OPINION & EDITORIAL
To be or not to be
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by Casem AbuLughod:
- To be or not to be (September 17, 2004)
Related Stories:
- Dialogue necessary, no matter what the cost (March 31, 2003)
- Film office closes for good (October 26, 2005)
- Threepenny Opera hits home (November 22, 2004)
- True leaders unfairly left off influential list (May 10, 2007)
- Navigating China Town (July 18, 2001)
by Casem AbuLughod
Friday, September 17, 2004
In a day and age when special effects, stunning soundtracks, and larger-than-life actors rule mainstream art, it is important that we take the time to appreciate the original form of theatre.
Movies are a wonderful means of expression, but long before the ability to record time and motion on a bit of film there was a thing called theatre. Actors portrayed ideas, emotions and human drama, all on a stage. This creation, the play, comes out of the past and speaks to us. Even in modern times, theatre is important.
We humans are innately storytellers; through stories we impart knowledge, laughter and meaning. One way we tell stories is through the narrative of theatre. Playwrights, directors and actors all come together to present stories in the form of plays.
Plays connect us to other humans; they show us that we are not alone in this world. We aren’t the only people who don’t know what the heck is going on. Movies try to imitate this ability of the theatre but cannot, since seeing a flickering image is different from being in the same room as an actual person. There is something unique about being in the audience of a play that differs from being in the audience of a movie.
It is easy to go into a darkened movie theater and make out with your date as images flash across a screen in front of you. There is no need for your involvement. The movie goes on with or without you, blaring away, ignoring the slobbering. Being in the audience of a play, you become a part of it. The theatre experience is an organic one. It is a living and breathing being and the audience helps to bring it to life. Audience involvement is a must. If there is no audience, there is no play.
A movie can sit on a shelf for years waiting to be watched, but a play is a one-time thing — a fleeting art. The performers appear for the audience during a set time, creating a unique moment that cannot be recreated. Yes, there is a script and blocking directions from a director, which can be used to put the play on again the next night; but it is impossible to include every nuance, every little thing that affects a performance. You cannot recreate any mistakes that are deftly covered up with ad-libs, or the reaction of the audience to certain joke, or the expressions on an actor’s face. During a movie, an actor cannot look you, yes, you, in the eye and then project a line directly at you. There is no humanity in movies; you only see the finished product. A play is a work in progress.
Here we are in a learning environment at this university — a place for thought, debate, learning and understanding. It is important that we find ways to stimulate our thought processes with new ideas and new experiences. One way to do this is to enjoy a play. The easiest way to accomplish this is to become a part of the audience. A play is a shared experience and made all the more enjoyable when you know others in the audience, so bring a friend.
For an even more in-depth experience, take a more involved role and join the crew of a play. Explore the inner workings behind the curtain. Or, become a star and audition for a part, share the human experience on a stage in front of friends and enemies (oh, and critics, too). What ever you choose to do, know that theatre is a wonderful and powerful experience that can change how you perceive your own life as well as the lives of those around you.
Casem AbuLughod (abulughod@wisc.edu) is a junior majoring in communication arts and theatre.
