Holding note ~ theatre notes

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Holding note

Your Humble Blogger continues at a low ebb this week. As is probably clear to regular readers, Ms TN hasn't managed to control her wont to vastly overestimate her ability to do things, which, predictably, results in minor breakdowns, the kind where a vehicle is bogged in sucking clay while the driver sits outside in the rain, wringing her hands and vainly trying to flag down passing trucks. This is because, despite constant resolutions, I keep saying "yes" to interesting requests. I say "no" a lot more than I say "yes", but even so...

Here's a partial list of what has been tangling my mind over the past couple of months. I am on committees and advisory boards (literary); I am judging a prize (poetry); I am editing a novel that will be published next year (edit due in October, details eventually but very exciting) and simultaneously revisiting the Pellinor books for a re-issue in the UK next year; I have finished a commissioned libretto; I am reading various books in preparation for chairing a Melbourne Writers Festival session on essays; (and there's the whole Melbourne Writers Festival, which as a programming advisor I should attend at least a bit - especially this bit, Eliot Weinberger and Bei Dao talking about poetry and truth); I am on a panel about criticism at Freeplay, the festival of independent gaming, next Sunday (details here). Next week, I'll be out all week at Mudfest, the Melbourne University arts festival, of which, along with Andrew McClelland, Declan Greene and Lally Katz, I am a guest. In between all this, I am (foolishly, I grant you) writing another novel.

Taken individually, none of these things is in any way a problem; in fact, they're all marvellous. But they have been clumping together in a rather paralysing way. In practical terms, this means that I have been staring at this screen for three days thinking that I must review Namatjira (Malthouse Theatre) and Rising Water (MTC) and finding myself totally unable to find a way to begin. I must have scrubbed out about sixteen opening paragraphs remarkable only for their uninspired dullness. So, apologies for the glitches. My inner Oompa Loompas are hard at work attempting to remove the rubble.

I agree with everybody that I should organise my life better. I'm hoping that today I will work out my frayed ends, which might mean reviews get uploaded tomorrow: in the meantime, do get tickets to Big hArt's Namatjira, which is by one of the most interesting companies in this country.

And any commenters burning with commentary, do feel free to talk below about what is exciting you right now.

8 comments:

Born Dancin' said...

I'll second that recommendation for Namatjira, which is really something else. Especially loved the - what to call it - meta-indigenous theatre (?) aspects, which questioned the assumptions we bring to productions such as this, as well as the astonishing connection Jamieson creates with his audience. I didn't attend the opening but on the night I went the crowd actually swarmed the stage, uninvited, to check out the set once it was over. I have never seen the like. Apparently this happened at every preview, too, but not on opening night, which is rather funny.

Alison Croggon said...

Yes, an amazing piece of work. Especially when you consider all the different aspects of the Namatjira Project. It's a true invitation, I think.

Chris Boyd said...

Just curious, did anyone not adore Namatjira? Let me add to the chorus of approval. Ten thumbs up, as Homer would say...

Stitzy said...

Check out 'War Crimes' by RealTV team Angela Betzien and Leticia Caceres (and co) at VCA, Wed 17 - Fri 19 Aug. V short season - although is touring to schools as part of RAV Arts2Go. Very very tight and killer ensemble acting. Brilliant follow-up to 'Random'.

Born Dancin' said...

I know of someone who definitely didn't adore Namatjira - quite the opposite - but it's second-hand information. Am eager to find out why. First-hand, I've heard nothing but raves.

Same goes for War Crimes. Is apparently sold out but will be touring in various ways.

Brendan said...

Wow, I wouldn't even bother reviewing Rising Water. Let it sit in the 'best left unsaid' pile. It was actually the first piece of theatre in I can't remember how long that made me angry to have made main stage. Honestly, ka-ching! Kudos to Winton for giving it a go, but if any other first timne *playwright* tried that one on, forget it...

Neil Lucas said...

Hmm a bit bemused by this enthusiam for Namatjira.
It was good but hardly the sort of thing you'd rave about. A good solid offering in the Belvoir season but not a centrepiece or hugely memorable. The performances were engaging and sharp, but there didn't seem to be a huge amount going on, and it liked to draw attention to its own lack of sophistication a bit too much for me.

I saw it in Sydney I should add. I wonder if it has been revised since then? The enthusiasm being shown makes it feel like it has. I was wondering why Playbox would take this show, out of the whole Belvoir year. Clearly they made a good assessment!

simbo said...

Sadly enough, I don't think it was a case of "Malthouse chose Namitjira" so much as "Namitjira was the one that Belvoir was touring the most". And the economics of touring suggest it's going to be the show with the smallest cast and the cast that is least likely to be committed for other work. (so, for instance, Measure For Measure, Love Me Tender or Gwen in Purgatory were less likely to be picked up for longtours).

Namitjira's doing a very long tour at the moment (including several regional centres) and Melbourne happens to be a stop-over point.