Dog Act Response: Shawn Harris, RVC Bard
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
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(Photo: Isaiah Tanenbaum. Pictured: Lori E. Parquet, Chris Wight)
Shawn C. Harris, the playwright of Tulpa, or Anne & Me, uses Dog Act as a springboard to consider the power of naming, particularly as it concerns the ongoing development of her queer Black womanist liberation poiesis. It's a great read, with this whole irreducible paragraph at the heart of it:
The most potent use of voice is the power of naming. Through naming, we not only identify but manifest what is possible. Naming, of course, is not a moral process. Its power can be used for good and/or ill, to oppress and/or to liberate. An oppressive use of naming acts as power over - especially as manifest as power over others. A liberating use of naming is more like power of - especially as manifest as power of oneself. In Dog Act, for instance, there is power over dogs but power of story. It's a subtle but crucial distinction. Both in the play and in life, power over brings ignorance, enslavement, and suffering, whereas power of leads to the potential for wisdom, freedom, and happiness.
The movement of Dog in the play from suffering to freedom is indelibly linked to this power of naming, and I'm excited to see where Shawn goes with her poesis, and grateful for riff on the play! Often, the critical response focuses on the form and execution of the play, and rarely on what the play is actually about. Shawn's post is a nice reminder (Sean Williams' response to Lesser Seductions is another example) of how satisfying that difference can be.
So, read the whole review here, then get your tix, and then leave your own thoughts on the play here.
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Often, the critical response focuses on the form and execution of the play, and rarely on what the play is actually about. Shawn's post is a nice reminder of how satisfying that difference can be.
Thanks for the compliment.
I'll probably follow up with a new post about theatre criticism in general.
"And here we . . . go!"
It's good to hear this. I've only recently begun to try my hand at writing reviews, and often get frustrated at myself for focusing so much on what the play is about and not what about it works - but the two are somewhat inextricable in my mind. I'm looking forward to reviewing Dog Act! (Seeing it Sunday, I love to wait till the last minute).