QUESTIONNING

by Brackets Digital

I went to see a play tonight. I’d heard that it was amazing. Everyone had already been or wanted to go. Other than that I didn’t know much about it except it was about a community dealing with something; a sensitive subject. I was liking it, getting into it, but half way through the first act I start getting a niggling feeling. I started to question.

Question whether I thought it was funny - should I laugh? Why were some of the audience laughing? Question if this was trivialising or undermining an actual occurrence and the real people involved with it? Was that right? Should I sit and watch that? Was this theatre? And, if so, the sort of theatre I wanted to go along with by watching it.  Where is the line between taste and show? When is that line crossed?

I did like what I was watching. The performances and writing were brilliant, talented and nuanced. But I also felt confused. Only during the interval once I’d had a chance to say out loud to a friend what I was thinking did I start to figure out some of my questions; that this was part of the process of watching this play. The interval gave me time to come to this conclusion (although, it may be one of those productions that didn’t need an interval…)

During the second half I realised I was a watching a bit of genius. Subtle, infiltrating, powerful and emotive - and balanced. Throughout this play my mind and emotions were alive. I felt challenged and inspired. This is what I want to see at Park. I’m glad we need to go and see so much work so that we see what is out there and what is so good that it must find a home at Park.

Invite us to your show and make us ask all the right questions.

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