tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post311489158963150738..comments2024-02-18T19:36:43.844+11:00Comments on theatre notes: Review: The Economist, Cherry CherryAlison Croggonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-5384401922910590432011-12-17T08:02:27.042+11:002011-12-17T08:02:27.042+11:00Damn it. Why didn't I think of that? It was re...Damn it. Why didn't I think of that? It was really the phrased equivalent of an emoticon. (One of those yellow ones that jump up and down). What the hell, I was tired. I've written way too many words this year, I just thought it a little unfair to jump on that line when there were so many others in the review that were, well, actually <i>about</i> something. But such is life on teh Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-2172666928676794572011-12-17T01:06:05.256+11:002011-12-17T01:06:05.256+11:00All of this could have been avoided with a safetyw...All of this could have been avoided with a safetywink ( ;) ) at the end of your throw away line. <br /><br />Ah emoticons, is there anything they can't do?Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-32267033267983857392011-12-13T09:08:34.939+11:002011-12-13T09:08:34.939+11:00Thanks, Cameron. Not seeing Gross und Klein is at ...Thanks, Cameron. Not seeing Gross und Klein is at present my major theatrical regret. I hear nothing but raves.<br /><br />I'm not sure what you mean by "the commonplace", Daniele - should it not have had the commonplace in it?Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-12992132251060690152011-12-12T18:08:02.251+11:002011-12-12T18:08:02.251+11:00I came back home from The Economist worried about ...I came back home from <i>The Economist</i> worried about what I might do or cause others to do. I wish art complicated my life more often.<br /><br />What I didn't like about the writing was the frequent use of commonplace to create irony (e.g. in the rifle range) - I think it's an overused device - but found the play well balanced overall.Daniele Zinnihttp://eventimelbourne.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-38619177178121777342011-12-12T17:45:16.743+11:002011-12-12T17:45:16.743+11:00Alison,
I wholeheartedly concur with both of thes...Alison,<br /><br />I wholeheartedly concur with both of these reviews. (Wasn't Neda a revelation?) And there's nothing wrong with a bit of home-team enthusiasm, although you made them during a stellar stage week in Sydney (including Kevin Spacey's turn as Richard III, which I saw, and Cate Blanchett in Gross und Klein, which I didn't).<br /><br />Also have to agree with this Cameron Woodheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09066457450822137744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-8191691666927772452011-12-11T19:22:45.808+11:002011-12-11T19:22:45.808+11:00Oh no, I didn't mean for it to be more didacti...Oh no, I didn't mean for it to be more didactic or blunt. I meant that Brevik's character is so peculiar--a steroid taking, body-building, ultra-nationalist, geo-farming, Warcraft playing, neo-fascist serial murderer with an imaginary friend (the Norse god Odin) that seeing the wider implications of the very real spread of right-wing politics in our general culture (and the social and Daniel Borbelyhttp://www.danielborbely.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-58292926289566321072011-12-11T09:16:14.893+11:002011-12-11T09:16:14.893+11:00It's a shame The Economist became a side note....It's a shame The Economist became a side note. Thanks Daniel, and I'm glad to enjoyed it. I wonder if it might have become proselytising if it had made those parallels too obvious? To me they were quite clear, but without hitting me over the head with them.Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-82104517314151989042011-12-11T02:21:23.697+11:002011-12-11T02:21:23.697+11:00Just as a side-note ... loved 'The Economist&#...Just as a side-note ... loved 'The Economist'. Great to see gutsy new writing. Thanks for the review Alison (and the reminder--I almost missed it!)<br /><br />I loved the clever use of minimalism and alienation, as well as the almost schizophrenic shifts between pathos and comedy.<br /><br />On the other hand, I would liked to have seen a deeper exploration of the wider issues of culture Daniel Borbelyhttp://www.danielborbely.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-55850676554273473782011-12-10T19:44:10.705+11:002011-12-10T19:44:10.705+11:00...since Paul Keating, I should have written. Sorr......since Paul Keating, I should have written. Sorry, my fingers got the better of me.Geoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409350618909242278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-285874418525302772011-12-10T19:43:31.059+11:002011-12-10T19:43:31.059+11:00The national – as in truly national (ie not just e...The national – as in truly national (ie not just east coast with some west coast curiosities thrown in when the travel budget extends that far) – federation of theatre practitioners that everyone's been talking about for years yet doing nothing about.<br /><br />An organisation that lobbies (like the film industry does ... in fact, like any industry and sector does) and lifts the entire Geoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409350618909242278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-24350361572928212542011-12-10T19:01:22.840+11:002011-12-10T19:01:22.840+11:00The pollies are the only people who have the means...The pollies are the only people who have the means to access funding on a federal level. Who else are we going to hand it to?Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-57019554678354153412011-12-10T18:59:39.889+11:002011-12-10T18:59:39.889+11:00The discussion DOES happen, even if it's not c...The discussion DOES happen, even if it's not considered important enough for opinion columns in the national newspapers. It happened at the National Theatre Forum in September, which occurred in Brisbane and had attendees from all over Australia, large cities and tiny hamlets, representing every part of theatre. And I mentioned the more interesting responses from the theatre community to the Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-74858270753558623452011-12-10T18:59:04.190+11:002011-12-10T18:59:04.190+11:00National Cultural Policy? Bah humbug. Let's no...National Cultural Policy? Bah humbug. Let's not handball this over to the pollies. It's too important. And a pointless, if vainglorious, exercise. Just a short-cut to stifling the debate. Like the Summit we all disagreed and argued about all those years and years ago.