"Plesniarowicz shows how Kantor summoned his old people, burdened by the children they once were, into a series of processions around the stage. The processions range from the tragic, as in the Hebrew lesson suggesting the loss of so many members of the class in the Holocaust or the heartbreak of the childless woman haunted by the hollow knocking sound of the Mechanical Cradle, to the nonsensical and vaguely suggestive drivel of an old man in the toilet. Each of these processions ends with the "intervention of the cleaning woman"--death--who sweeps the pupils back into their benches. Then it starts all over again. It develops differently each time, but always collapses back into impossibility."
from Krzysztof Plesniarowicz. The Dead Memory Machine: Tadeusz Kantor's Theatre of Death. Translated by William Brand. Cracow: Cricoteka, 1994.
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Yeah, there's probably better things I could be doing of a Satday afty but still, I'm sorta getting into this Polish theatre practitioner now.
I specially like 'the heartbreak of the childless woman haunted by the hollow knocking sound of the Mechanical Cradle.' But, being of a melancholic Celtic disposition, why wouldn't I?
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isadora101
- 2008-05-10 @ 21:33:32
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Pompadour
- 2008-05-10 @ 21:54:03
It's bloomin' weird!
I'm not to 'Forced Entertainment' and theatre on buses, now.
Only a matter of time before I bring in Reg Varney, Blakey and Olive.
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menhir
- 2008-05-10 @ 22:51:44
Keeping to the nature of the piece, I find the description and your feelings blend, as they probably should. It amazes me how such an apparently simple concept, (which of course it isn't) can be so effective. It is probably effective because the complexity, bringing with it the pains of life, as it does, is presented to the audience in a visually easy and comprehensible (simple) style.
Eastern European Theatre, in the last couple hundred of years also seems to be dark, depicting the suffering that has been experienced; Mother Courage or one that invokes the devils,The Dibbuk. More recently, Fiddler on The Roof (a lighter presentation of drama for us sensitive souls)
All in all, I would say an interesting afternoon's development, P.-
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Pompadour
- 2008-05-11 @ 00:32:02
it's bin so hard.
don't think i really got into the essay. talking to some who'cw done it (I had mitigating circumstances due to eyesight) they, too, found it difficult. We didn't have a question either, we had to make up our own. Which just compounded the difficulties.
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menhir
- 2008-05-11 @ 10:16:06
Hi,
Don't know what "who'cw" means - help?
At your stage of study, you are beginning to be given work at a level where you have to assess what may be the important features of a particular area, which means you have to research the piece to be able to decide what jumps out at you. Then you have to make an argument for your judgement of what is important or salient.
You are being asked to assess by research, analyse then conclude.
By the time you are in your final year year (you are on the cusp of that now) you will be expected to do more of it and present work accordingly. It's what the academics and other trained people, call being trained to think. That type and level of thinking applies to any field.
So, yes P, you will find it difficult just now, (it's better if you happen to like the subject matter, but that's not what it's about at this point of your development)however, as you do more personal research,assessment and analyses, you will become more skilled at it.
Onward and upward!-
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menhir
- 2008-05-11 @ 10:26:12
P.S. You create your own subject heading from your approach to the study. In your opening para you tell the reader what areas your assignment will discuss.
Your structure is much the same as the essays you should have already been doing, the main difference here is, that you have created a heading from a subject you have been asked to study and you are the arbiter of what goes in to the presentation based on your title and study. In-putting information you have selected, you will have been doing before.
It sounds like preparation for an end of degree research study; honours degrees usually have some form of requirement like this. Take heart, you're nearly there!
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Pompadour
- 2008-05-12 @ 00:57:52
think it's a typo and i meant too put 'who've'.
finished, or more or less.
and thank god. needs a final bit of faffing around with which I can do on tuesday.
the end bit - using journals - turned out to be ok. I discovered some really innovative theatre going on both here and in america.
maybe i have to do a bit more 'analyzing and concluding' on tuesday, too.
by end of last night, I thought I could do a dissertion on kantor if a had too,
but luckily, i don't. I hope to do something on Elizabeth Gaskell for creative writing. 'nuff said.-
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menhir
- 2008-05-13 @ 09:11:40
Sounds to me, P, like you are thinking, editing and researching as you should be, and it will develop.
Elizabeth Gaskell is an interesting subject, much grittier than Jane Austen and also based in a more earthy part of the country. -
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dennypoos
- 2008-05-11 @ 06:16:12
You know how I said you should stop whinging and get on with the essay for wednesday. Well, I may have to re-think my position on that if borderline suicidal Eastern-European theatre is what you are studying. Perhaps I've got it all wrong and it's an affirmation of life.
I've met Tadeusz recently coming out of the Polish shop at Foyes corner in Southampton. He's a plumber and will be going back to Gdansk in September.-
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Pompadour
- 2008-05-12 @ 02:25:44
i've feeling more cheerful since i've finished the essay. Or nearly finished it.
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dennypoos
- 2008-05-14 @ 05:25:50
Hmm..... you were doing so well untill I read the " nearly". I reckon you've been spending too much time in the garden, but thenkfully for youe Essay, the weather's going to break on Thursday.
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- http://menomamauk.blog.co.uk
- 2008-05-26 @ 00:23:34
Hope you are well. Are you finished your studies for this term?
xxx-
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Pompadour
- 2008-05-26 @ 01:33:31
yes, finished. hooray. where r u? must check yr blog.
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- http://menomamauk.blog.co.uk
- 2008-05-26 @ 01:48:00
I`m back in Canada. hehehehe
Will be over again in November...see you then
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What better things could you be doing on a sat.aft??
study, work..go to the pub?
Nah...you're much better off immersing yourself into the Polish childless woman's heartbreak ......MO
It does sound like a good melodrama though