“You’ve forgotten more theatre than most people have seen” is a common accusation that my husband levels at me. It is not an unjustified accusation. I spent a whole seven seconds on google trying to find a statistic of how many plays or musicals most American’s see in a year, and couldn’t find it. I’m probably glad I couldn’t find it, because depressing news makes me want to eat, which hurts any ambitions I have of loosing weight. I do go to the theatre. Not as often as I would like, but I go regularly: usually 1 or 2 times per month. Unlike most people, I spend more time in live theatres than movie theaters. (Yes I am a snob and spell the two differently).
I see plays for fun. I see plays for work. I see plays to enrich my mind and soul. I see plays because we have tickets as part of a season. I see plays I really want to see. I see plays that my husband really wants to see. I see plays that I have no advance knowledge of. I see plays that I know intimately. I see plays that friends are involved with. I see plays that I am involved with. I don’t limit myself to plays. I see dance. I see opera. I see musicals. I used to see a lot of experimental theatre (I don’t see this as much anymore.) I see comedies. I see dramas.
Back to my husband’s accusation: Yes, I probably have forgotten more theatre than most have seen. I remember the great shows. I remember the disasters. Those in the middle… not so much. I was looking through a previous blog of mine (searching for some reviews of my work for this new portfolio and blog site you are currently on). I read a review I wrote of a show. I have almost no memory of the show. I remember that I did see it, and what theatre it was at. My review raved about two of the performers. I have no memory of them. My review complained about the lighting (in one scene). I have no memory.
When my blog was hosted on wordpress.com, I had “Blasts from the pasts,” which were re-blogs from older blogs. (All of my wordpress.com blog posts have been ported over here — for very good reasons of not necessarily being on topic older blogs will not be ported in total). I think I’m going to continue the tradition. I’m going to continue searching for my old writings about theatre, and bring them here. Some things are reviews. Some are observations. Some have to do with my own process. I promise not to let them overrun new writings here. But every once in a while, I might go searching. Plus if I get all my thoughts here, maybe I’ll remember.
And as I am making promises about this new place on the web: I’m going to try to blog weekly. This makes it the worst time to try to set that goal, as I leave Thursday for 10 days away from home, 6 without internet. I will either have to figure out how to make a blast from the past upload itself, or figure out how to push publish with one measly bar of 3G on my phone.
I like seeing theatre. I’d also like to not forget it. Every show I see from here on out, gets a blog post of some sort. Every show I do, gets one too. No more forgetting theatre. Theatre is too precious and too transitory to allow it to escape.
To be fair, I think the husband’s usual complaint is that *he’s* forgotten more theatre than most people have seen. Since you’ve seen a lot more theatre, your guilt is by the transitive property. 🙂