#reports of our cultural death have been greatly exaggerated

[power-chords]

I can’t be the only person who finds that “Kaddish for the soul of Judaism” shit self-indulgent and rhetorically suspect. Like I understand being in emotional pain and I feel it myself but there’s mourning and there is self-flagellating doomerism that only reifies Israel’s terms. I’m sorry you as a diaspora Jew are content to perform your guilt on our collective behalf, shrug your shoulders, and continue shoveling dirt on what the Nazis almost succeeded in eradicating. How convenient for you. There has to be a future for Jewish practice and culture and art outside of Zionism.

#reports of our cultural death have been greatly exaggerated

[martletradio]

MIDNIGHT RADIO EPISODE TWO: RADIO will be released this Sunday, June 24th. In keeping with its title, we ask the question:

What was Old Time Radio, and why do we love it?

As increasingly popular (and numerous!) as audio drama podcasts are now becoming, our new media still can’t hold a candle to the popularity of radio drama in the 1930s and 1940s. Known now as Old Time or Golden Age radio, it was in its time one of the most popular entertainments in the world; 82% of Americans were regular radio listeners. (A fun fact: English-language radio drama originated in Pittsburgh.) It was eventuall, swept off its pedestal by television, and the end of the era is considered to be in 1962, when the last episode of radio classic Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar aired (incidentally, my own favorite OTR program). While radio hung on for a while in Canada and Australia, and remains popular in the UK and New Zealand to this day, in the US it dwindled to nothing.

Radio dramas came in every genre, and the medium had its own stars as well as attracting major early Hollywood actors. Many were adaptations of popular detective novels, including Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, Nero Wolfe, and Sherlock Holmes. Others featured more ambiguous characters like AJ Raffles, The Shadow, and Boston Blackie. The term “soap opera” originated with radio shows sponsored by soap and shampoo brands – in fact, the very idea of “sponsorship” originated with these programs. Performances of entire plays and Broadway musicals, as well as famous novels and stories adapted for radio, were hosted by shows like Cecil B. DeMille’s Lux Radio Theatre and Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air. And of course there were westerns, the best of which was Gunsmoke, a long-running show which delivered realistic and full characters and genuine ethical and emotional difficulty in between the constant gunfights. There were also sci-fi adventure shows like Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and Space Patrol, which tapped into the excitement of the early days of the Space Race.

The Lux Radio Theater: “The Thin Man,” starring William Powel and Myrna Loy

Gunsmoke: “Home Surgery”

Space Patrol, sponsored by Chex

Comedians like Jack Benny or married couple George Burns and Gracie Allen made their name on the radio (The Burns and Allen Show was successful enough for Gracie to run a joke presidential campaign), alongside sitcoms like Our Miss Brooks and Fibber McGee and Molly. There were also more serious scifi/fantasy/horror anthology series like Escape and Suspense, which produced both original stories and adaptations of great writers, and included some of the best work in the medium.

Escape: “Three Skeleton Key,” starring Vincent Price

OTR, of course, has problems which are nearly opposed to the selling points of much modern radio drama. They were sponsored by cigarette companies rather than NatureBox or HelloFresh. Female side characters were one-dimensional, airheaded or disposable. And the rare character who wasn’t a white, red-blooded American was invariably an appallingly racist portrayal. Many of these shows are, looking back, utterly unjustifiable.

The ones that avoid this, however, are worth a listen. Those who wrote and starred in these shows had an advantage that modern audio drama doesn’t – they were working in a mainstream, popular medium, which had decades to develop and to reach listeners across the globe. Audio frees the imagination of both listeners and creators in a way that film doesn’t: it has the ability to evoke spectacle or terror, without being confined by concrete visuals. The pioneers of audio drama were able to develop the codes and languages that the creators of any medium use to connect with their audiences, and they had an audience who were intimately familiar with audio. They knew how to write jokes and tricks that worked in audio – and they knew how to write horror, too. “The Thing on the Fourble Board,” an episode of the show Quiet, Please widely considered the scariest piece of audio fiction ever written, relies on this extremely effective knowledge of what makes audio work. I also do not recommend listening to it alone in the dark – but if you listen to any piece of old time radio, make it this.

Wolf 359’s Gabriel Urbina on the episode

Radio had power. It was the first non-print mass media; as well as entertainment, it brought new forms of news reporting and political engagement, including Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous Fireside Chats. It pervaded and influenced culture the way that television does now. The most famous example of this power is an episode of The Mercury Theatre on the Air which adapted the H. G. Wells novel “War of the Worlds,” broadcast on the night before Halloween in 1938. Orson Welles worked in ways unprecedented in audio fiction – he incorporated the new forms of live news broadcasting which had been innovated during World War One, included interviews with supposed experts, and updated the story to a modern setting. The entire story was staged as breaking-news “interruptions” to a live program of dance music. Although it was announced several times that it was a drama, the broadcast caused mass panic, with a Princeton professor calculating in 1940 that over one and a half million terrified listeners had taken the broadcast to be truth rather than fiction. Victims called police and government officials in droves, and some were admitted to hospitals suffering from shock.

The Mercury Theater on the Air: “War of the Worlds”

Radiolab: War of the Worlds

Or were they? I recommend the fascinating RadioLab episode on the story, but it boils down to this: the reports of panic were greatly exaggerated at the time, whether because of the sensationalism of the whole narrative, or because the newspapers reporting on the story had a grudge against the radio medium which was elbowing in on their territory. There’s now doubt as to whether there was really a panic at all. Regardless, the public was clearly aware that radio was doing something extraordinary, and that it was a powerful tool.

What’s most interesting about this story isn’t, however, the semi-debunking of the original narrative. It’s that on at least two occasions (in 1949 and in 1975), radio stations have replicated the broadcast, updated and localized – and that these adaptations produced much more verifiable results. The latter resulted in genuine distressed phone calls and alarm; the former, in Quito, Ecuador, caused the deaths of seven people in the ensuing panic. How much power does radio have over our imaginations? What is it about these stories that keeps attracting us to them, compelling us to retell them? And why have we, the audio dramatists of today, returned to exhume a medium supposedly dead for half a century, and reanimated its ghost? What does that ghost have to tell us?

I first encountered old time radio on NPR. Our local station in DC (where my dad worked at the time) is the home of a show called The Big Broadcast, a weekly four-hour Sunday night program of old radio dramas. As a ten-year-old, I was enraptured; I hid in bed with my radio turned down low under the covers so that I could avoid household rules about going to bed early on school nights and listen until the show ended at 11. The late former host, Ed Walker, would begin and end the show by encouraging listeners to forget their worries, and thanking them for spending the night with him, all in the most soothing voice I’ve ever heard. Midnight Radio has its origins in this feeling – lying alone in the dark with my eyes closed, laying my troubles aside, and imagining other worlds.

Whether or not you choose to listen alone in the dark, I hope you’ll join us for Episode Two this Sunday. Until we’re together again,

-- Bobbie

#midnight radio podcast

[covid19worldnews]

Coronavirus live news: Germany goes into 'lockdown light'; Italy accused of wasting time as infections rise

11.27pm GMT 23:27

The Culture Secretary in England has confirmed arts venues can remain open for rehearsals during the country’s lockdown.

Oliver Dowden said while audiences will not be able to attend the venues they are “places of work” and will therefore be able to remain open.

Footage of performances taking place inside venues will also be permitted to be streamed online when tougher restrictions come into force in England, he confirmed on Twitter.

“Arts venues are places of work, so people can come into them for work, if it cannot be undertaken from home,” he wrote.

“This includes rehearsals and performance. Audiences are not permitted.”

A number of productions, including Les Miserables in the West End and a panto at the London Palladium, are due to return to the stage with socially distanced audiences over the festive period.

11.05pm GMT 23:05

Argentina is expecting 10 million doses of Russia’s main experimental COVID-19 vaccine between December and January, the government said, as infections continue to climb in the South American country.

The vaccine, known as Sputnik V, is given in two doses and could begin arriving as early as next month, the government said in a news release. The price of the Russian vaccine would be “more or less average” compared with others, President Alberto Fernandez said in the release.

“We had a proposal from the Russian foreign ministry and the Russian (Direct Investment) Fund to see if Argentina was interested in having doses of the vaccine in the month of December and of course we said yes,” Fernandez said.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is backing the development and roll-out of the Sputnik V vaccine. Fernandez said talks with RDIF had been going on “for quite some time.”

Officials including Argentina’s deputy health minister had traveled to Russia to review the vaccine’s development, the government said.

“The Sputnik V vaccine for Argentina will be produced by RDIF partners in India, Korea, China and a number of other countries that are setting up a production of the Russian vaccine,” RDIF’s CEO, Kirill Dmitriev, said in comments shared by a company spokesman.

10.46pm GMT 22:46

The Labour party in England has called for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to engage in cross-party talks to produce a six-month economic support plan to guide the country through coronavirus.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said the Treasury should “stop the last-minute scramble” and combine with opposition leaders, businesses and unions to draw up a long-term strategy.

Dodds has written to her Government counterpart after he announced on Saturday that, to coincide with the second national lockdown for England, the furlough scheme would continue in its current form, paying 80% of employees’ wages for hours not worked, up to a maximum of 2,500 per month.

In her letter to Sunak, she said the announcement “just hours before” the initial furlough scheme was due to end was “symptomatic” of what she said appeared to be a “lack of any strategic planning by the Government to support jobs and businesses”.

10.27pm GMT 22:27

Portugal considering state of emergency to tackle Covid-19

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he is pondering declaring a state of emergency as a preventive measure to fight the spread of the coronavirus at a time when infections are soaring.

Hours after Prime Minister Antonio Costa asked the president to declare the state of emergency, Rebelo de Sousa said in an interview with RTP Television he was considering the request, explaining it would include specific measures to combat the pandemic but not a “total or nearly total” lockdown.

The initial COVID-19 state of emergency, which under Portuguese law is limited to 15 days but can be extended indefinitely in 15-day periods if necessary, was declared in March and lasted six weeks.

It restricted the movement of people and led thousands of businesses to suspend activities, devastating the once-bailed-out economy.

