For Shame, Perth People!
Sun, 29 June 2008, 02:36 pmJustSuse34 posts in thread
For Shame, Perth People!
Sun, 29 June 2008, 02:36 pmThe other night I went to do an adjudication of Blak Yak's latest play 'Deus ex Quanta' at the Subiaco Arts Centre. About half an hour later I came home again. Why? Because seeing that I WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO TURNED UP TO SEE THE PLAY, they (quite reasonably) cancelled the performance!!
This website has lately been full of people whingeing about clubs doing the same old shows again and again - Blak Yak offer you a new and different show - and nobody goes. You complain about having to travel too far to see shows - Blak Yak put on a show at Subiaco, couldn't get much more central - and nobody goes. You worry and fret about the future of Community Theatre, you want the Government to do something about it - but you don't support it! I have been involved with Community Theatre for 30 years; we have gone through good years and bad, and will do so again. The only thing that will bring about the demise of the community is apathy.
No, I'm not affiliated with Blak Yak, its one of the few clubs I have not yet worked with. As Nick, the director, told me, when they do stage adaptations of crappy TV shows they have to turn people away. When they do a 'real' play they get no audience. Why? Does the title being in Latin scare you? They are trying to establish a reputation for doing new, different, edgey stuff - which is what many of you claim to want - but you won't support them.
The play runs for one more week. They have to pay for the hire of the venue, help them to at least do that. Go and see it.
And so once again...
Thu, 3 July 2008, 10:57 pmWalter Plinge
If this isn't indicative of the attitude of Perth local theatre, I don't know what is. Allow me to be honest and up front: I am involved with Deus Ex Quanta. And this thread began as a rally-cry to the people of Perth to actually engage and - possibly - challenge themselves to see something they had perhaps never seen before. And what does it become? All about Cabaret.
Now, I'm sure Cabaret is a fine show, and I wish them all broken legs. But the point was made earlier: it's what people want to see. Cabaret is (to an extent) a known quantity. Here, we tried to give the people of Perth the opportunity to see a show they may have missed out on, and we were let down.
There are a lot of newer plays that could become audience favourites if it wasn't the same thing done over and over and over again. Then again, I suppose you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
While I have your attention, stay tuned for Black Yak's 2009 seasons of Pride and Prejudice, The Importance of Being Earnest and A Mid-Summer Night's Dream. That ought to get some bums on seats.
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