bored and more
I've finally got bored with working and doing very little else besides and decided to go back to college. Whether full or (more likely) part time, I want to do an MA in creative writing, preferably focussing on poetry, and preferably here in Manchester. I'll keep you posted as my application progresses. The plan ultimately is to get the MA and then go for the PhD, but that's definitely for the future. I don't want to get your hopes up, but it's possible if I have access to Uni equipment that I might even be able to blog more frequently.
To be honest it was going that way anyhow, I'm currently sending out 18 poems to 6 publishers, and 9 essays to 3 publishers every four weeks, plus hawking my scripts around theatres and production companies, in yet another attempt to get the damn stuff published. I'm also about to start hitting the open mic/performance nights again. Now if only I could get my social phobia sorted... Anyway, I'll also let you know when anything gets published/produced, and where you can enjoy these delights. I wouldn't hold your breath though, it could be a while.
At the weekend I took my mother, one of my sisters, and her boyfriend to Talking to Terrorists for its last showing at the Liverpool Everyman. I was very impressed, though I'd have to admit I haven't seen much verbatim/documentary theatre, so I don't have much to compare it with. But it was well structured and brilliantly performed, and it's on at the Royal Court in London from 30 June to 30 July 2005, so get a ticket if you can.
It starts counter-intuitively with some involved and abstract thinking about how terrorism happens, what drives people to become involved, and what the psychological effects are, as well as starting to interweave the experiences of terrorists, those who deal with terrorism, and those affected by terrorist activities.
I'm very tempted to use quotation marks around terrorism, but I've chosen not to, because the whole question of what terrorism is, is not really dealt with in the play. I presume because the subject is well covered elsewhere (see various books, essays and speeches by Noam Chomsky for instance), and possibly rather too abstract. As the play was composed from testimony gleaned from the cast, the author, and director talking with a range of people, it may also be that the question never arose.
Now I said it starts counter-intuitively, but as the play progresses it becomes apparent that putting the more abstract thinking upfront serves a double purpose. It gives you a framework against which you can understand some of the testimony and the structure of the play, and it means that the various narrative threads in the testimonies can be developed and concluded throughout the play without having to suddenly stop things partway through or at the end with a heavy chunk of theoretical exposition.
Some of the stories will be familiar, but if you can stop yourself getting distracted into trying to identify who the people are (and some are completely unknown), then there's a lot of fascinating information. And that's one of the impressive things about the performances, the actors are having to play at least three parts each, each with a different accent, and most with at least one very substantial speech.
Ultimately the play seems to argue that the only productive way of tackling terrorism and insurgencies is to talk with the terrorists. From my completely detached perspective (in that I have no experience of terrorism) I'd say that seems to be right, both from a human point of view, and in the light of past experience. That said, it does offer alternate opinions, and doesn't dogmatically hector you into accepting one perspective. Do go along and make up your own mind.
Alternately, when the script hits the shops (it may already be there), get hold of that. The script and programme was on sale at the performance for just £2.50, though it's priced at £8.99 for general retail, and it's available through Oberon Modern Plays [not Orion Books as I erroneously stated originally - can't be bothered with the research, you see]. Clearly it's not the definitive word on terrorism, or even on the conflicts and individuals featured in the play, but it's a very valuable and interesting contribution. As a book, though, it's a pretty expensive contribution, so if you're poor and can't get to a performance then you'll just have to watch Amazon for it to become available.
Now fuck off and get out in the sun while it's still there.
To be honest it was going that way anyhow, I'm currently sending out 18 poems to 6 publishers, and 9 essays to 3 publishers every four weeks, plus hawking my scripts around theatres and production companies, in yet another attempt to get the damn stuff published. I'm also about to start hitting the open mic/performance nights again. Now if only I could get my social phobia sorted... Anyway, I'll also let you know when anything gets published/produced, and where you can enjoy these delights. I wouldn't hold your breath though, it could be a while.
At the weekend I took my mother, one of my sisters, and her boyfriend to Talking to Terrorists for its last showing at the Liverpool Everyman. I was very impressed, though I'd have to admit I haven't seen much verbatim/documentary theatre, so I don't have much to compare it with. But it was well structured and brilliantly performed, and it's on at the Royal Court in London from 30 June to 30 July 2005, so get a ticket if you can.
It starts counter-intuitively with some involved and abstract thinking about how terrorism happens, what drives people to become involved, and what the psychological effects are, as well as starting to interweave the experiences of terrorists, those who deal with terrorism, and those affected by terrorist activities.
I'm very tempted to use quotation marks around terrorism, but I've chosen not to, because the whole question of what terrorism is, is not really dealt with in the play. I presume because the subject is well covered elsewhere (see various books, essays and speeches by Noam Chomsky for instance), and possibly rather too abstract. As the play was composed from testimony gleaned from the cast, the author, and director talking with a range of people, it may also be that the question never arose.
Now I said it starts counter-intuitively, but as the play progresses it becomes apparent that putting the more abstract thinking upfront serves a double purpose. It gives you a framework against which you can understand some of the testimony and the structure of the play, and it means that the various narrative threads in the testimonies can be developed and concluded throughout the play without having to suddenly stop things partway through or at the end with a heavy chunk of theoretical exposition.
Some of the stories will be familiar, but if you can stop yourself getting distracted into trying to identify who the people are (and some are completely unknown), then there's a lot of fascinating information. And that's one of the impressive things about the performances, the actors are having to play at least three parts each, each with a different accent, and most with at least one very substantial speech.
Ultimately the play seems to argue that the only productive way of tackling terrorism and insurgencies is to talk with the terrorists. From my completely detached perspective (in that I have no experience of terrorism) I'd say that seems to be right, both from a human point of view, and in the light of past experience. That said, it does offer alternate opinions, and doesn't dogmatically hector you into accepting one perspective. Do go along and make up your own mind.
Alternately, when the script hits the shops (it may already be there), get hold of that. The script and programme was on sale at the performance for just £2.50, though it's priced at £8.99 for general retail, and it's available through Oberon Modern Plays [not Orion Books as I erroneously stated originally - can't be bothered with the research, you see]. Clearly it's not the definitive word on terrorism, or even on the conflicts and individuals featured in the play, but it's a very valuable and interesting contribution. As a book, though, it's a pretty expensive contribution, so if you're poor and can't get to a performance then you'll just have to watch Amazon for it to become available.
Now fuck off and get out in the sun while it's still there.
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