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The uncut X-Beacon files June 2001
Painswick Players In Surfeit Of Buddhas Drama:Black Comedy To Finish Victorian Market Day!‘I’ve had it up to here with you!’ The Most Organised One seems to be concerned about
something. Tentatively I try to winkle out more precise detail. ‘Up to where exactly, darling?’ ‘You know what I’m talking about! As a result of your
stupid Beacon article last month, we’re now knee deep in Buddhas!’ ‘Ah, just knee deep? Well, never mind: we’ve still got
a bit to go before we’re submerged!’ I chuckle at my witty repartee. The MOO doesn’t. I
sometimes think she suffers from a complete humour bypass. Actually, that’s
not true. It’s usually me that suffers. The MOO continues: ‘I’ve put up with the Buddhas in the hall and the lounge. And since I’m used to sharing the bedroom with one small, fat, balding man who does nothing, another one won’t make much difference. But I refuse to share my bath with a Buddha! Get rid of it, now!’ In truth, I have to admit to being astonished at the power of the Press. Or at least the power of the Beacon. My appeal in last month’s column for a Buddha to star in our production of Peter Shaffer’s (literally) brilliant Black Comedy led to a deluge of suggestions about where I could find one. Some of the suggestions posed the odd logistical problem and had to be ruled out: one Buddha in Bangkok, for example, turned out to be somewhat larger than the Painswick Centre in which Black Comedy is to be staged (on12th, 13th and 14th July). Anyway, my thanks to everyone who responded: we now have a veritable T’ummi of Buddhas to audition for the part. (A veritable what? A veritable T’ummi! I thought everyone knew that T’ummi is the Sanskrit collective noun for a large number of Buddhas gathered together in one place. And if it isn’t, it ought to be.) Actually, auditioning a Buddha is a tricky process. How do you do it? What do you look for? Serenity? Perceptive enlightenment? Perceptive enlightenment might be particularly apt since perceptions of light and dark reversed lie at the chaotic heart of Black Comedy. Whilst the audience watches the play in the light, everyone onstage is acting as if in complete and blinding darkness, the Buddha included. On the subject of perceptions, the more perceptive amongst you will have noticed that we have moved back the production dates for Black Comedy by one week. The reasons for this are much too interesting to go into here but the practical upshot is that the final night will coincide with the evening of Victorian Market Day (14th July). So you’ll have something to look forward to when the Victoriana finishes, won’t you? It also coincides with Bastille Day. So you know what’ll happen to you if you don’t show up. Vive la Revolution! Finally, a quick and final reminder. There is still (just
about) time to catch the last night (2nd June) of Gill Cox’s production of
George Eliot's Silas Marner in Cranham Village Hall. Call Gill on 01452-814367
for a ticket. Jack Burgess, Painswick Players |
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