Tonight I literally stayed in front of my computer all day.
Given that it’s been a splendid sunny day outside I’m not too sure if I have wasted my time altogether. Indeed, I probably live in one of the best places in the world, imagine something like the Napa valley but much warmer and with better wine and food, as far as I’m concerned.
These past couple of days I’ve been totally wired up as our company is participating in two online festivals taking place simultaneously in Shangai and Seul. Although I’m not physically there I can assure you that it’s been both exciting and extremely demanding.
I must admit that for the very FIRST time though, I was able to watch other shows streamed over the internet.
I think I have received countless invitations to online performances but so far I dismissed them. Whether out of snobbery or just because I detest patches or simply because I’m already too much in front of a monitor it’s hard too say. Once in a while I feel like I must take a break from the virtual world and I do have the opportunity here to take walks in woods despite the area where I live is in a so-called ‘red zone’.
Yet, today I had the chance to digest not one but 5 experimental theatre shows. I must confess, it made me want to BE THERE rather than just be a passive spectator. If I have to sum it up in a sentence:
“Online theatre is like sex over the phone. It’s exciting once in a while but you still crave for the real thing and in the long run it will make you blind.”
On the one hand it is very exciting, just thinking that, while I’m at home, people in China or Korea may be watching me perform tickles your ego all right. For a week or so I’ll feel like a movie star. On the other hand if I wanted to be a movie star I guess I would have taken that road a while ago.
The sordid truth is that stage actors are junkies.
And like all junkies we need a FIX once in a while.
I could tell you that methadone is as good as heroin, and that I am content to sit idly (it’s a metaphor I’m working more and longer hours now than what I used to). But you all know that I would be lying.
Mind, I’m not demonizing the internet at all, it’s an amazing instrument and it frees all kind of possibilities. I’ve been experimenting on YouTube like crazy (I run three channels) but I think experimenting is probably the key word here.
For one thing I must be grateful though.
Because thanks to online theatre I’ve discovered something I kept hiding during this period:
I’m a stage junkie… and I’ll never leave the stage no matter what.
I FRATELLI LEHMAN (The Lehman Brothers) – physical and visual comedy
Shangai Experimental Theatre Festival
21st to 27th November (link, you must a apply to obtain an invitation)
World Duo Performing Arts Festival of Seul
22nd to 29th November – (link, open to the public)
Tom Corradini