“The economy cannot handle a (total) confinement,” Rebelo de Sousa said during the interview at his official residence. “What is being considered is a different thing.” If Rebelo de Sousa declares an emergency, lawmakers must approve it, which is considered highly likely.

On Saturday, the government introduced measures, such as the civic duty – a recommendation rather than a rule – to stay at home except for outings for work, school or shopping, across 121 municipalities including in the key regions of Lisbon and Porto.

A state of emergency would clear the way for compulsory measures such as restrictions on movement of people but only if and when needed.

10.10pm GMT 22:10

The Premier League in England has confirmed four positive coronavirus tests have been returned from the latest round of testing.

The government has allowed Premier League football and other elite sports to continue during a four-week ‘circuit break’ lockdown, which will start in England on Thursday, due to the strict testing regimes in place.

In total, 1,446 players and club staff were tested for coronavirus between Monday, October 26 and Sunday, November 1.

Players or club staff who have tested positive will self-isolate for a period of 10 days.

9.51pm GMT 21:51

In Australia, travellers from regional NSW are now able to go to Queensland for the first time in almost four months but Sydneysiders are still not welcome in the Sunshine State.

Travel restrictions eased at 1am on Tuesday (Australia time), with the Queensland border flung open to everyone except those in greater Sydney and Victoria.

The NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is irate that Sydney residents are banned, arguing the bar Queensland has set for resuming free travel between the states is too high.

Meanwhile, Berejiklian has indicated a reopening of the NSW border with Victoria could happen soon.

We’re talking weeks not months in terms of when the Victorian border may come down, but that again is based on health advice,” she told reporters on Monday.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we moved more quickly against Victoria than Queensland did against us.”

When asked if an announcement would be made this week, Berejiklian said “potentially, yes”.

9.41pm GMT 21:41

French writer Sylvain Tesson poses inside the Librairie des Abbesses bookstore as he signs one of his books during the launch of “Rallumez les feux de nos librairies” (Turn back our bookstores’ lights) event on November 2, 2020 in Paris, on the fourth day of the second national general lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19. Small book traders are forced to shut up shops for a second time this year during what is usually a busy time for retailers in the run-up to the year-end holidays. Photograph: Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

9.28pm GMT 21:28

Some of Germany’s top orchestras, including Berlin’s prestigious Staatskapelle and the Munich Philharmonic, staged protests on Monday, warning that coronavirus lockdowns pose an existential threat to the arts and entertainment industries.

Musicians from the internationally-renowned ensembles in Berlin and Munich, as well as the orchestra of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, staged a minute’s silence at the start of their respective concerts.

And on Twitter, a wide range number of artists posted pictures of records turning without any sound.

They argue that not enough support is being made available to people in the sector as Germany shuts down its theatres, concert halls, opera houses and museums for the next four weeks as part of a wider tightening of measures to try to curb a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

Freelance musicians in particular are finding it difficult to survive as they frequently do not qualify for the furlough schemes introduced for paid employees in other sectors.

Culture Minister Monika Gruetters said she was “greatly concerned” for the industry.

“Even if the new restrictions are understandable” from a health point of view, they constitute “a catastrophe” for the sector, she said.

9.00pm GMT 21:00

A summary of today’s developments

Italy’s coronavirus strategy is ‘wasting time’, says scientific advisor. Italy is working towards measures that could include a national 9pm curfew, a ban on inter-regional travel and the closure of shopping malls at weekends. But scientists have for weeks been urging the government to take tougher action, such as imposing local lockdowns, as infections escalate and hospitals come under strain.

Slovakia carries out Covid mass testing of two-thirds of population. Two-thirds of Slovakia’s population of 5.4 million people were tested for coronavirus over the weekend as part of a programme aimed at making it one of the first countries to test its entire population.

Germany begins ‘light lockdown’. Germany goes into “lockdown light” mode today, as the country’s disease control agency recorded 12,097 new confirmed Covid-19 infections in the last 24 hours. Bars, cinemas, theatres, museums, fitness studios and swimming pools will remain closed from today, while cafes and restaurants are allowed to offer takeaway food only. Meetings in public are restricted to two households and no more than 10 people. Unlike during the first lockdown in the spring, schools and nurseries will stay open.

Coronavirus infections fall for third day straight in the Netherlands. The number of new coronavirus infections in the Netherlands rose by nearly 8,300 over the past 24 hours, the slowest pace in roughly two weeks.

Iran reports record high Covid death toll as travel bans go into force. Iran reported a record 440 Covid deaths in the past 24 hours, pushing the country’s death toll to 35,738 as a ban on travel in and out of major cities came into force.

Donald Trump tries to stoke fears of Covid lockdown under Joe Biden. In the final hours before election day, one of Trump’s closing messages to Americans was an exaggerated threat: that a Joe Biden presidency will result in a national Covid-19 lockdown. Speaking in Iowa on Sunday, the president said the election was a “choice between a deadly Biden lockdown … or a safe vaccine that ends the pandemic”.

The European Union (EU) has agreed to provide Mozambique with 100 million euros ($116.30 million) in coronavirus-related aid. The EU cut off direct budget support to Mozambique in 2016 after the country revealed the existence of hefty state-guaranteed loans that it had not previously disclosed.

T-cell Covid immunity ‘present in adults six months after first infection’. Cellular (T-cell) immunity against the virus that causes Covid-19 is likely to be present within most adults six months after primary infection, with levels considerably higher in patients with symptoms, a study suggests.

8.44pm GMT 20:44

Children watch a lesson next to an image of late Cuban President Fidel Castro during their first day of classes since April amid COVID-19 concerns in Havana, Cuba. Photograph: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters

https://www.covid19snews.com/2020/11/03/coronavirus-live-news-germany-goes-into-lockdown-light-italy-accused-of-wasting-time-as-infections-rise/

#covid19

[tetelfuentes]

HARMONIZED HUMANITY

    “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi. In this quote he stated that we must not lose faith in humanity and many people right now lose hope because of loss of connections, when we encounter this we start to feel hopeless and these problems can come from change, death, divorce, and other valid causes.

    What does hope for humanity mean? According to the urban dictionary, the Hope for humanity is a beautiful thing and can create peace. Sadly, it disappeared years ago and is only used when exaggerating but for me, hope is an essential thing to humanity because it is the one that can build our confidence and give us trust in ourselves.

    We are still discovering that the hope of humanity lies not in programs or ideas and teachings. It is that lies at the beating heart of the spiritual traditions in the world have a great work of allowing our actions of the hidden energy of love. A world that is completely puzzled and scarred by violence in religion begins to realize that the earth needs genuine human beings that only the Lord will save us. It is a sign to remember what is necessary for oneself that it is only by coming into a relationship with the inner preeminence of oneself that can be possible to act in a way that can make disparity. Compare to what we are, we cannot love, help beyond at one point to what we are. It is possible to allow new life to enter the life of our violent being, a cruel world. We still don’t have enough ideas about the higher force that humankind is made to acts into the earth. We may be very close to the critical moment. But we are speaking about basics and not just words.

    Why is hope so important in our daily lives? It is important to have hope in our lives because it can make your life much better in some ways. It is not only to make a tough situation or decision more bearable but it can also improve our lives in the way of imagining as a future possibility to have a better future and motivates you to take the steps to make it happen. Whether we think about it hope can also be a part of everyone’s life and all of our hopes for something. It’s an essential part of being a human being. It can help us define or describe what we want in our future and it is part of our lives that we have been thinking inside of our minds. Hope is not just the same as the hopefulness and confidence about the future or the outcome of something. An optimistic generally is more helpful and kind than others. On the other hand, the most optimistic person you will ever meet can still be hopeful for something. Hope is very specific, it’s usually on one issue. Most people connect hope with an awful situation. People hope to avoid and escape difficult circumstances and their problems. It is often that people had to find themselves hoping passionately, but it can also provide the key to make their life even better than before. That’s because they think of something hopeful, the child seeing herself riding a new bike for example it gives a child a moment of joy and happiness. It can make present difficulties much easier to endure all of it. An example of that is reported by the APS or American Psychology Association that children who grow up in poverty but had been successful later on in their life had one thing in a common hope. According to Dr. Valerie Maholmes who worked on this research said hope includes planning, motivation, and determination to get what your hopes for. In this way, having hopes that connect in your past, present, and to the future. We have a vision for what our hope will be supposed to happen, whether it does not just to think of making yourself feel better, and if something you can somewhat control like the kids that are working hard to get out of poverty to have a better life. Hope can motivate you to take whatever circumstances and steps that you take you can do it.

     What makes us lose hope for the humanity? “Society” Humanity implies two meanings, one is the collective category of human beings, and the other one is quality of humanitarianism. So, society defines the second category. Each of the society follows a different criterion to measure this quality based on its values, norms, customs, and traditions. Humans are the products of society and they behave in a particular way since they are socialized in that way. I counter your question with mine. What makes you hope in the humanity, who made you do that? The one which creates that can be destroy. A final clarification of the hopes itself expects something, adding to that you are attributing certain qualities to humanity which are time and culture-specific, so with the different experiences of abnormalities you tend to lose hope in humanity. Problem with your perception (functionalist stand). Capitalism makes you lose hope in humanity because of the increased alienation (Marxist view).

     What makes people lose hope? So here are some possible why people lose hope;

1.Lack of sense of power- When there are problems, and when you can’t find the solution to it, you start to demonstrate ‘learned helplessness’, and lose the confidence in yourself to solve life’s problems. When you feel that you are powerless to steer your own life’s direction, you get overwhelmed, you lose hope.

2. Narrow worldview/Limited Exposure- One environment greatly affects oneself. Perhaps you come from a not as privileged, or dysfunctional family, and only see the worst examples of people and circumstances. Things that make you lose faith in the world, humanity. You learn from your environment that it will be hopeless because it seems as if everyone around you is failing, and if you have some degree of low self-esteem, you will think that you will fail too. If you seek your inspiration from your immediate surroundings and cannot find it, you will feel that it is hopeless. Venture out of your 50cm radius, go closer to your light, to what inspires you. Your favorite artist, why do you like that artist? Think not about what you don’t like, but what you like. In it is I think the clue to doing a complete reversal.

