«Mlk [ROPE APPENDIX swing from social realty ie much ike the: Mime tween agitprop and polit © Campesino's present rel. ‘xed by the Marsists froin ‘ria, the Mime Trouye's rent (subject to cals for a "dial ction) i likely t0 nthe group and thereby rst products th groups, like other US. is loosely onteret collec: {Wo 16 patsine), oF to contain two directions will continue to. ware, 12 GUERRILLA THEATRE: 1965 fot even the poor fool dropping the bombs. Terk ta bearing le but a Theat ls conteivuted to alienation by presen: fic ofa fe people eho ae one might ing a performer who is hemmed in from costame ars to male ay go head, He, too, isa mumber in a basket, a char fcter Ntype” and he trains his “instrument” to ucturing and thereby con Hetionssither than istant Frew defines theatte in Americ, and Che Gue- ike onde (alist fest for ant anoles wha todo about I A businessmen tlk of seraice, and know deep perhaps to sly toilt in ther heart that unearned piste mote {Counties ond to se tis ee uel her ne i el fom We ponte Ye Landon dohnvon talks of tepedup peace Ine what looked progres: of th ae Frm the er) teat fhe forts the bombing rds increase, Wile at and ive, ard what spread as ‘ruse he tbr iatnion ef desroinga nist Ce aye dabbled with, television eye the sical ‘acta mpln dh someting Bw Hl Movie and television stars, technical effects, ‘equipments andthe desie for simple packaging \ ie all obstacles to a concept of performeras: 4 chock, fl oem Dated by" TERNS SiG Vice one el ony aut, Ts mates, airaios and practice of lt Tete neceasry to dineet toward change because | the system” debilitating, repressive, and non { "The queria company mutt exemplify change150 ‘Te aN FRANCISCO MME TROUPE 48s group, The group formation~its cooperative Telatonships and corpomte identity mur have § Imorality at its core. The corporate entity ond tatly Has no morality. This must be the differ fence in a Sea of savagery. There isto be n0 dis tinction between public behavior and. private Ibehavior Do In public whet you doin private, oF ieyumeute nents ‘For those who Hike thelr theatre pure of social ses, I mast say—FUCK YOU! buddy, theatre 1S 4 social entity. Ie can dull the minds of the eit Sovept the Great Society and the Amanaaarican Way of life Just ike the movies, Ma) or it can Took ‘to changing that society... and that's polities. Previous attempts at rosaly directed theatre since the thirtier have been snetfective-with the exception ofthe Living Theat, the Actors Work hop (In the fiftes, and not since Ford), Of Broadway. in the’ fits, Joan litlewood's theatre, Roger Planchon, and. the Berliner Bi: semble. What makes this type of theatre dificult? Content, style, and extemal effects or reper the content isto immediate, the at news worthy and, like today’s newspaper, will line tomontow's garbage pall. the content i devious, Symbolic, OF scaderically suguesive, the public will refuse tose it, because their minds have bean Mattened by television and dll jobs “Spo be stupid tsa uty only the commercial can afford. ‘Social theatre is risky business, both sesthet cally and politically: assuming thatthe difeulties fof style and content have been solved, the stage access can be closed because of “Tire violations ‘obscenity, or even parking on the grass. What do you do then? You roll with the punches, play ll elds, leam the law, join the ACLU, become sipped 10 pack up and move quiely when you're outnumbered. Never engage the enemy head on. Choose your fighting ground; don't be forced into batle over the wrong isaies Guerilla Shas oe ght an make tnd of te ‘A radical theatre group mist offer more than the commercial theste; it must be equipped with people and imagination to compensate for the Tock of heavy. advertising and. equipment. En trenehed poster i intelligent and artful in its con trol. Thus operative parsnoin i our appropriate Sate of being. Keep the caliber of performances high-any lack of ski will lose audiences who are ready and willing to attend, but not for charitable eagons. There ate too many charities now. The problem isto atrct an audience toa ty of thestre iti aceustomed to attending and. dis over forms that will earry the weight of “effec tive" protest oF socal confrontation, without turning. theatre over to twisted naturalistic yinbolism, pop art, camp, of happenings for the "There iss vision in this theatre, and it not that “of the lonely. painter or ‘novelist who ‘Rruggles through his denial years, suffering, and finaly breaking into the "big time.” The “ig time” usually means Life magazine commercial ‘const But in this casi to continue] repeat Mo continue presenting moral play snd to con: front hypocrisy inthe society Let me make this very clear Kes seceptable to criticize, to debate, to take issue with problems in Society, as long as you are not effective—and as Tong a you gloss over the sues in such a ee late the door open to tal st phrase: “Thete are two side fas been our experience in ‘ocial comment it clear an fused by "art" or