Boal & Enacting Social Change

Boal views performance as a means for enacting social change. While this is fairly obvious due to Boal developing the Theatre of the Oppressed it is also seen in the games, roles, and theatre styles Boal created and employed. Boal was interested in gaining the view point of the audience members as well as the performers in order to create social change and remove oppression. It appeared that Boal felt to a certian degree we are all oppressed.
Games such as "The Vampire of Strasbourg" where all players close their eyes and one person is a vampire who runs around pinching other players on the neck in order to transform them into vampires as well is a game Boal developed for actors and nonactors. This game is used to show players and bystanders how quickly the oppressed can become the oppressor. Boal also uses roles such as the spect-actor to involve the audience in the performance and allow audience members to aid in the lifting of oppression. With this method audience members are allowed to stop the performance at any given time and instruct the performers on how to correctly perform the piece and alleviate oppression. Boal employs theatre styles such as invisible theatre to create social change as well. Invisible theatre is interested in simulating real life experiences in a public setting where bystanders are oblivious to the fact that the instance is staged.
Boal uses the perviously stated games, roles, and theatre styles as well as various others to convey how performance can educate people on the various formats of oppression as well as how audience members can aid in creating social change. By showing the audience a form of oppression and then allowing them to lift the oppression Boal allows the audience to have agency in creaing a new performance. The new performance is then collaborative and may help audience members to see how they have the power to create change both inside and outside of the theatre.

Group Performance Tomato Fun!

Up to this point the in class exercise I have enjoyed most is the tomato exercise. I am sure this is everyone's favorite. Upon entering class we were to quickly write a paragraph about how the senses are activated when thinking of eating a tomato. As a tomato lover I was thrilled to write about my first and true love, tomato eating! Once the paragraph was written Kelly asked us to split into groups, handed us various tomato tales and asked us to select one and then stage it using point of view, chorus, tableaux, etc. Given the fact that tomatoes are juicy, ripe, firm yet soft, and delicious our group naturally took a more sensual route.
When we discussed staging the tomato love poem none of the group members appeared to be concerned about whether our assumptions or expectations would be met or if the results of the exercise would match our expectations. We knew we could all sell sexy humor. It appeared that we all assumed humor was the obvious route and the campier the better. It was our task to incorporate the idea of chorus into this piece and since we had already decided to play with the sexual tones in the paragraph it only made sense to turn up the camp. Our assumptions that humor was the best choice for this exercise appeared to be correct as the majority of the class laughed when the chorus shouted yahoo! or when Jenna placed inflection on specific words such as firm or juicy. So the notion of sexy humor aided in our performance as well as the connection of assumptions and results.
The unexpected events and circumstances taught me to play harder. Don't be afraid to use cliche vices such as the angel and devil that we used. I tend to shy away from cliches opting to convey the point of the story in a different way but on occasion cliches can be effective. You have to consider your audience as well as the story itself and in the tomato love story sex appeared to be the metaphor. Therefore, using cliches was apt as well as just plain fun. If I were to advise another director on the use of this exercise I would encourage them to use it and allow the performers to play and have fun with it but I would also warn them that this exercise can quickly turn into a sexual (though still humorous) performance. I would advise the director to encourage his/her performers to visit all other possible alleys in order to stage this exercise.
YAHOO!

Post 5: Feminism and the female comic

Comedian is foreseen as an acceptable role for a feminist due to the fact that comedy is a medium that allows for social issues to be addressed in a lighthearted manner. Gilbert focuses in on female comedians such as Phyllis Diller and Roseanne Barr to convey how feminism and comedy intertwine. For instance, both women utilize self depreciation humor as a way to get their foot in the door. They then begin to use this style of humor to discuss and address feminism and various other social issues. According to Gilbert this self depreciation humor is a popular form for female comedians to employ in order to gain popularity.

However, while there might be feminist undertones to the comedy that Phyllis Diller, Roseanne Barr, and other female comics perform this does not necessarily mean that these women are feminists nor does it mean that all their comedy is directed at feminism. For example, the show Roseanne can be viewed from both ends of the spectrum. A person might argue that since Roseanne does not play into the traditional stereotypical role of what a mother, wife, sister, daughter should be then she takes a feminist stance. Likewise, the show can also be seen one that does not take a feminist perspective due to the fact that Roseanne answers to men in her jobs or at home and that while the role of mother and wife is skewed from what we might consider the traditional role to be she is performing essentially a similar role. Not to mention the show was produced and directed by her husband. While the show can be seen from either viewpoint over all it appears to touch on aspects of feminism rather than define itself as one or the other.

