Ceram Age.pdf

7/27/2019 Ceram Age.pdf

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Th Cmic AgThigs Hi Sic th Foutio oPomc Stuis

a l a n r e a d

It is with th tm theatre , v the stage , i Ag. I hop tht’s c s tim i. Wh I ws

mi tht I wt to sk som qustios bout th itviw o my st possoship c

cut ch o pomc stuis. This shot go, I ws sk by mit tht histoi,

ssy is my st ttmpt t puttig togth with is ybow, whth my ppoch to

som mtis I hv b wokig o ov th histoic stuy i my moogph Theatre and st h-y sic comptig muscipt Everyday Life ws ot mo o th si o picy

with sub-tit tht us: The Last Human th custom i ou ms sposib

Venue . I tht ws, s it impis, xpotio o bhviou. I m i tht, s Johy Dpp sys

st thigs, possib igs, xtictios i Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ,

pobms o ppc, th this mti is I s th cssy cutio i puig

mo to o with st thigs, wht th Romi pigig tim-ms ss s u mo s

wit E. M. Cio oc c The Trouble With guideline to iom citic pctic ow.

Being Born. Pomtics is th miwi to this So wh was I ysty? Bck t th Istitut

gtiv istict i fmtiv momt o Cotmpoy Ats o th st tim sic

wh it is ss qustio o skig th toub ictig th tks pogmm th i th

subjcts o quiy th o -ssocitig th 1990s. Hmio, my youg ught, ow 8

tios o thi itsity. ys o, ws book ito wht ws scib sO thig tht both pojcts sh is th ‘wig wokshop’. I took this to b sv to

ctity o my chi to my witssig o th oc Wstmist Couci tht th ICA i

pomcs oth tht cts, th sious outch wok took th chc to

ctity o ttmpt to thik kiship, sig up, og with oth mi-css pts, to

byo miy, s wy o guig tht usiv som chp cyos pp subsiiz by th

mov om itimcy to ggmt, om th ct-Loo ispossss. I so kw th

poximity o ssocitios, which ethics scibs wou b copy o Nicos Bouiu’s cbt

quit w, to th uty o sposibiity to oths wok Relational Aesthetics i th bookshop

uth , byo o’s ow, whos ymics (th w sv) , hvig h it

politics oc cim to pst. c ov th st y t most vy

So I wi stt cos to hom, ysty, i th pomc visu ts vt I hv

cotmpoy Sto Ag, popos 40,000-y pticipt i, ci it ws my chc to jump to th st Sto Ag, th com bck it quot it to su th systmtic topicity

tows toy vi th Cmic Ag o my tit o this cotibutio to itio o

mk som simp obsvtios bout stg pomtics.

tht, spit pomc cims to th Wh w iv, w w bi by th

coty, hs somhow mi i th Sto ICA st, it bcm ppt tht this

47Performa nce Res ear ch 13 ( 2 ) , pp . 47- 58 © Tay l or & Franc i s Ltd 200 8

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commuity wokshop ws ot quit wht it

pp. Hmio ws with h is Io

Isb, ogsi twty oth chi

g btw 7 9, thy w sk by st

mmb covig th wokshop pptystightow qustio: ‘Wht is this pc?’ A

bight spk si, ‘A musum,’ to which th st

mmb pi, ‘Ys, t gy.’ I most

itjct tht this might b somthig o moot

istictio, but sw Hmio givig m th

wig y, so I i’t. ‘A o you mk t?’

st mmb sk. ‘Ys,’ si th chi

uimousy. ‘A you tists?’ ‘No,’ si

most o th chi, ogttig th pmissio

gt thm som ys bo by Josph Buys.

‘Wou you ik to b tists?’ si th gow-up.

‘Ys!’ th chi ci ( ou i ptig-tist-svs cocu om th siis).

‘Right,’ th gow-up si. ‘Bo you c gt

o with you wig wokshop, w wou ik

you to spit ito two goups. O goup wi b

sk to go owstis to th gy spc,

th, without objcts o y ki, you wi b

sk to py. Who wou ik to sy somthig?’

So Hmio put up h h. ‘Wh’s th

toit?’ Hmio sk. ‘No,’ si th st

mmb, ‘I m sy somthig i th gy?’