obfasca tance,” we have had trout and tos of income dally, the universities + socially committed theatre. far fromm leading, has follor regional theatre companies ental and. sky, siden ands on repertory, good I Foundation (not. necesarl little more & to be expecte possibility and. responsi Singing independent ome least equipped economies complex problems of expe cal audiences never tnugh itvand who in showbiz wot ‘our obligation to gather them into being. provoked into returning! ‘Notes We are talking aby theatrical eilien. Ido. not versal aesthetic judgments of dialogue are different testhetie is tempered by w and what the actual climate Should we use epic Br Anau? pie theatre, culled fro Hitler Germany, i a histor {or its time. To perform hi USA. glutted with doub find newspapers, ie to ely ‘Yet Artaud here bosomeswith the punches, play alt join the ACLU, become fand move quickly. when fever engage the enemy fighting ground; don't be he wrong issues, Guerilla makes fiends of the up must offer mote than must be equipped with ‘to compensate for the ng and equipment. Bn sent and afl in ite con Jancis is our appropriate “caliber of performances Lose audlenees who are ‘a, but not for charitable shy charities now Act an audience toa type ted to attending and di fy the weight of "eter ‘ontrontation, without to” twisted naturalistic oF happenings for the his theatre, and ti not linter oF novelist who sink yours, Sufering, and 2g time.” The “big fe magazine commercial isto continue T repeat ‘moral plays and to con ety ‘lear es acceptable to issue with problems in ie not effective-and a¢ 2 issues in such & manner pen to that sftp GUERILLA THEATRE roland sonmanonem of ps tnt ven ou sare ama fate "vo tne hal tble-ees ute feanie co dey tears shouldbe examples of socaly Commie thea Yerscee ee it fom lending hs follow te ale by ‘moa Unt compan bat een ea espa ‘Sonal and Waly. Releet hoster mode hee ands on epertoy, god neraar tod the Prd Fauntion (ot neeoanly tht se) oe ile moe eto be capeced fom tis ete romiity and reapers fet with oe ee Erin Inlependent ergctesions which oe iat culpa comomicey to dea tet Sion lem of ceperinentton, Comes Saad nore aug ts tint mer bay ita hn sowie weal ant sl es te them int bo provoked ned contented ond ‘mowing Nove Weltre king about the US.A. and i hentia mien, de hot enue to mae ‘onl sate judgments Theae wd ihe ae Of dilogue ar'aifent ths couney Ose Sexe i tempered by what can be Jone now Sanh teste ate Sold we use spl Brecht? Or experet ana pe these, called tom expresonitic pre viercernany a ote eety ops tor ket. Ts prom hire Ee etre USA ghted ih douleapeke tremens Sod sowspoey to ely upon Bre for hes Yat Anau hore become exes oe eee Isp psychological drama and falls ito the American and instant coffee ala bit watery ‘Should we throw Artaud out to save Brecht? “Anything that sids in cutting through the de sions ofthe American way of hifeor the morass of Iuissionary ideale that lead inexorably to murder |S useful Use both! But remember Una they are European sources, and itl America we aze co fronting: pedps baseball isthe best inspiation Handbook Find a low-zent space to be used for rehearsals and performances: loft, garage, abandoned ured, oF baen, If the iiector slepe in, 1s Slam with people, not actors. Find performers who have something unique anal exciting about them when Uiey are on stage. For material use ‘anything to fit the performers. Allow the per: formers to squeeze the material to theit own ‘Shape. Liberate the rger personalities and splits (Commedia deifarte has been usetul for Us ap proach. It is an open and colori) form, uses Iuasks, music, gag, andi easly set up with buck Arop aed platorm, Preset inside, bright lights132 ‘ie SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE will do; outside, there are no lighting problems For ouldoor performances select at intimate sassy area in a park or place where many people ongeegete, and play Saturday or Sunday after: foons. Co’ where the people are~strert corners, cant lots, oF parks. Set up a portable sage, twelve by fifteen feet, made Into eight sections with a backdrop hung on a pole sing along fal post suppor. All equipment must be port able tnd card ina borrowed three-quarter ton ‘tuck. Set the stage so thatthe sun i in the face fof the actors, not the audience. Begin the show by playing musi, do exercise warm-ups, play and sing, parading around Use en, aitract an a fence. Use bugles, drums, reconders, and tm bourines working with simple folk tunes rounds well done will do, even Frere Jacques will do. For ‘commedia style, the masked characters hive $0 ‘move well to ilusteste what they are saying and All mutt speak out 20 the audience can hese fifty feet away, over the street moles. ‘Make cute the ground is comfortable and dry for the mudience. Keep the length of the show under an hour, moving swifly, and adapting fasily {0 secidents, dogs, bells, children” In provise ‘on mistakes, coincidental nolses. like police svens