09. 02. 2017

After the End

It has been 3 solid months since the last performance of Life is Short and Long at the Waterside Workers hall in Port Adelaide and the Wirrabara Institute.

Only a month or so ago, I received this message from a local:  “Hey there Emma, good morning.  Just to say that your excellent performance / production has resulted in many talking points.  You certainly imparted some messages. I reckon about 50% of people were thoroughly confused though.  Well done on your professional show and bringing it to Wirrabara.”

This of course made my day, and more than that, drove me to another stage of thinking about the work, its process and the people I made it for.

That people were confused is possibly not ideal in some ways, but in others, it is a valuable asset.  Confusion leads to thinking and wondering and they are two powerful forces for change and movement.

Essentially I am in this game for change.  And perhaps not change in the aggressive “i must fix this world’ sense but more in the the sense of movement and moving on.  Movement in our thinking, in our ways of doing things. This of course happens subtly  already.  Time moves (sometimes too damn fast), and we move through stages, Wirrabara has moved through stages, Port Adelaide has, I have, we all have.  But I’m talking of the movement created when an outside force gives you a perspective you wouldn’t of had otherwise.  Conversations give me that, Wirrabara gave me that, Port Adelaide is still giving me that, and LIFE IS SHORT AND LONG gave that in return.  Who knows to what end, but it is movement that has occurred in the making of the show and then the presentation of that show.  Confusion and delight are both welcome in that format.

Wirrabara was special for me to perform in.  It had been a looonnngggg time coming, and I cared more about what the locals thought than anyone else who came to see it.  I loved how most people stayed for supper afterwards, and chatted about this and that – and indeed it was supper and hearing of peoples responses walking through the installation that gave me the greatest sense of satisfaction.

And led me to thinking, ok, what next…..

Emma Beech