3. Law of attraction- You have been in a pessimistic state for quite a while, and you have attracted many people with negative energies, and things happen to reconfirm your beliefs that life is hopeless when it could’ve been your energy shaping your destiny.

4.Lack of love/self-love/self-encouragement- It is human to get tired, to only care about the pain at the moment, and not be able to zoom out and see the forest for the trees. Conversely, perhaps you are seeing a scary tree and am zooming out to see a forest full of it. At these times, when people are in a stable support network, full of love and warmth, they have that hope and strength to press on. Perhaps you have thoughts you’ve bottled up and not shared with anyone? Perhaps you have no support, you’re weary, and the worst-case scenario, if you don’t even properly love yourself, you beat yourself up thinking you’re a failure! Please don’t do so! And because you’re asking this question in a ‘Why’ format.

5. Loss of self- The world is a noisy place. Recently I’ve just discovered that I’m an Enneagram type 3, someone who wasn’t allowed to be oneself. When you are in a place with strong personalities, you may lose touch with your most inner core, of yourself. What do you define as success? Do you remember what makes you happy? Are your needs being met? What are your needs? What do you need, do you remember? What hope did you want to grasp onto? The hope of what? Are you putting your happiness in someone else’s hands? Are you the master of your fate? Are you banging your head against a wall, in a futile endeavor or dying industry? Why do you think it didn’t work out? Is there a lesson in it? The night is the darkest before the dawn.

     Dark times are richly packed with lessons. Like a crash course. Usually, the same things repeat again and again in life until you get the lesson. You’re strong from all the difficulties you’ve endured. You think you’re weaker from everything bad that’s happening, that the pain will only continue and you can’t take anymore, but the truth is one can only come out stronger from every obstacle. And eventually, I think why you are losing hope, is your mindset. You are your greatest saboteur. I used to be a pessimist, I wished every day to just sleep and never wake up, and there was nothing I looked forward to. But now I try my best to reframe my thoughts and “let go” and I stay in the joyful present. I think life and future, these sorts of things they are uncertain by default, so don’t ‘lose hope’ so fast and make life something so definite, like a given prison sentence that needs to be toughened out. Life hasn’t decided but you decided in weakness. Watching people helping each other to those who are victims in the calamities, and choose to help others before themselves. Sometimes with mass media focusing on the Big and sometimes really stupid (see Kardashian anything for examples) stories that get clicks, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the foolish and dangerous moves made by those in power, but these aren't the only things going on in the world. When the news gets me down, I deliberately look for the things that uplift me. Videos of cute animals, TED talks, good news sites that collect the beautiful stories…it's important to take time to recharge your emotional batteries so that you don't lean too. These are reminders that all you're seeing is not all that Is.

     Our country has been through many struggles and even challenges and they found a way to reunite and restore. We produce new expectations, current dreams to pursue. It's human nature. Try to become part of the solution. Tomorrow needs your piece toward the better stuff. For humanity, life on Earth is to move on as long as there are hopes that keep us on track in the pursuit of a peaceful existence of the human race.

1. Peace is not just in the physical realm, but also being attained in the spiritual realm.      

2. A balanced global eco-system progressing and revolving orderly in accordance with the laws of Nature.

3. No more sufferings or dying due to hunger.

4. True unconditional equality for all, the awakening to the fact that after all, we are of the same source.

5. Greed becoming meaningless as everyone will treat other fellow humans as part of him/her. In other words, one will see the individuality in every person they meet. A greedy person is extended to the whole means no greed for the self. A selfless greed person will not harm people.

6. No more opinions, attitudes, or judgments arising from man-made differences regarding races, genders, religions, and the like.

7. The laws of the land no longer protecting only the privileged few and at the expense of the underprivileged masses. No more supporting the rich and terminate the poor in the name of justice (fake justice).

8. Permanent global disarmament to be achieved. Arms race among nations will cease to an end. Humans will have a long-lasting peace not because they exist delicate among aggressive nations, but because there is a global sharing of wealth and understanding.

[theissuesthatmatter76]

"The anti-discrimination discrimination argument”

First of all I want to get a few things out of the way..I’m not an idiot... Ok now here’s the deal...

“Black people are disproportionately the targets of police brutality and systemic racism”

Let's get one thing straight. This isn't a "hard question" People who say that are giving credibility to the deceit and half truth of it. It's a derailer statement followed by a false conclusion portrayed as fact. The falsely portrayed fact being that our country is full of systemic racism and racist police who, according to the Democrat party, make it dangerous for any black person to leave their house.

A lot of black lives matter tools will throw around the terms "disproportionate black death's by police" followed by "systemic racism" and despite the fact that you know that the picture of systemic racism is greatly over-exaggerated and that the "why" of disporportionate black deaths is a complex answer which you could spend hours on, debating all of the reasons behind that being true...and all the reasons why it doesn't make black people the only ones deserving justice.

 In our country EVERY life matters, not just black people who commit a disproportionately larger amount of violent crimes and cop killings. Every unjust death, unfair target and victim of excessive force matters...(of which I am one too, luckily, i lived to tell the tale!)..lol Just kidding! not the unjust death just the excessive force part...(hey just smack me in the head I am kind of a smartass sometimes!)

I blame the disproportionate amount of blacks killed by police on 2 things.1- The disproportionate amount of violent crimes perpetrated by the African American community and 2- on a more defiant attitude towards police than any other demographic, which has been on full display in the last few months. In my own personal experience I have been a victim of mostly black perpetrated crimes. I have never bullied or attacked or ratted out a black person in my entire life and I never will... Second is the attitude bullying defiant belligerent..a lack of respect in general..confrontational and hostile..pack.. gang mentality... which is essentially what black lives matter is..one big black power gang. They promote an attitude of blaming police and white supremacy for systemic racism, life destroying discrimination and for racistly targeting them for more police brutality than others all the while ACTUALLY ruining the lives of anyone who would dare speak out against their movement by making statements like "All Lives Matter". Well despite being a disproportionately small percentage of the population blacks also just happen to commit a disproportionately large share of cop killings..They commit disproportionately larger amounts of all violent crimes for their population than any other race. This coupled with a fostered greater cultural attitude of defiance and hostility towards the police lead to more police brutality incidents and murders. The truth of the matter is that attitude of non compliance and defiance of the police rooted in a greater failure to show any respect to police escalates sitautions like gasoline thrown on a fire when you combine it with an equally flawed police authoritarian "obey me" attitude. Black lives matter tells people who are defiant towards police that they are right to be..What society essentially did is act as an enabler to all black people who are hostile towards police and breed an entire generation of and recruit many many more to cophaters and white people haters..The attitudes towards police will certainly persist through any changes in police protocol to prevent brutality. So by making it about racism instead of about police brutality..we have taken the demographic who are the biggest part of the problem attitude wise and enabled them to be even more defiant and hostile..it won't end with good legislation..like the coronavirus this may be the new hellish normal in our country.This is why it makes me angry when people go around crying "disproportionate deaths...systemic racism..racist police" It creates an entitled beligerence that won't soon cease to color future interactions between law enforcement and african americans. By failing to define the problem as having two parties to blame. You have enabled the bad acting of one while expecting the other to exercise even more restraint and be the sole one held responsible by society. This ironically is a lot like another large group that experience disproportionate amounts of death among the white population. Mental health diagnosed people. The credible abuser blames the mental health diagnosed person, has them committed without a fair trial..forces them to be on drugs and then continues their abusive treatment of the mental health patient which has essentially been enabled by the psychiatric community. There are two sides to every story and a wise man knows that where there is a problem often both parties share the blame and both parties need to change to properly resovle the situation. That is what needs to happen with police and african american people. Both sides need to make changes.

Shockingly  HALF of police shootings involve people with mental illness! The difference in risk comparing mentally ill white to other whites is greater than the difference in risk between whites nad blacks! Many times wellness checks are called on these people and are not handled properly by police who only escalate the situation. There needs to be changes in protocol and involvement of actual mental health advocates on the scene. Police not only don't know how to handle people like this. They almost always escalate the situation. Remember this slogan...We always have more time to save a life...How many lives would be saved by slowing crisis situations down? Incorporating mental health people and a mental health advocate for the person as a first line communication and police only as a back up in dangerous scenarios.

https://psychcentral.com/blog/half-of-police-shootings-involve-people-with-mental-illness/

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/black-police-officers-likely-kill-black-people/

We have data on a total of 2,699 fatal police killings for the years 2013 to 2015. This is 1,333 more killings by police than is provided by the FBI data on justifiable police homicides. When either the violent crime rate or the demographics of a city are accounted for, we find that white police officers are not significantly more likely to kill a black suspect. For the estimates where we know the race of the officer who killed the suspect, the ratio of the rate that blacks are killed by black versus white officers is large — ranging from 3 to 5 times larger. However, because the media may under report the officer’s race when black officers are involved, other results that account for the fact that a disproportionate number of the unknown race officers may be more reliable.

Bottom line with this is..how can you claim systemic racism by police when black police kill black people as often or more often than white people?!!! Another fun fact...more police officer are killed by blacks than black people are killed by police...Of course you aren't going to see a worldwide outrage over their death. After all they're only police officers who risk their lives to keep the country safe. In all likelihood these officers who are killed are not the type of bad actor police BLM movement is making the general case against (and neither are 90% of the officers involved in the high profile cases in the media today). The truth is that in cases like Jacob Blake the victim was not being profiled or targeted racistly and it was the black girlfriend allegedly being sexually assaulted who called the police after which the police treated Blake no different than a white man. The excessive amount of times he shot him was yes extremely out of line and not even 1% motivated by the cop being “racist” The cop who choked George Floyd did not do it because he had racist anger at Floyd! He was just a bad cop. Another common denominator in all these incidents is the suspect trying to taze, shoot or possibly stab the police.