‘W, i I c go to th toit st, I m hppy to

sy somthig t,’ si Hmio. ‘Right,’ sith gow-up, ‘you wi stp out o whtv gm

you pyig t th tim go up to sy

th oowig i to yo who coms ito th

gy uig toy: “Ho, my m is,

whtv you m is, I wou ik to c

th wok, This Success.’ O you cou sy, i you

othwis: “Ho, my m is, whtv you

m is, I wou ik to c th wok, This

Failure .’’ ‘My m’s Hmio,’ si Hmio,

with coomy o gug tht I mty

jott ow s big ihit om h moth’s

si.Dspit th ct tht this wig wokshop

h v b m, it quicky bcm

ppt to m, om this istuctio, s

isi ow msquig s outsi to th

wokigs o this istitutio, tht my ught

ws big bi to bcom pt, spkig

pt o ss, o Tio Shg wok, Tino Sehgal

2007 , th thi i his tiogy o th ICA ov

th ys scib i this wy th

igmticy i th ICA pogmm: ‘Whthcig musum gus, two pop ock i

kiss, somo witig o th oo o mpty

gy o covstio with chi, Tio

Shg’s situtio-bs pics c b s

chtig s thy isoittig.’

As pts, who ccoig to th st wou

ihibit vythig tht ws bout to hpp, w

w show th bck oo oto Cto Hous

Tc whi th shiks cis o ou

ipts cho though th buiig. W

wou b ow bck i btw 6:00 7:00

tht vig, , six hous t, to s how thigs up. This, t v wks’ cotiuous

succss iu, ws th o th wok i its

ICA om, w cou pticipt i tht ig

s w wish.

I wi v it to oths mo xpt i th

ticc o Tio Shg’s mvous wok to

mi th pomtics h, but I ws stuck by

somthig pcisy mti bout th succss

iu o this wok. A it is tht

mtiism tht I hop I hit t i my tit, Th

Cmic Ag, though h i th ICA, th

soi-stt physics I m itst i mo too with th Sto Ag.

Th vt ws big couct i bsouty

ut oom, bit obviousy chitctuy

om xhibitio spc, with whit oo

covig th omy chish scp out vi

th ot sk. Th ws its ispy o

py t wok wh w pts tu, with

vious gs o ux thticity

ppty ioct goowi-bushig o gi’s

hi (sti o objcts) cppig gms. But

mist this to-ig o-ig, wht ws

iscpb ws th oo, which ws wy tooh o its ow goo, o i o th chi

pyig o it. At o poit boy hit his

h quit h i tht sighty sickig

thu-ik wy tht uts just o’t o. It ws

pu sto, i by th gt moist chitct

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J Dw i 1967, shiy ctiv o th

ctio but uogivig, th most utty tpoo-

ss oo tht you cou imgi. It ws

qui out, sc suc but o so s s

ot to pp to hv y ight o its ow o too y ms o hop to boch its

impmbiity.

A this stuck m s itstig i th

cotxt o jou issu ict to th

pomisig tm ‘pomtics’, with its ig o

coss btw pumtics pgmtics, i

which th htoics o stgig might psum

tht cti hollowness is wht suppots th

stg ctio. This is th ki o voum tht th

pomc smb Bktupp hs us to

gt ct bth th uic bchs i

thi wok coss Euop i th st two cso th twtith ctuy. But h, i th

hoow out, vs gu to tht ICA oo,

th is mit titio o xpotio tht

iks th i-stg to th potti o

voutioy cts. Th Situtioists si i

1968, ‘Bth th cobbstos th bch,’

I sy ow, ‘Bth th stg th cocoi.’ I

Lisy Aso’s ‘tomy o pubic schoo

m’ om th 1960s, If , this hoow substg

voum is th vy st o sistc o th

schoo-boy tihos. Bth th schoo stg is

hi wo withi which this ki o covyo imgitio histoy, ot to mtio th

ics o th omhy thopoogic

mchi, c b bought to ight xmi.

A it is om h tht th voutio gist

th schoo uthoitis is stg i th pt

o th m Crusaders. Th ib hmst,

whos schoo chpi Mcom McDow hs

just shot o combt xciss, is mtig out his

ow i o iscipi to McDow his

coms. Th sttig, mmob sub-stg

sc tht oows highights wht pomtiv

bou c giv is to by wy o sistc.O-stg is o thig, sub-stg is oth,

phps wothy o mo wok wh th is

voum to b xpo. I th cs o th ICA it

ws th pcis qui sity tht thw up

th sistcs o o tht y.