during a chase scene. Use a funny feript, adapted for your own purposes (lie is fxcellnt); cut out excess dialogue, update the Tunguage and clearly delineate the action ’D minstral show is another possible form; i is ‘bviouely a good vehicle fr civil sights probleme. Use old minstrel books, rewriting and updating tgs to the conditions ofthe present. Blckface le ‘mask too: the stereotyped minstrel wllmake the task work ‘Try to have the actors play the music necessary for «show “Amateurs ean be used if you cast wisely. Re and Ieaming even after the show opens. The show Should close better than i began, (Other forme ate avilable: morabty plays burlesque, rock and roll (there must be something in rock and roll forthe theatre). Use techniques fom modern dance, vaudeville, the circur~all these theatrical event foes on the petforter ‘Aska painter todo a backdrop ora sculptor to rake a prop. For costumes sop the second-hand, Sores-the Salvation Army helps the poor. If eed program notes or new material find writers, politicos, poets to slap material for your group. ‘When everything is ready to go, play the show for fiends, learn from the performances, then take fo the people in the pa, halls any place {Give it away-ansthing to build an audience with ‘out spending money on advertising The group must attract many different types of people. All ean help and all can enjoy the co: Sperative nature of theatre ‘ay the performen from donations received ater the show, keep the books open, pay for all ‘materials and anything else that spent on peo duction, Do not overpay, don’ try to match pre ‘ailing wages (except in poverty areas). People will work for very Lite if the work s principled exciting and fun ‘The first steps ate necessarly hectic and Joosely ordered. Few longrange plans an be made. After ai audience and a group have een ‘tablished (inthe second stage) one can begin to think of presenting conventional plays. 1 suggest you stlet short, smalleast, one-set plays. Beg, rent only when necessary. Try ot Lo purchase fnything other than basic materials that ean be sed for two oF th ‘One procedure » cently came upon 3 mtseries, These. You present the Sb theatre and split the The problem of constant produetio fined to" cover co Underground ms Survival, and w dangers and theres, the producer, Some troup changes its = Change, the mind panded Protest at the b ood, Good thentr the swing of radical You must go all t power of the opp with mes in your p ‘One ean lesen fe to. package, sell 2 Iisa slow and ¢ people will come t fs just and your m ‘There are hundredsPeriods, keep improving hhe show opens. The show it began, ‘ailble: morality plays, {uhere mast be something theatre}. Use techniques audeville, the circur-all tus on the performer. bbuckdrop ofa sculptor to nes shop the second hand ny holps the poor. Ifyou material for your group, ady Uo go, play the show ‘the petformanees, then he parks, halls any pce © build en audience with ‘dvertisng Cimany different types of dal can enjoy the eo trom donations received ‘books open, pay for all ‘he that i epent on pro: don't try to match pre 1 poverty azeat). People it the work i principled, necessarily netic and congsne pine san be ‘ahd 1 group have been 4 stage) One ean begin to ‘entional plays I suggest cast, onest plays Bg, ‘make your own, and Spry not to purchase ie materials that can be GUERRILLA THEATRE used for two oF three shows-when in doubt, in ‘One procedure which the Mime Troupe re cently came upon is ta join with special groups that need money and do benefits for them Viet ‘nam committees, SNCC, CORE, ehildeen’s nurseries, These groupe bring the audience and you prerent the show in their place ora rented theste and spit the take, "The problem ofa regularly pid staff is that 3 constant production schedule has to be mim tained to! cover costs But there ate solutions movie series, one-act plays, postry feadings, Underground films for the second act. Organiza tion becomes tremendously important in order to save money and energy Survival, and. with it success, increases the angers andthe responsiblity of the diectors and the producer. Some traps ean be avolded 1 the group changes ite ryle once a years during that change, the mind is cleansed andthe #04 rane Protest at the box office ie profitable if i good. Good theatre can be made meaningful if hhew audiences are develope, bu once you ae in the swing of radical theatre, there ir no sopping You must go all the way of the enonniy an ower of the opposing forces will crush you, Never be eaught ina politiealy aesthetic skirmish with rans your pocket, ‘One ean leer from the commercial world how to. package, sell and expedite "The art_world knows how to erete, Use both! isa slow and arduous path to Follow but the people will come to your aid, Beeaise your cause Bs Just and your means exciting and full of ie ‘There are hundreds of paople looking Tor some thing to do, something tht gives season to thie lives and these are the guerils,2 enorgy, but igo destruc destroy them 20 that we in destroy them ideolog Dhysealy by pushing this ‘and libertarian hypocesy wrote in The Art of War, 1 "To subdue the enemy ‘ne of skill.” 