This weeks words to play with: Burnish (polish, brighten) Drivel (foolish talk) Theatre Limp Stamp Sciamachy (an act or instance of fighting a shadow or an imaginary enemy) Vulnerability Fountain Shame Patient Ancestral Stare
‘This script Johnny is drivel!’
If I’d heard that once I’d heard it a thousand times. No matter where I took my words the result was always the same. To break into the theatre business was a pain in the arse to say the least. I asked myself a million times how did Shakespeare do it? Though I did know the answer to that, he had his own theatre company; I had a word processor and a book of stamps.
I sent my scripts everywhere and to every theatre publisher I knew. Each one returned with the same apologetic expressions, ‘your work has potential but we do not feel it is what our company is looking for at this moment.’
My favourite script was the tale of an aging male’s vulnerability when faced with his greatest mid life crisis, he stands naked before his beautiful leading lady staring sadly at his limp member drawing the audience’s attention to the fact that his search for the fountain of youth had shamefully deserted him. Despite her pleas for him to be patient and to relent and take the small blue pill she holds out for him he argues that in his ancestral family every male was able to stand on his own.
This moment I thought was such a pivotal and poignant scene and one that would burnish the play with a freshness hitherto not seen before.
All efforts of course fell on deaf ears as theatre owners suggested the potentiality of the scene but feared the legal ramifications and laws suits the scene would generate could put them out of business. I think I went a little too far inferring a little hip sciamachy might be a crowd pleaser when pitching my script the First Self Righteous Church Theatre Company which did result in some consternation among the committee members some of whom had to be revived with smelling salts.
But I had learned during my years of writing that you should never give up on an idea if you believe in it. Drivel it may have been to some, but I knew I just had to find the right company, one where my play could be burnished and stamped as the theatrical masterpiece I knew it was and that one day my name would be up in lights, glittering shamelessly, society no longer limp in the acceptance of hip sciamachy as a legitimate form of theatrical expression.
Written for: http://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/wordle-29/
Morpethroad 
” some of whom had to be revived with smelling salts.” Yes, I can imagine. However, if just reading the script did that, I’d hate to think what seeing the actual play would do to them. I can understand why some theatre owners might say, the legal ramifications and laws suits the scene would generate could put them out of business. I really enjoy your narratives, Michael.
Yes it boggles the mind doesn’t it. Thanks so much Lyn for your comment, I hope you continue to do so.
hip sciamachy lol. I think a play like that could be run in Sweden. People are not so uppity about nudity and it is treated very naturally and casually on television. They even have programs on various sexual issues impotence, fetishism etc. on television during normal hours that deal with things very tastefully and informatively. Not more than 1/2 ago I walked by a shop proudly displaying a range of dildos in their window, in a very popular area, broad daylight, no concealment because I could see them very plainly from the street. During the summer I see more naked people then I care too lol I like how they deal with nudity like it is natural and not vulgar because it is perfectly natural and we should be able to discuss aging issues including impotence normally.
Thanks Yves. I agree western societies do have a lot of hang ups. Sciamachy was a challenging word to include. Have a good day.
It was! I liked the word but putting in a sentence nearly broke my brain lol
Well I twisted my take to fit it in eventually. I like it when an unusual word has to be used.
Me too XD
You made me think of the play Hair. I remember when it came out. I wasn’t old enough to see it. And some how our High School got permission to put the production on – however everyone had to be clothed. I remember reading that one of the actors who was under age was able to perform but couldn’t sit in the theater to watch the production on his or her night off.
Cheers!
We have odd reactions to nudity and suggestions of it don’t we. I had a student perform a scene from Vagina Monologues some years ago. It was the scene set in the women’s workshop where they were supposed to check out their vaginas. A parent complained about the scene and no student under 15 was allowed to see it in performance even though they had watched the rehearsal a dozen times. Thanks Jules great comment.