Nudity - the actor's POV
Mon, 28 Aug 2000, 07:55 pmWalter Plinge37 posts in thread
Nudity - the actor's POV
Mon, 28 Aug 2000, 07:55 pmPurely as a hypothetical question (at this stage, anyway): how do the actors out there in community theatre feel about nudity?
Would you do it? If so, under what circumstances? If not, please give reasons.
I'm talking serious nudity here; not "underwear nudity", but actual nudity: full frontal, topless, etc.
Would it be unreasonable of a director to ask a large portion (if not all) of their cast to appear fully nude, for instance in plays like "Hair", or "Steaming"?
And would be unreasonable of a director to apply for a season with a local group with a play or production that will require nudity to work effectively? Could he/she find a cast?
I open the topic for discussion....
D.M.
Would you do it? If so, under what circumstances? If not, please give reasons.
I'm talking serious nudity here; not "underwear nudity", but actual nudity: full frontal, topless, etc.
Would it be unreasonable of a director to ask a large portion (if not all) of their cast to appear fully nude, for instance in plays like "Hair", or "Steaming"?
And would be unreasonable of a director to apply for a season with a local group with a play or production that will require nudity to work effectively? Could he/she find a cast?
I open the topic for discussion....
D.M.
RE: Nudity - the actor's POV
Sat, 2 Sept 2000, 11:58 amOkay. Now we detour into assessing one anothers command of the english language and other linguistic matters. I'm pretty sure I've made a few mistakes along these lines already in this post and for that...I'm deeply, deeply sorry. Please forgive me.
Just before I make any real point here, I'd just like to share a little trip down memory lane with you all. It was when I made a rare appearence at a university tutorial and the discussion was on the issue of feminism in theatre (as you could often expect at Murdoch University). How funny it seemed to me at the time that this particular female student was debating such a topic with a male student. I always thought women had an insiders understanding on the issues pertaining to being, well, a woman. On that subject, that's just a brief anecdote that came to me on reading some of this stuff. Anyways.
Nudity. Millions more people come to see these shows for the artistic merit and to be challenged by whatever point is trying to made by the exhibition of some naked ass. Oh, and sex does sell, which helps alot. I'm not saying nudity or the like isn't valid. It's just a sad fact that the nudity often draws more focus than the many other elements that go into a good show. And if the show isn't of high quality (good script, exceptional acting, fine direction, staging, whatever) then nudity or any other sort of sexual cavorting can smack a little of exploitation. And as some of the learned collegues amongst us freely admit, they like bit of a perv. I know if I was on stage and Dean Schulze was sitting in the dark, thinking lurid thoughts about me and what he'd like to do to my bits if he got his grubby old hands on them, sure, I'd feel a little uncomfortable too.
Like many things, it's up to the individual. It would take a great role and half a bottle of scotch to get me naked up on stage, but that's just me. It's valid if done well and for the right reasons, but like Malcolm said, it's generally regarded as taboo and just because it's in the auspices of art, doesn't make it any easier to perform or for an audience to accept comfortably and maturly.
Not that I'm saying it should never be tried.
Now, on the count of three, you will wake up. 1...2..
Just before I make any real point here, I'd just like to share a little trip down memory lane with you all. It was when I made a rare appearence at a university tutorial and the discussion was on the issue of feminism in theatre (as you could often expect at Murdoch University). How funny it seemed to me at the time that this particular female student was debating such a topic with a male student. I always thought women had an insiders understanding on the issues pertaining to being, well, a woman. On that subject, that's just a brief anecdote that came to me on reading some of this stuff. Anyways.
Nudity. Millions more people come to see these shows for the artistic merit and to be challenged by whatever point is trying to made by the exhibition of some naked ass. Oh, and sex does sell, which helps alot. I'm not saying nudity or the like isn't valid. It's just a sad fact that the nudity often draws more focus than the many other elements that go into a good show. And if the show isn't of high quality (good script, exceptional acting, fine direction, staging, whatever) then nudity or any other sort of sexual cavorting can smack a little of exploitation. And as some of the learned collegues amongst us freely admit, they like bit of a perv. I know if I was on stage and Dean Schulze was sitting in the dark, thinking lurid thoughts about me and what he'd like to do to my bits if he got his grubby old hands on them, sure, I'd feel a little uncomfortable too.
Like many things, it's up to the individual. It would take a great role and half a bottle of scotch to get me naked up on stage, but that's just me. It's valid if done well and for the right reasons, but like Malcolm said, it's generally regarded as taboo and just because it's in the auspices of art, doesn't make it any easier to perform or for an audience to accept comfortably and maturly.
Not that I'm saying it should never be tried.
Now, on the count of three, you will wake up. 1...2..
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