1s RETHINKING GUERRILLA THEATRE: 1971 _Gueiathenie wos intended ob an aeatve nurgeois theatre; intend it has become a par lo, sipping in and out of existence, used by the fgocentric, manhandled by the outraged chldeen Of the vich, even expounded upon by the mest balls of fashionable theatre. is original intention was to deserbe a radical political perspective for a Spe of theatre that would ie ute the op pressive culture of capitalism. To continue that ‘retion, It wil have to become far more dialect cal and less didactic, understand itsclaims of Marx ism, and expel from its ranks the fatheads of freakclom who incorrectly assume Una images will destroy international corporate empires. In the hope of ereating a more efecive radical uate, the Following essay analyaes some of the vagaries, of queria theatre, Mudate dea are fui, but too often they are squcezed cout of context to sult contradictory needs, My ie ey aia apa Prien Volt Ne 1965 guortila theatre easy (inthe Tulane Drama Review, 32) was a description of what the San Francisco Mime Troupe had done. The essay was neither a symbolic definition nora manifesto: we ‘declared that we had been involved for five years in a new mode of theatrical endeavor and we sounded the slatin for others to take up the Sruaale. The stall of our activity was guetel like. The content, form, acting techniques, lie Style, and alms of the Mime ‘Troupe constituted the guerilla Ife of a theatre in an allen rocet, Since. the publication af that cay, gueralla theatre aberrations have been plentiful Diggers and Yippies who think politics is a theatrical Splash; liberal thespians who make guerilla theatre into” “symbolic Action”; and instant revolutionary-agitproppers who perform, but Ignore the representational nature and requisites In 1966 and 1967, the Mime Troupe continued ‘developing its style in the parks and scrost the founiy. In. 1968, we ran out of energy and Stopped to examine our progress, Sensing the gen: tral misconception of guerra theatre, and com- ferned about the “Mime Troupe's developing prcudorevolutionary thetori, I wrote another exsay, “Cultural Revolution USA... One Step 1968," which addressed the problem: "Can the wer “guersila theatre,” which describes activity fon the cultural front inthe USA, actually come lose to the actity of an armed revolutionary foco {movement or party]? Asitprop ‘Agitprop is agtational propaganda. Agitprop teat is made up of ails performed by people who, like their audience, are directly enpged in the content of the ski For example Teateo CCampesino, when performing in. Delano, Cal: fornia, in 1865-67, presented agtational prope funda for the members of the Farm Workers As fociation (NFWA}. Their songs and aetor (Luis Valder’s descriptive word for social skits with signs: Brecht/Cantinflas vignettes with immedi Stely recognizable characters, placards on chess, ‘who get into political confrontations with other ‘charcters) were designed Lo inform the workers of union nogotitions, grievances, and programs. ‘The performers were engaged In organizing work and theiraefos were extensonsof that work, ‘Agitptop done on the strech for nonrecognie able yet amorphously familiar audiences ie not the same, ‘The conditions have changed when Players of the middle clas play for unknown people vaguely deseribed as Americans agsint the ‘var Sul further removed from agitprop ate those vcd guerilla theatre groups who surprise people in the midst of their daily routines by reting theatrieal situation where performers hd audience are mixed. Often the sit happens 0 rapidly that the audience doosn't know it has been it until the piece is over. The people, mildly duped, ate supposed to become conscious ff their responsibility and gull. Acting more like bandits than guerillas, and, ke newspaper head lines, shouting images rather than taling new thete groups try to "sell" their product through moral suasion and personal confrontationboth ideals of the bourgeois culture (Ike attacking a balloon with snother balloon). ‘When the Mime Troupe fist went tothe strets to do shor skits, crankits (paper movies 4a Peter Schumann), and puppet plays, we didn't try to insule_or asiult people: we decided to teach something useful, We began by teaching goneral ‘Gty-folk how to stuff parking meters vith tab tops, using 4 simple puppetandaetor skit Lo in form them of the free ts» of parking. meters Another ski in ths vein, telephone crit cans ‘was also designed to teach people something use fl. We spoke of telephone numbers of tabtops, nd the people went away smiling and likely to {se the information gained. These were out most succesful skits and always will be. But this not revolutionary ar And even at ie bet, stations! propaganda is not revolutionary art, it supports rather than ex mines, explaine rather than