by
Benjaminbrum
@ Tuesday, Apr. 08, 2008 - 10:10:46 am
Culture is a funny thing. I like to think of myself as "cultural" but realise that term carries a lot of baggage for most people. They hear the word "cultural" and think elitest, snobbery etc. They don't hear or see themselves.
I've always adored outsiders and cultural works at the fringe of society. I have my first year at University to thank for that. In one of my modules we were taken to see a number of really really out there performers. In one term I saw Ron Athey, Annie Sprinkle, Franko B, Kate Bornstein, Blast Theory, Diamanda Gallas and read a book called Out of Character by Mark Russell (see link here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Character-Mark-Russell/dp/0553374850/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207644296&sr=8-7). It's a collection of rants, raves and monologues by American performance artists. I went from thinking I was a bit edgy to discovering I was very mainstream and very white bread. These people pointed down a dark alley and off I tripped.
This was where I first encountered Tim Miller. I read his words on a page and they leapt into my heart. I read an extract of his work called the "Maw of Death". I remember saying to my tutor "I want to write like him" to which she said "Write like yourself...". And that's advice I've been coming back to again and again throughout my professional and personal life. (What does Ben Whitehouse do? What does Ben Whitehouse sound like?)
I've also really enjoyed being deep in mainstream culture. I freely admit to being a Buffy fan. I like Skins. I like "chick flicks". I enjoy Gossip Girl, the OC, the hills (like the OC only real!). I loved Hairspray (both versions). I cried lots at Angels in America. I love Jurassic Park (all three). I firmly believe Mean Girls to be a significant cultural document- it's the only good Lohan film out there and it changed my life. (Tina Fey is perhaps a signal of the second coming)
I really liked how Cloverfield came along and blasted Blair Witch out of the water. And then along came Diary of the Dead. And Rec. Reality and fiction meet head on. This gets a bit weird and creepy that a Hollyoaks ‘character’ will soon be playing Maria in the West End.
Which brings me to deal or no deal. Possibly current cultures greatest achievement and the closest we'll get to experiencing Ancient Greek theatre without the masks. Individuals go up against a faceless deity figure and fight to the death. The audience are referred to as "pilgrims"- adding further religious imagery to the event. Each show is random and individual but people claim there's a "curse of the newbie" or an individual player has "killed a number of games". There's no real through narrative but it gets created- our search for meaning and making a sense out of the senseless overrules. Jojo (who I work with) is convinced it's a cult and one day there's going to be a mass suicide pact. I've offered myself as a contestant for DOND, hopefully I'll get on.
I want my own epic narrative.
