The Pittsburgh Tatler: I’ve come to expect that a barebones production will involve, at some level, an investigation of masculinity. Barebones’ artistic director Patrick Jordan seems drawn to plays that feature hyper-masculine characters – a character type he clearly revels in playing – yet, to his great credit, his productions are uncannily adept at shining a light on the absurdity and toxicity of hyper-masculinity, even as they offer a sympathetic peek into the inner drives and external pressures that shape men’s behavior.
2 comments:
“Rule of Seconds” at Barebones Productions sounds like a well done production. While this article does write plenty on the playwright and the heavy masculinity within the show, it is directed by a female. “Rule of Seconds” seems like a well done satirical attacking the structures of male power. However, it makes me a little concerned that Barebones productions has a reputation of only doing a repertoire of work that involves addressing masculinity. This article appeared to have an exhausted tone, one that felt as though this play was just another among a mass of plays that address the male hierarchy. While I do believe it’s important to address male power, I think that giving females a voice as a playwright may be a more powerful tool as a production company. I agree with this article about it is time to change both the rulers and the rules. Females should write stories about female heroes, with gender neutral character that need help solving the mystery or the reverse. We are in a world where just attacking the systemic power of masculinity in our society is no longer enough.
I really enjoyed reading this review of Barbones Productions' "Rule of Seconds"! I think many of us, in this day and age, are much more apt to hear about a story like this-- one of hyper-masculinity and the white male thought-- and immediately brush it off an ancient and unimportant. This might be true in many cases, however this review make a great point, which is that if we really want to look at out own president as a huge part of the issues of sexism and oppression in our world (which he is!), then maybe we should start trying to understand his horrific mindset through art and theatrical productions. Maybe by looking at toxic masculinity through story telling, we might be more able to see and understand what has made the monstrous people that are to blame for the toxic society in which we live today. Overall, I think this would be an interesting production to see, and yay for women directors!
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