analyzes, It can be ‘nly’ a temporary form forthe group it performs {o (tarm worker’ theatre to farm warkers), Di dct miher than diet, spr on wo atl pti fae fon “Glens. ts very particularity Limits its seal ‘eas and longevity. The organization’ Immediate ‘madiate explanations. Com Chavez often asked the members of the Teatro to return to laced face organizing. and. picket-line work, therby interrupting ehearsls and fometimes complica ing tour dates, When the Testo began to consider interest set in and the Teatro severed its ties with ‘The Teatro Campesino let ie emphatically diageeed Farm Workers Movement. L Lara, and others in the Te iimprovesnents in the farm they all come from the sam stand. the oppression. The ould not develop thelr the peak out om Vieloam (the Chaves and the war); they Iuody the Catholic Ch Guadalupe led the Peregrine When the Testro. moved « ‘moved from, agitational ph propaganda, They now pert Inted to the cultueal prabler tila. Shortsighted politiel on kind of political conceptua this Protestant, anticulturl fails to recognize that pol rectly telated to the preva One of the few commons Understood. this, the Talc weote: The populace... (eat difficulty, and never | In their pure’ form, 20 to om eclectic combination. to grow p ‘Preatre of the Yippies ‘The Vippies have taken the Diggers (ca. 1966) anc 1940s and used both for that ia gctions wil ma pets in the newspaper, i°s and, lke newspaper head ts rather than telling news, “ell” their product theough vetsonal confrontation-both fis culture (like attacking balloon), ‘upe fist went to the streets ‘kes (paper movies ala Peter pet plays, we didn't try to ple: we ‘decked to teach oegan by teaching general 1 parking meters with tab- puppetand-actor skit to in ee Use of parking meters, Wein, telephone credit cards, teach people something use. phone numbers of tabtops, ‘away smiling and likely to alned. These were ou most Fways will bs, But this isnot st, agtatonal propaganda is It supports rather than ex ot than analyzes. It can be fm forthe group it performs Satro to farm workers). Di leetcal,agtprop often skips blems' to facilitate imme: articularity limits its useful 4e crganization’s immediate ‘iting as the urgeney of i (Cesar Chaves often asked Teatro to return to face Lo Pieketline. work, thereby. sand sometimes complicat he Teatro began to consider 'S the union's, a confit of "Teatro severed it is with ‘he union in order to grow palitially and thet cally. ‘The Teatro Campesno left Delano not because it emphatically disagreed with Chaves and the Farm Workers Movement, Luis Valdes, Augustin Lira, and others In the Teatro did not oppose improvements in the farm workers" existence they all come from the same blood, they under ‘could not develop their theatre; they could not Speak out on Vietnam (the Kennedys supported ‘Chaves and the warl, they could not discuss or brady the Catholic Church (the. Vien de Guadalupe led the Porerination to Sacramento} When the Teatro moved out of Delano, they ‘moved trom agiational propaganda to cultural Propaganda. ‘They now perform plays or etos te late to the cultural problems ofthe lager, more amorphous community of the Chicanos of ‘Atlan ‘Shorsighted political organizing, precisely the kind’ of political conceptualization that arises in thie Protestant, anticulural, antiensval country. falls to recognize that poliieal changes are di rectly related tothe previing cultural hegemony. One of the few communists (since Marx) who lunderstood. this, the Tealian Antonio. Grams, ‘wrote: The populace ..» changes concepts with treat difficulty, and nover by accepting concepts {i their “pure” form, s0 to speak, but always in ‘ome eclectic combination, ‘Theatre ofthe Yippies ‘The Vippics have taken he lifestyle acting of ‘he Diggers (ca. 1966) and the theatrics of the 1940s and used both for polities They assume that media actions will make changes: "IC 9 pars in the newspaper, it happened, Ronny’ erry Rubin told me in jest and belief. They read ihe New York Daily New, watch commercial TY find algend Hollywood movies to understand the ature of Amerika. Ther intention is to use the Information they collet from these sources 10 treate an Amerikan revolution. Their motives are left and unimpeachable-they do use themselves in the fight for changer but we must look a Use ties, not their motives, Do’ they accomplish what they plan? MeLultan has defined television as causal ele ment rather than as teansfer machine. TV, under the umbrella of MeLuhan’s pop thoughts, made [Nixon lose the presideney in 1960 and tin iin 1968. Surely, TV must be more principled than that! MeLuhan does not consider who ovens tele sion. He fails to concern himself with the cor porate entities which control programming and the price of images, thus Uslr Content. The mass media are not owned by the people, as we should now fom the FCC regulations and the content fof any TV channel, radio station, of newspaper ‘Advertisers own it, They reat the space. If you ‘can't rent space, you must do somersaults Lob thin coverage. Somersaulls cresle news and fronted ews sds spice to the commercial. The108 Tie SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE object of privately manipulated mass medi ie not to distribute news but to creste demand for cots ‘sumer products, ‘Yippies run into camera range as often as por sible because they believe (or believed) the media fare a tool at their disposal. Agnew and Nixon believe the same thing, the dlfference being that ‘Agnew and Nixon have accountable and” legal power to follow up their attacks, while the Vip- pie ean only ope the kids ae getting the mex sage (or the Inside dope). Yippie actions are not fuera theatre, but’ mind-benders, neler Imagebreakers. When ‘only Abbie’ Hoffman's voice came over the TY talk show because his ‘American flag shiet had been blacked out the majority of viewers planned to wateh the sume “exciting” talk’ show the next night, Lenny Bruce, the trampoline of the Yippie mind, was nota revolutionary but briliant nighiclub Comic. Lenny Bruce's awesome contradiction was that fe was @ stand-up comic, one-man vidualistic speedveak testimonial ima night! Ho fell out a window! Dick Gregory, ot the other hand, gave up nightclubs, He realized thatthe content of his political rap was not possible in « highiclub. The Yippies fall to recognize the medium of their message. Whea Yippie assume that Woodstock Is their own Nation, i is « con colt made foolish by Life ana Warner Brothers, Liberal "Guerrtas” A liberal like Richard. Schechner of the Per formance Group feels « twinge of contradiction when teaching & useless course at large univer fity. An event intemupts his cies, he and thers stomp out and purge themselves, He labels this action guerilla these (Ore ofthe bases of gurl taste tat you use Handed cut's ae Aeon cetig was fale for 0." We decd Yo star gerile Unrate, pot io the microphone snd announced that decion. (The Drama Restew (Spring 1970), 9 163) Mare Bstrin, director of he American Playground (a theatre ai Washington, D.C, and Goddard Col lege), another Ubera, takes the concept of theatre a polities even further than Sehechner. Estrin {alts of “infiltration scenarios” hi tate a public place and bring the * that location to the point of confrontation and 'SCENE: Any pubic park sere ram publ il iA ae he pho sh Dune. He sets op hi eu! and bogs ost he bring. Hei aie tendy to al oleae and folly tenly to the ptt pate.» He wrk Sony and with gest aeuray ying ut hi nes hs legumaey inthe pt, is enn with he pulce and pussy, his sold tocnigue-hs exe tence a2 genuine pater who hag abe done {Hat he dg a ay po pte how Tm dong” te Over the cours ofthe nent few days. the painting bog otto net fone appropsats tot subject maer-on the ‘White House balcony babes ar naplmed, ors he ‘sot (CHM emerge, aa potsque Non a Laird hunee the operations The panting becomes for fefectng the Inner tv bid the male faeade “The ulate stlempls ta be a fiealy toon okay he pale, Slowed to paie in the park tometuch. «He should fale {othe Movement (The Paste! tev pp. 7278) Estrin isnot @ revolutionary rightist provocateur. He wi having fun.” When the time pul theatre and people ito ght location, and create a ‘onsdered People’s Parka ge Estrin~like Sehechner, a dix proached theatre theouh fan Frads newspaper accounts of fas; polities is not connecte ie theatrical. Liberal thinkers motives are Kealite andy ac rect in their analyses of U. Certainly, the “politics” ot MeCall of Oregon (all ex-TV within the framework of An a Agnew's or Reagan's; he tem Work etter, net overturr (Other avantgardists in the to thei efforts to. increase tween viewer and. doer as #0 vation, like improvisational ¢ Circumstances not only aust femputhetic responses ofall ¢ doce t motivate social actionmurders wer! at hang, and Ind out abot ent Sate dr ‘efomance Theory a NYU a ite decide to wart gee rama Review (Sprig 1970), ‘of he Americen Playground ton, D.C, and Goddard Ca: fakes the concept of theatre ‘her than Schechner. Estrin scenarios”; his “actos” inf. and bring the “audience” at point of confrontation and hecoutemeis of Sunday al abi ost te Ienaly tol oniokers and he atk pote He works sceuracy yi out hi net ek for he pub bay, ath ih yee oui er who hast to be doing 12 "Come bask tr and ae ‘Owe the cour of te net ‘ng begins anton ita the subeet mallereon the abies ae napalm om he 'grtegue Nino and aed ier tat bind the mare 4s 0 be as fendy to on lookas, especialy tbe ple, a he wat befor, but as cange He may wen Sind that been long lowed to pant inthe park withowe pert or fom the perk win TV and mio interes, Money ftom the le oft now-famous pining tedonated {othe overeat. (Tow Fanta," a he Drom es ‘ep. T3) Estrin isnot a revolutionary, but neither is he a ightist provocateur. He would like to. make people more aware: “The war is on while you're having fun.” When the time comes, he hopes to put theatre and people into the ight scenario, the fight location, and create