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11-08-2008 19:14
for a long time, I witheld on responding to comments on my reviews. I deigned to break that silence a little while ago, still unsure as to the dignity, propriety and wisdom, in doing so. still and all, I figure, anything that stimulates further thought has got to be good!
no 'slip-up', for the record, dalibor: some of us are big & introspective enough to realise it's almost inevitable we harbour and express biases, in various shapes and forms, albeit unwittingly, and are, therefore, prepared to speculate we might exhibit it.
I wish the had ruffled my feathers, let alone 'old school' ones! the central problem was, and is, it lacks real provocativeness.
the conflict, as with all such conflicts is, indeed, pathetic; 'though such judgments hardly help resolve anything. I don't believe I said the story was a cliche, as such, but i won't be so pedantic as to dispute this point any further.
you make numerous (ironic and false, which will be starkly apparent to those who know me, my values and views) assumptions about me, personally, which I find deeply offensive. I didn't have my guard up. I was looking forward to some powerful commentary or enquiry, which didn't materialise; in my eyes, at least. my mind was, and is, open. moreover, I'd much, much rather praise, than criticise, or condemn. this seems to be something fundamentally misunderstood about the critic: who wouldn't prefer to be affirmative, as well as constructive?
I walked into the theatre with high hopes, which were substantially dashed. I don't own a gun and the only things I'm ever interested in shotting down are bigotry and stupidity, which tend to cohabit.
the topic doesn't have to a yawn. stc's citizens certainly wasn't! but it can so easily be. it oughtn't!
you're right: there aren't many plays that confront this conflict. unfortunately, neither was this play one of them.
my review wasn't blind: it's what I saw. but I applaud your engagement in debate. and I'm glad my review has succeeded in provoking even a little. that's healthy. that's the point. but the slinging-off at me, an unknown quantity to you, is ugly and as pathetic as in the conflict we both rail against.
lastly, your description of me as a casualty, as though I've fallen victim to some imagined alignment of opinion is the last straw. I do my own thinking & am not beholden to anyone. my only loyalty is to my own integrity and sense of decency.
there's no loaded or smoking gun in my hand; rather, I've felt a few bullets coming the other way. salaam! shalom!
take a chill pill, brother.
oh, and charles, what is it you agree with, exactly?
