THE MEN
Sun, 24 Aug 2003, 10:16 pmWalter Plinge5 posts in thread
THE MEN
Sun, 24 Aug 2003, 10:16 pmI saw this show at the SunMoon Function Room Scarborough last Friday night. I was deeply moved.
This is a somewhat static play - hardly any dialogue either - more a series of interconnected monologues really. Not vagina monologues though.
Chris Dickins' (any relation to Barry?) clever and colourful script came vividly to life under the direction of the multi-talented Grant Malcolm and through the artistry of four ordinary Aussie blokes. For this particular venue, the light and sound was very adequate and the costumes, while putting one in mind of the Wiggles gone pastel, were fabulous.
I defy any of you who call youselves baby-boomers to see this play and NOT identify with at least half a dozen of the images portrayed in it. As to relevance to our everyday lives, it is a 'must-see' for any man between the ages of 35 and 65, anyone who loves or hates such a man or anyone who likes plays where you can laugh and cry, sometimes both at once.
I understand this MensWork/Drinking Lizard production can be seen at various venues around town beginning Sunday 31 August as part of Men's Health Week. No doubt it will be heavily plugged elsewhere on this site. Well done, Grant, stage and house hands and MEN.
Thou dissembling common-kissing dewberry!
This is a somewhat static play - hardly any dialogue either - more a series of interconnected monologues really. Not vagina monologues though.
Chris Dickins' (any relation to Barry?) clever and colourful script came vividly to life under the direction of the multi-talented Grant Malcolm and through the artistry of four ordinary Aussie blokes. For this particular venue, the light and sound was very adequate and the costumes, while putting one in mind of the Wiggles gone pastel, were fabulous.
I defy any of you who call youselves baby-boomers to see this play and NOT identify with at least half a dozen of the images portrayed in it. As to relevance to our everyday lives, it is a 'must-see' for any man between the ages of 35 and 65, anyone who loves or hates such a man or anyone who likes plays where you can laugh and cry, sometimes both at once.
I understand this MensWork/Drinking Lizard production can be seen at various venues around town beginning Sunday 31 August as part of Men's Health Week. No doubt it will be heavily plugged elsewhere on this site. Well done, Grant, stage and house hands and MEN.
Thou dissembling common-kissing dewberry!
Walter PlingeSun, 24 Aug 2003, 10:16 pm
I saw this show at the SunMoon Function Room Scarborough last Friday night. I was deeply moved.
This is a somewhat static play - hardly any dialogue either - more a series of interconnected monologues really. Not vagina monologues though.
Chris Dickins' (any relation to Barry?) clever and colourful script came vividly to life under the direction of the multi-talented Grant Malcolm and through the artistry of four ordinary Aussie blokes. For this particular venue, the light and sound was very adequate and the costumes, while putting one in mind of the Wiggles gone pastel, were fabulous.
I defy any of you who call youselves baby-boomers to see this play and NOT identify with at least half a dozen of the images portrayed in it. As to relevance to our everyday lives, it is a 'must-see' for any man between the ages of 35 and 65, anyone who loves or hates such a man or anyone who likes plays where you can laugh and cry, sometimes both at once.
I understand this MensWork/Drinking Lizard production can be seen at various venues around town beginning Sunday 31 August as part of Men's Health Week. No doubt it will be heavily plugged elsewhere on this site. Well done, Grant, stage and house hands and MEN.
Thou dissembling common-kissing dewberry!
This is a somewhat static play - hardly any dialogue either - more a series of interconnected monologues really. Not vagina monologues though.
Chris Dickins' (any relation to Barry?) clever and colourful script came vividly to life under the direction of the multi-talented Grant Malcolm and through the artistry of four ordinary Aussie blokes. For this particular venue, the light and sound was very adequate and the costumes, while putting one in mind of the Wiggles gone pastel, were fabulous.
I defy any of you who call youselves baby-boomers to see this play and NOT identify with at least half a dozen of the images portrayed in it. As to relevance to our everyday lives, it is a 'must-see' for any man between the ages of 35 and 65, anyone who loves or hates such a man or anyone who likes plays where you can laugh and cry, sometimes both at once.
I understand this MensWork/Drinking Lizard production can be seen at various venues around town beginning Sunday 31 August as part of Men's Health Week. No doubt it will be heavily plugged elsewhere on this site. Well done, Grant, stage and house hands and MEN.
Thou dissembling common-kissing dewberry!
BarbZMon, 25 Aug 2003, 03:53 pm
Re: THE MEN
Thanks Stinger .....
Yes .. you can see THE MEN on:
Preview:
FRIDAY 29 August at Sun Moon Resort, 200 Scarborough Beach Rd, Scarborough
Opening Night:
SUNDAY 31 August at Irish Club, 61 Townshend Rd, Subiaco
Then:
TUESDAY 2 Sept at Rockingham Theatre, Atttwood Way, Rockingham
WEDNESDAY 3 Sept at Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre, Canning/Recreation Rds, Kalamunda
FRIDAY 5 Sept at Princess May Theatre, Cantonment/Parry Sts, Fremantle
SATURDAY 6 Sept at Sun Moon Resort, 200 Scarborough Beach rd, Scarborough
Time at all venues is 8pm.
Prices: waged $12 unwaged $10
Bookings:
Phone 08 9379 3531
email
See this week's listings for more details.