political event. He considered People's Park a good pisce of theatre Estin-like Schechner, a diestar who fist ap proached theatre through fantaty and literature ‘ads newspaper secounts of poitial activities ax {ales politics is not connected to reality, polities {s theatrical Liberal thinkers are good souls. Theit motives are idealistic and, actully, they are cor rect in their analyses of US. electoral polities, Certainly, the “polities” of ‘Reagan, Mutsy, MeCall of Oregon (all ex-TV performer) is tte show-bir,image-making. Yet stin’s analysis is Within the framework of American polities, just 4 Agnew's or Reagan's; he would make the sys (Other avant-gardsts in theatre snd dance point to their efforts to increase communication be tween viewer and doer ax some kind of "eevolu onary” new-wave concept, This techn lano vation, like improvisational thea, in bourgeois Circumstances not only sustains and increases the fempathetic responses of all concerned: does ‘change consciousness on a concsptval level nor dove it motivate social action. Radical and Hit-and-Run Agitproppers 1 the politcal Vippies and Diggers ae not theatrical, but media mind-benders and fhe I ral guerillas serve only to support the system, ‘what about those radical theatze workers who call Themselves querriis? Because a theatre groups antiestabishment doesnt mean per ae that it isa evolutionary quella group. The theatre we see practiced by madicls it most often agitprop; the urtent SF. Mime Troupe, ‘Tied World Revol tloniss, Pageant’ Players all give. performances tha are like briefings before an audience destined for a particular mission, Tht type of aeineop traditionally supports the existing idear of Re audience; the presentation is like paychodrania The Chicano followers of the Teatzo Campesina, twelve or fifteen teatro over the West Coast, Sulfer from the same affliction. Rather then dlemonstration of insight, we see sn expression of futrage, as the groups pseudo-peychologically Aleseribe tie oppression of the Chicano ‘The hitand-run agitproppers (or instant street theatre skit groups) which spring up at demon: sizations often ity to smash complacency and, like the eras, “spoll people's fun.” People en‘aged in street theatre often rely on slogans which ether clarity their own political position nor present a theateealy intresting event. The act of Aoing legal bitand-ran thesia skits exagser es this atvity's Importanoe, The contat is ees Significant than the "moment.” Although thsi 8 ep in the right direction, i's only « aisle Imeanor, nota felony. There are some publicity stunts which can have political repercussions. For example, the military Feeruiter who receited a ple in the face, Male Rudd deserbes the event (in The New Left Reader, edited. by Carl Oglesby. [New York ‘Grove Pres, 1969), p, 292) ‘Aa esting of SDS Daft Comite. de gues {lon came up of what to do when the head of the ‘Siecute Serer System for RY.C cme to pea ft Columbia. Somesne speed that SS pet he Colonel by asking hi pasa. The ea AC the speech Lo "stk probing qin” Seve dstnely the alsck om the Cand nthe mide ‘tthe speech, ami eronsration appear Inthe Back of the rom wih fife and dn, Mage ‘machine guns anf noltemalem, At ienano wen fo the bck, prin nthe front rom snd yp and place s lemon mesigue pls fn he Colonel face Everyone spt The pie incident wat gloriously medi-orente, "The recruiter was in total focus when his image was blown with lemon pie. But he changed his Shirt and retumed, He wasn't implacsbly stopped; his job wasn't taken over, nor was his own rela tionship to his role seriously threatened, In other words, his power was not touched. ‘The pie thrown to embarrass (a hberal radical pie protest) ISCO MIME TROUPE id, however, punctute the Colonel's anal holiness and express the outrage of all the students. All the whoop and whipped cram shout "do. your ‘own thing” oF "do something” has at its base, 4 Positive response to dull speechmaking and dull Sgunizing, but the incident has to be understood, Not all plot work and the overecered exhort tone to act ike a madman in polities (ehe Area ian disease) don't lead to concrete power. The Yippie get coverage, Liberal theatre quertilas rake people “aware,” Radical theatre guertlas protest and agitprop inthe wind. Guerrita Pheatre—Whot Was It? In 1965 we declared it possible to create Uheatre and some life without tlaborate buildings and loads. of money. But whit was the goal of ‘doing this? Ina 1965, 1 stated that our purpose was to tench, direct toward change, be an exmple of ‘change. In 1968, T added the thought: We mut. {ake power. In 1870, | Sopped and asked: Could wwe do all the above? Worried that the cal to action might lead to scivim for its own sike, soaked with the mora Jtstitiations of a "guemnila way of life," in 1908 T suggested we consider the problem of power in ‘elation to teaching, diecting toward change, ad being an example of ehange, {had grown worried because, in the late sixties, we were-manng in Zippy