O’Bloggert, my friend, today I am adding lovey dovey to my new hippy dipster profile. Have no fear, I won’t be showering in patchouli or living on a commune anytime soon but in my state of bliss I would like to explore a new realm, one that you don’t need 3D glasses to get to. I am taking about the world of “not theatre”. You know that world that contains everything else that doesn’t happen on a stage. As Artists, we tend to create work about that world but seem to spend very little non-research related time absorbed in it. Like when people go to the museum to take pictures of the art but not spend much time actually enjoying it with their own eyes. Everyone wants to record their surrounding but not immerse themselves in the experience.
My favourite thing to do as of late, whilst among my peers in some theatrical situation, is to answer the following question “So what are you working on?” with “Not a bloody thing” and watch how the person is left confused with nothing to say and so they quickly find an excuse to wander elsewhere. Truth be told, I am usually working on something but I just find talking about somewhat tedious. And really who cares. We must have other things to discuss about the millions of other things in “not theatre” world.
Didn’t someone once say something about a world and an oyster?! Or something about roses and sniffing?
Your mission for this week is to work on “not a bloody thing” but to go out and get a colouring book and colour outside the lines with the wrong crayon until the panic of “not working” subsides and you realize that “not theatre” can be really bloody fun and necessary sometimes.
Namaste