Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 20:04:32 -0800 (PST)
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Professionals DO make mistakes


If someone never makes a mistake, they are not an
artist. They are at best a technician, and at worst an
automaton. Certainly they are not stretching
themselves as an artist. I think that it is the
unconcious acknowledgement that a mistake can happen
that makes live theater so vibrant. Even in film you
can feel when the actor is willing to take risks, and
that is captivating. When there is no risk, no
possibility for error, the performance is dead;maybe
very lovely, but dead

Greg Ballora

--- Alan Cook <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com> wrote:

> Hey Mark, it won't surprise you that I agree with
> Robert Rogers. Naivitee is at play in this
> discussion. 
> 
> If professionals never made mistakes. all the
> critics would be out of work.
> 
> Professional filmakers, painters, actors etc etc etc
> etc make mistakes on a daily basis.
> 
> NOBODY is perfect. We can only AIM FOR PERFECTION as
> all professionals strive to do. If they miss, then
> they try to do the best they can with the budget,
> the time, the available talent and the available
> rehearsal time allows. That is why many shows have
> previews before an official opening, or why there
> are out-of-town-openings, to try things out. Usually
> big-time changes follow.
> 
> If we all followed your dictum, none of us would be
> puppeteers. By the way. I have seen Chinese acrobats
> fall, drop stuff, and make other mistakes after lots
> of practice, so should they quit? I hope not.
> 
> Blanding Sloan, doing interesting marionette
> productions in San Francisco in 1929, before I was
> born (really!) often said "IT TAKES AN ARTIST TO
> RECOGNIZE A HAPPY ACCIDENT"---creative mistakes can
> lead to clever recoveries and discoveries which can
> be retained in future performance.
> 
> Ever been to a stock car race? The audience hopes
> for a mistake that will send a car flying through
> the fence. I've seen a few puppet shows which proved
> exciting in similar ways. I've seen PROFESSIONAL
> PUPPETEERS fall off tables AND LAND ON THEIR FEET to
> spirited applause (Jay Mashall, esteemed showman at
> a regional fest in Pasadena).
> 
> Mark, can you honestly tell me you never, ever made
> a mistake in performance? If you answer "yes", I
> won't believe you. Do you really think that if you
> made a mistake, you should give up puppetry? I'm
> really curious.
> 
> ALAN (four letter-word) COOK ( 4 more letters) 
> 
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