The New York Times: Christopher Green has been a fixture on the fringier edges of British theater for more than two decades. His solo characters have included a rapping pensioner, a blowzy country singer and a theory-spouting academic. He has also created big participatory spectacles like “The Frozen Scream,” a “haunted” murder mystery that takes the audience backstage, and “Office Party,” a decidedly not-safe-for-work bacchanal that veers from bad managerial speeches to embarrassing dancing and beyond.
5 comments:
This article ends on a very sobering and interesting note, the show can end up being really dark or rather funny. I'm actually very intrigued by this entire idea because I think people never really talk about parts of their life that happens behind closed doors. It's evident that there are people in the world that sometimes go down the rabbit hole in terms of porn addiction, and a play about that could make for a very interesting catharsis and conversation after the show. I do think that the immersion aspect could go awry in the fact that a lot of people just don't want to talk about those things in front of random strangers - definitely not a show you want to see on a first date, or maybe you do - depended on the type of couple watching it. I personally believe that stories like that should be told in an even more controlled and scripted environment, but I guess something that simple wouldn't be in the news, I appreciate the risk taking.
An interesting show is talked about in this article. More specifically the person who created the show. Often theatre is simply telling a story and putting on a production but in another light; theatre is doing something new, political, or outlandish. The goal in these is generally to affect people in that shows desired way. The show talked about here is one that challenges people’s perceptions and acceptances within society. It also helps people in the same time. What is being done by this person through their shows is quite unique and something I find to be good for theatre. The best show in my opinion that I have seen has also been new. It made the audience participate in ways I haven’t seen been done before and it lead to some remarkable things, these feelings and other welling experiences this show gave me is something that the show in this article seemingly tends to be doing. It allows and encourages the audience to participate and at the same time it is challenging the audience’s perceptions and allowing them to work things out to emotionally and mentally become more stable. I think it’s a great idea and that there should be more theatre like this.
I love the idea that this show puts the audience into a wholly immersive, yet slightly uncomfortable position. To me, some of the best and most important pieces of theater challenge the audience-- and to do this, in many cases you have to make them feel uncomfortable. It’s awkward and often strange to be forced to look at the innermost parts of yourself that you don’t always come to terms with, and as the article stated they can be funny and they can be dark as well. I think theatre like this is necessary in this political climate, where it feels as though we are stuck between “a time of sexual enlightenment or moral panic” as Mr. Green puts it. In light of the #MeToo movement we cannot be quiet about things like sexual abuse, pornography, or power dynamics simply because they are uncomfortable or “improper” to talk about. We need more art like this that forces us to look deeply within ourselves and confront the things that we’re most afraid of in order to create change.
I really enjoy this concept. Not only is it an example of using theater in order to create an experience that involves the audience and may make them a little uncomfortable, rather than a relaxed experience like in a fun Broadway musical, but this topic is something I feel like not a lot of people think about day to day. The concept of making 'entertaining immersive theater' is also fascinating, taking the idea of immersive theater that is usually serious or gritty but rarely, if ever, entertaining or funny, and bringing it into a lighter (but still immersive and experimental) mood and experience. The topic is something uncomfortable, but I agree that it's something we should talk about, if only for our own selves to figure out what we think on the issue. So many people don't necessarily have a strong opinion, but this show would definitely help to test that. I love theater that helps you investigate and solidify your own viewpoints, and I think this does that incredibly well.
I believe that theatre, especially interactive theatre, is a perfect place to explore the phenomena of porn and sex addiction. Sex rules just about everything we consume. I take more of a stance similar to Roughan because I believe that everything we see has an effect on how we view and perceive other people and the world around us, especially things we may view repeatedly or consume frequently. I think we, as human beings, should address this phenomena in a more open way. Interactive theatre is a way to begin to ease people into doing that. This subject is obviously taboo, but through safe and experimental places, people may begin to open up about their sexuality and how what they view has affected their daily lives. Yes, some people will clam up when addressed with this subject of conversation, but I think the discomfort will be worth the potential for discovery, both about the individual and about society.
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