Black Books by Blak Yak

It's great to see such a lively discussion going on. Some valid points, some not so valid points - but I think the general census is, if I may generalise, is that Blak Yak need to rethink their public image. As, I mentioned before, I think the problem lies in the publicity from this theatre establishment. Their shows are not heavy promoted enough. I rarely know when Blak Yak is performing, so, simply put – I don’t go. Their performance venues change frequently, so it is hard to discern a geographic location to the company. Yes, that is important, because I don’t want to keep finding out where this nomad theatre is performing every time. I am aware of their situation and I have no resolution to this problem – I am just voicing my concern. Another issue I would like to raise is the ratio of screen (big all small) adaptation being presented by this company. I want to see theatre, not a lesser, theatrical version of my favourite sitcoms and films. Contemporary theatre establishments are a product of modernity. When they arose in the bustling metropolises of Europe, they were new, innovative and exciting. It deviated away from traditional theatre styles and wanted to tell modern (of the day) narratives about everyday life. In summary, modern theatre is supposed to be, but rarely is in Perth, about presenting new ideas and styles. Sure, if you can present an adaptation in a thought-provoking manner – I am all for it. But if it is just a simulation (copy) of that adaptation, who in the right mind wants to pay 15 dollars to see that when they can get the original and much better version from the video store for a few dollars? I have seen a few productions at Blak Yak. The adaptations I’ve seen offered my little, but the other ‘plays’ I have seen were great and I would love to see more productions in that vein. Also, how about some original works? The life blood of theatre. I once considered Blak Yak to be the avant-garde of the local community theatre - A theatre wanting to experiment and push the boundaries. But are you guys pushing the boundaries? No. In fact, I know of a specific, original script that was sent to you in the last few months, of which you didn’t even contact the author about. It’s common courtesy to write a formal letter informing the playwright if their submission was unsuccessful. And here I am reading on this thread that Blak Yak is interested in original work. Well, I certainly missed the boat on that one.