BarbZ
Yes .. you can see THE MEN on:
Preview:
FRIDAY 29 August at Sun Moon Resort, 200 Scarborough Beach Rd, Scarborough
Opening Night:
SUNDAY 31 August at Irish Club, 61 Townshend Rd, Subiaco
Then:
TUESDAY 2 Sept at Rockingham Theatre, Atttwood Way, Rockingham
WEDNESDAY 3 Sept at Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre, Canning/Recreation Rds, Kalamunda
FRIDAY 5 Sept at Princess May Theatre, Cantonment/Parry Sts, Fremantle
SATURDAY 6 Sept at Sun Moon Resort, 200 Scarborough Beach rd, Scarborough
Time at all venues is 8pm.
Prices: waged $12 unwaged $10
Bookings:
Phone 08 9379 3531
See this week's listings for more details.
BarbZ
Walter PlingeWed, 3 Sept 2003, 04:44 pm
Re: THE MEN
A revelation!!
Such a gutsy, bittersweet, confronting portrayal of where many
of our men are today... possibly a father, brother, son. A
penetrating, realistic look at father/son relationships, peer
pressure, mateship and the expectations of men from themselves and from society AND the living up to them. The end result performed convincingly by the 4 actors.
I encourage everyone to be a witness. Hope it will open the doors to
discussion and awareness of mens isssues, and better relationships between the "blokes". What I take home with me is the thought that these men were once boys...just like my son.
Such a gutsy, bittersweet, confronting portrayal of where many
of our men are today... possibly a father, brother, son. A
penetrating, realistic look at father/son relationships, peer
pressure, mateship and the expectations of men from themselves and from society AND the living up to them. The end result performed convincingly by the 4 actors.
I encourage everyone to be a witness. Hope it will open the doors to
discussion and awareness of mens isssues, and better relationships between the "blokes". What I take home with me is the thought that these men were once boys...just like my son.
Walter PlingeThu, 4 Sept 2003, 11:43 pm
Re: THE MEN
Saw The Men on Tuesday 2nd September at Rockingham. By turns amusing, poignant, thought-provoking and even, occasionally embarrassing, The Men is above all enlightening and revealing. I found myself nodding in recognition - my father, my brother, my ex-husband, my ex father-in-law - I could identify them all. I do think it is a very generational thing though. My 20-something daughter didn't find the evening's entertainment very 'entertaining'! The four actors did a fine job in spite of one being afflicated with 'flu and another extremely hoarse due to a laryngeal complaint.
At the conclusion of the play the audience is invited to join in discussion of any issues brought up by the subject. I personally thought it an inappropriate venue. When purchasing tickets a leaflet listing appropriate contacts is given to theatre-goers. Booklets with information on The Menswork Project are also available. If anyone wishes to express views or talk about personal issues I don't think the foyer of the theatre is the appropriate place.
That said, do try and see The Men. It is guaranteed to make you think.....
At the conclusion of the play the audience is invited to join in discussion of any issues brought up by the subject. I personally thought it an inappropriate venue. When purchasing tickets a leaflet listing appropriate contacts is given to theatre-goers. Booklets with information on The Menswork Project are also available. If anyone wishes to express views or talk about personal issues I don't think the foyer of the theatre is the appropriate place.
That said, do try and see The Men. It is guaranteed to make you think.....
Walter PlingeFri, 5 Sept 2003, 09:45 am
Re: THE MEN
"The Men" was totally engaging. I'd like to have pasted excerpts alongside "Fight Club"; stories of men's emotional realities. Exploration of men's emotion in the context of incredible pressure on the current generation of men in their fifties (my father's generation), who are unflinchingly cut from the pay roll and expected to get over their lifetime of identification through work.
What happens to the next generation of our men? - I found myself asking. As gender roles are increasingly blurred and manhood is being discussed more and more, can we expect the next generation of men to be spared of the stigma attached to retirement age redundancies? I suggest that things have changed, though perhaps other issues arise in the process. We must keep our hearts open to men's issues, is what "The Men" say. We must pay tribute to the generation of men in their fifties who are presently bearing the weight of a society that only yesterday gave little consideration to men's issues.
"The Men" is playfully humanised by reminiscences from the bar stool; scar show-and-tells, anecdotal retellings of thrill seeking; and talk of the scrotum dropping - there's always room for a laugh. We relate to the men intimately as they reflect upon self and one's past, relationships with others, body change, identification through work, the search for meaning and purpose at a stage in the life-cycle that is punctuated by "efficiency"-rationale. The Menswork Project Inc. & Drinking Lizard interpretation emerges at a time when Perth's theatre goers are presented with a number of confronting performances. I am inspired to get out there and experience the emotion. Great stuff!
What happens to the next generation of our men? - I found myself asking. As gender roles are increasingly blurred and manhood is being discussed more and more, can we expect the next generation of men to be spared of the stigma attached to retirement age redundancies? I suggest that things have changed, though perhaps other issues arise in the process. We must keep our hearts open to men's issues, is what "The Men" say. We must pay tribute to the generation of men in their fifties who are presently bearing the weight of a society that only yesterday gave little consideration to men's issues.
"The Men" is playfully humanised by reminiscences from the bar stool; scar show-and-tells, anecdotal retellings of thrill seeking; and talk of the scrotum dropping - there's always room for a laugh. We relate to the men intimately as they reflect upon self and one's past, relationships with others, body change, identification through work, the search for meaning and purpose at a stage in the life-cycle that is punctuated by "efficiency"-rationale. The Menswork Project Inc. & Drinking Lizard interpretation emerges at a time when Perth's theatre goers are presented with a number of confronting performances. I am inspired to get out there and experience the emotion. Great stuff!