The sad fact is that they are propogating an untrue narrative about these incidents and politicizing these poor people's deaths. I mean seriously! Were the officers that killed George Floyd flashing clan signs? Did the officer have any history at all of white supremacist ties? How is George Robinson's death any less important than George Floyd's? I'll tell you how..he doesnt support their sick politicizing of tragedy. The party that supports their reverse racism movement not too ironically just had a nomination event full of the same politicizing tragedy tactics.

https://thegrio.com/2020/08/16/mississippi-police-officers-charged-for-murder/

[feedimo]

Reports of the death of the film industry have been greatly exaggerated

Hollywood loves a good comeback, and post-coronavirus will be no exception, writes costume designer Kristin M BurkeCoronavirus and culture – a list of major cancellationsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMany events have killed the film industry: the 1918 influenza epidemic, the second world war, the invention of television, the invention of VCRs, the invention of the internet, 9-11, strike after strike after strike.

source https://feedimo.com/story/88080864

#feedimo #news

[secondsightcinema]

Of Monocles and Mystery: Charles Douville Coburn

As Stanwyck’s shipboard cardsharp “father” in All About Eve (1942)

He’s one of the preeminent character actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and, like Sydney Greenstreet and Marie Dressler, among the small club of performers who started hugely successful movie careers around age 60, which at the time was not “the new 50,” it was less Golden Age than Golden Years—time to sit on your laurels and yell “Hey, kids, get off my lawn!” Instead, having only months before lost Ivah, his beloved wife and professional partner of 31 years, Coburn got on a train to Hollywood for a one-picture deal at Metro and immediately became as indispensable to the movies as he had been to the American stage for nearly four decades.

I’m as fascinated by the latecomers as I am by the Rooneys, Garlands, and Dickie Moores who started their screen careers when they were barely out of diapers. I love to watch people grow up and find their voices, see how they chart their uncertain course in the business and in their personal lives. But those who come late to the party, fully formed and with full lives already behind them, are equally intriguing. What’s the story they carry in their voices and faces, where did they come from, what did life throw at them along the way, and how did they respond? What did life make of them, and what did they make of life?

In Coburn’s case, he was prominent enough that I figured there’d be a full-length biography, or if I got luckier, even a memoir.

I didn’t get lucky.

So after the obligatory stops at his Wiki and his entry in David Thomson’s Biographical Dictionary of Film, I started nosing around for other blog posts. I read just one—Cliff Aliperti’s at his Immortal Ephemera site, mainly looking for clues and sources—and started poking around for online links.

This kind of research always puts me in mind of Citizen Kane, and I indulge in an entirely unearned identification with the nameless reporter character who spends the better part of a week trying to plumb the mystery of identity before wanly saying No, he hadn’t found out what Rosebud was, but in any case it wouldn’t have revealed who Kane really was—it was just a piece in a jigsaw puzzle.

Some of you know what this is like. You find contradictions and errors, or intriguing little factoids that raise way more questions than they answer.

With Coburn, this begins at the beginning, with his birth. Some bios say he was born in Savannah, Georgia, but it was actually, per Coburn himself, Macon, Georgia, in 1877, and it was a few years after that his family moved to Savannah. So Coburn was born in the heart of the Confederacy, where veterans of the war would have been everywhere and as Faulkner famously said, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” Do the place and era of his birth explain the fact that Coburn was supposedly a member of White Citizens’ Councils, white supremacist groups? He was a proud son of Georgia who left his papers to the University of Georgia. I ran across one reference to his railing against the 14th Amendment in a late-life interview. It is painful to confront things like this about a beloved actor, someone you feel as if you know. But of course, you don’t, and people are complicated.

All accounts say he began his theatrical career at the Savannah Theatre as a program boy, though he said he was 13 and other sources say 14—I’m inclined to go with his own recollection, though one can’t ever be sure the source isn’t exaggerating for effect….

But all sources including the primary one, our boy Charles, agree that having risen through all available jobs at the theater, when he was 18, he became the Savannah’s manager. This would make it 1895.

I found no references to his parents or the circumstances of his upbringing. Was he at the theater out of love, or did his family need the money? I’m thinking here of Claude Rains, who began his work in the theater at the age of 10, his childhood one of grinding poverty. But of Coburn, at least with what I found poking around online, we have to speculate or leave it alone.

Rich, pervy Uncle Stanley, In This Our Life (1942)

In 1901, he moved to New York. That leaves six years between 18 and 24 for him to practice his trade and prepare to take on the big time. He says he originally hoped to become a “light opera comedian,” but when he saw a Shakespeare play, he was lost, or maybe found. The classics would always be the foundation of his passion for theatre.

What was that New York like? Now I’m thinking of Marie Dressler in Dinner at Eight, her eyes misting with nostalgia as she recalls the New York of her greatest years, when she was the toast of the town, young, beautiful, talented, successful, and surrounded by adoring swains. She pictures snow, and carriage rides to Delmonico’s. Dressler could probably have drawn on her own memory for that moment. Coburn’s turn-of-the-century New York was probably a bit less misty, but it’s always a good idea to have one’s salad days in one’s youth, when one is strong and has a high tolerance for squalor.

But look, by 1905 he starts his own company, the Coburn Players, and meets Ivah. They marry in 1906 and until her death in 1937, they are partners in life and work. Supposedly they had six children. Supposedly one of them became an auto mechanic who married a teacher, moved to California, and fathered movie star James Coburn. Is this true? I do not know.

I found that Playbill has a terrific site with a database of old programs, and while it doesn’t list all of the 30-something Broadway shows in which Coburn was actor, director, producer, or all of the above, it did provide a bit of background for this largely ignored part of his career. Here’s Coburn’s bio from WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST of Around the Corner (1936); according to Playbill, it ran for only 16 performances:

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST

CHARLES COBURN (Fred Perkins), one of America’s foremost actor-managers, was honored last June by Union College with the degree of Master of Letters in recognition of his services to the American theater. Having embarked to the “enchanted aisles,” that marital and professional partnership known as Mr. and Mrs. Coburn entered upon a lifelong devotion to the classics and other nobilities of the theatre, with a repertoire eventually accruing of sixteen plays of Shakespeare, one of Moliére, three from the Greek and more than a score of the Old English, early American and moderns. They have played under the auspices of a hundred colleges and universities and once—the only actors ever invited to do so—they gave an evening performance on the White House grounds. Some of Mr. Coburn’s most important New York appearances have been in “The Better ‘Ole,” “The Yellowjacket,” “The Imaginary Invalid,” “So This Is London,” “The Farmer’s Wife,” “French Leave,” “The Bronx Express,” “Old Bill, M.P.,” “Falstaff,” “The Plutocrat” and “Lysistrata.” Mr. Coburn was in the all-star casts of “Diplomacy,” “Peter Ibbetson,” “Trelawney of the Wells,” and The Players’ production of “Troilus and Cressida.” He was Father Quartermaine in “The First Legion.” Last season he was starred with William H. Gillette, and James Kirkwood in the revival of “Three Wise Fools,” and last June he played the title role in The Players’ revival of George Ade’s comedy, “The County Chairman.” Ol’ Bill, Falstaff, Macbeth, President of the Senate of Athens, Bob Acres, Rip Van Winkle, Col. Ibbetson, and Henry VIII are among the fine portraitures in his gallery of stage characters. At the invitation of President Dixon Ryan Fox of Union College, Schenectady, the Coburns have been importantly engaged during the past two summers in organizing and directing at that college The Mohawk Drama Festival and the separate but related enterprise, The Institute of the Theatre. The central feature of the Summer Session is a festival of great drama, presented by a distinguished professional company, now established as an annual event of national significance taking on a character similar to that of the Stratford and Malvern festivals in England. /

The Coburns were part of the top echelon of the New York theater scene. For the 31 years of their marriage, they moved in those circles. I found this 1942 New York Times piece on Coburn, which has some wonderful color and detail about his life, where he lived, his sense of humor.

“Piggy,” Lorelei Lee’s dishonorably intentioned diamond mine owning friend in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

NYT, 1/18/42, p162, by Theodore Strauss via TimesMachine

A Man and His Monocle Charles Coburn, Traditionalist, Keeps Step in a Changing (Show) World

Charles Coburn is 63, a fact which alone gives him the right to appear in public with a monocle. Happily he also has the rather special sort of face a monocle requires, a certain paternal austerity, a benign aloofness—in short, the countenance of a man well fed upon a rich tradition. If the man is also of a height ordinarily reached by other men only on stepladders, that helps greatly too. Most of all, however, it is the tradition that counts, and in Mr. Coburn’s case he has aplenty. He has been a pillar in our theatre for longer than most of us can remember, and if latterly he has made a pretty farthing by displaying his talents in the West Coast Shangri-La in such items as the forthcoming “King’s Row,” it is a tribute to his culture and attainments that Hollywood is the place where he works contentedly eight months a year. New York is where he lives. It is understandable, of course. Mr. Coburn was nurtured in a mellower climate than that which made Sammy run. Though by no means an old fogy to sit in slippered state at The Players, his mind is solidly furnished; it has the bright polish of old brasswork. It is stocked with reminiscences of those years before the theatre became prohibitively expensive and movies alarmingly cheap, and it is strewn as full of Shakespearean quotations as a brook with pebbles. Over the years his mind has obviously assumed a sort of protective coloration that blends well with the comfortably old-fashioned furnishings of the lofty-ceilinged studio salon near Gramercy Square.

Charles Coburn, Esq. Mr. Coburn first moved into the premises in 1919 when Bohemia still stood on a bearskin and daubed pigment on six-foot easels. Somberly paneled, and with a fireplace large enough to roast a fair-sized midget, the room itself is a veritable museum of carved mahogany, portrait paintings, and assorted abracadabra. Most of the furnishings, Mr. Coburn explains, are props accumulated from that long line of plays in which he and Mrs. Coburn appeared and often produced, from their marriage in 1906 until her death several years ago. “I couldn’t sell the stuff for a nickel,” he confides gently. “But it’s a kind of reminder. It reflects the lives of a couple of people who lived here for quite a long time.” Like an elder craftsman who can wear the toga with authority, Mr. Coburn is apt to become troubled over the future of the art of acting. America, he says, has not produced an outstanding actor since 1926. Personalities, yes, and glamour boys and girls, but not an actor who can play a gentleman one night and a guttersnipe the next with equal effect. The old stock companies, where a young actor could spend his apprenticeship among experienced performers, are gone, and the colleges, where acting could be taught in concert with more mature talents, have thus far failed. The result, Mr. Coburn gloomily believes, is an art dying in the hands of those who could still pass it on.

