“THE MANY FACES OF POWER” I never really mourned, my heart has never bled. I was shaken, torn by death yes, broken by it, confronted daily with the prospect and horror of meeting it during the night or day, but I never truly really cried. Although I am an extremely emotional man, histrionic and hysterical at times, I am a firm believer in Spartan discipline. I’m a playwright and a director. In front of me, what exists is only representation and nothing but representation. And by that I mean: role playing.
Until further notice, I will ignore any such thing as real pain. But I’m talking about me. Some things have changed. Yes, drastically. Today I am all FEAR and NOTHING but fear.
Afraid to even of writing. Afraid of being honest because they, those who think they have the power in their hands, play with the few crumbs they think they own. One can no longer criticize or debate the system even if this criticism happens to be of a constructive nature. No, never. When – in the past – there were no reprisals, today they play sadistically a kind of a cat and mouse game with you because they are few (a group of 4 or 5 maybe – gang size maybe AND THAT IS WHY I TREMBLE with FEAR), and LAUGH at the answer when they promise and and promise NEVER ever fulfill their word. The greatest of all weapons? Money, of course. They squander it, throw it away. They promise deadlines. None are ever honored. They LAUGH us out behind their closed doors.
I know WHAT “I” REPRESENT in their world. Why? Precisely for this reason: because I perform in 15 countries. Yes, theater, opera, ETC. I’m international, I’m heard, I’m supported, I’m on the front pages. But they will also know what they will represent in “MY” world from today onwards. JUST WAIT !
Gerald Thomas
AS VARIAS CARAS DO PODER” Eu nunca realmente fiz meu luto, meu coração nunca bateu de verdade. Fui abalado, rasgado pela morte sim, quebrado por ela, confrontado diariamente com a perspectiva e o horror de encontrá-la durante a noite ou o dia, mas nunca chorei de verdade. Embora eu seja um homem extremamente emotivo, histriônico e histérico às vezes, acredito piamente na disciplina espartana. Sou um dramaturgo e um diretor. Na minha frente, o que existe é a representação. Até novo me avisem, não e a existe a dor real. Mas falo de mim. Da minha dor. Só que hoje tenho MEDO. Medo até de escrever. Medo de ser honesto porque eles, aqueles que acham que tem o poder nas mãos, brincam com as poucas migalhas que tem. Não se pode criticar nem debater mesmo que seja construtiva essa crítica. Não, jamais. Quando – no passado – não haviam represálias, hoje eles brincam sadicamente porque eles são poucos (um grupo de 4 ou 5 talvez – tamanho de gang talvez, por isso TREMO de MEDO), e RIEM com a resposta que eles prometem e não dão. A maior de todas as armas? O dinheiro, claro. Eles esbanjam, jogam fora. A gente olha e pede pra poder usar, montar um espetáculo, dois até. Eles prometem resposta. Prometem prazo. Não dão nem um. Nem outro. RIEM atrás das portas.
Eu sei O QUE EU REPRESENTO no mundo deles. Por que? Justamente por isso: porque eu represento em 15 países, teatro, ópera, o escambau. Sou respeitado, sou ouvido, dou respaldo, dou capa de jornal. Mas eles também saberão o que representarão no MEU mundo a partir de hoje. AGUARDEM !
Gerald Thomas
On top – “Chief Butterknife” written and directed by Gerald Thomas for the Danish company Dr Dante Aveny in 1996, opened in Copenhagen in January 1996
Below: “Babylon” opera by Detlef Heusinger which I directed and set within a Andy Warhol environment at Mannheim Opera (Deutsches National Theater 1997 ) and opened at “Schwetzingen Festpiele” 1997
Gerald Thomas Blog 