Female comedians such as Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, and Roseanne Barr aided in paving the way for future female comedians to address ideas of feminism and other social concerns. I often wonder if these female comedians realize or believe they are making connections to feminism or is they feel as though they are simply performing observational comedy. Ellen DeGeneres is an example of a female comedian who employs observational comedy. She has several bits in which she pokes fun at women and how women interact with one another and I wonder does she view this as comedy with feminist undertones or simply as observational comedy?

post 4: the art of expression

The art of expression essentially allowed for women to be groomed for society. Expression schools taught women how to behave as ladies and bred them to be débutantes. The article focuses primarily on the art of expression within Dallas which as we know is a predominantly wealthy city where families could afford to properly educate their daughters in the ways of society and how to act as a lady. While this occurred and still occurs nationally and globally it is a rite of passage for women in the south. Cities often still have a débutante season where women don large white dresses and are put on parade in order to show their transformation from girl to woman by simply learning the art of expression.

These expression schools appear to be nothing more than glorified manners school who educate young women on the Emily Post version of how a lady is to act. That is to say how a woman performs as a wife, mother, friend, how to carry oneself in social settings and the like. The only difference appears to be the débutante aspect; upon completion of the expression education women were given coming out parties in place of commencement ceremonies or rather these coming out parties were a new form for the commencement ceremony only with style and expression.

The art of expression in regards to women is still prevalent in our society. We see this not only with débutante festivals and parades; where I grew up we had the Rose Festival which showcased the transformation of girls to women of that specific year or more simply put débutante season. We see the art of expression currently in areas such as cheerleading, elementary education, dancers, and so on. While men dabble in the above mentioned areas they are fields still perceived as suitable for women and are considered feminine roles. The art of expression remains prevalent it has only gone through somewhat of a transformation itself.

Post 3: Carleton & Riley

Carleton and Riley addressed the psychological needs of their audience by creating an emotional connection. Through creating an emotional connection the poets attempted to create a tie between themselves and the average human being.This was accomplished by means of celebrating everyday experiences of the common person. Carleton and Riley's poetry mirrored that of the average individual's lifestyle, what some may consider mundane occurrences.

This style of poetry sought to move away from a high brow style and create a comfortable style as well as environment in order to entertain the common person. By distancing themselves from the traditional vernacular and moving towards a more readily understood language the average person was not only able to understand the poetry but feel connected to the poetry and the poets. This bond created comfortability between the audience and the performer.

Carleton and Riley can be seen as the stand up comedians of their day. This was accomplished not only by identifying with the average human but also by creating an atmosphere where laughter was acceptable. By striking the idea that performance must occur in a high brow style Carleton and Riley allowed for the average joe to feel as though their everyday experiences had value.

The Renaissance Man

Similar to the eras that came before the Medieval period storytelling continued to play a vital role in Medieval society. Castiglione considered an individual who possessed the ability to tell an amusing or engaging story as one who was well rounded. Castiglione coined the phrase Renaissance Man, which was one who possessed astounding social capabilities such as storytelling and conversation.

By this point in time many people were able to read, although the words fell flat on the page. Hence the need for the storyteller remained necessary within Medieval society, telling a story would breath life into it, create personalities for characters or force settings to intrude one's own reality for a short time, that is if the storyteller performed the job well. To tell or perform a good story or to carry on decent conversation was considered by to be the highest form of civility.

It was believed that one could be an excellent writer but a a terrible storyteller. Members of the medieval society felt that if an individual was unable to enact in decent conversation then you were not intelligent. Thus the reason for conversation as the highest form of civility. The Renaissance Man possessed all these qualities, he was well versed in current affairs, amusing, and quick on his feet. It is a phrase we continue to utilize today when we consider an individual to be well rounded.

History of Performance Studies Post 1

The Rhapsodes performed by means of narratoring or storytelling in the presence of an audience. Most often this occurred in proscenium style. Rhapsodes could sing as well as speak their text, the style they opted to deliver their text had the capability to alter the audience perception of the text as well as alter the delivery of the narration itself. In their article Hargis and Bahn discuss the verbal style of the Rhapsodes in order for readers to clearly understand the Rhapsode as a new form of storyteller and they deviations they made from storytellers who preceded them.

The Rhapsodes functioned within Greek society in order to reify the state as well as to educate or entertain those of status within the state. Within Roman society oral interpretation operated to entertain at gatherings. Written form was beginning to emerge within Roman society and became a dominant form of collecting information. Although, the oral style remained an intricate part of Roman society. As the oral style progressed so did language. The church often had a difficulty connecting with Anglo-Saxon individuals. Largely, this is due to to the church speaking Latin and the common person speaking the vernacular style. Thus, a linguistic connection for spreading Christianity could not be met. The church was also heavily invested in literacy while many individuals where not thus making the act of spreading Christianity all the more difficult. Literacy was a must in order for the church to endure.

It is arguable that we are in an age of renewed literacy or illiteracy depending or how you look at it. One could argue that the new bards are comedians such as Richard Prior. By means of utilizing new forms or variations of a known language and telling stories comedians appear to operate as the bard.