W, thy ouc th o th Tio

Shg pic, I ws g tht I h tk th

chc to Relational Aesthetics i th cé

uig th too, bov th ctio o my ow

chi whom I ws ot b to witss i cs Iihibit h ppsi py. Fo i tht wok

by Nicos Bouiu I ws b to stbish tht

wht Tio Shg is up to, ogsi his

cotmpois Phiipp Po, Vss

Bcot, Muizio Ctt Cst Ho,

is to o with wht Boui cs ‘itctiv,

us-iy tio cocpts’. H sks,

though xpoig this wok, ‘is it sti possib to

gt tioships with th wo’. His is

o coviviity cout sou vy much

ik th ki o sot pomtiv iht i

commuity ggmts t th igs otht pctic sic Eissti occupi

ctoy o vt i th 1920s Roussu

sk som ys bo wht th pubic might

b oig wh thy goup t th vig

mypo.

So my st mtiist mo mis m to

tk mo otic o th gou o which ctio

occus, ot cssiy to ig ito it i

hmutic tpis, th ki o

choogic mo so biity couct by

Mik Pso i th woks Theatre/Archaeology

In Comes I , but to ccout o it i my stuyo pomcs. I I m ot iitiy itst

i thigs hi i th gou, I m phps

mo itst i th wy i which cti

cocig is y uwy i th toos tht I

us to cout pomc. So I wi shit th

ocus to mtho o ‘gouig cocpts’ ow o

th pomis tht I wi tu to th mtiity

o oth tht oo by wy o cocusio.

To suggst tht th hv b thigs hi

sic th outio o pomc stuis is to

suggst tht pomc stuis hv b

‘ou’ i th st pc, tht pomcstuis somhow b to coc thigs. This

might b too cos to thopomophism o

pomc stuis o you comot, but

cts hv soci i, th ct o i is tht

iscipis hv pcuiy ctiv os. Wh



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Ry Nwm sg i his sog ‘Th Bhiv

Stt’, ‘Wht is Kss Thikig? / Wht is

Kss o?’, h ws ot skig whth Kss

h y use . I’m su B. B. Kig, Doothy om

th Wiz o Oz tht wou sog i thmusic Oklahoma bout buiigs ‘sv stois

high’ big bout s s buiig ought to go,

t us wht Kss is for : it is pc to b

stiv o. Rth wht might it stand o, wht

wou it wish to put its m to? My qustio is

ot issimi: ‘Wht is tht thikig? Wht

is pomc o?’ To wht thigs might

pomc stuis wish to put its m, i ou

m? It wou b this spitio task tht I

wou cosi th tm pomtics to scib

quit w.

Th histoy o pigm, iscipiy okowg omtio, is, s y Archaeology of

Knowledge shows, o s much o cocmts

s o vtios. A choogy its is

pocss o isitig thos thigs bout

pistmoogy tht hv bcom hi i tim.

But it hs b th commo cucy o such

sttgis to coc things, o objcts hv

wys h ccitc bout thm, om th

chmisty botoy to th physics chmb,

tht sist ou humist xpcttios. Thigs

object to ou subjctig thm to xpimt. Th

oots o th wo botoy, wo st us iEgish i 1608 ou th tim tht

Shksp ws comptig The Tempest , th

‘bou o otoy’, ocig thigs to spk, is

mi o th vioc iht to

mosttios o iscovis. So i its

cocig o thigs, pomc stuis is i

goo compy. It is o sight to iscipi to

mit its popsity to hi thigs, i oy i

o to v thm mticy with th

mgici’s xcmtio ‘o bho’. Look

bho. I this ss Rich Schch’s

Performance Studies: An Introduction is ‘book o vtios’.

But ookig is ot th h o it I .

Wh was pomc stuis ou?

Th o cos o th ist pomcs

tht wou hv b stui, thy ity

p-histoic. But it is ogic to ssum tht oc

th two-imsio igs o ‘mi stuis’

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h vop, th three dimensions o ‘iv

pomc’ wou hv b cogiz,

commt o citicy ss o thi

cotstig pth psc. To ciuy

xt Phiip Aus’s ogic, i his book Liveness, tht it ws oy t th icptio o

co tvisio tht th ‘iv’ bcm

itib s isct istict ctivity, it

ws i my viw oy t th icptio o th st

mi-sc tht pomc cou b

spt out xmi o its ic.

