Photog: Understanding the Discourse of Media

How the media perpetuates a distance between news and our lives

         In a highly digital society where information can be sent and received instantaneously it is amazing how much of the population is unaware of the worldwide events that are not happening in their immediate area.  Since televisions invaded our homes in the twentieth century, visual representations of the news have become more prominent in society.  Through the discourse of media, society finds themselves subject to censorship and a sense of passivity when dealing with the stories and images they are confronted with.

         Upon stepping into the fictitious realm of photojournalist Thomas Smith, audiences of Photog entered an area of the media where the general public is not often welcome. Created by Vancouver’s Boca del Lupo theatre company, Photog made it’s world premiere at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre World Stage between November 17-20. The play used real life stories and corresponding photographs belonging to four working photojournalists and in doing so, commented on the role that the public plays in the discourse of media.  Through the use of explicit images and stories, along with the intermedial use of technology, Photog challenges accepted discourses of Western media.

         Photog questions the discourse of media by removing the filter that is usually placed between the content and the audience.  This filter allows those confronted with the material to absorb a version less intense than the actual event. For Thomas, his filter is his camera.  The character often remarks how with his camera at his eye he is able to see the events around him as photo opportunities.  Even when running to give a wounded man aid, he takes the opportunity to shoot the event.  This filter allows him to remove himself from his surroundings for the sake of the media. 

         Similarly, Thomas also recounts a scenario when his outstretched hand made its way into the frame of his image, and how he suddenly felt more present in the location.  He realizes at that point the danger he is in and for the first time he can remember, he stops taking pictures.  For the character, he sees himself as having a duty to send back these images to the western world, but when he can see himself in the frame, his understanding of the situation is shaken.  His role is both undermined and supported by the discourse of the media.  In one respect the media claims to be searching for truth in all of its pursuits, while conversely, it filters its material for sensational and political reasons (among others). 

         Thomas also discusses the filtering of news content in the play.  In order to best affect the audience, he directs his comments about ignorance towards the acts that are happening in war-torn areas across the world, while westerners go about their daily lives.  In a scene dimly lit with that was clearly a set in the night, Thomas takes images of the audience as he recounts his story.  His pictures appear on the large and omnipresent screen that hangs behind him.  Suddenly, like the people of Liberia or Kabul, we are the subjects of his work.  Snapshots of the audience begin to layer amongst images of human terror in other areas of the world, and the message of presence and accountability begins to ring clearer amongst those in attendance.  Through this beautifully executed intermedial connection, audiences can understand how much their lives are related to those in troubled areas, but that we choose not to acknowledge it. 

         Later in the production a set of image slides are found in the apartment and are used to illustrate a story from the front line.  Thomas recounts how hard it is for him to come home, that people don’t understand what he has been through and are unwilling to change their distanced ways to better inform themselves.  He comments on this distance, and amongst the images of Darfur and the Ivory Coast audiences see shots of the theatre they are sitting in, the lobby that they entered, and the neighborhood they passed through.  These peaceful images juxtaposed with the chaotic and sad photos from his travels once again challenges the media’s removed approach of transmitting stories and tie audiences into the chaos that happens hundreds of miles away.  While the house of the theatre is black, audiences often believe they are safe from interaction and scrutiny, however, through this bold move the audience gains a greater involvement and understanding of their role in the media.

         Within the discourse of the media, there is a boundary of what can and cannot be discussed through these public outlets.  Traditionally the media represents scenarios and facts in order to better inform their audiences which are portrayed according to the political and social views of the area.  Unfortunately, the passivity of society means that these news stories are often easily forgotten over the course of our everyday lives.  By engaging passive audiences through traditional forms of media, Photog forces a different understanding of how media affects our lives, and sparks interest for a change in the accepted discourse of media in our society.

         Photog challenged the discourse of media in a number of ways.  By using Thomas’s camera to create a filter of his experiences, we see the parallels between ourselves and the way the media filters the content and our experiences of the news.  In using the camera to capture life snapshots of the audience and juxtaposing them into a news image that would usually be hard to relate to, the production asks audiences to connect with the material.  Lastly, comparing the calm and safe nature of our lives in comparison to those in the war torn areas of the world we are able to question our own passivity towards news stories and the media.  In challenging the discourse of the media, Photog created a different sense of understanding amongst audience members and encouraged a discussion and reevaluation of the discourse itself. 

Photog: an imaginary look at the uncompromising life of Thomas Smith had a short world premiere run at the Harbourfront Centre World Stage from November 17-20, 2010.  Directed by Sherry Yoon and written and performed by Jay Dodge, the Boca del Lupo created play had no further scheduled tours or performances at this time.

http://www.bocadellupo.com/

Oh hey: a month away!

So it has become pretty obvious: School has taken over my life!  

I thought I would share that my writing experiment (and requirement) for the term has been quite successful.  Not only did I get a lot of feedback and support from my professor in this Theatre Criticism class, I was named the winner of the 2010 William Chadwick Prize for Theatre Criticism.  Crazy!  So along with the title I was given what looks to be a phenomenal book, Social Acupuncture by Darren O'Donnell.  I hope to read it over the holidays and write a bit on here about his guide to art in the city.  

