Neil LaBute is on a rrrrrollllll these days, isn't he?
First he provoked the theaternet to get its collective panties in a wad over his article for the Guardian, in which he claimed that "most writers are pussies" and spoke for a full continent's worth of playwrights, saying "We are small writers in America."
You can read some double-takes and biggups from The Playgoer, Don Hall, George Hunka, Benjamin Yeoh, and Naomi Wallace, who lands a great knockout punch. Shown here:
I would like to celebrate, rather than denigrate, American playwrights today: may you long continue to kick ass! Let us thank the gods that your crucial work does not need the blessings of LaBute to make itself visible and vital.
Well, that wasn't enough rabble-rousing for LaBute, so he wrote "How to Make L.A. Theater Great(er)" for LA Stage. (Is it a co-incidence that these articles appear when he has shows opening in London and L.A.? I think not.)
In truth his LA Stage piece is much less "aggro" than the Guardian piece. He starts by saying he's "attempting to write something of worth and note" and goes on to pick apart a couple of the reasons that La-La-Land is seen as such parched-ground for those attempting to grow their theatre careers.
The last half of the article is an outline of suggestions for improving L.A. theatre in terms of Talent, Location, Material, Audience, and Respect.
Allow me to summarize and comment.
Really?
I know a lot of playwrights, and I don't think any of them make a habit of saying no to productions anywhere, much less in L.A. Has it really been so long since LaBute's had to shop a play around that he thinks that America's playwrights are actually withholding their work from an entire city?!
HUH?
Nothing he says in this section is untrue. We do need to beat the bushes and educate people about the joy of theatre, but I doubt he has much specific knowledge about what L.A. theaters are doing. Is he volunteering to do the work? Or does he have some specific suggestions? Odd.
Okay. Whattaya mean Neil?
The amazing sensation we get by really connecting with a live audience, with using the medium as a way of distilling and imparting truth, as both a classroom and an entertainment, must be the only reason we do it.So, the sensation theatre gives those who do it is the only worthy motivation we can have? If that was true, wouldn't that make us all kind of, well, selfish?
What do you think, o' blog-savvy readers? Does LaBute have an actual point? Or is he just blowing smoke up his own ass?
For a response from someone who knows a bit more about L.A. Theater than I do, read some Robert Sphuler.
You can read LaBute's Guardian article here and his LA Stage article here.
Comments (1)
Or he could try writing some of the plays he wants to see. I don't know that I can think of any of his plays that don't fit the mold of the writers he's calling out for being pussies.
Of course probably worth noting: I think LaBute's a crap playwright, so that probably color's my response.
Posted by Tony | January 24, 2008 1:49 PM
Posted on January 24, 2008 13:49