An artist and an exceptional writer. Look at me spotting the new talent in our midst ;) That was excellent. You have a very strong, clear voice. I feel your last question/statement when it comes to performance art. There's a place in Vermont called the Bread and puppet theater that I visited, and it was fascinating in a small dose. Not something I would want to do everyday, or more than once a year, ha, but that there are people who live in it-is also fascinating. I almost can't imagine what goes on in their minds, and I'm usually fairly perceptive. I love art that makes me feel things deeply, but that type of art tends to make me feel strange, like things aren't quite real, slightly off track somehow. And it never alters, no hard lefts or rights with that, just a step to the side. I examine things like that, wondering if it's a fault or limitation in myself. Maybe their center is different then mine and that's all. I enjoy being pulled into wonder or heartbreak, I love art that inspires strong emotions. But I always have to come back into balance. Wow, this was very thought provoking. Thank you! I'll look forward to your posts :)
What can I say @dreemit your comments fill me with encouragement. I have never viewed myself as someone who could write anything of value, I simply try to write from the heart. I actually have dyslexia which means I have to focus hard but that doesn't deter or bother me. I also more or less had to teach myself English, the reason being because I missed so much early schooling due to my mother dying when I was 7. I was moved around from relative to relative and therefore from one school to another. This seriously put my education behind and took me years to catch up - I still don't understand grammar ha ha, but anyway that's another story. I was fascinated to hear about that "Bread and puppet" place, in Vermont you mentioned, it sounds similar to place I once knew in Liverpool, England. It was a kind of nightclub/bar where transvestites would go and perform, (they preferred to call themselves "drag queens") I actually got to know one of performers through a friend of a friend. OK let's be truthful, it was actually my friend's brother. But it was years before I knew. One day I was at Pete's house and his brother came visiting. I had only met him a couple of times but I kind of guessed he might be gay from his effeminate body language. Suddenly he came straight out and asked if I was gay. I was shocked but responded by shyly saying that I very much liked girls. Ha ha I actually felt bad about saying it but not sure why. "I thought so" was his response, "Just maikng sure" he said. Anyway he invited me to come along to see him perform at this club (cant remember the name of it now). Well I reluctantly agreed, I mean how could I say no, especially when he was offering to get me in for free around the back door (no pun intended). To say I felt somewhat uncomfortable is a bit of an understatement but I thought "what the hell, life is meant to be experienced right?", but I made sure I kept what I felt was a safe distance from other guests. Well I must say the performances simply blew me away but at the same time I felt, erm, how did you put it "slightly off track somehow", yes that exactly. Needless to say I really enjoyed the whole experience and the performance of Pete's brother, James, whose stage name was Marilyn, (you can guess who he liked) was mesmerizing. However, I was also glad to get out of there alive ha ha, and I was pretty sure I was never going to go back there again. I later discovered that the club held a violent secret. You see the area it was located in was predominantly working class and back in those days (1980s) homosexuality was still struggling to be accepted in working class society. This meant that sometimes homophobes would wait in dark shadows for the performers to come out of the club with the firm intention of beating the shit out of them. Over the years Pete would tell me when his brother was in hospital after being severely beaten and it was more time than I care to mention. On one such awful occasion I went to visit James in hospital and I was horrified at what I saw. His head was dramatically swollen and his skin was black and blue. He reminded me of something I had seen on a sci fi movie or something. I asked him why he kept going back there if he knew was in danger of being beaten at the end of the night. His reply was rather sad but it was also one of the bravest things I had ever heard. He told that there were very few places in the city were people of "his disposition" could perform and he lived to perform. These drag queens were not even paid, they just id it because they loved it. Amazing. James payed a high price for his art but I guess for him the price of not performing was higher. Thanks for writing back. Apologies if I diverted into a story, a bit of a habit of mine. Anyways, cheers!
I thought I was the only one who could turn a response into a short story, glad to know I'm not alone :) Wow, that must have been something. The Bread and Puppet Theater was more along the lines of role playing with very bizarre costumes and improvisation. Along with music that reminded me of the video you shared, which probably had more to do with the feeling it gave me than anything else.
I've actually always wanted to see a drag show, just haven't had the opportunity. I don't think that would put me off balance necessarily. I certainly have nothing against it, one of my step-sons is gay, got married a little over a year ago in fact, and I adore him. He's also stereotypically gorgeous, he broke a couple of hearts when he declared his preference :) I'm glad he got to grow in a time where it was accepted, or mostly anyway, I can only imagine how awful it was for your friend's brother. And yes, that was brave of him!