Why do modern actors and directors love classics?

Answer: Because the writer is dead and probably doesn't have a trust fund!

|8)

Either that, or most audiences will only go see things they have heard of before.

Eliot

Some times they are simply used as a fund raiser so that original works can be promoted at a later date

Vagabond Jo vouched valiantly:
----------------------------------------
Some times they are simply used as a fund raiser so that original works can be promoted at a later date.

True- just not very often. All too often companies will either rest on their laurels with the success of a known work, and/or be lured by the prospect of an easy dollar.

Eliot

There are a lot of directors / companies / actors that believe that getting back to the 'roots' of theatre is a great way to develop technique, and producing a version of one of the 'classics' is a ways to a means.

I hope that not all practitioners in companies are just redoing the classics for money reasons!!!!

I think its because they are too gutless to lose money/and or their reputation on something risky.That why I don't amateur theatre anymore,I was risking being bored to death!!!

Hi Spylan

> I think its because they are too gutless to lose money/and or
> their reputation on something risky.

I think some people react with cynicism to companies doing the classics because they're afraid of anything that might ask them to think.

With a very few very notable exceptions, a lot of the New and Different writing and physical performance work i see is tired old trash, not very well thought through, that attempts to reinvent the wheel in blissful ignorance of similar more successful exploratiove work done decades or centuries ago.

I don't have much time for lazy actors, directors and audiences who are seeking the cheap thrill of something different. Sure great work is always somehow new and different, but that is rarely the same thing as asserting that performance that is new and different is always great work.

> That why I don't amateur theatre anymore,I was risking being
> bored to death!!!

Oh puh-lease!

Sure many community theatre companies trot out stale old classics on a regular basis. But perhaps you'd care to cast your eye over the programs of our funded companies and see what proportion of their work is modern or ancient classics? As different parts of the same industry, i don't see that there is that much difference between the proportions of classical and new work performed in either sector.

If anything, there's probably slightly more new work amongst the community theatre companies. They're often in a better position to take the risk of developing brand new work. If they aren't doing it, it's because the people who should be making it happen have thrown their hands to their brows and declared they don't want to play any more and slunk off home - preferring to sit at home bored to death, as resting professionals.

Cheers
Grant

While I agree that some classics (think "Importance of Being Ernest") have been done to death, can anyone out there say they don't like the play? I love it; classic or not, done to death or not. Some classics are done over and over because they are bloody good texts. There's a reason they are classics, they've paid their dues and emerged from their time frames and contexts as better than anything else that was written at the time. And now we examine them on a different level, as period peices.

New does not necessarily mean better. Given a choice between a cinema playing "Casablanca" and one playing Rob Schnieder's "The Animal", am I wrong to support a 50+ year old film?

(Throwing Down Guntlet); Tell me, what has come out of the last few years, or even that last decade that is better as a text than "Death of a Salesman", "Hamlet" or even "Don's Party" (gratuitus plug)? Go on, I dare ya.

Well admittedly not many plays are going to compete with Hamlet and Dons Party, (certainly Williamson himself is struggling in later years to compete with his own earlier product)

But...

does the habit of producing classics over new texts mean that we are not giving any writers a chance to develop their skills to the level when they can write plays which could one day be classics?


cheers

Dave Ryding

I suspect that you are simply being provocative with your unbelievable and uninformed drivel but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you're actually being serious.
You are clearly not and never have been involved in professional theatre and I suspect that your involvement with community theatre has been personally disappointing and unsatisfying, and not for the reasons you give.
I am a former professional actor and have been involved in community theatre as an actor for more than thirty years. Certainly, many community groups choose to do the "classics" and other tried and true works in preference to new works and sometimes they are done badly - but this is more a reflection on the production standards of the particular theatre than on the work itself. I'm sure that such groups would perform new works equally badly.
So-called classics can present formidable challenges to both actors and directors and, because their appeal is perennial, they are good box office which any responsible and well-run theatre must always have an eye to. Having said that, it is my experience that a number of community theatres do not shy away from presenting new and contemporary works but these need to be done sparingly and with sensitivity so as not to alienate their traditional audience base. Afterall, theatre, even that purporting to have a higher moral or social purpose, should be, above all, entertaining. There is no point in putting on plays where the audiences stay away in droves - I have been involved in such productions and I can tell you that, from an actor's point of view, there is nothing more demoralising.
Finally, unless your attitude changes, I believe that community and professional theatre would benefit enormously if you just stayed at home.

