http://www.knightarts.org/community/miami/man-research-theatre-and-your-mama-too#comment-8924
In Aimé Cesairé’s
Notebook of a Return to the Native Land,
the Martiniquan poet writes: “The only thing worth beginning: the end of
the world of course!” Of course! What? I had no idea what Cesairé was
talking about until I heard Cornell West lecture last year at the
University of Miami. During that lecture,
West
confides that he tells his students when they come into his class that
“they come to learn how to die.” Depressing, I thought, but interesting.
I’ll use this one day.
Man Research Theatre. Photo by Neil de la Flor
Learning how to die is an absurd notion, just like ending the world
is the only thing worth beginning. But sometimes we have to enter the
realm of the absurd to better understand the harsh, brutal reality in
which we live — one that is way-too-often a realm beyond the absurd.
These thought experiments prepare us, at least in theory, for the crush
of events and crises, dangers and disasters that will eventually come
for us, no matter how hard we try to avoid them.
Enter: Man Research Theatre. The Miami-based theater company creates
theater experiences that explore our absurd world to better understand
human nature. According to their website, Man Research Theatre is all
about “exploring our collective consciousness. Me and you, your mama and
your cousin too.”
Man Research Theatre. Photo by Neil de la Flor
Last weekend, on the grungy corner of 24th Street & NW 2nd Avenue
in Wynwood, Stephen Kaiser (Director, Man Research Theatre), Jeremiah
Musgrove, Art Garcia , Theo Reyna and special guest Marissa Alma Nick
performed an absurdist, existential play that literally went in circles
around me and probably someone’s mama. Since I couldn’t make out the
dialogue, I experienced the play as a performance, a kind of moving
theater where the language of the bodies in motion was the only language
I needed to understand.
In circles, the actors moved. One actor held a light on a fishing
pole in one hand and a flashlight in his other hand. He illuminated the
other actors as each of them performed a monologue in constant circular
and spiraling motion. Marissa Alma Nick danced and slithered between
their bodies. I got dizzy trying to keep my eyes fixed on the commotion.
The actors moved to communicate their message that was symbolized by a
white cardboard box, which was smashed over the heads of the actors
throughout the performance.
Man Research Theatre. Photo by Neil de la Flor
I perceived this act as an act of consciousness
breaking-and/or-entering. Its message was violently clear — wake up!
From what? I don’t know for sure, but I know it’s something personal for
each of them and for each of us. The circular motion of the actors
reminded me of the circles and life traps that we get stuck in. Wake up
and stop running in circles — or getting stuck — in that viscous hole or
loop that we so often try and fail to break out of. Wake up and get out
of that life pattern that traps us in addictions to love or other
vices. Wake up and cut that spiraling circle that keeps us from learning
how to live because we haven’t stopped to learn how to die.
Man Research Theatre. Photo by Neil de la Flor
Smash the box over the head and wake up! Maybe we’ll break something
that feels like the end of the world of course, but maybe that’s a good
thing. Maybe I’m just being too dramatic. But this is drama on a street
corner on a human scale in magnificent city ripe and ready for this kind
of hu(man) research theater.
http://www.knightarts.org/community/miami/man-research-theatre-and-your-mama-too#comment-8924