polities) and. consumer currents; instant revolutionaries, payehedelie visionaries, and rock tullionaiees impressed all-of wt and there was litte time for reflection. The mia became 50 ubiquitous that the difference between stage and street dissolved. Lifestyle acting, a slogan of the Poetic crude communists, smogged all thoughts ‘The Berliner Ensemble is the only example we have so far of an aggrest sachine. During Brecher fame dangorously close to ff truth rather then Ube lesson here? Bentley? Esa tarved a place in history, Slogans a square hegemony tiom of consciousness The general refusal to a Jing ais found ie spect ff maturatism’s bourgeois Public for’ the TV came these. The tax began in ‘and confusion, People fe lroup, whether it be guer= Fhystercal, the presenzatie ‘etion, even though the det happening, not a literary fof play. The action in from. When we actually punch the cop, throw #! Alown the fence, sit in fron Alolng theatre Actors, we ‘confuse theatrical teprese augule desperatly to ap ome speed fen schizophe Onward ‘The path of relevant pe from naturalism toward theatre, reaction to bour 4 step in the eight direetio ot meaningful enough to nese not change ant have treated our audienes bombardment, by tlling trnges)” and show product” couldolonel’s anal holiness all the student. All ‘eam about "do your ing” has, at its base, a Deechmaking and dull, thas to be understood, verexerted exhort politic (the Artaud rl_theatreguerilae ical theatre guersilas vind, en it possible to create it elabortte ulldings What was the goal of That ou purpose was rig, be an example of ‘he thought: We must ‘ped and asked Could ction might lead to ‘osked with the mot ‘way of ie" in 1968 problem of power in vf loward change, and Thad grown worsted 1 we wore moving in visionaries, and rock (of us and there was She media Became 30 ‘ce between stage and ting, a slogan of the smogged all thoughts the only example we have so far of an aggresive, dynamic teaching ‘machine. During Brecht’ Lifetime, the Ensemble tame dangerously close to Antonio Gramsci’ dea fof truth, rather than Ulbricht’, but who got the lesson here? Bentley? Bsiin? While the Ensemble carved place in history, we were swinging large flogans at square hegemony and calling fr teva tion of consciousness. "The general refusal to abide by commodity ing habits found its specific reaction in a rejection fof natunlism's bourgeois theatre. Playacting in Public for the TV cameras became the main {heat The mix began in earnest and 20, to, the iyand confusion. People forgt that for theatre jpoup, whether i¢ be gucrila, agitprop, oF simply Hysterical, the preventution is the meat of the action, eventhough the drama may be 3 contsived happening, not a literary story, ot an adaptation of @ play. The action in view is what we learn from. When we actually cross the picket line, punch the cop, throw the real frebomb, tear flown the fone, st in fro ofa tric, we are not Along theatre. Actors, writes, oF directors who fonfse theatical representations with life will strupale desperately to approach reality and be come speedfeak schizophrenis Onward ‘The path of relevant politcal theatre is away from naturalism toward epic theatre. Guerila theatre, a restion to bourgeois theatre, produced step inthe right direction, but Uh slogans were not meaningful enough lo take oot and conscious ress didnot change anything but hairstyles, We have treated our midiences to an ad-agency Uke ‘bombardment, by telling the “truth,” protesting the “outrages,” and showing examples of purity ss if our "product could be sold like cigarettes, caus, or consumptive goods. The fist step is to void sloganeering, easy access to information, of ‘onediners. An audience ts more than 8 group of fonsumers and we, as performers, ae in need of technique far greater than thal of commodity manipulators We have not understood of believed the lessons of the past: ui ghar ea vc referer tat be ake op Sms rspoding to the angry protest ofthe people "The rath revsatonary Grom What we do next should neither sustain prevail lng conditions ‘nor attempt to blow people's minds. Bourgeois conciousness i deep and com plex ‘people to the tof ‘hem jowledge of the processes of ther condition. Imperialism is far lager tiger than the "bosses," the "Establishment," or the face of Truman Eisenhower/Kenned Jobneon/Nixon. Terfore, ‘our weapons rust deal with computested explot —m {Saw FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE tation, as well as rotten personal habits. To be come an effective instrument of socal criticism or revolutionary culture, a theatre has to develop a tangible theory manifested in practice, Ie must be conceived with intelligent care and great love. For those of us who consider revolutionary culture nether a glmtaick nor an extension of Bourgeois Ing to the dissolution of tmperilism’s hegemony, laleetical materialism (yeah, Mars) has to be tome the souree of eur inspiration, AMANT MIL rensoxaces Bpaa, Corporal inthe S