Harry Stein at the The City Journal talks about David Mamet and the problems of conservative theatre.I know just how he feels. I've been working in the theatre as an actor, writer, producer, dialect coach, dramaturge and whatever for more years than I care to think about and the one thing that never fails to amuse me is when someone talks about a "daring" play that "challenges" the prejudices of the audience. Since the play in question is invariably a far left diatribe performed in front of a far left audience that spends the entire evening nodding in smug agreement, the whole enterprise is about as "challenging" as bringing spare ribs to a barbecue. If they really wanted to "challenge" their audience they'd put on a play about, for example, a gay man discovering that he's been living a lie and he's really straight, but that might get the house torched.
Heck, I have an adaptation of Kipling's The Butterfly that Stamped that's been cooling in my files for the past three years because its moral that wives shouldn't torment their husbands means it can't get produced in Seattle.
Yup. Dangerous theatre.
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After adjournment of a Board meeting of the arts organization I work with week before last, the Board members were making cutting remarks about current national (U.S.) political affairs when the chairman said, 'You know, I can't think of another arts organization in [city] where the members would say things like this -- or could, without facing an internal revolt.' He's right. The chairman is a defrocked Libertarian. I'm a Republican. The secretary is so fair-minded he's an honest Independent. Another member also works for the Fair Tax movement. One of our best writers describes himself as a socialist (though I think better of him than that). Several members I have no idea of their political beliefs; they keep them to themselves.
Am I going to tell you what arts organization this is, or even where it's located? Hell, no!
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