The Writing Vein: Razor's Edge for 5/14/10

Friday, May 14, 2010

Razor's Edge for 5/14/10

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Tonight I interpreted a play, "All in the Timing" by David Ives. I interpreted this same play at a different location several years ago and it was a positive experience that stuck in my mind. It became one of my favorite plays. It is actually six one-acts put together into one night of theatrical enjoyment; some more than others - but they're all good.

One of my favorites is "Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread." People who know me know I am a Philip Glass fan. Particularly his operas, the two movies: Koyaanisqasti and the other one whose name I can't remember right now - generally his more "avant garde" music (like Knee, Einstein on the Beach). Tonight's rendition of this one-act set was not my favorite; I thought they destroyed Ives' intention of using Glass' style and made it into something different which lost all meaning of why it was even written that way. And that's just my opinion. Some audience members obviously enjoyed it - laughed, applauded. Could be my theatrical snobbery (which I don't really have; especially if you compare me to my friend and true theatrical and literary snob A.L., who even admits it from time to time) or my fondness for Glass and for the original as-written one-act. But it didn't work for me.

But even the altered one-act and the rest of the uneven production touched the pace of life around here recently. Not only by my own observation, but of my friends and the current threat of upheaval in one sector of my professional life - the pace of everything on the go, of too much and too little simultaneously, of things happening out of context or suddenly. Random. Juxtapositions that don't fit, or conflict, contrast, confuse.

S0 I decided to go with the flow, rather than against it, and have built this week's Razor's Edge around the theme of Philip Glass and time.

Razor's Edge instructions: You are, of course, free to observe the prompt parts in any order; to use one or two or all - as my writer friend, Christi, has just done in her own work, my instructions to you are to Follow The Energy. I suggest watching the video, looking at the pictures, then read the word prompt (which is part of a line in the Philip Glass one-act) and write. Write for 8 to 10 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes or an hour. Share what you wrote with someone. If you feel so inclined, free free to post your writing here under the comments.