Just Wrought

Recovering playwright, once won a STRANGER Genius Award for theater. Now writing a bloated novel about… G-d help me! Theatre.

Help! I Need a Word

Written by

jefferyr

in

,

Gentle readers, can you help me?  I just invented a brand new art form about which I am very excited.  Check it out: this art form employs the interplay of two or more persons seen and heard live by an audience.  As far as I’m aware there is no art form like it.  Remember, it has to have more than one person because the interplay is key, because as a fool once said:

Dialogue breeds risk like flowers bloom scent, and risk is the fabric of theatre.  Because two or more people on stage can never know with certainty what an other is about to do, no matter how many times they have done it before, the audience attends the action with a sense of the innate exposure.  “Anything could happen, and we are in the same damned room with these agitated people.”   Risk is not a by-product of drama.  It is the main ingredient. 

So what do I call my invention?  Please do not say theatre.  I have been told by experts that that word actually means:

  • “Whatever takes place in a theater.”
  • “…But also anything which takes place outside of a theatre but sorta feels like it could’ve taken place in a theatre.”
  • “…But also anything else I decide it is.”

I’m collecting suggestions below, most especially from non-theatre artists and non-academics, because I am really hoping to convince you to come see my new art form.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

17 responses to “Help! I Need a Word”

  1. Matthew Sweeney00

    I think you should call it Steve.
    I’ve always liked that name.

    Reply
  2. Paul Mullin

    Thanks, Matt. Yours is the first suggestion and shall be granted all the privileges of precedence.

    Reply
  3. Christopher Lucas

    Solaboration.

    Reply
  4. Paul Mullin

    I’m intrigued, Chris, but I’ll need a little more sales if it’s too push “Steve” from the podium.

    Reply
  5. Scot Augustson

    Paul, what you’re describing sounds a lot like sex.

    Reply
  6. Sara Stapleton

    I think you already said it: Interplay.
    Come experience the new interplay by Paul Mullin.

    Reply
  7. Paul Mullin

    Funny you should mention that, Scot, because—can you believe it?— I thought of that too. And then I thought, “Now wait a minute, Paulie. You of all people know that sex can be a one-person operation.” So then I remembered what we call it between two or more: “sexual intercourse.”
    So, are you suggesting, Dr. Augustson, as a possible candidate “theatrical intercourse”? No need to answer. I’m going to assume you are and give you a prize if it’s the ultimate winner.

    Reply
  8. C.a.

    It should be called life! For some it is what they wish it to be and others it is.

    Reply
  9. Jeremy M. Barker

    Why not just call it “intercourse”? Seriously. I think that works pretty well.

    Reply
  10. Jeremy M. Barker

    inter-
     
    a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin, where it meant “between,” “among,” “in the midst of,” “mutually,” “reciprocally,” “together,” “during” ( intercept; interest ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words ( intercom; interdepartmental ).
    course-
    –noun
    1. a direction or route taken or to be taken.
    2. the path, route, or channel along which anything moves: the course of a stream.
    3. advance or progression in a particular direction; forward or onward movement.

    Reply
  11. Scot Augustson

    Intercourse is so…librarian. Sort of like the word “Behoove.” If the point is to not further drive people away from the theater, how about Clusterfuck?

    Reply
  12. Paul Mullin

    Jeremy, your argument is compelling.
    Imagine how much more often we’ll hear things like:
    “Man, I can’t stop thinking about the intercourse last night.”
    “Honey, how ’bout going to see Mike Daisey tonight?” “No thanks, I really prefer intercourse.”
    “Paul, what’s your dream job?” “Oh, you know, if I could just get a living wage to sit around and dream new ways of performing intercourse, I’d be happy.”
    Bottom line, Barker: you’re running strong in this.

    Reply
  13. Ed Mullin

    Liveform, Sentintercourse

    Reply
  14. Paul Mullin

    Thanks, Eddie! I do believe you are the first non-theatre person (i.e. performer,professional, or critic) to submit, and thus your submissions will be weighted more heavily.

    Reply
  15. noah

    How about boxing?
    or Couples figure skating
    or just sports? can we call it sports?
    also Can you help me with a word for my solo saxophone project? I feel like since I’m the only one doing it I can’t call it music so I need something else to call it.

    Reply
  16. Gomez

    If what I’ve been seeing over the last few years is any indication, the term you may be looking for is Artistic Prostitution.

    Reply
  17. Jeremy M. Barker

    Paul, I’m telling you: not only does it work, but it makes for far more entertaining double-entendres.

    Reply

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