Reading week 2

Reading – Week 2

Bonney, J. (2000). Extreme Exposure: An Anthology of Solo Performance Texts from the Twentieth Century. New York: Theatre Communications Group.

ERIC BOGOSIAN

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·         Solo events either go outwards towards observation, or inwards towards confusion. Bogosian does both and neither, he takes the middle way, his characters are ‘observed from the outside, but whose feelings are projected from within.’ (108).

·         Plays only men, and even though they are horrible, they are part of him, his soul. But they know there is something wrong with them.

·         His performance masks a struggle between inner artistic impulses and the truth behind observations.

·         The work has been performed across the world and by many performers, often in groups. The issues are universal across countries and societies.

From Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll

Dog Chameleon – this is a narrative from a man who wants to be normal. He knows he is not and is often a repulsive character. But he is human. I definitely know I’ve been through the thoughts and feelings this man feels, and assume others have too, or at least know someone like him. It raises issues around what is normal, about what is fair and what is right in society. This character is in a dark place, we don’t know why, but his verbal thoughts make the audience identify with him. He is abusive, rude, loud, and seemingly violent, but I am sympathetic with his struggle because it is something I have personally experienced.

From Pounding Nails in the Floor with my Forehead

Intro – this character is immediately happier than the previous one, but he still has similar issues, he is however hiding them. This is more a nervous train of thought from a new or untrained compeer, he flits between compliments and insults in the blink of an eye. He brings up the case of rich people eating like those in a 3^rd world would, though they make it elaborate and try to feel better for it by putting themselves through their experience. He knows that everyone is the same because we all bleed from the same cut, but our likes and dislikes are unique, so we are like snowflakes he says.

Rash – this man is a lot more hateful and hated than the previous two. He shows not a care for anyone or anything outside his own little world. He has a huge sense of superiority that makes him repulsive. For him, possessions mean more than emotions and feelings. He tries to make himself feel better by giving money to a homeless person, but regrets it because he sees getting an infection in return as an unfair deal. He obviously cares for his family because he is prepared to shoot and kill to defend them, but he acts as an obnoxious arse by treating them like his personal slaves. He sees outside society as inferior and boring. He sees money as the answer for everything, if there is a problem, money can fix it.

All three characters are similar but massively different in the way they express their opinions. These are people from all sorts of life, from the greedy capitalist, the unsure middle man and the down-trodden angry young man. They tell you like it is, or they sugar the pill, or repress things altogether.