Below is the blog review that my professor particularly enjoyed.  The revised edition of the article will be published on the University of Waterloo Drama website, so I can say I'm a published theatre reviewer (apparently).  Please note that in order to reach a particular audience/community I took it upon myself to create a fake blog and author.  It's an interesting take on how another character would  express my thoughts on the play in her own context.  Or who knows, perhaps its my inner-relationship guru calling out. 

Revisiting the “Relations” in Relationships

A blogger’s attempt at understanding romance and relationships in the 21^st century through her everyday interactions and experiences. 

            It seems that ever since I began this blog about my quest to understand romantic relationships in modern society that real love (and it’s demise) has been popping up all around me.  Between overhearing couples fight on my subway ride into work or constantly receiving “Find your Soul mate” emails from E-Harmony I can’t seem to avoid the fact that romantic relationships dominate the subject matter of our lives.  I hear it from all angles, how complicated things get, how blissfully easy relationships are, how happy couples are together, and how much happier people are without their ex-lovers. 

            Sometimes love hurts, and after seeing The Confessions of Punch and Judy, a play by Number Eleven Theatre company, I was reminded about how crazy relationships can get, especially those portrayed in the theatre.  Loosely inspired by the classic Victorian puppet pair, Confessions explores the marriage of a modern Punch and Judy.  During the 19^th century the couple’s relationship was household knowledge for Victorian families having seen their turbulent and violent episodes performed on the streets regularly.  Punch’s violence and Judy’s nagging epitomized the “struggle for the breeches” that the people were experiencing as men fought to reassert their masculinity in relationships. 

            For modern Punch and Judy things are not solved by Punch murdering Judy for scolding him.  Life for the two of them in the 21^st century is a bit more complicated.  The play follows the couple over an evening of fighting and questioning their marriage.  This physical-theatre piece utilized the actors’, Tannis Kowalchuk (Judy) and Ker Wells (Punch), movement abilities as they morphed from the realistic characters to their arguing alter-egos in overtly physical fashions.  The actors’ physical stamina and poise are put to the test in this performance, but they both deliver exceptionally.  Through highly stylized masque work, mime and dance Punch and Judy express their deep anger and disappointment in their relationship.  Each break from reality searched deeper into the cause of their anger and intensified the tension between them.  What would normally be perceived as an ideal relationship by outsiders is slowly broken down, and their home becomes the battlefield.

            The play takes place in their home which was modestly represented by a pair of “his and hers” chairs and a table.  Punch and Judy are respectively represented by blue and red in both costume and their chairs.  These colours represent their method of dealing with relationship conflict, both hot and cold, while the colour yellow (shown as a table between their two arenas) acts as a pacifying and neutral zone.  Each time the characters broke away from reality the lighting abruptly changed to a brighter intensity, while creating cartoon-like shadows on the actors faces.  Paired with the primary coloured set, the light design brought the outrageous scenes to life and played up its comedic nature.  How gracefully the actors and their surroundings transformed into this cartoon parallel universe had me thinking about how easily real life relationships can spiral into a hateful combat zone. 

            Perhaps the most poignant scene showed Punch and Judy animatedly explaining their unhappiness to one another, whilst accusing each other of not listening.  What followed was a beautifully choreographed scene of the pair performing their partner’s movements while telling different dialogue each time.  It illustrated their ability to copy one another but to be unable or unwilling to truly understand each other’s plight.  Despite going through the motions of togetherness the couple perpetuates their demise as they stubbornly refuse to listen and work as a team.  This idea of not listening is carried on throughout the performance.

            In the hours after seeing Confessions, I began thinking about marital expectations and the “perfect couple”.  Outwardly Punch and Judy seem to be a happy modern couple who strive towards a blissful future while behind closed doors they resent one another.  They seem to think that this should come easy to them, and at the sign of trouble and the need to work to improve themselves they instantly choke up and become defensive.  Their communication immediately crumbles and progress is at a standstill.  The goal to be perfect seems to be responsible for the breakdown of their relationship.  I see this in people’s relationships all over the city and I can’t help but wonder why we as a society hold these ideals so high.  The original Punch and Judy were not a couple to be admired, their story acted as a moral tale to teach people how not to behave in a marriage.  This modern Punch and Judy do the same, but in more depth and debate over the role of individuals in a conventional relationship. 

            The love between Punch and Judy in The Confessions of Punch and Judy was obviously misunderstood.  Their communication seemed to only be physical when what they truly needed was to talk and to listen.  Perhaps we should take this away from the piece, that regardless of the relationship you find yourself in, listening and communicating are keys to success in the 21^st century matters of love.  If in the end the world’s most dysfunctional couple, Punch and Judy, can attempt it I can’t see why the rest of us can’t give it a try.

For a small clip of the show please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjV0gKwv1hQ