Cycles and Bicycles Mr. Coburn himself began early. At 13, he took a job as program boy in the Savannah Theatre and five years later became its manager, the youngest entrepreneur in the country. During the two years under his aegis he saw such stars as Henry Irving, Ellen Terry, Maxine Elliott, Mrs. Fiske, Modjeska, Otis Skinner, Richard Masterfield and Stuart Robson walk across his stage. Meanwhile he in turn was preparing for a career as a light opera comedian in amateur productions of “The Mikado,” or “The Little Tycoon,” and he still remembers the lingering glow of that night when Emma Abbott, a reigning favorite, snatched him from a crowd of enthusiasts and kissed him roundly. Ever since, he has been “flattered beyond words” by requests for autographs—thinking that perhaps some youngster may feel as he did. “That is as it should be,” he says, falling into quotation. “It is a world of make believe, and it is in ourselves that we are thus and so.” In later years, and before his long association with Mrs. Coburn as an actor-manager, he spent his apprenticeship as utility man, advance agent, and once, as a means of making a living while looking for work in New York, as a member of the “greatest bicycle racing team of all time.” But when that career threatened to take him from his Broadway precincts, he pawned his bicycle for $29 and hasn’t been on a wheel since. In fact, Mr. Coburn no longer cares for healthy exertion as its own reward. “Look at all those people who exercise regularly,” he exclaims. “What happens to them? They die!”

Listen to that—he sounds just like Charles Coburn!

And then in December, 1937, Ivah died, leaving Coburn bereft of his companion, his wife, his theatrical partner. But a man of such energies, an entrepreneur who had acted, directed, produced, and run his own touring company for decades, was not ready to fade away from grief at 60. Ten months later, in October, 1938, he got on a train and headed out west to begin his next act, the one we know him from.

NY Times, 10/10/37, no byline CHARLES D. COBURN TO APPEAR IN FILM Stage Actor Leaves for Coast for Role in “Benefits Forgot,” His First Motion Picture

Charles D. Coburn, stage actor, the director of the Mohawk Drama Festival at Union College, Schenectady, NY, left by train for Hollywood yesterday afternoon to appear in what was said to be his first motion picture.* He is to play in “Benefits Forgot,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, in which Walter Huston will be starred. J. Robert Rubin, vice president and general counsel for M-G-M, said that Mr. Coburn had been signed to a one-picture contract with an option on his future services. Production work on “Benefits Forgot” will start next week, he said. As director of the Mohawk Drama Festival, held every summer at Union College, Mr. Coburn has repeatedly voiced the belief that there is now a “crisis in the American theatre” because there were no stock companies to serve as a training school for young players. Mr. Coburn appeared on Broadway in March in “Sun Kissed” and in 1936 played with the late William Gillette in “Three Wise Fools.” For many years Mr. Coburn appeared on the stage with his wife, the former Ivah Wills, who died last December 27.

A few months later, he’s comfortably ensconced in his Hollywood Blvd apartment, throwing a reunion for cast members of a popular show he had been in 30 years before. I’ve boldfaced names you’ll probably recognize…

NYT, 1/3/39, “Old Bill” Holds Reunion Coburn is New Year’s Host on Coast to ‘Better ‘Ole” Actors Special to the New York Times

Hollywood, Calif., January 2—Survivors of “The Better ‘Ole’” company made New Year’s the occasion of their first reunion in twenty years as guests of Charles Coburn, the original Old Bill, at his apartment here. Stage and film celebrities turned out to greet him and the others comprising “three muskrats,” Charles McNaughton, Bert, and Collin Campbell, Alf. Others of the old troupe present were Mrs. Kenyon Bishop, the original Maggie; Lynn Starling, who played the French colonel; Eugene Borden, the French porter, and, collaterally, F.H. (Frankie) Day the Gramercy Park greeter of the dawn who played with Mr. Coburn in the sequel play, “Old Bill M.P.” The “muskrats,” the Tommies created by the wartime crayon of Captain Bruce Bairnsfather, donned white aprons in their post-war “pub” and served guests, who included several members of The Players in New York and many once associated with one of the five companies that played “The Better ‘Ole” on Broadway and on the road. Among them were Mr. and Mrs. Guy Kibbee, Mr. and Mrs. Monte Blue, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth MacKenna, Mr. and Mrs. Patterson McNutt, Walter Connolly, Nedda Harrigan, Mr. and Mrs.Charles Judels, Pedro de Cordoba, Fritz Leiber, P.J. Kelly, Thomas Mitchell, Andre Charlot, Janet Beecher, Olive Wyndam, Marcella Burke, Georgia Caine, Emma Dunn, Marjorie Wood, Frieda Inescourt, Esther Dale and Irene Rich. Mr. Coburn is the only living Old Bill. The others were DeWolfe Hopper, James K. Hackett, Maclyn Arbuckle and Edmond Gurney. In the New York company, the late Mrs. Ivah Coburn played Victoire, the French maid.

So the years pass, with Coburn occupying himself on screen, stage, and radio, splitting his time between L.A. and New York.

Then, in 1959, the second-to-last mystery I found: his second marriage.

NY Times, 10/19/59 Charles Coburn Marries LAS VEGAS, NEV., Oct. 18 (AP)—Charles Coburn, 82-year-old actor, dropping his famed monocle only to kiss his 41-year-old bride, today married Mrs. Winifred Jean Clements Natzka, widow of a New York Opera Company basso. The ceremony took place in the chambers of acting Justice of the Peace J.L. Bowler.

…and this leads to yet more questions. Did he marry for love, or for a tax deduction? He railed about tax rates in some of his late-life interviews, using the issue as a hook to promote You Can’t Take It With You, the show he was then touring.

And the final mystery: Most sources say this second marriage produced a child, a daughter. To which I say, seriously? Is an octogenarian Coburn supposed to have been up to siring a child? On the other hand, he managed to sire six of them 50 years before, and he was obviously a man of remarkable stamina. But perhaps his bride was pregnant by the opera singer who had widowed her, and that’s one reason why she was interested in marrying a man twice her age?

So, like Rosebud, none of these things definitively answer the riddle, Who was Charles Coburn? But they fill in some important blanks, they give us the flavor of his life in the New York theater, and the life he carried around inside himself when he made all those glorious movies we’re still watching.

And also like Charles Foster Kane, on August 30, 1961, death came for human dynamo Charles Douville Coburn, then 84, following minor surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. One obit said his wife and one of her two sons from her previous marriage were with him when he passed.

Not a word about the baby daughter, or, for that matter, any of the other six Coburn offspring, either in this obit as survivors, or mentioned a month later in a piece about his will and estate.

So if I ever get to have a cocktail with him in that cozy little bar in the sky, I’ll see if he can clear any of this up.

This was written for the 2019 What a Character! Blogathon, hosted by Aurora, Kellee, and Paula. Please go take a look at the other fabulous entries—you’ll be glad you did.

from Second Sight Cinema | https://ift.tt/2ppTglK via https://ift.tt/2XrDBz8

#Second Sight Cinema |

[power-chords]

Perhaps the article goes into this, I don't know, but a subject that I rarely see talked about and that I have undertaken as a sort of personal passion project — closely entwined with my favorite Jewish American filmmaker, as I'm sure is obvious lol — is the destruction of a distinctly Jewish secular-humanist idealism and aesthetic culture, the failure of imagination that results from having a readily accessible and inspiring alternative to the imposed narratives of Western culture (conquest, domination, technological and industrial development, etc). For this it's hard not to blame the depredations of Nazi Germany + the specific American postwar stage of antisemitism, economic opportunity, religious freedom, and communist hysteria. In this scenario, assimilation becomes the path of least resistance for a traumatized population taking root in a new country (and those who were there since the 1880s had in large part fled the pogroms, so any way you slice it you see the specter of annihilation hanging over Jewish emigration and resettlement). What structures form the ultimate telos of assimilation into a Western imperialist paradigm...? Church (American Synagogue) and State (its ties to Zionism).

#yiddishkeyt #reports of our cultural death have been greatly exaggerated

[newanglicanism]

Pastoral Issues and Responses to Domestic Violence within the Church

Updated July 21 to identify some significant dimensions to abusive behaviour that apply equally to abuse of males by females. I recognise there are a number of key considerations concerning the capacity of ‘headship’ theology to justify authoritarian and abusive behaviour by husbands over wives, the subject of much important recent discussion. However, it is important we note and hear the experiences of males/husbands who have also been subject to spousal or intimate partner abuse. There is a real concern that such stories are overlooked or marginalised, when they need just as careful pastoral hearing and attention. Sadly, abuse takes many forms, with many common features, as well as distinctive relational dynamics.

This material is shaped very much by conversations from two DV survivors, both members of evangelical churches in the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide. I am greatly indebted to both, and a number of quotes below come from an interview I had with them a couple of years ago. This in turn was incorporated into material used for a clergy professional development session, and will accompany other resources and training used on an ongoing basis within the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide.

I have retained first-person accounts as much as possible, so these particular stories shape what follows. Sadly, there are many other forms of abuse in our society, and within the church. A significant failure on the part of the church is our lack of careful listening, and learning, from those who have survived abuse. I have personally found the candour of the stories reflected here very helpful, albeit no less troubling.

A range of resources commended to me can be found at the conclusion, but I especially want to acknowledge Jeff Crippen & Anna Wood, A Cry for Justice: How the Evil of Domestic Abuse Hides in Your Church. Calvary, 2012. See also http://cryingoutforjustice.com

1. A definition of abuse (Jeff Crippen)

What is Abuse?

The definition of abuse: A pattern of coercive control (ongoing actions or inactions) that proceeds from a mentality of entitlement to power, whereby, through intimidation, manipulation and isolation, the abuser keeps his (or her) target subordinated and under his/her control. This pattern can be emotional, verbal, psychological, spiritual, sexual, financial, social and physical. Not all these elements need be present, e.g., physical abuse may not be part of it.

[Updated note: I have kept Crippen’s definition as he expresses it, but I add my comment that this definition is important in naming and identifying a range of forms of abuse, together with a variety of victims subjected to abuse by anyone (male or female) who ‘proceeds from a mentality of entitlement to power’ and so acts abusively. All forms of abuse, manipulation, shaming and violence are abhorrent and to be renounced].

