By Andrew Lim, Playwright and Theatre Director
In this issue, we delve into the world of experimental theatre, a unique form of performance art flourishing in New York. Emerging as a counter concept to traditional theatre, experimental theatre promises to broaden the audience's understanding of performance art.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a familiar destination for theatre enthusiasts in New York seeking unconventional and innovative performances. Known more commonly as BAM, the venue holds historical and contemporary significance as an essential part of the global performing arts scene.
While it's well-known that Off-Off-Broadway emerged due to Off-Broadway's reluctance toward contemporary or avant-garde performances, today's Off-Off-Broadway and its experimental plays have lost some of their earlier vigor, blurring the lines between the two categories. Experimental theatre, once a disruptive force in the realm of theatre, now finds its vigor fading in its very birthplace of New York. The relative quiet in Off-Off-Broadway underscores the importance and significance of BAM. BAM stands as one of the few venues meeting the demand for non-traditional theatrical experiences, a demand left unfulfilled by Broadway due to commercial constraints. Founded in 1861 and moved to its current location on Lafayette Avenue in 1908 following a fire, BAM continues to operate three performance venues and exhibition spaces, contributing to Brooklyn's cultural revival from its days of decline. The names of artists like Robert Wilson, Peter Brook, and Philip Glass, who have performed at BAM, stand as a testament to its rich history with experimental and avant-garde performances. The Next Wave Festival, showcasing new artistic trends, is held here annually.
Visitors to BAM expect neither traditional theatre forms nor realistic staging. Historically and contemporaneously, BAM stands as a venue dedicated to experimentation. Its location in Brooklyn, distant from the bustling Broadway of Manhattan, serves to complement rather than compete with Broadway. Audiences for the two venues are not strictly divided, sharing in the demand for diverse theatrical experiences.
Recently concluding its run, The Glory of the World exemplified the creativity and atypical style characteristic of BAM. Written by Charles Mee and directed by Les Waters, performed by the Actors Theatre of Louisville, the play reflects Mee's known style of collage-like storytelling influenced by figures like Max Ernst.
This piece commemorated the 100th birthday of Thomas Merton, a Catholic monk and acclaimed author. For those unfamiliar with Merton, the idea of celebrating his birthday might seem perplexing, but for audiences familiar with Mee and Waters, reservations would be minimal as their works rarely uphold historic figures with reverence.
The play's origin is as straightforward as it is amusing. Director Les Waters, leading a theatre near Merton's home, became curious after seeing a monument dedicated to Merton every morning. This led Waters to propose a collaboration to Mee in honor of Merton's centennial birthday—a task that Mee, with his Catholic upbringing and exposure to Merton's books in his family library, was uniquely positioned to undertake.
Mee responded to Waters with candid skepticism, pointing out his lapse in Catholic faith which might not favorably portray Merton. Yet, Waters's indifference to Mee's concerns led them to proceed with the project, highlighting the play's departure from traditional homage.
In this production, Merton's significance becomes secondary. One critic even noted the ambiguity of whether the play was truly about Merton or some enigmatic party planner. The performance ignites with prolonged silence, leaving spectators facing the back of a man (or Waters), whose meditative thoughts are projected on the walls. Following this silence, a group of 17 men crash onto the stage, depicting Merton’s centennial celebration through fragmented accolades about Merton's diverse attributes and social roles.
Throughout the play, sequences of unpredictable actions follow without logical cohesion. Scenes like buoyant synchronized swimming morph into unruly physical commotion, blending audience discomfort and intrigue. This chaos is abruptly halted by an unexpected, almost comedic arrival of a pizza delivery that transforms madness into normalcy, concluding with a reflective silence akin to its beginning.
The play's opening and closing scenes offer varying interpretations, mixing overt metaphor with deeper significance. According to Waters, the silence may appear tediously long or strikingly brief, contingent on individual patience. Audience reactions range from exasperation to contemplative understanding, with one exit comment humorously questioning, "Is that it?"
Efforts to apply literary metaphors to each scene may prove futile, as is often the case in experimental theatre. Audiences might be divided: those accustomed to experimental performances and those who occasionally seek novelty outside the literary depths of Broadway's Eugene O’Neill or Arthur Miller. BAM caters to both.
In essence, experimental theatre—like the performances at BAM—draws audiences with an evolved and generous palate for theatre. While theatre's foundational experience predates its literary counterpart, its literary appreciation remains a key spectator motivator. If not literature, experimental theatre must fill the void with something profound. Experimentation and challenge to traditional norms mark BAM's ongoing pursuit.
While clearly distinctive from tradition, one might withhold judgment on whether The Glory of the World was sufficiently impactful. Though currently embraced by open-minded spectators, the quest for innovation alongside Broadway remains crucial for BAM's existential journey.
Andrew Lim
Playwright, Theatre Director, Critic, Freelance Contributor
Permanent Director, MAT Theatre
Graduate of Central University and Graduate School of Theatre Studies
NYU Graduate in Playwriting and Theatre Direction