I have seen classics and modern productions on all types of stages. I've been disappointed with very few, as it is wonderful to see people in theatre. I still personally think that Equus (Dir G.Malcom. /Starring P Thompson. P/lovers - was a great piece of theatre and held in a community hall. I see classics in London and on Broadway on a regular basis and the only difference between them and this production was the space. It would be very arrogant to say that you keep away in fear of getting bored. Then I say - be bored. Stay away. If it wasn't for community theatre in Perth, there really wouldn't be any in Perth. Any you most certainly wouldn't be viewing your opinion on this excellent site. Keep up the great work Perth. Classics or New.

Regards

An old friend

Thank you for your very kind words "old friend". Equus is a fine example of a contemporary classic which many professional theatres, yet alone community theatres would hesitate to tackle because of the ferocious demands it makes on the director and the actors. We were very fortunate to be directed by Grant Malcolm who, in my opinion is one of the most intelligent and creative people on the Perth theatre scene and whose productions could never be described as boring or old hat.

I reckon "Cosi" by Louis Nowra is pretty darn good... Not sure if it was written in the 90's or late 80's though.

Cheers
Nath

Hi Peter

It's been far too long!

> one of the most intelligent and creative people on the Perth
> theatre scene and whose productions could never be described > as boring or old hat

Clearly absence makes the heart grow fonder or perhaps distance dims the vision. I have similarly fond memories of your own outstanding performance.

:-)

*cough cough*

*hack hack*

*ahem*

right! now that we've patted each other on the back...

Wonderful to hear from you! Now that you've found this place in cyberspace, i trust we might see a little more of you on our stages.

Cheers
Grant

Hi Dave

> does the habit of producing classics over new texts mean that > we are not giving any writers a chance to develop ...

Oi!

Now that wasn't directed at anyone in particular, was it?

;-)

*checks own CV*



ooops!

*ahem*

Well, yes, perhaps i need to practice what i preach to avoid the pitfalls of hypocrisy.

Thanks for the timely reminder, Dave. Have any new good scripts lying around?

Cheers
Grant

It wasn't directed at anyone in particular

But it is a shame that more new writers don't get a chance to benefit from your patient, enthusiastic and talented directing.

Theatre will never have such a thing as safe bet, production wise and i apprectiate a new writer is, in many ways the furthest thing froma safe bet but hey, tomorrows classics may be sitting in a study somewhere. In many ways community theatre is in a safer positiuon to put new scripts on than other companies.

Lets face it, if Shakespeare, Williamson or Arthur Millere were new writers in perth they certainly wouldn't be getting many shows on would they?

Soloution? I bought up this topic earlier and one person said great I'd love to see it happen and i'll help, but that was it and I'm sorry i don't have the time to champion this cause but I'll fight with others if the interest is there from the community theatre companies.

Talent does shine through but talent needs to be developed. if we don't encourage, nurture and support new writers of course we won't be able to say what great scripts have been written in the last ten years.

Quietly getting off soap box
(again)
David Ryding

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Pardon me for having an opinion - what was I thinking,at least it has generated some discussion.

(Be careful Mr Thompson & Mr Malcolm,you are talking to someone who knows you both)

> hahahahahahaha...

:-)

> Pardon me for having an opinion - what was I thinking, at least
> it has generated some discussion.

Your opinions are always welcome.

But then like talk, opinions are cheap.

What's tricky is trying to sway others to your point of view. Then hardest of all is having the courage to admit you've changed your own .

> (Be careful Mr Thompson & Mr Malcolm,you are talking to
> someone who knows you both)

Not that well, apparently.

;-)

Cheers
Grant

How intriguing! It worries me that someone of my acquaintance is capable of making such outlandish assertions. Why are you hiding behind a cloak of anonymity?You should be prepared to be either vindicated or vilified in your true identity. Yes, you certainly have generated some discussion but, more's the pity, you show no indication of having learned anything from it. Surely Grant's and my contribution have gone some way to bringing you to your senses?