Th sc I m tkig bout h, coty to

Aus Bouiu, who both psum th

sc to hv somthig to o with ith

tvisios o comput tmis, ws ot th

tivy ct ivtio o th tvisio. But

o ws it s o s th Upp-Poithic cvitio t Lscux, which Gogs Bti

scib s ‘th c o humity’. Tht

chk-o w povi y i u-

iumit pototyp o th biity o hum

ims to pictu thi im quy th

to gu thmsvs s ughig t thm. Th

shm o th hut, th oy hum big

pictu i Lscux, ws thus th st pictoi

tioship btw im m. But this

ws bspok tisty, uiqu o ch

xtoiy occsio om Atmi to Pch

M. Th tctiity o this pigmt wok, thitimt tioship btw h suc,

sh mo with th pomc o ch

hutig soti th ws b to thow tht

pomtiv ctio, sto bhviou, om

o ki to th xt, ito y i. W hv o

witig o tht tioship c oy

spcut with Bti tht this phistoy is ou

histoy bcus it oucs th subjct, th I, it

announces us. Bti gus this tc o

th hum i ssuigy thtic tms:

Wht w ow cociv cy is tht th comig ohumity ito th wo ws m i two cts.

Btt sti: tht th sco ct, i which th

ssti mtts w ci, ws pc by

much vgu much og ct, which is

compb i its sowss icisiv

ppc to pio o icubtio. (2005: pp)

Rth th sc I m itst i h, o

tht ws ocumt c tho b

iscuss ssiby with cous to th

vic o histoy, tht ts us somthig bout

th outio o pomc stuis, ws thmo mo ivtio o susp tivs

i mi coou gz pouc i th

t-thous-y-o w tchoogy o th

cmic ti. It ws this ivtio, mss-

pouc mi tchoogy with th imit o

pototyp gss sc, tht ow

commttos to istiguish btw th

ptitious, th mimtic th bspok o th

st tim.

Th outio o pomc stuis, th, i

you oow my vs ogic timi,

occu i Egypt i th outh miium BC.Th N Est, with its titio o bk o

su-i bick, ws th gogphic c o

chitctu cmics. Fom th y 4000 BC

ows, Egyptis w poucig tis o

siicous, sy compositio whos suc gz

ws sti tuquois-bu with copp. Ths

tis w us to cot th jmbs o i

oowys i th Stp Pymi t Sqq, south

o Cio. This bu, o cous, ws ot bity

o moty bstct. Fo vyo who sw it,

th mi wou hv b istty

cogizb s coc with cotmpoycocptios o ivi pow t i. It

ws b. It sigi. Ths tis w

witt bout commt upo by

cotmpois, o th st tim mkig thm

out s th st ‘mi’ to b stui. Th i

gz tis us by th Assyis

Bbyois i Msopotmi btw th

thitth th th ctuis BC sm to

hv pss without co o otic.

Withi 2000 ys, by 1180 BC i th Ni Dt

t th Tmp o Medinet Habu, th tis

pictuig cptu svs o it cs,buous bsts, ims symboic sigs

omts. Th g o tiv ism

bgis h. Th vcity o th cmic suc

its pictoi tuth-to-i om ow o st o

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i tu sc, i poximity to th spctto ot

bbvit i siz s m by th

muctu uctio o th mss-pouc

cmic om.

Th cmic ti h th imsio,

citic o my gumt h y siouspojct tht might gow om this i toy, o

poous suc to its -si tht pomis

som sot o pmbiity with th outsi wo.

At st it ws poosity tht ow th ti to

bth with th suc to which it ws ttch,

which i tu wou commoy b w with

xtio spct tho py to th

vicissitus o chgig vs o mp

ought. So i th cmic ti w hv th

cssic boig o suc o impmb

sthtics ou o pomis o itctivity

with th viomt withi which th wok

tks its pc.

I my viw w sti optig withi th

Cmic Ag, ot just i th optig

thts om Wg i Amstm, Pu



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Upps o whom tomy thts hv bcom

ti icos o oth o spcttoi

mici.

Th Youg Vic Tht i Loo cty-op, sti u th ictio o th

cbt thopoogist Dvi L.

