tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post7812049422144988609..comments2024-02-18T19:36:43.844+11:00Comments on theatre notes: Melbourne Festival review: The Manganiyar Seduction, Rhinoceros in LoveAlison Croggonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-37482593463024973982011-10-13T16:51:43.213+11:002011-10-13T16:51:43.213+11:00Whether it is "good" wasn't really t...Whether it is "good" wasn't really the point, at least for me. It made me think of the German playwright Botho Strauss, when asked what German theatre needed: after some thought, he said: "What German theatre needs is <i>more bad plays</i>.Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-14652242689424311232011-10-13T14:57:23.767+11:002011-10-13T14:57:23.767+11:00As what I've read in all of the comments here,...As what I've read in all of the comments here, seems like there's a contradiction. I'm just wondering if this play was good enough to watch?Australian Catalogueshttp://www.odusee.com.au/cataloguesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-67495338119099090312011-10-13T08:16:36.754+11:002011-10-13T08:16:36.754+11:00Hi NTG - I don't think there's a "cor...Hi NTG - I don't think there's a "correct" answer! It's not an exam...Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-78192907579231056952011-10-12T20:55:42.598+11:002011-10-12T20:55:42.598+11:00This comment has been removed by the author.Daniel Coghlanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15521517255496865547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-81013787349136185782011-10-12T19:44:31.073+11:002011-10-12T19:44:31.073+11:00For what it is worth, I'm not the only person ...For what it is worth, I'm not the only person I know who took it that way, I at least have some company if I'm in error. The portrayal of the obsessive love became so over the top and bizarrely extreme that it just seemed like another instance of the ridicule of various ideas that permeated the play.Naive Theatre Goernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-54872974924081209062011-10-12T19:35:48.893+11:002011-10-12T19:35:48.893+11:00I like that idea and now that you've said it, ...I like that idea and now that you've said it, I can definitely see that as a more logical, or at more least politically correct, explanation of the themes. However, even the play's program mentions that the play is "about the power of belief, and the need to persevere in the pursuit of one's ideals and dreams". The writer Liao Yimei is quoted "If you look at human Daniel Coghlanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15521517255496865547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-70451607689181737812011-10-12T18:42:25.885+11:002011-10-12T18:42:25.885+11:00Did you? I got the idea that Ma Lu's reference...Did you? I got the idea that Ma Lu's references to the solitary poet figure were somewhat more romantic than that...Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-14819149368051237462011-10-12T18:00:38.474+11:002011-10-12T18:00:38.474+11:00Maybe I missed the point but I didn't come awa...Maybe I missed the point but I didn't come away thinking that I was "meant to view Ma Lu as 'the heroic individual who persists in his beliefs against all odds'". I came away thinking that even Ma Lu's single-minded obsession was in the end meant to be seen as pathological and poisonous, that the lampooning and caricature throughout the piece was also finally involved Naive Theatre Goernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-67596368983673319822011-10-12T16:39:43.985+11:002011-10-12T16:39:43.985+11:00I can't say I disliked it either. There was so...I can't say I disliked it either. There was some sort of contagious energy to the piece that reeled me in - and I really enjoyed the chorus, especially the 'Love Tutorial' scenes.<br /><br />At least it has left me pondering for the past few days and, to be superficial, the stage sure did look nice.Daniel Coghlanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15521517255496865547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-79331346962314388992011-10-12T08:37:55.282+11:002011-10-12T08:37:55.282+11:00That would be (ahem) "versus", not "...That would be (ahem) "versus", not "verses".Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-20924455823614761752011-10-12T08:08:45.921+11:002011-10-12T08:08:45.921+11:00The gender politics certainly left a few people op...The gender politics certainly left a few people open-mouthed, especially the jolly rape joke. I guess the "saving grace" is that Mingming is the feminine version of Ma Lu, and so equally free to be a stalker; the problem being that she ends up bound to a chair and gagged. Not saying that an exploration of destructive obsession can't be interesting - look at Wuthering Heights; but Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-48490475133965922682011-10-11T23:40:47.858+11:002011-10-11T23:40:47.858+11:00I left Rhinoceros in Love thinking I had missed t...I left <i> Rhinoceros in Love</i> thinking I had missed the point, not knowing whether it was lost in translation or just me. (I actually spent more time on way home wondering what the significance of all that water was. I love when the stage floods - but why?) Surely there was some greater philosophical meaning that had simply gone over my head. The text seemed beautiful, and I wish I could Daniel Coghlanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15521517255496865547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-84801486638853403492011-10-11T14:41:47.522+11:002011-10-11T14:41:47.522+11:00I lean towards the splashy effects theory - Ma Lu ...I lean towards the splashy effects theory - Ma Lu being drenched in his elemental passion...Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-52561819395164376512011-10-11T14:32:27.875+11:002011-10-11T14:32:27.875+11:00No idea ... just an observation. I didn't/can&...No idea ... just an observation. I didn't/can't see it. If it was a little flood, maybe it was just splashy (pun intended) effects. Maybe they saw Meryl Tankard's "Two Feet" and liked the effect? Who knows.Geoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409350618909242278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-10157797845894785712011-10-11T14:16:45.203+11:002011-10-11T14:16:45.203+11:00What would be the symbolic connection to the story...What would be the symbolic connection to the story? (It was a very little flood...) Certainly, Biblical connotations make no sense to me...Alison Croggonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08398213223487458758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202906.post-86509149945050382442011-10-11T14:09:13.546+11:002011-10-11T14:09:13.546+11:00Probably a reference to the Great Flood which is o...Probably a reference to the Great Flood which is of immense significance in Chinese mythology. Not surprising it was lost in translation though.Geoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409350618909242278noreply@blogger.com