2. Education

Marriage enrichment courses and books on ‘Marriage’ that fail to discuss or define abuse can make an abuse situation worse. Just as dangerous is unbiblical teaching or interpretations regarding ‘submission’, especially if understood as something to be imposed, or subject to rebuke, reprimand or discipline. Naming, exploring and clarifying expectations and understandings of this critical relational dynamic is too often bypassed, and should be viewed as essential.

Teaching with regard to options and response to experiences of abuse are also acutely significant. Note this direct quote with regard to teaching on divorce:

“The BIGGEST dilemma for the Christian abuse victim is the teaching on divorce and remarriage. Especially troubling for those wanting to be obedient to Gods Word, texts that seem to tell them things like:

- marriage is indissoluble, except by death

- adultery is the only grounds for divorce, with perhaps the additional ground of desertion

- if you separate you should remain unmarried, or be reconciled to your spouse”

3. Recognising and understanding abusive behavior and attitudes

The following quotes are extracted from comments made on a ‘crying out for justice’ blog: https://cryingoutforjustice.com/2015/04/20/right-back-at-ya-the-abusers-tactic-of-reflective-blaming/

“In fact one of her favorite tactics was to present actual facts in such a twisted manner as to intentionally draw the listener to a completely false conclusion. It made it very hard to refute what she was saying despite the fact that it was a lie…and made it very easy for her to act totally offended that anyone would dare disbelieve her.” [Joe Pote, writing about his abusive ex-wife]

“Part of being abused is having that part of you that can resist ‘dis-abled’ by the abuser through lies, manipulation, destruction of boundaries.”  [Savedbygrace, taken from her comment on the blog]

“What the abuser considers control is when someone says no to him or attempts to hold him responsible for something he’s done.” [KayE, taken from her comment on the blog]

“I think that at some point, as victims of abuse, we learned to view ourselves through the abuser’s eyes and not God’s eyes. God has used this heinous process to open my eyes to that and change it. I no longer see God viewing me, like the abuser views me. I am now once again able to see God viewing me, as His Word says He views me – and let me tell you something folks – that is nothing but good. Good, good, good.” [IamMyBeloved’s, taken from her comment on the blog]

4. Christian varieties of ‘grooming’ and dangers of ‘Christian counsel’

Marriage ‘counseling’ where there is not a good understanding of the dynamics of abuse can be extremely damaging. eg. the perpetrator can use the information shared in vulnerability by his wife, to hurt her.

It is a common view that domestic issues are almost invariably a matter of 50/50 responsibility. The term domestic dispute can imply equal power between those involved and giving the impression that the abuse was of a private nature. Counselling or pastoral advice that assumes some equivalence of responsibility, or equity of power, will invariably worsen the situation and leave the abused even more vulnerable.

Counselling in such context is a very specialized skillset, and should as a rule be undertaken one to one, with a priority of providing a safe place for the abused to tell their story apart from the abuser.

“To be believed is the most precious gift when you have been abused.  Freedom from hell on earth follows.  It’s why many of us are out and even alive today.” [Deborah]

Especially telling (even chilling for those of us in pastoral ministry), is this excerpt from Jeff Crippen & Anna Wood, A Cry for Justice: (21-22):

‘What a Victim Can Expect in a Typical Evangelical Church

1. Victim reports abuse to her pastor.

2. Pastor does not believe her claims, or at least believes they are greatly exaggerated. After all, he “knows” her husband to be one of the finest Christian men he knows, a pillar of the church.

3. Pastor minimizes the severity of the abuse. His goal is often, frankly, damage control (to himself and to his church).

4. Pastor indirectly (or not so indirectly!) implies that the victim needs to do better in her role as wife and mother and as a Christian. He concludes that all such scenarios are a “50/50″ blame sharing.

5. Pastor sends the victim home, back to the abuser, after praying with her and entrusting the problem to the Lord.

6. Pastor believes he has done his job.

7. Victim returns, reporting that nothing has changed. She has tried harder and prayed, but the abuse has continued.

8. Pastor decides to do some counseling. He says, “I will have a little talk with your husband” or “I am sure that all three of us can sit down and work this all out.” Either of these routes only results in further and more intense abuse of the victim. This counseling can go on for years! (One victim reported that it dragged on for nine years in her case).

9. As time passes, the victim becomes the guilty party in the eyes of the pastor and others. She is the one causing the commotion. She is pressured by the pastor and others in the church to stop rebelling, to submit to her husband, and stop causing division in the church.

10. After more time passes, the victim separates from or divorces the abuser. The church has refused to believe her, has persistently covered up the abuse, has failed to obey the law and report the abuse to the police; and has refused to exercise church discipline against the abuser. Ironically, warnings of impending church discipline are often directed against the victim!

11. The final terrible injustice is that the victim is the one who must leave the church, while the abuser remains a member in good standing, having successfully duped the pastor and church into believing that his victim was the real problem. One abuse victim (a man in this case) told me that he finally came to the awakening that “I know exactly what my church is going to do about my abuser: Nothing!” He left while she remained a member in good standing, the daughter of a leading pastor in the denomination.’

5. Providing the ‘wiring’ and the self-justification of abuse: Theology, beliefs and the danger of half-truths

“And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies’ plan.  By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger.” [C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle:  The Chronicles of Narnia]

·      Misunderstood or misappropriated use of ‘headship’ theology as any form of power and authoritarian control dynamic

·      Misconceived expectations of gender-based roles, resulting in relationships of imposed leadership, authority and submission

·      Church-cultural expressions of untouchable authority: supporting the ‘Anointed’ leaders; God-appointed authorities (charismatic or otherwise); ‘Father knows best’

·      Superficial understanding of forgiveness, reconciliation, forbearance, patience

·      Cultures of denial, discounting and minimization. “Look the other way” has not served the Church well…

·      “Well meaning Christian friends eg. ‘black and white’ views on divorce and remarriage; giving advice imagining conflict to be like their own; rules to not share ‘negatively’ about husbands as this = disrespect eg. in Bible study”

6. Domestic Violence does not refer solely to physical violence. All types of violence/abuse damage the person who is the receiver of the abuse.

Types of abuse and some examples (non-exhaustive):

Physical

Hitting, punching, kicking, pinching, pushing, pulling hair, destroying personal and sentimental property, hurting children, injuring or killing pets, using weapons (eg guns, knives), spitting, physically blocking exits, strangling/choking (which is potentially fatal), beating, twisting arms or hands etc.

Emotional/Psychological

Put downs, name calling, blaming, threats of injury or death to himself, partner, children or other family members, intimidation, mind games, deception, lies, manipulation, stalking, demeaning words eg “you’re hopeless in bed”, “you’re a bad mother because…..”, lack of encouraging and nurturing words, needing to know where you are at all times, destroying or selling possessions which are precious to you, saying “I didn’t say that” (when they did), using your vulnerabilities against you to cause angst and emotional harm, using things shared in trust against you, speaking badly of you to your children.

Social

Being rude to your family and friends, embarrassing you in front of your friends, telling lies about you to your family and friends, breaking your mobile phone, not allowing you to see your friends, relocating as a couple to “start anew” (often moving far from former support networks), checking up on you eg multiple phone calls or texts to you at work/home, causing an argument immediately before going out to a social or family event. Getting others to spy on you for him. Putting down friends and family (often behind their backs, while being charming to them to their face).

Financial

Putting all bills in your (ie. woman’s) name so you have all the responsibility to pay them (this can also lead to putting you in debt) eg rental property in her name due to his bad record, he punches walls but she is responsible for paying for the damage, car loan in her name due to his bad record but car registered in his name, this means that she is responsible for paying off the loan even if he crashes the car. Not allowing woman to work. Not allowing woman enough money for household and children’s expenses and then blaming her when bills not paid and there’s not enough food to eat. Spending money recklessly because “he’s earned it” and not allowing woman to buy anything for herself. She needs to account for every cent spent while he doesn’t. Losing jobs for various reasons and still expecting woman to manage finances with ease. Doesn’t stick to budget that you both agreed on. Spends money on drugs or alcohol first before essentials.

Sexual  

Rape, withholding of sex, coerced into having sex or into participating in sexual acts with which you’re not comfortable. Accusing you of having an affair. Being forced to watch porn. Withdrawal of affection. Forced/coerced to have “makeup sex” despite nothing having been discussed or resolved.

Technological

Spied on and stalked via mobile phone, Facebook, tracking devices. Barrage of texts, emails, phone calls.

Spiritual

Not allowing person to practice their religion, deliberately hindering spiritual growth and attendance of religious gatherings. Taking religious texts out of context. Putting down what you believe. Disrespecting your religion. Forcing you to participate in things which are against your beliefs.

Further resources looking at the topic of Domestic Violence

Highly recommended:

Jeff Crippen & Anna Wood, A Cry for Justice: How the Evil of Domestic Abuse Hides in Your Church. Calvary, 2012. See also http://cryingoutforjustice.com

Barbara Roberts, Not Under Bondage: Biblical Divorce for Abuse, Adultery and Desertion. Maschil, 2008. See also http://notunderbondage.com

Note also:

Dr Lynne M Baker (Australian Author), Counselling Christian Women on How to Deal With Domestic Violence

Donna Andersen, Red Flags of Love Fraud - 10 Signs You’re Dating a Sociopath

Lundy Bancroft, Why Does He Do That? : Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men

Patricia Evans, The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to recognise it and how to respond

Steven R Tracy, Mending the Soul – understanding and healing abuse. (looks at abuse(s) in general, not just DV)

Online

http://www.lovefraud.com/

Sample topics

·      Why do sociopaths marry?

