I nearly skipped it. But I got the better of myself and rushed over to St. Ann's Warehouse to see if there were tickets available to 'A Life In Three Acts' by Bette Bourne and Mark Ravenhill.
Not only did they have a ticket, but it was $20. A gift. Priceless.
What makes this performance so powerful (apart from a 60 year old walk through one man's history), is while your walking out of St. Ann's you'll swear you hear Bette Bourne say in his deep mischevious voice "and yours?"
Meaning, what does your life story say?
Many of you know that this blog is a place for me to talk about the things I am doing, and try out story ideas for my magazine MARK. This play, and Bette Bourne's life is exactly the type of exploration that MARK is interested in.
Charles Spencer, the critic for the Telegraph in London ended his review of this play by writing:
"What a trouper this self-confessed old queen proves (to be.) He signs solo songs accompanied by nothing more than the tapping of his own feet in which we seem to be listening to the drag equivalent of a battered old bluesman, loses his way in the script and doesn't give a damn about it, and emanates a self knowledge and self-confidence that would be the envy of many who lived more conventional lives. Daring to face the rest of the world in a dress has manifestly made a man of him."
What does it mean to be a man? Bette Bourne in his own personal history explores that for himself. Each of us undertake that journey. The question is - do we conform, or do we come to a deeper understanding of our natures?
Bette Bourne ends an interview with some sage advice, " You're not given anything in this world. You must take it. However you see your freedom, in whatever shape, you must take it."
Watching Bette Bourne I thought, how courageous he is to live a life on his own terms like this. This kind of bravery is what helps define a man, isn't it?
Remember, one more performance of 'A Life In Three Acts' - tomorrow, 4pm at St. Ann's. Tickets remain.
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