<br /><br />This is a discussion about cultural isolation ... and it's one that no well-worded submission can even Geoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409350618909242278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-24021105857870771962011-12-10T18:49:18.361+11:002011-12-10T18:49:18.361+11:00And this is the conundrum. It's a given you wr...And this is the conundrum. It's a given you write about interesting things. Sorry, but there's no surprises there. Brilliantly ... and always.<br /><br />But this conversation about Australian Theatre Culture never happens in the same way as it does in the film culture. For quite obvious reasons.<br /><br />Snowtown could no sooner have been made in Melbourne than Gone With The Wind.<br /Geoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409350618909242278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-64368957494018822012011-12-10T18:48:21.893+11:002011-12-10T18:48:21.893+11:00If only it were a debate, with particulars, rather...If only it were a debate, with particulars, rather than ungenerous anonymous sniping. Perhaps Anon could look at some of the more interesting National Cultural Policy responses submitted by the theatre community, and get some idea of what people are actually thinking and doing and suggesting.Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-85887862151103778762011-12-10T18:42:27.832+11:002011-12-10T18:42:27.832+11:00I think this is about projection, not fault. As so...I think this is about projection, not fault. As someone who reads, and has read, your blog religiously, it is obvious to me that Anon is actually wanting to make a point. And it's an incredibly valid one.<br /><br />I could argue the "general quality" statement all night. It's prolific, yes. "High"? Nope. But it does exist, which is a relief.<br /><br />The issue of Geoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409350618909242278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-64119495396709860672011-12-10T18:37:25.458+11:002011-12-10T18:37:25.458+11:00Hi Geoffrey - we crossed messages. Like I said, it...Hi Geoffrey - we crossed messages. Like I said, it was a throwaway comment, although I feel no shame about feeling a parochial fondness for Melbourne. Given that I talked about some quite interesting things in the review, and that isn't interesting, it got up my nose.Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-7700672739625176012011-12-10T18:32:06.514+11:002011-12-10T18:32:06.514+11:00As people who actually read this blog know, I'...As people who actually read this blog know, I'm quite happy to acknowledge fault. It's not a big deal to be wrong. But you are clearly not interested in what I <i>do</i> write about. Yes, Melbourne is great, and the general quality of theatre here is high. It's not a crime to say so, frankly. And guess what, from London or New York, it's the boondocks. <br /><br />Two thirds of Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-13272961892868393442011-12-10T18:22:19.296+11:002011-12-10T18:22:19.296+11:00I must confess, and am prepared to try and duck th...I must confess, and am prepared to try and duck the machine-gun fire by way of your response Ms TN, but I did think that the " ... Melbourne ... " comment did read like something out of a Tourism Victoria brochure.<br /><br />The "Concentration is one thing. Quality is something else" comment is the critical point here though – and the possibilities afforded to artists workingGeoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409350618909242278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-56259759145364846132011-12-10T17:56:45.236+11:002011-12-10T17:56:45.236+11:00No one denies wrong-doing quite like a campaigner,...No one denies wrong-doing quite like a campaigner, hey Alison?<br /><br />Who was your original comment even for? Melbourne people? To pat yourselves on the back? Or everyone else? Just in case they needed to know.<br /><br />Concentration is one thing. Quality is something else.<br /><br />ps-<br />You want to improve theatre in this country? Easy. Stop the government pouring all of its funding Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-73378420116113669982011-12-10T17:17:44.206+11:002011-12-10T17:17:44.206+11:00It's a fact that the concentration of companie...It's a fact that the concentration of companies in one of Australia's biggest cities means there's more on offer. That fact doesn't amount to a dismissal of other cities. FFS.<br /><br />You might stop wasting your and my time if, instead of having an opportunistic potshot at me, you talked (as I have) about why regional theatre should be supported, why it produces such Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-16346571032121754332011-12-10T15:18:37.529+11:002011-12-10T15:18:37.529+11:00Oh, please. If it was that irrelevant a statement ...Oh, please. If it was that irrelevant a statement then why bother putting it in there in the first place? Aren't you a wordsmith? Don't you think words have an effect?<br /><br />You really think the/an doesn't matter but by name somehow does?<br /><br />And I wasn't blaming you for the whole thing. I never said you were "the problem" as you seem to quote me as saying. IAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-17188590728039781912011-12-10T14:54:48.973+11:002011-12-10T14:54:48.973+11:00I don't know how I can confuse you with someon...I don't know how I can confuse you with someone else, Anon, when you haven't the courage to back up your snark with your identity. And let me get this right - YOU'RE calling ME "reductionist"? On the basis of a "the" and an "an" filleted out of a post that is about something else entirely - fwiw, the strengths of independent theatre in Melbourne, and in Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-5013132995146130362011-12-10T14:10:43.050+11:002011-12-10T14:10:43.050+11:00You seem to be mistaking me for someone else. Sorr...You seem to be mistaking me for someone else. Sorry to disappoint and ruin your reductionist response.<br /><br />"How it follows that other places are unexciting beats me."<br /><br />Simple. Your use of the word "the" in the original statement. And your use of "an" in the cover up.<br /><br />Perhaps if you understood the effect of statements like that you might Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-38788173914974610072011-12-07T20:20:05.678+11:002011-12-07T20:20:05.678+11:00SNARK! It's been a while... Yes, I do my best ...SNARK! It's been a while... Yes, I do my best to contribute to everything that's wrong with theatre in this country; and obviously I never travel anywhere else to see it.<br /><br />Physician, heal thyself. Your contribution here, to a review which talks about the impoverishment of discourse here and elsewhere, is to take umbrage at a perfectly bland throwaway comment. Way to go! (Or are Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.com