Source: Belvoir.com.au
I want to talk about Michael Gow’s new play at the Belvoir, but has the average Gen-Y person given up on theatre? Are we interested? Is the talk of us becoming chained to the Internet as our source of ‘taste’ and ‘culture’ true? Premise: No, I’m not a 40-something year-old man with a post at the Australian, I’m a 22 year old woman who likes the theatre.
A couple of nights ago I went to the theatre. And now I’m finding it very difficult to write down what I thought about it. It strikes me as I do try to write something down without erasing it that maybe I’ve been led to believe that my opinions simply aren’t valid. Perhaps I’ve learnt and picked up the notion from someone somewhere that I’m not qualified enough, I’m not smart enough, I haven’t seen enough and I’m not old enough to know the difference. This is a worrying thought, to say the least. And it makes writing about topics I’m actually really passionate about as fun as sticking your hand in the oven.
I like the theatre. I like it a lot. However, for the most part, there’s a certain apathy for theatre-going among fellow 22 year-olds, give or take a few years. Yeah, the other actors and industry crew dig it. Of course they do- we’ve got to keep up with what’s going on. But there seems to be a slice of the Gen-Y pie that’s missing out almost completely.
The audience lining up for tickets, grabbing a quick sip of something and having a chat is a mix of retirees — groovin’ cool cats with glasses that yell “I’ve read this already” and those that follow the theatre scene closely, having subscribed over Christmas. A few nearly-thirties stop by me and recite the year’s season like a shopping list. I notice a 21 year-old slink outside to roll a cigarette. I counted less than a dozen people around the 18-25 mark.
‘Once in Royal David’s City’ is Michael Gow’s (The Kid, Away, On Top of the World, Sweet Phoebe, Toy Symphony) new baby. It’s innovative and structurally brave; as in its form is new and energetic. It’s riddled with rage and tenderness.
It deals with the difficult questions – of death, of shame, of the validity of memory, and of how to make sense out of the nonsensical. It grapples over how to intellectualise the theatre. It’s about the ridiculous and far-fetched notion that your parents are mortal. It’s about a man caught debating with ideas of class and corporatisation. It wonders how language can only get us so far.
By himself, he sits next to a hospital bed, at Christmas.
You know you’re in for something when Brendan Cowell’s involved. He plays Will Drummond- a staunch Marxist, a creative man dealing with the fear of contradiction. His speeches are rousing; the exposure of fallacies that make you want to launch to your feet and cheer and yell and urge for change. It’s the mobilization to live. And his comic timing is a real treat.
Flack’s cinematic, whirlwind direction brings forth an astonishing familiarity (as in, “I know that boy,” “She really reminds me of…” and “I remember when…” ). The humour is candid and quirky, and plenty of hilarity ensues. The cast is strong. The audience laughs, cries and leans that little bit closer to one another.
And then, once it’s finished, the crowd bottlenecks out of the small door, down the stairs, into the foyer, back up the stairs again, along the hall and out into the cool, rainy night air and breathes it out.
Now, I know it all sounds a bit lofty and sentimental. But the clever part is, it’s really not. The lesson is that life moves on whether we like it or not. And yes, I know that for some people theatre simply isn’t your thang (as in, shake your groove thang, it’s a living thang), but to that I say: try it.
This is real-life stuff. Because that’s what we’re really looking for, isn’t it? No wonder we’re endlessly trawling through reality television programs, TED talks, documentaries– searching for an ounce of spontaneity and authenticity. In Elissa Blake’s interview with Gow for The Sydney Morning Herald, Gow states:
“’What’s interesting to me is that the younger generation in theatre are trying to find modes other than naturalistic drama,” Gow says. ”The things that interest me now are lectures and interviews, non-theatre formats. They are a great way to communicate – certainly better than having people sitting around a table being nominally realistic.
”It’s why people like documentaries now. You get hard facts, not cliches wrapped up in words that don’t say anything. I don’t want to write some sentimental death bed play. It’s about hacking through all that stuff.”
The notion that we (yes, the all-consuming we, Gen-Y) are desecrating cultural elitism, extinguishing artistic integrity and preferring the same-same over the different is also brought up and debated (but don’t worry, there’s hope for us yet). It’s humorous, yes. But it’s gotta make you think: How influential is this pervading idea of “us and them”? How influential is their opinion of us, and how does it affect our opinion of ourselves and our contribution to the arts? Has our perception of the theatre turned into a case of “let’s not (go), and say we did,” and not have our opinions quashed by those who know better?
I say, decide for yourself. Get yourself over there and prepare to be moved.
‘Once in Royal David’s City’ is playing at the Belvoir Street Theatre until March 23, 2014.
For more information and to book, click here.
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