The 2nd Annual Symposium on Subversive Papier Mache & Other Tools of Creative Dissent on Nov. 8th had a much more sombre mood this November than last. The theme for the event, chosen before the election was "What Now?" Most in the audience had hoped that their efforts could turn to encouraging real change rather than continuing a tiring battle against a rising tide of what many view as oppression. Director Peter Schumann who's been at this long enough to know better labeled this year's shows a First World Insurrection, continuing to elucidate his view point that it's the system, not transient politicians that is the enemy of the people.
His loyal audiences were treated this year to a double bill. "World on Fire" featured a squad of grotesque "National Emergency" clowns from the main Bread & Puppet troupe who performed a series of surreal skits illustrating the corporate behavior which lead up to the current international situation. The show featured the "Asymmetric Prisoner-of-War Orchestra" made up of local volunteers playing peculiar instruments, backed by Cambridge Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band, who'll next be seen on First Night. The show ended with the singing of the "Internationale." Lyric sheets for the audience would have been appropriate.
After an intermission, How to Turn Distress into Success" gave the audience a several lessons in dealing with the population, symbolized by a mother and child. Both shows used images familiar to Bread & Puppet fans, but perhaps with deeper meaning. Shumann's graphics were perhaps the best answer to the question asked above. Keep doing what you do best. Make art speak to life. Both shows seemed well suited for this renovated turn-or-the-century Chataqua hall, with its sweeping horseshoe balcony.
The discussion moderated by John Bell, an old B & P hand now teaching at Emerson, involved the outspoken comedienne, Reno, Schumann of course, and playwright Gip Hoppe from W.H.A.T. Things started off, however, with a long-distance phone call to Reverend Billy who couldn't make it to Cambridge because this NY performance provocateur had just gotten out of jail in L.A. where he'd been arrested for laying hands on the cash register in a Starbucks. The discussion kept returning to the election, though Hoppe made his point early on that there probably wasn't an effective artistic response to 11/2/04. Reno demurred. Neither the panel or audience questioners had any immediate solutions. A summary of the underlying feeling might be that it's time to stop preaching to the converted, and start subverting the preachers.
Those who follow Reno's activities will probably be hearing about the many instances where this election may have been stolen. Stay tuned. Hoppe's next play concerns J. Edgar Hoover and his penchant from wiretapping all and sundry. John Bell, his wife Trudi Cohen, and pre-teen son Isaac will probably find some way to make relevant statements through Great Small Works, a New York based theatre group which specializes in modern toy theatre. And if Bread & Puppet doesn't make it back in the spring to Boston, a trip to Glover VT sometime next summer may be in order. This year's shows in Cambridge were compelling, but not especially renewing. That was perhaps the strongest comment on the times.