RAT Re: Q&A

[Gaby <gaby@ratconference.com>]

Below is a thoughtful email from a Croatian theatre/art collective that
responds to dialog it ran across on the rat webpage
(http://rat.whirl-i-gig.com/sevendramaturgs/jeffjones1.html).

To Handy Capt. Theatre:  I forward your message to the rat-list, which is a
list-serv of approximately 175 subscribing  theatre makers mostly from the
US.  To join the rat-list and post directly, go to
http://rat.whirl-i-gig.com/intro_rat-list.html and follow the simple
instructions for subscribing.  Thanks for your provocative response to our
propositions, another step towards all our efforts at local engagement in a
global environment.

A happy, healthy and rewarding new year to all.

Gaby


At 06:51 AM 12/31/00 -0800, you wrote:
>Greetings from Handy Capt. Theatre,
>Wish you a Happy New Year.
>You asked:
>"What about Brecht's vision for affecting social
>change? Is that possible today without access to a
>goddamn broadcast medium?"
>I am just reading your interesting article, finding it
>rather thought provoking, inspiring; and would like to
>comment a bit on it. 
>It appears to be dealing with the issue of 'mattering'
>quite a bit, which as a cathegory appears to change as
>the information flow changes in nature, routs and
>quantity. What I mean is, something that would have
>been big news and big change and mattered a great deal
>in times when world wasn't quite so 'global', look
>like insignificant details nowdays. But what matters
>is that the world isn't 'global' after all, I mean it
>is not small, and not all visible. 
>Our theatre is physically placed in Split, Croatia and
>our position withing the global media isn't very good,
>we are, like most of the world, exposed to extreme
>cultural/political imperialism of entities such as CNN
>and the multinationals and thats why I find local
>action very important, speaking to people of our own
>region directly, without use of such media.
>Local actions can give a community a sense of
>importance and self confidence, a self of real-ness
>which is crucial these days when MTV, CNN, Hollywood
>and such make us feel as if real, important things
>happen only somewhere else.
>Thats why there has been a lot of small DIY theatre
>groups in Croatia, even small, DIY theatre festivals,
>as a part of the often anarcho oriented diverse diy
>community. Maybe the wars werent stopped nor
>governments overthrown, but without this cultural
>alternative I think situation here would have been
>much worse.
>This is where I see a potential for positive change,
>in creating alternative networks of communication
>which offer people active partecipation istead of
>passive consumerism, and I do think it is possible.
>I do know my own life has been much changed by such
>initiatives and attempts (Crass etc.) and as I believe
>each individual human life matters (back to the
>question of 'mattering') all change is change after
>all.
>"Think globaly, act localy", I guess, as predictable
>it may sound...
>What is good about theatre, IMHO, is it's real-ness,
>its here&now-ess, that so lacks in this media
>processed society, and experimenting with
>communication/consciousness using this aspect/and
>others of theatre can bring severe mental and thusly
>social change.
>Audiences are once again more then just viewers,
>theatre constantly borders with ritual.
>What is social change after all? Art is not just an
>instrument which can/cannot affect it but a part of
>society, what I mean is we can change society not only
>using art, but with how we us it - art in itself being
>a part of society.
>
>BTW you can visit our site at
>www.geocities.com/handycapt
>we have also started uploading some mp3's , so look up
>www.mp3.com/handy_capt_theatre if you are interested
>in electronic experimental noise (more mp3s coming
>soon).
>
>Any feedback very welcome, have a unique day and a
>great, fullfilling new year!
>Chaos Love Truth Frequency
>Vibrate on
>Handy Capt. Theatre
>
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