It cou ot hv scp Dvi’s

thopoogic y tht th oy pt o his

tht’s whoy buit itio t utouch by

th chitcts Hwoth Tompkis w th

cmic tis tht om th w o Ewi

butch’s shop itgt ito th buiig wh

oigiy buit i th 1970s.

Th tis o th butch’s shop, ik thosi i th ctuy i mo omious

suouigs coss Est Euop, w o

cous w-suit to th histoic usio tht

th booy tsitio om th i o th iv to

th th o th cou b wip c,

tabula rasa o sught ims t th o

ch busy y i th pty m stt i

Wtoo c The Cut .

Th is itt umt ic btw

th Nito DS Coso my ughts gm

with th cmic ti. Thy wigh bout thsm thi imsios opqu, miky

hu mii. Th ight ow mts om

within th sc, but th tivs



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simiy susp cos to th -si o tht

sc. A o cous thi sy viocs c b

wip c with sig most gstu coss

th suc. Th is th ts o itctivity, but

this ik most gmig is tsticyimit. It’s mi ctivity th ik

bskt-wvig wou hv b i itth-

ctuy hom o th is. A th poosity to

th wo o th ti hs b t o

spcious WiFi ik to oth gmig sbs but

itt outsi ggmt.

All pictures by Alan Read

Th tchoogy t wok h i th Nito,

th techne o mchics o vig, hs by

vc o Wiim Mog’s Victoi tis

i my oc pub. Th Tb i wst Loo,

wh tivs cotiu coss tis i

ui tmpo ymics. A it s w shot oth hights o soig Moocc mosqus.

It wou b th hoy gi o itctivity to b

i positio to ouc this momt s th end

o th Cmic Ag. Itctivity wou povi

us with th much-si gu to cosig th

cmic mo to histoy. But th is itt bout

tht its stuy, om th Gk sit o, tht

istubs this sstiy two-imsio mo

with ustous yt imptb suc

poous bck. Th tht voum cou b gus ky to th wo but oy om o si t

tim, th poscium ch ioc th

sc w i its c-o with ot-st

uic, sucs t wok th th voums

to b t.

A ctuy o thtic xpimt om thos

Eissti-ict, immsiv, ctoy pics i

th y twtith ctuy, though Gotowski’s

ow p-thtics to th cut pcht o

sit-spcic pomc hs o itt to t

th ssti c-to-c cout o th

thtic. A this spit th hoic otso J- Fcois Lyot i his Libidinal

Economy to gu pomc s cicutig

Mobi b o gtics. ‘Lookig o’

woig is th commo thtic mo o

spcttio ispctiv o cutu oigi.

It is my cottio tht it is this

impermeability , ik th gz ti, tht hs

cssitt wht Ré Gi wou hv

scib i Things Hidden Since the Foundation

of the World s cti scpgotig o th

thtic by pomc stuis s it chss

th si o sis, ivovmt i wotht it sks to cov whi hiig th sistcs

it couts to occuptio.

I wou gu this s th recalcitrance o th

tht th iscipi wishs to t,

ccitc tht o y ss quti i

th xpsioist phs o iscipis. Th

ccitc o psychoogy to phoogy, th

sistc o stoomy to stoogy th

scpticism o poitic mtiists to

phomoogy wig sigs o us h i

og-stbish tht wou pp to hv

wcomig subjcts wh it is i ct igsomtims summiy with pcious objcts.

Phps i spos to this sistc to this

coomy o pouctio uic cts,

pomc stuis wys, om its ist

ys i 4000 BC, gu vts s pivig t

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th poit t which thy coou this ppt

istcig. Mo cty, i th t g o

Pomc Stuis, th ttctio o

thopoogy (i wht hs b scib s th

‘Schch momt’) psychoytic thoy(i its ‘Ph momt’), two mos o

ustig tht vu mbss,

pticiptio th goic itpttio

o th hi o pss, is iictiv o this

ug o poximity. At st ths hmutics

ouc ggmt with th ‘ss k’ i

ot th .

