Appropriate?

[iheartpudding]

Today in my theater class we focused on pantomime. The assignment was given last week that we could choose any situation to write and perform our own 3 minute pantomime for the class. Most people simply acted out day to day situations, some straying into comedic over-acting, but nothing too emotionally jarring

Comments

That said.

[johnnylexicon]

Wow. That is a whole clusterfuck of worms he opened up. Here are my thoughts, not in order of relevance:

1. It was incredibly callous for him to perform that for an audience that he should have known would have at least some survivors of rape, just to show off his acting skills.

2. That said, this is his education, not anyone else's. His work is really between him and the professor.

3. That said, if he works with the sexually victimized, he really ought to know better than to trigger those emotions.

4. That said, the "reality" of the scene should be counted in his favor. If he'd done it without quality, it would be far more insulting.

5. In the end, you've got to support artistic expression. I don't believe in telling other people what to do artistically, and generally I'm for anything that is emotionally difficult and brutally honest.

6. That said, there's a big difference between a show, which people choose to come to, and a class, for which you're a captive audience with no choice and no chance to vet the material.

7. What the fuck is wrong with your professor? "Shock value"? She's a drama teacher, not a group therapist. Who is she to try to make people confront demons they're not prepared to confront?

8. Ultimately, the guy should be talked to about appropriate settings, but not scolded or censored. I think it is brave of him to tackle such an nerve-touching and important subject, but then again, it's not his story to tell, really, unless people are coming to him to see him do it.

Re: That said.

[iheartpudding]

I thought it was a poor choice, but can't help feeling a bit bad for him. I was the one who took half the class outside to calm them down, and after that had to talk to him.
All in all, I think a lot of the fault for the negative emotions triggered lies on the professors shoulders. Not only did she KNOW, she instructed him not to tell anyone of his plans. She made sure he gave us no prior warning. It isn't the first time she has been truly insensitive. Last week she suggested all war scenes for my friend who just lost her boyfriend in Iraq. She thought they would be more realistic, and told her she wasn't talented enough to stretch outside of what she knew.

Re: That said.

[johnnylexicon]

WOW. That's cold-hearted.

I used to do a lot of theatre, and I can tell you, "the therapist" is one of those theatre types to watch out for. The more I think about it, the more I agree that the blame lies on her for goading this talented young student to follow through on what was an ill-conceived idea. But making a girl grieving her war-dead boyfriend enact scenes from battle is absolutely beyond the pale.

Re: That said.

[thespottedmind]

I was gonna say, if he had just said something like "this will be very graphic, and if there are any of you who will be offended or upset by the topic of sexual violence, you might want to consider leaving and I won't be offended" then it gives the class a choice and I honestly don't think it would ruin the experience. I can't bring myself to be upset at the guy in this situation (and I want to kick your professor in the head.)