From where I stand

Written and presented by Scott Price in association with other Ensemble Members of  Back to Back Theatre , as part of the Plenary Address of the  Under the Radar  [Festival] Symposium, at The Public Theater, New York City, 10 January 2013

From where I stand this is what I can see:

I can see a world full of life, full of weird and wacky humans. There are some who enjoy sport, some who enjoy work, and some who are just plain old fat and lazy. There are old buildings and new buildings. Some clever art work and some people who are sex offenders. We might need to draw a map of the world that includes all the countries and oceans. So we won’t get lost.

I can see that when you are strategic, you are not yourself, you are someone else.

I can see that it’s important to know where we’ve come from. Some of our relatives might have been convicts. I can see that we might need to change our ways, be helpful, be a good woman, a good man, be open-minded, do yoga, and go for walks. We might need to create the worlds most difficult Sudoku: test our knowledge with numbers, letters, shapes, symbols. Some of us have tried to memorise all the characters from mythical Greek stories: some people really like hearing and talking about Greek history.

It’s not important if you are not into it.

I can see that the history of Judaism is important: think about all the Jews in the world, they were treated bad in the second world war, and more than just that, the Spanish inquisition too. Their perseverance is important. They were real people and they should have been treated the same as every one else.

I can see that the choices you make affect the future, these choices are what in fact shape a show. We decide on what we do and how to make it and when it’s finished, that’s the bottom line. The audience will tell us if it’s a good show.

I can see the end of teen pop: this will happen because an age limit will be put on people who want to be recording artists. You will need to be 20 to have a record deal.

I can’t count the mistakes I’ve made. In the past I’ve done total blunders. I don’t want to have to go through that enormous list. I don’t want to have to go through my shame pile.

I can see the end of ultra-conservativism. We will stand up in defiance, even though standing is difficult for some of us.

I can see a free media world. Where everyone can have a say using new and old technology. The arts are very important because they give us the freedom to express ourselves and not to be oppressed.

And I can also see a post-disability world, where there is an important place for everyone to occupy.

From where I stand, the USA is a day behind Australia.

This is what I see.

Back to Back Theatre is a triennially funded Theatre Key Organisation. The company’s international activities are jointly supported by the Theatre Board and Market Development.