have anything to engage with, youngin’”; and “We have to see the protagonist in pain and her struggle toward enlightenment. No! No! This won’t do at all, sorry”. Maybe this why playwrights interested in writing something new, are tinkering with form and structure at the moment (e.g., Caryl Churchill, Angela Bietzen). Any 21st century Pinter and Beckett are being McDonaldised into conformity or discarded simply to starve in a creative vacuum. Anyway, back to the project, there are many positives to have emerged from the exercise: we seem to have ticked all the boxes we set out to achieve. These include, selecting the plays for the workshop phase, gathering a potential group of actors, and sketching out a plan of action to go forward with. Next week we will be into the workshop phase. This, I suspect, will mean a lot of re-writing, a few tears, and much angst. End Blog #4