Theater God Bless the Ancient Apparatchik
posted by on March 12 at 17:40 PM
I just got back from interviewing a member of an Uzbek theater company, Ilkhom, which has produced rebellious, anti-authoritarian plays since the Soviets were in power.
Its leader, Mark Weil, was stabbed to death in front of his apartment in Tashkent six months ago, possibly by Muslim fundamentalists, outraged that some Ilkhom shows feature sympathetic gay characters (which is still superlatively taboo in Uzbekistan) and heretical interpretations of the Koran (ditto).
Ilkhom started small in the basement of an abandoned building in Tashkent but eventually got famous and toured to Moscow, where the Culture Ministry freaked out because the company was producing rebellious work by forbidden playwrights. But the Soviets let them be.
I asked how they got away with it.
There was an old Soviet functionary named Rajim Karev [phonetic spelling] who said ‘I do not know what you do, but I am sure you do something right.’ He was very powerful in the culture ministry, one of the old communists who was not afraid of anything—he survived the Stalin repression and what could be worse than that? And he always said to young functionaries who wanted to close the theater: ‘You will NOT close this theater and you will obey me because I saw Lenin when he was ALIVE!’
The Ilkhom actor smiled.
Maybe he saw that the system was in sunset. Mark Weil always remembered that functionary with good feelings.
Ilkhom will perform two U.S. premieres (photo below from one of ‘em) at ACT Theatre. Previews begin this Friday.
Yes indeed there is a difference between reality programming and the life of theater.
And on that note, i'll just go on my merry way and add some thought to augment what this space provided by way of story....
The Seattle Times today had yet again some of the reasons why we all should read and stay current and up to date with the problems we face as inhabitants of planet Earth.
Gee whiz this is not a plug for Blethyn, just me again commenting on global warming and throwing in my opinions...and possibly someone will se them and add to the solution.....
And I'll admit that I used the form of inspiration once before when I penned the lyrics to a song titled 'The Devils Henchmen' where I imagined I was complimenting Peter Gabriels' tenure as an artist and as it is today I happened upon a picture of George Clooney titled
"The Muckraker" in the NY Times Style magazine section.
And friends... please get this little ad lib joke correct...( see Norm Bowler on his lyric "get it straight... it's way to late."),
I'm not asking George for a job or a date.
Maybe this simple story will help ease the tension that's best to mention.
"A not so imagined story on breaking toys."
" Why, call this an anonoymus admission";
I said to myself, "realizing there was no need at this point for secrecy."
'That's amusing in and of itself only in a self servicable array of thought patterns.'
" Well ok then.... the way I see it we are all just a product."
'Product of what?'
" Take for instance the latest trend.
When all else fails, report the worst news as an opportunity
(A.)to look forward to a brighter future, all the while increasing the load of redundant problems that
(B.)
prevents actualization of capitalization for solvable opportunity ( A.) as mitigation manuvers that install more debt financed re-capitalization.
'Could you simplify your main topic?'
" Sure. Take 'Global Warming' as the solution. I use to break toys as a kid when I was frustrated. One day my mother said I wouldn't get any more toys at christmas time if I kept breaking them.
Before it was fashionable for some to tell the truth to children about disposable income and responsibility, there wasn't too much talk on our block about global warming being only research and myth.
It just didn't sell copy. Now that the seas are rising it's almost as if the corporations responsible for the governments working with and by and for the people who support them see the coastlines, industrial areas, cities, farm lands, forests and populations as an after thought as they prepare to abandon the broken commodities.
This of course is a over simplification for my generation, but all in all accurate thoughout large portions of the last couple of centuries... at least.... I mean.... well, what are they gonna do with all the buildings and iron railroad tracks along the edge of the sea when it floods?"
'And what of fame and fortune?'
" Hmmm."
" Mankind loves inspired leaders,honesty
and when all else fails, glamorous humility."
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