A response to the Editorial, ITA Link
Sun, 14 Nov 1999, 04:49 pmWalter Plinge19 posts in thread
A response to the Editorial, ITA Link
Sun, 14 Nov 1999, 04:49 pmHaving just perused the Link, I have been moved to make a few comments on
some topics raised in David's editorial.
Firstly, let me clear up a slight misapprehension that a number of people
have about "Riders to the Sea". The very intense twenty minutes that we
performed at the festival was NOT an excerpt. That's the play, just that
twenty minutes and no more! That was the script that Synge wrote, that was
the script that I got hold of, that was the script that Ralph
Vaughan-Williams set to music (in about twenty years I may have the guts to
do the opera at Dramafest). The fact that such a short piece can gain its
reputation as one of the seminal classics of Irish Theatre is a testament
to the genius of Synge.
That aside, let me add my weight to David's cry to encourage more of the
classics. David and I may be part of a biased and exclusive club. I can't
remember any other time a 'classic' has won either the Finley or the
Dorothy Barber. An understanding, or at least appreciation, of the past is
vital to any art form. How can we be expected to create new and vibrant
work if we cannot learn from the successes, and failures, of the past. It
may perhaps just be a side effect of living in a society that has no
history.
In fact, I may go even one step further than David, not only would I like
to see a few more of the 'classics', I would heartily welcome more of the
'foreign' classics. Apart from the odd Moliere or even Chekhov's 'The
Bear', when was the last time anyone in Perth did one of the European
'classics'?
What is it about the Perth scene that we are so damned Anglocentric?
Why will no one even try something in translation?
As far as I can see, the Perth Amateur repertoire consists entirely of
plays written:
a, in the last fifty years,
b. in the English language,
c. by authors who are either English, American or Australian.
The very occassional Shakespeare and Moliere are exceptions that tend to
prove the rule.
Why us this so?
This is my challenge to everyone out there who reads this, tell me, why is
it so?
Paul Treasure
some topics raised in David's editorial.
Firstly, let me clear up a slight misapprehension that a number of people
have about "Riders to the Sea". The very intense twenty minutes that we
performed at the festival was NOT an excerpt. That's the play, just that
twenty minutes and no more! That was the script that Synge wrote, that was
the script that I got hold of, that was the script that Ralph
Vaughan-Williams set to music (in about twenty years I may have the guts to
do the opera at Dramafest). The fact that such a short piece can gain its
reputation as one of the seminal classics of Irish Theatre is a testament
to the genius of Synge.
That aside, let me add my weight to David's cry to encourage more of the
classics. David and I may be part of a biased and exclusive club. I can't
remember any other time a 'classic' has won either the Finley or the
Dorothy Barber. An understanding, or at least appreciation, of the past is
vital to any art form. How can we be expected to create new and vibrant
work if we cannot learn from the successes, and failures, of the past. It
may perhaps just be a side effect of living in a society that has no
history.
In fact, I may go even one step further than David, not only would I like
to see a few more of the 'classics', I would heartily welcome more of the
'foreign' classics. Apart from the odd Moliere or even Chekhov's 'The
Bear', when was the last time anyone in Perth did one of the European
'classics'?
What is it about the Perth scene that we are so damned Anglocentric?
Why will no one even try something in translation?
As far as I can see, the Perth Amateur repertoire consists entirely of
plays written:
a, in the last fifty years,
b. in the English language,
c. by authors who are either English, American or Australian.
The very occassional Shakespeare and Moliere are exceptions that tend to
prove the rule.
Why us this so?
This is my challenge to everyone out there who reads this, tell me, why is
it so?
Paul Treasure
More Responses
Tue, 16 Nov 1999, 12:06 pmWalter Plinge
Josephine,
It's obvious that you don't agree with my analysis of the Perth Theatre
Scene,
either that or we are working at cross purposes.
ONE production of Ibsen about five years ago!
ONE production of 'A Woman of No Importance' last year!
ONE production of 'Salome' at the BLUE ROOM!
THAT'S MY POINT EXACTLY!
I will admit, I made a big generalisation in my analysis, and there are
exceptions...
BUT I think you will find that most of those exceptions involve a small
handful of directors who have the literacy, the tenacity, the vision, or
maybe just the stubbornness (I think it may actually just be the latter) to
do plays outside the Anglocentric POV that I'm talking about.
It would be interesting to do a proper analysis of the Perth Amateur
Repertoire, and if I had net access (instead of just email) I would.
It would be interesting to do a proper analysis of the Perth Amateur
Repertoire, and if I had net access (instead of just email) I would.
But my contention is that if you extract as few as five directors from the
equation, you would end up with practically no exceptions.
And that small handful covers a very broad cross section of styles as well.
I'm not griping at the theatres. I've directed plays in translation at four
theatres now: Marloo, Roleystone, Garrick and Marloo. All four of them
were happy to do the plays that I submitted.
My gripe is with my fellow directors...
I think Ailsa Travers has done plays in translation at Stirling,
Then there's Grant Malcolm, Jason Seperic, David Crewes, Phil Harris,
Trevor Darge...
And suddenly my brain runs dry!
And most of these people have done, what, maybe 1 foreign play?
AND THIS IS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS!
I think I must have the highest foreign content ratio, 40% of the plays
I've directed have been 'foreign'.
Where are the rest of you?
If I make this my crusade for the two months I've got off before I start
'Salome', should I just, for simplicity sake, concentrate on the last Five
years, or the last Ten years?
Expect the results early next year people...
Paul "About to Storm Byzantium" Treasure
It's obvious that you don't agree with my analysis of the Perth Theatre
Scene,
either that or we are working at cross purposes.
ONE production of Ibsen about five years ago!
ONE production of 'A Woman of No Importance' last year!
ONE production of 'Salome' at the BLUE ROOM!
THAT'S MY POINT EXACTLY!
I will admit, I made a big generalisation in my analysis, and there are
exceptions...
BUT I think you will find that most of those exceptions involve a small
handful of directors who have the literacy, the tenacity, the vision, or
maybe just the stubbornness (I think it may actually just be the latter) to
do plays outside the Anglocentric POV that I'm talking about.
It would be interesting to do a proper analysis of the Perth Amateur
Repertoire, and if I had net access (instead of just email) I would.
It would be interesting to do a proper analysis of the Perth Amateur
Repertoire, and if I had net access (instead of just email) I would.
But my contention is that if you extract as few as five directors from the
equation, you would end up with practically no exceptions.
And that small handful covers a very broad cross section of styles as well.
I'm not griping at the theatres. I've directed plays in translation at four
theatres now: Marloo, Roleystone, Garrick and Marloo. All four of them
were happy to do the plays that I submitted.
My gripe is with my fellow directors...
I think Ailsa Travers has done plays in translation at Stirling,
Then there's Grant Malcolm, Jason Seperic, David Crewes, Phil Harris,
Trevor Darge...
And suddenly my brain runs dry!
And most of these people have done, what, maybe 1 foreign play?
AND THIS IS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS!
I think I must have the highest foreign content ratio, 40% of the plays
I've directed have been 'foreign'.
Where are the rest of you?
If I make this my crusade for the two months I've got off before I start
'Salome', should I just, for simplicity sake, concentrate on the last Five
years, or the last Ten years?
Expect the results early next year people...
Paul "About to Storm Byzantium" Treasure
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