Pomc stuis’ itst i pocsss s

cotstig s g pctics itu

cmoi, i my ow itst i th

thopoogic mchi, th chitctu

costuctio o spch sits thpomtivity o th Fui ‘tkig cu’,

sh ivstmt i thi voumtic quity,

th ou quity tht c pp to b t

ito, th pomis o itctivity u. Th

is ss i which pomc stuis hv

wys wt to join in, ot to ook o. Hc

th ccitt, booy-h i ot -mi

obucy o Tio Shg’s ICA oo pic to

pomc thought. Pomtics hv us

th tmioogy o pticipt obsvtio

thputic iogu to impy th itctiv

quity o this pctic.This mphsis is s og s it is ot

mistk o poitics. It is simpy th

pticiptoy htoic mbic o iscipi

tht vop ov sv thous ys i

tsio with th omit mo o istc

sthtic sig ig tht pc it t

th outst o th Cmic Ag. A whi it hs

wcom fmtiv spct, cobotiv soci

, it quis sythtic coict thoy to ct

upo to o its wok. To giv its wok ss o

mtic tsio byo th obvious obsvtio

tht, with oo tht s, th is oughsistc to go ou.

Th mchoy mbic o psycho

yticy iom sti o pomc

stuis with its scitio with th,

isppc phmity cot st i

o th osss, suig supuous vis

tht Ai Ophi hs chctiz s ou cut

coitio o cisis i wo poitics. A mti

ivtoy o oss wi v b w up s og

s th iscipi o pomc quiy gusits s iity mutb, uwiig to positio

its t th isk o big poiticy itib

othoox. Whi pomc stuis is

uusu i its sistc to its ow coiztio,

its wiigss to susti th tsy o its ow

coictu tu with tht ti o w hos

‘th stg’ msks mo impott coicts

swh.

My cottio though this ssy, is tht

Pomc Stuis, i it wishs to tk th

chc to cogu its though s c

pomtics, might coc its mo ctivywith th og histoic mti coitios o

st o ‘ib coitios’ tht tmi th

‘istibutio o th ssib’, s th Fch

phiosoph Jcqus Rcié scibs th

poicig o thos who c s, spk o ist i

y pticu soci gim. Asthtics

poitics wh this istibutio mks th imits

o pticiptio. I my st ig-tst t

schoo, t 11 ys o g, I ch th bottom

i but mispoouc th wo mtmor phosis

s mtmo-phosis. I ws soy tht I ws st

bck to my sk bo I h th chc to sy myvouit wo: iiosyccy. My poitic

ittio is to xpo th tioship btw

th ib o pomc withi th soi-

stt mti o its stgig s sigi by th

sity o th oo with o tp-oo, whi

sistig th ug to mk psumptious iks

btw pomc poitics tht simpy

cot ho up to y sious scutiy.

I this pojct, which I couct i som

ti i Theatre, Intimacy and Engagement: The

Last Human Venue , I tk my sttig poit om

th st i o Augusto Bo’s smi wok Theatre of the Oppressed : ‘Thos who ty to

spt tht om poitics ty to us ito

o – this is poitic ttitu.’ My

cottio is tht it is oy by sptig tht

om poitics tht thi potti tios c b



56

iz. Th o hs pcisy b to v

ths two tms bo i tsy o

xpcttio hop whi ptoisig thm

both with th commistio o iu. I

pomc stuis sts out om ywh, it isom th p-coitio o coogic quity, tht

is, om th possibiity tht pviousy

iscout objcts, thigs, mtis, ims,

mts, wi civ tttio icusio i

xp coctiv tht tks sious otic

o oucmt m som ys go om

withi ou , gig th ‘ o

humism’.

It is i this spct tht th sity o th ICA

oo, th img-stut cvous Lscux

cv th Youg Vic uitoium might b

bought ito cuious igmt by wy o pgmtic cocusio. Ech ws bought to mi

th oth vig wtchig th p-mit UK

chitctu piz big w t th

Rouhous i Loo. Th spctc o th

buiig goo-sig guu Kvi McCou

tottig out tht ti o ti-thtic

pjuic i his itouctio to th Youg Vic

Tht sgmt o Ch 4’s tvisio

covg ws b ough. His ws tht this

tht wou somhow com his suspicio

bout vythig tht is wog with tht

its pop. But to s tht pjuic compouby th tistic icto o th Youg Vic, Dvi

L, ws cuious i. Th oy thig h cou

sy to cm bout this tismic sit o

cotmpoy tht ws tht h cosi th

bui succss wh h witss two pop

i ‘sious smooch’ o so i th b.

