tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11074051.post115176159790362851..comments2024-02-16T06:28:45.313+00:00Comments on New Art: Interview with Tim Etchells from Forced Entertainmentvvoihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13588354953361323938noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11074051.post-65313974386787635772008-03-03T21:35:00.000+00:002008-03-03T21:35:00.000+00:00No wrong answers doesn't mean no exchange. To me, ...No wrong answers doesn't mean no exchange. To me, no wrong answers means freedom of both personal expression and interpretation, releaved from social and cultural judgements. No wrong answers is the beauty of art.<BR/><BR/>Although having just written this I completely agree that critical engagement with a piece of work is when exchange best takes place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11074051.post-1231492480180762452007-11-11T17:33:00.000+00:002007-11-11T17:33:00.000+00:00Rachael, it's great that FE's "gets" to you, becau...Rachael, it's great that FE's "gets" to you, because then it really might be a secondary issue if it makes you happy, angry or just plain confused. However, notice I am never asking for an "entertaining" show, or even one that is "impressive". But that in itself does not mean anything is fine. Overcoming some criteria (concerning value and the aesthetic) does not mean ignoring all of them, but always (!)- finding new ones. That is also what happened in the case of FE, although we might argue about what the criteria are (which is the way it always works anyway). The problem is - if one of these criteria is an element of surprise, or shock, or innovation, or confusion, or the "weird" effect, as T.E. put it, feeling this fail (- of course this is subjective -) in a performance will be disappointing. Of course, one can always say disappointment is part of the game and is not a worry. But, in my view, that would be fleeing the question. Better to assume that a show can be a 'flop', shit happens if you try things out. And sometimes, you might think you are trying things out, when you really aren't. In my view, to consider it all great just because we say we don't need the audience to be with us, means creating a situation with no wrong answers, and no exchange possible - as everything is right anyway.vvoihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13588354953361323938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11074051.post-13460774618538871512007-11-10T23:37:00.000+00:002007-11-10T23:37:00.000+00:00I'm studying theatre studies, and was fortunate en...I'm studying theatre studies, and was fortunate enough to work with Tim Etchells last year. Before working with him, i had watched lots of Forced Ent's performances, and had often cringed away from them, worrying i was either a very shallow audience member, or just plain stupid - because i found some such hard going, i couldn't understand them, and therefore disliked them. (First Night was a good example of this). But who is to say that a 'good' piece of theatre that isn't destined to 'flop' has to be something we sit infront of and laugh at, or cry with - or leave the theatre thinking "wow - i have a new appreciation for life!"?! I said to Tim that i found First Night excruciating at times, and he smiled and said "good!". We don't have to agree that a performance or audience reaction has to be good for it to be a successful performance. I'm sure Forced Ent realise that the audience don't leave the theatre with the same feeling they might after seeing Cats or something - but to me, this is the point. Their work matters because it gets to me - right there in that live moment - i'm feeling and seeing something extraordinary.<BR/>And i think that's pretty fantastic.<BR/>...rant over! lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11074051.post-54236564498008428782006-10-20T20:32:00.000+01:002006-10-20T20:32:00.000+01:00I would never consider anyone stupid because he li...I would never consider anyone stupid because he liked something I didn't, especially if it's a FE performance!<br />I understand the points you're making. The problem for me might be that I am pretty fed up with irony and with proving that something is silly - by being silly. It's good for a gag, not a show. As a show for me it simply is exhausting and pointless. Also, a lot of the stuff they do there is repeating old tricks - and that just doesn't do it for me. But hey, whatever makes you tick!vvoihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13588354953361323938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11074051.post-82894307335758378772006-10-20T11:50:00.000+01:002006-10-20T11:50:00.000+01:00I have recently been to see The world In Pictures ...I have recently been to see The world In Pictures and find it hard to see some of the points about the shows failure. Maybe because I'm young and stupid i found it really quite enjoyable to watch-its only 'failing' is the fact that it was ment to fail. It was ment to become boring and silly-the audience's initial shock of seeing a naked caveman shake himself at the front row slowly but surely wearin off into total bemusement is naturally enyertaining. Its 'boring' end seemed more like a point being made-about how recent history either seems to go so quickly and be so forgettable in time or maybe its not worth being concentrated on so much as older history? But that was just a tiny idea that came backspringing into my head as a character whispered slightly geeky facts so the narrotor could appear a bit informed to the audience. I liked Jerry Killick's 1st monologue (I felt both the opening and ending monologues successful because they seemed scripted- a bit like a drama student reading nervously off a scruffy piece of paper when he is having an audition )and the last was more of a distant rambling because my mind was busy with thinkin about naked caveman, but more importantly, would i be remembered after such a long time. For someone young and stupid these sorts of thoughts are really quite meaningful!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11074051.post-1151875950478580832006-07-02T22:32:00.000+01:002006-07-02T22:32:00.000+01:00Since I found pedro's comment interesting, here is...Since I found pedro's comment interesting, here is a rouch translation:<BR/>"Hi Vvoi, I couldn't disagree any more in regards to your appreciation of The World in Pictures.<BR/>The questions you point to as flaws are to me the show's greatest qualities, which is even contextualized in the interview with T.E.: the "dubious" idea of presenting the histor of the world as a narrative line and the "timid" and "not controversial enough" interpretation as a way of creating unconfortable spaces. As for Jerry Killick's monologues, they are to me the least successful moments because of a too imposed and calculated interpretation. So I really couldn't disagree more.<BR/>As for the flop, I agree with you, but I think it was always on the side of the audience. Nothing new: it's a much more common process than the audience thinks."<BR/><BR/>Oh, boy, do we have things to discuss here. I'll try and write a some separate post about it.vvoihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13588354953361323938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11074051.post-1151856897718186322006-07-02T17:14:00.000+01:002006-07-02T17:14:00.000+01:00Olá Vvoi, não poderia discordar de forma mais opos...Olá Vvoi, não poderia discordar de forma mais oposta da tua apreciação do espectáculo The World in Pictures e por isso estou a comentar. <BR/>As questões que apontas como defeitos são para mim as maiores qualidades do espectáculo, como fica até contextualizado na entrevista ao Tim Etchells: a ideia "dúbia" de apresentar a história do mundo como linha narrativa e a interpretação "tímida" e pouco "controversa" como forma de criar espaços desconfortáveis. Já os monólogos de Jerry Killick, são para mim os momentos menos conseguidos por culpa de uma interpretação demasiadamente impositiva e calculista. Não podia discordar mais portanto.<BR/>Já em relação ao flop concordo contigo, mas acho que esteve sempre no lado da plateia. Nada de novo: é procedimento bastante mais comum do que a plateia pensa.Pedro Zegre Penimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02183043546030630606noreply@blogger.com