·      Sociopaths always blame others

Christian article about emotional abuse and what it looks like: http://christiancounsellingcentre.ca/sitecontent/ur3P9wM1inxspbnup9fYhQ--/mfiles/the-silent-killer-of-christian-marriages.pdf

4 Part Video - Christian series by RBC, 'When Love Hurts' https://dod.org/dod2049.html#.U7AsYn5PxWk.gmail

South Australian Christian Churches Domestic Violence: handbook for clergy and pastoral workers http://www.sacc.asn.au/_data/DV_Handbook.pdf

Sample topics

·      Forms of domestic violence

·      Myths about domestic violence

(Towards the end of this handbook more Christian resources are listed)

#pastoral #churchtoo #domestic violence

[clubofinfo]

Expert: Two officers sought me from within a crowd at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. They seemed to know who I was. They asked me to follow them, and I obliged. Being of Arab background, often renders one’s citizenship almost irrelevant. In a back room, where other foreigners, mainly Muslims, were holed for ‘added security’, I was asked numerous questions about my politics, ideas, writing, children, friends and my late Palestinian parents. Meanwhile, an officer took my bag and all of my papers, including receipts, business cards, and more. I did not protest. I am so used to this treatment and endless questioning that I simply go through the motions and answer the questions the best way I know how. My first questioning commenced soon after September 11, 2001, when all Muslims and Arabs became, and remain, suspect. “Why do you hate our president,” I was asked then, in reference to Bush. On a different occasion, I was held in a room for hours at JFK International Airport because I had a receipt that revealed my immortal sin of eating at a London restaurant that served Halal meat. I was also interrogated at an American border facility in Canada and was asked to fill several documents about my trip to Turkey, where I gave a talk at a conference and conducted several media interviews. A question I am often asked is: “what is the purpose of your visit to this country?” The fact that I am an American citizen, who acquired high education, bought a home, raised a good family, paid my taxes, obeyed the law and contributed to society in myriad ways are not an adequate answer. I remain an Arab, a Muslim and a dissident, all unforgivable sins in the new, rapidly changing America. Truthfully, I never had any illusions regarding the supposed moral superiority of my adopted country. I grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza, and have witnessed, firsthand, the untold harm inflicted upon my people as a result of American military and political support of Israel. Within the larger Arab context, US foreign policy was felt on larger scale. The invasion and destruction of Iraq in 2003 was but the culmination of decades of corrupt, violent American policies in the Arab world. But when I arrived in the US in 1994, I also found another country, far kinder and more accepting than the one represented – or misrepresented – in US foreign policy. While constantly embracing my Palestinian Arab roots, I have lived and interacted with a fairly wide margin of like-minded people in my new home. While I was greatly influenced by my Arab heritage, my current political thoughts and the very dialectics through which I understand and communicate with the world – and my understanding of it – are vastly shaped by American scholars, intellectual dissidents and political rebels. It is no exaggeration to say that I became part of the same cultural Zeitgeist that many American intellectuals subscribe to. Certainly, anti-Arab and Muslim sentiments in the US have been around for generations, but it has risen sharply in the last two decades.  Arabs and Muslims have become an easy scapegoat for all of America’s failed wars and counter-violence. Terrorist threats have been exaggerated beyond belief to manipulate a frightened, but also a growing impoverished population. The threat level was assigned colors, and each time the color vacillated towards the red, the nation drops all of its grievances, fights for equality, jobs and health care and unites in hating Muslims, people they never met. It mattered little that, since September 11, the odds of being killed by terrorism are 1 in 110,000,000, an extremely negligible number compared to the millions who die as a result of diabetes, for example, or shark attacks, for that matter. ‘Terrorism’ has morphed from being a violent phenomenon requiring national debate and sensible policies to combat it, into a bogeyman that forces everyone into conformity, and divides people between being docile and obedient on the one hand, and ‘radical’ and suspect, on the other. But blaming Muslims for the decline of the American empire is as ineffective as it is dishonest. The Economic Intelligence Unit had recently downgraded the US from a “full democracy’ to a “flawed democracy”. Neither Muslims nor Islam played any role in that. The size of the Chinese economy is soon to surpass that of the US, and the powerful East Asian country is already roaring, expanding its influence in the Pacific and beyond. Muslims are hardly the culprits there, either. Nor are Arabs responsible for the death of the ‘American dream’, if one truly existed in the first place; nor the election of Donald Trump; nor the utter corruption and mafia-like practices of America’s ruling elites and political parties. It was not the Arabs and Muslims who duped the US into invading Iraq, where millions of Arabs and Muslims lost their lives as a result of the unchecked military adventurism. In fact, Arabs and Muslims are by far the greatest victims of terrorism, whether state-sponsored terror or that of desperate, vile groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. Americans, Muslims are not your enemy. They never have been. Conformity is. “In this age, the mere example of nonconformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service,” wrote John Stuart Mill in On Liberty. The English philosopher had a tremendous impact on American liberalism. I read his famous book soon after I arrived in the US. It took me a while to realize that what we learn in books often sharply contradicts reality. Instead, we now live in the ‘age of impunity’, according to Tom Engelhardt. In a 2014 article, published in the Huffington Post, he wrote: “For America’s national security state, this is the age of impunity.  Nothing it does – torture, kidnapping, assassination, illegal surveillance, you name it — will ever be brought to court.” Those who are “held accountable” are whistleblowers and political dissidents who dare question the government and educate their fellow men and women on the undemocratic nature of such oppressive practices. Staying silent is not an option. It is a form of defeatism that should be outed as equally destructive as the muzzling of democracy. “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws,” wrote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Barring citizens of Muslim countries from travelling to the US is a great act of immorality and injustice. Sadly, many Americans report that such discriminatory laws already make them feel safe, which itself is an indication of how the government and media manipulate consent in this country to produce the desirable results. America is changing fast, and is certainly not heading in the right direction. Shelving all pressing problems and putting the focus on chasing after, demonizing and humiliating brown skinned men and women is certainly not the way out of the economic, political and foreign policy quagmires which American ruling elites have invited upon their country. “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they don’t want to hear,” wrote George Orwell. No matter the cost, we must adhere to this Orwellian wisdom, even if the number of people who refuse to hear has grown exponentially, and the margins for dissent have shrunk like never before. http://clubof.info/

[evangelinecullperformingart-blog]

Classical Theatre Evaluation Report

I have explored different classical texts and investigated their features and acting demands throughout my second term of Performing Arts. For example, I have studied the Melodramatic style of acting, Greek Theatre, and Shakespeare.

Greek Tragedy:  

The first style of acting that I have looked at is Greek Theatre. I have investigated the play “Electra” which is a classic text performed in this style.

The social, cultural and historical context of the text and playwright:

Sophocles was born 497/496 BC in Colonus, Attica and he died 406/405 BC (aged 90 or 91) in Athens. Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. Sophocles wrote 120 plays during the course of his life, but only seven have survived in a complete form. Sophocles influenced the development of the drama by adding a third actor, this reduced the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot.

Electra is widely considered to be Sophocles's best character drama due to the thoroughness of its examination of the morals and motives of Electra herself. After Electra's father, King Agamemnon, returns from the Trojan War, his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus, murder him. Sophocles's play deals with Electra's intense desire for revenge in the years following her father's murder.

Although the exact date of Sophocles' s Electra is not known, it was probably written and first performed around 409 B.C. (at that year's Dionysia), when the playwright was in his eighties. At this time, the Greek states were battling one another in the Peloponnesian War. The city-state of Athens had established itself as the dominant region m Greece, following its decisive role in the defeat of die Persians in the battle of Salamis in 480 B.C.

After the Persians were expelled from Greece, the city-states banded together to form the Delian League. This alliance ensured the mutual protection of each state and was ostensibly a confederacy of equals. Each city paid an annual tribute to maintain the strength of the alliance. However, Athens gradually became the leader of the Delian League, and Pericles, head of the Athenians, used the surplus tribute to rebuild

The Ancient Greeks used drama to advance their culture, and in doing so, they promoted the morals of their gods/goddesses system and beliefs. For example, in Sophocles’ play Antigone he uses a clash between brothers, a quest for power, and the idea of inescapable fate to advance the moral that humans must obey the gods and their traditions even if it means physical death.

When Greek audiences watched these dramas, they were supposed to take away the moral and apply it to their lives.  If there was an invading city or culture that the Greeks were against, then the Greeks were expected to fight to the death in defense of their beliefs or traditions.

Ancient Greeks believed that music would cure people who are distressed and psychologically disturbed. Their resolution would be listening to certain kinds of music and watching certain types of performances. The theatre was believed to be a healthy healing sanctuary where people came from across the empire to cure disabilities and sickness.

The vocal and physical requirements:

In our Greek Tragedy sessions, we studied the play “Electra” by Sophocles. When interpreting this text and developing characters there are several vocal requirements that actors need to be aware of. Firstly, actors must be able to project their voices to a high standard so that large audience members can hear and follow the story. The masks would aid the actor’s vocal performance as the mask altered the acoustic characteristics of their voices. Therefore, both from the listener’s and the actor’s points of view these masks significantly modified the acoustic events and transformed the overall theatrical experience. Skills and techniques such as choral speaking, emotional tone, and pace are all important vocal qualities needed to be successful in Greek theatre. 

Modern actors would also need to consider the physical demands required in Greek theatre; chorus members had to react to what was happening on stage in unison and synchronization with other chorus members. Masks would be used to help actors to truly emphasize what their bodies were doing through the use of exaggerated movements as they couldn’t show the audience their emotions through their faces.  The skills of exaggerated movement and grand gestures is a key skill used in Greek tragedy because, at the time, audiences were so large that the gestures needed to be exaggerated so that the far away crowds could see the actors. Aristotle said that in his day excessive gestures were used which lead to overacting.

The chorus in Classical Greek drama was a group of actors who described and commented upon the main action of a play with song, dance, and recitation. Greek tragedy had its beginnings in choral performances, in which a group of 50 men danced and sang dithyrambs. The chorus would perform isolated movements, sometimes movements were synchronized and so the timing was key. They would even use slow motion and different paces to create a dramatic effect. Therefore, the performances were physically very straining so Greek performances demanded the actors to be fit and healthy so that they could perform these exaggerated/codified gestures for long periods of time. Not only this, the masks and costumes were extremely detailed to ensure all audience members could see and identify which character was which so the actors had to be physically fit to handle all of this.