This Dioysi vtio ws git o

McCou who with smik commt o th

tht s gt pc to sog. But w h ot

s th tht t this poit o th pogmm,

w w ot mt to. W w stuck i th

b, s though th bst thig to sy bout thispojct ws it ct s soci ubict –

without th psig ioy tht Tio Shg

bigs to thos kissig i th gy spc

to i. W, th my xct

bs i Loo, th pomc cooptiv

Shut us o u Loo Big, tht

much btt pcs to sog. With 30-sco,

tioy bocst soubit to , this ws

ot th to py o. It ws s though th

mockig, ughig gu o th st cvpitigs h oc gi ss thmsvs i

th c o siousy chgig it, it tht

Dvi L s ccompish thopoogist

hs o so much to scu, ot to scic o

th sk o sy soci ssocitio.

Fo th Youg Vic to iv t th top tb o

ittio chitctu i th guis o th

Stiig Piz is ot to succumb to this

comptitio’s ow tic tms o c. But

to b bt out so otssy, s it ivitby

ws, by musum o mo ittu i

Gmy ws ioic i o thtthusists whoy comig o thos

pomc spciists who c th

istitutio o th stg bkupt mo th

ctuy go. Th Mbch musum is ig i

its quottio o totiti chitctu om,

but it cou b ythig. It os ot hv to b s

it is, housig s it os chiv objcts

muscipts tht c b witss i vity o

wys.

But th sious bsc o th uitoium om

th Youg Vic sgmt o th Stiig piz show

t voi t th ht o th pogmm pvt oooks om jugig i y ssib

wy th cims o this tht to chg its

comptitio. Th uitoium is ot vythig,

but th pomic o th b th butch’s

shop tc i th psttio o th Youg

Vic ws tig. As tig s my ow ti

ivsios h i this t Cmic Ag.

Th ws othig to show. Tht might wys

b th cs with thts, without th show h

is o show, tht uitoiums i this ss

wys isppoit th TV cm ookig o its

ow m. But i th cs o th Youg Vic, thisbsc his mbssig ity. Th

vu, so citic to th ct histoy o Bitish

tht, hs b cov i its ct bui

wh it shou hv b comphsivy

-imgi. Th sity o th oo, hgig s

R

e

a

d



57

T

h

e

C

e

r

a

m

i

c

A

g

e

it os bov mshy, upictb p

gou, tis its outio oc whi

scicig y ibty withi its stiig

iss.

I th cs o th Roy Cout i So Squ,th stotio pojct o th sm ptship,

Hwoth Tompkis, ws ustb

ppopit. A poscium ch tht

iocs its pow i wys tht mig wi

ot impov. This ovtio ticc ws th

gt succss o th pojct mis

sious psu o who visit i ics

umbs comot sic its hbiittio.

I th cs o th Youg Vic, th mt

hightig o th uitoium is ixpicb i

its mosty cosvtism. Wh th suk,

coct-w uitoium o th Youg Vic wsoigiy buit i Th Cut, it ct th

zitgist o its momt. It ws s soi-stt s

th ICA oo tht pc it by w ys. But

to hv mimick tht momt, s th Youg Vic

hs b oc to o, is to hv siousy ost

v t momt o potti icism

iovtio, which cou hv stoo s sious

momt o chg to thos who hv too

ighty, om pomc stuis quts,

ouc th th o th utho thi

txts. Whi Puchuk, Shut oth youg

compis i Loo siousy ivtigth scop o ou thtic soci

imgitios whi ogttig tht compx

systms tht sigiy hv th quity o txts, th

Youg Vic might , with ss tishism o th ct

pst, hv gsp this oppotuity to ook

ows ot bck. Dow os ot cssiy

hv to m out.

A ow ( bck) it suy is: th mi

uitoium is ppty much ov, but it

mimicks tht pst with its stoi, si

ixibiity. Th Youg Vic ow is th 1970s

Youg Vic th, with bs whists, whichmks it cos to mi g ot tht youg.

Tht is ost oppotuity o tht th

bsc o imgs om th itio o th

uitoium t th Stiig Piz psttio

cctut too buty. Th tht sts

t cossos tht th mgc o th

tgoistic ms o c xmpi by

pomc stuy mk. A cossos tht wi

b cogiz s quivt to th momt, mo

th ctuy go, wh th gt Fk Mtchm took coto voutioiz Bitish

tht chitctu om th Pc Tht t

th s-si i Wstci to th Lyic Tht

Hmmsmith.

