Value of theater

North American theater related blogs questioned the value of theater on March 19.

The Peter Brook quote which inspired this blogs title holds an answer.

"In everyday life, 'if' is a fiction, in the theater 'if' is an experiment. In everyday life, 'if' is an evasion, in the theater 'if' is the truth."(The Empty Space)

If is the central core of LifE. Experiences creating/witnessing/participating in theater can be healing. Flow, action in rhythm, vibration in space heals the fragmentation of time into a on-going presence of awakened sensibility. Theater plays (pdf link) with space & time educating the imagination to observe equally the predictable and unpredictable universe. Theater is a communion opening us to the mystery which is at the heart of life.

To finish the Brook quote which concludes his book:

"When we are persuaded to believe in this truth, then the theater and life are one. This is a high aim. It sounds like hard work. To play needs much work. But when we experience the work as play, then it is not work any more. A play is play."(The Empty Space p 157)

- See: Theater

:: note :: ... always repeating & that too is the essence of theater ...

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