Costumes helped indicate the social status, gender, and age of a character. Athenian characters wore more elaborate, decorated versions of everyday clothing, such as a tunic or undergarment, a cloak or over-garment. Costumes for characters that were non-Athenians were more outlandish. Tragic actors wore buskins (raised platform shoes) to symbolize superior status or actors who played tragic roles wore boots called cothurneses that elevated them above other actors. This just shows how exhausting it would have been to carry all this costume on one's body, emphasizing why actors had to physically strong. 

Actors would have to perform in a large open-air theatre, like the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens. The ancient Greek theatre stage design was very precise and unique. It had what is known as the skene, the orchestra, the parados, the proskein , the Dionysus alter and the theatron. This means that a modern actor must be able to project their voices to a high standard and increase the volume when needed to ensure that the audience can still hear the story even with the surrounding noise.

A modern actor would need to explore and develop their movement/gestures in order to meet the style. They’d need to analyze and pay close attention to the original Greek style of acting by copying original gestures and taking inspiration from them. A modern actor would need to attend classes and workshops along with conducting independent research in order to gain a full understanding of the codes and conventions of Greek theatre. They would need to work with a chorus and practice working as a unison with synchronized movements in order to get timings correct to suit this style. 

Shakespearian Classical Text: Romeo and Juliet:

The second classical text that I have investigated would be Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

The classical Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career. It was written around 1594–96.The story is about two young, “star-crossed lovers” whose deaths reconcile their feuding families. It was Shakespeare's most popular play during his lifetime and is one of his most frequently performed plays. Along with many of Shakespeare’s play, this classical text requires actors to have strong vocal and physical skills.

The social, cultural and historical context of the text and playwright are important because they have influenced Shakespeare’s work greatly; in particular, they have influenced Romeo and Juliet. 

His plays were written in the Elizabethan era, so Queen Elizabeth was ruling England (1558-1603). “Romeo and Juliet” was written in 1597, during this time several historical events happened in the world. For example, England troops went to Amiens, Flemish painter Frederick of Valckenborch became porter of Frankfurt-on-Main and also there were a lot of deaths. For example,  a group of early Japanese Christians were killed by the new government of Japan for being seen as a threat to Japanese society, Lucas van Valckenborch, (a famous painter) died at the age of 61 and there were many more deaths which could have influenced Shakespeare’s ideas of so many characters’ in the play to dying.  There was also a plague in 1597, which is referenced in “Romeo and Juliet” when Friar John says he couldn’t deliver Friar Lawrence’s letter to Romeo because he was locked away hiding from the plague. In 1348 the bubonic plague ravaged Europe. In Italy, an estimated one-third of the population died from the disease. The effects of all this are significant factors in the play Romeo and Juliet.Shakespeare was also influenced by the world around him. His works include observations about current political struggles, the fear of diseases, and the popular language of the city's tradesmen and other professionals. He took inspiration from the kings of England and Elizabeth’s ancestor, for example, the Lords and Ladies in Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet comes from an Italian writer writing at the same time as Shakespeare. Shakespeare adapted the work of other writers which was very common at the time. Although he borrowed plots, Shakespeare made the details his own and often combined different plots.At 18 Shakespeare married a local girl, Anne Hathaway. They had three children – a daughter called Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died in 1596. This is the time when Shakespeare was writing Romeo and Juliet, the death of his son may have influenced the deaths in his play, people have even suggested that both Romeo and Juliet were written to be within the same age range as Hamnet when he died.

In the time when the play was set, Verona was a very lively city. It was culturally rich and commercially successful, it was the wealthiest city-state in Italy. But in Verona, like all other regions of the country, there was violence and war. Battles between Romans, Etruscans, Gauls, Carthaginians, occurred regularly until the Roman Empire took control of Italy. Before this, it split into two distinct halves. The result of the split was a long-standing and savage power struggle that created hatred between sides. By the fourteenth century, the division between supporters of the emperor and supporters of the pope was firmly established. As in other Italian city-states, a fierce rivalry existed in Verona between these two sides. Supporters of the pope, called Guelfs, and partisans of the emperor, they had fights and battles. This moment of history could have been what influenced Shakespeare to create the harsh divide of Capulets and Montagues.

Shakespeare's audience were far more boisterous compared to the theatre goers of today. They were loud and hot-tempered and were interested in what was happening off stage, as well as on. The audience were known to talk during the performances; they’d have fights, they’d “boo” the actors on stage, try to leave in the middle of the performance or even try to join in with the action on stage. Therefore, when developing characters for performance actors gestures must be very grand and over exaggerated, actors had to work really hard to keep the audience focussed and interested which is why their gestures and actions were so exaggerated. (This is where the melodramatic style of theatre came from). Therefore, when interpreting a text, actors must think about how they can use their gestures and movements to indicate their intentions, feelings, and emotions. It takes a lot of energy to perform and so a modern actor would need to be physically fit to be able to perform these exaggerated gestures for long periods of time. Along with this, Shakespearian plays require actors to wear elaborated clothing, for example, corsets. Originally, actors would have worn clothes that reflect their character’s status/class, there were even laws controlling what actors could wear. Costumes were mainly the modern dress of the time; some actors playing smaller roles might have worn their own clothing. The costumes helped the actors as they would help to emphasize their character’s social status. This means that the modern actors must understand and look at how the costume affects their overall movement and performance of gestures. Shakespearian plays require a modern actor to consider if the costume restricts their movement, stance, posture or gait.

As well as physical, there are vocal demands that actors should consider when interpreting the text and developing characters in Shakespeare. A lot of Shakespearian performances are performed outside. The changing weather conditions can surprisingly affect the voice; when you get cold your voice will become dry. The modern actor must consider how their voice is affected since one vocal requirement would be projection so that the audience can hear and follow the entire story. Not only this, Shakespearian performance require actors to speak in verse, the voice must be exaggerated and overemphasized in order to develop a character for performance. Shakespeare can be demanding technically in terms of diction; “some people are better at producing loud vowels but sometimes you can’t hear the consonants very well; others bite out the consonants so powerfully that you can’t actually hear the vowel. It’s not easy but you have to get a balance.” – Says Peter Hall, Royal Shakespeare Company.

Shakespeare requires a modern actor to analyze language deeply. Since Shakespeare is essentially like learning another language, a modern actor must truly read between the lines in order to discover their character’s intention, emotions and given circumstances. They must analyze language and have a strong understanding of the text before performing it. Understanding the language will help to the actor to identify the social economic and cultural factors that are affecting their character.

Melodrama:

I have investigated the melodramatic style of performance in several different plays, for example, “London Assurance” and “Romeo and Juliet”. 

Melodrama became popular in the 1780′s when theatres were not allowed to show drama due to Government legislation. 

Historical context of the playwright: Dion Boucicault

“Boucicault was an excellent actor, especially in pathetic parts. His uncanny ability to play these low-status roles earned him the nickname "Little Man Dion" in theatrical circles.”

 He has adapted many plays which have been extremely popular.

Dion Boucicault, the writer of “London Assurance”  was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. After a year in London, Boucicault left to pursue acting in Cheltenham. Soon afterward he began to write plays. His first play, A Legend of the Devil's Dyke, opened in Brighton in 1838. Three years later he found immediate success as a dramatist with London Assurance. Produced at Covent Garden on 4 March 1841, its cast included such well-known actors as Charles Mathews, William Farren, Mrs Nesbitt and Madame Vestris.

In the summer of 1859, Boucicault took over as manager of Burton's New Theatre on Broadway just below Amity Street.There on 5 December 1859, he premiered his new sensation, the anti-slavery potboiler The Octoroon, in which he also starred. This was the first play to treat seriously the Black American population.

On his return to England, he produced at the Adelphi Theatre a dramatic adaptation of Gerald Griffin's novel, The Collegians, entitled The Colleen Bawn. This play, one of the most successful of the times, was performed in almost every city of the United Kingdom and the United States. He adapted many other plays such as  Washington Irving's Rip van Winkle. 

When developing characters for a melodramatic performance, actors must consider similar vocal and physical demands to those of Greek tragedy and Shakespearean performances. Firstly the use of codified gestures is a key skill needed in order to perform the melodramatic style. When developing characters, actors must consider if they could perform any classic codified gestures within a scene such as the “oh no” pose; in times of distress a character would raise the back of his/her hand to their forehead and lean backward. This is an iconic gesture that the melodramatic style is known for. An audience recognizes codified gestures; comedy can be created among the audience when gestures are grand and exaggerated which is why they are so important. An actor must also consider if their character is a protagonist or antagonist, a hero or a villain as this will help to determine what specific gestures should be portrayed to an audience. Along with exaggerated gestures, melodrama also includes dance routines so a modern actor must be physically fit and healthy in order to perform these elaborate routines. Some melodramatic performances use dramatic tableau to increase emotion which can be performed at different paces; so the modern actor must have skills such as varied movement and pace e.g. slow motion.

The melodramatic style of performance can often require actors to sing, actors must consider the tone of the piece to determine if the song is comic or serious. Like the other styles that I have investigated, a lot of melodrama would be performed to a large audience, possibly outdoor so it's important for the modern actor to have strong projection skills and to be able to show a strong emotional range through their use of vocals. As well as this, lots of melodramatic characters speak quickly and rapidly change the pace of their voice to add comedy which a modern actor must be able to adapt to. 

[scratchnotes-blog1]

“Benjamin Franklin was among the first to envision a world devoted to rest and relaxation. Inspired by the technological breakthroughs of the latter 1700s, he predicted that man would soon work no more than four hours a week. The nineteenth century made that prophecy look foolishly naive. In the dark satanic mills of the Industrial Revolution, men, women and even children toiled for fifteen hours a day. Yet at the end of the nineteenth century, the Age of Leisure popped up once agin on the cultural radar. George Bernard Shaw predicted that we would work two hour a day by 2000…

Could we have been more wrong? If we can be sure about anything in the twenty-first century, it is that reports of the death of work have been greatly exaggerated, Today, the Age of Leisure looks as feasible as the paperless office. Most of us are more likely to put in a fourteen hour day that a fourteen hour week. Work devours the bulk of our waking hours. Everything else in life - family and friends, sex and sleep, hobbies and holidays - is forced to bend around the almighty work schedule.”

- In Praise of Slow, Carl Honoré

[power-chords]

Reports of our cultural death have been greatly exaggerated. We deserve better than Zionism. Demand better.