Th chitctu ofc o Hwoth Tompkis

hs b ighty cbt by jouists

sympthtic to tht’s chgig cus, but

with th w Livpoo Evym to com om

this pctic th is sti mo to py o.

Rcogitio gtitu is timy, giv th

pous stt o tht chitctu i th ys

bo this otty-c momt. But thisspct shou ot tu to hgiogphy t th

vy momt wh th is so much to gi.

Th Youg Vic, tht pch o th g o

vy ccommotig so, ccoig to its

tistic icto, shou ot hv b so siy

ismiss s so- i this ittio

gthig o chitcts. W h othig iv to

cm om Kvi McCou bout y o th

cits xcpt o th cuiousy ivt

ct tht th Hwoth Tompkis tb t th

Rouhous cmoy h got though w

botts o wi. Pyig to th pjuics o thpst tht th tht h tu up o

ivoousy goo tim, whi th sious

hvywight mbitios o chitcts such s

Dvi Chipp took th £20,000 goois o

th psvtio o th pst, ws too obvious to

b uy. O Littu 1, Nw Tht 0. Th o

stoy i oth wos. A, bo it cows its

ot-pt si wig bout tht big

th xtict stig qutt o oth ctuy,

pomc shou c tht it is ot v

ivit to th vt. Its ck o chitctu might

b wo s bg o pipttic pi, but itsimpy mks th utt mbivc th

cotmpoy city hs h o th pt to

tgic tht’s ub sigicc.

Ay pomc stuis woth its st wou,

i my viw, hv to ccout ot oy o its



58

commo subjcts (iti histoicy

with y to victim-sttus by c, css

itity) but i th spiit o th moctic

mtiism vop i this ssy bgi to

thik though pctic th coitioiggous o ths iquitis. Subjcts cot i

o thmsvs t us vy much bout th

tios o pouctio tht gv is to thm.

Tht th tht hs ct s th st hum

vu o ths xpotios shou ot pivig

it i th o o pomtics’ oth oth,

cctic xt-thtic itsts. But ith

shou it y th coct stg its u wight,

giv tht this voum is simpy th s 1970s

vsio o wht hs titioy b gu s

hoow somhow icpcitt by th

ms o pomc’s s. Th physicityo pomc h os ot to th o

biy o boy mi, pcticig tist

thikig obsv, but th to th pcis

mti coitios withi which

pomc os its wok. Th Cmic Ag

withi which th htoics o pomc sti

opts, ppty obsvb suc with

th pomis o itctivity somwh

bhi, is ot mtpho but physic

coitio tht pomtics sti hs to gt to

gips with, i oy to th sippiss o its

uig, ppty pmt pmbiity.

r e f e r e n c e s

Aus, Phiip (1999) Liveness: Performance in a

Mediatized Culture , Loo Nw Yok: Routg.

Bti, Gogs (2005) The Cradle of Humanity,

ts. Mich K Stut K, Nw Yok:Zo Books.

Bo, Augusto (1979) The Theatre of the Oppressed ,

ts. Chsw A. Mi-Oii L McBi,

Loo: Puto Pss.

Bouiu, Nicos (2002) Relational Aesthetics, ts.

Simo Psc Foz Woos, Pis: Ls Psss

u Ré.

Cio, E.M. (1998) The Trouble With Being Born,

ts. Rich How, Nw Yok: Ac.

Gi, Ré (2003) Things Hidden Since the

Foundation of the World , ts. Stph B

Mich Mc, Loo: Cotiuum.Lyot, J-Fcois (1993) Libidinal Economy,

ts. Ii Hmito Gt, Loo: Atho Pss.

Ophi, Ai (2005) The Order of Evils: Toward an

Ontology of Morals, ts. R Mzi Hvi C,

Nw Yok: Zo Books.

Rciè, Jcqus (2005) The Politics of Aesthetics,

ts. Gbi Rockhi, Loo: Cotiuum.

R, A (2007) Theatre, Intimacy & Engagement:

The Last Human Venue , Bsigstok: Pgv

McMi.

Schch, Rich (2006) Performance Studies: An

Introduction, Loo Nw Yok: Routg.

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