Carter, Curtis

English

epublications@Marquette

Marquette Universitye-Publications@MarquettePhilosophy Faculty Research and Publications Philosophy, Department of10-27-1971Deaf prove deft in 'My Third Eye' [Review of theNational Theater of the Deaf 's play "My Third Eye"at the Pabst Theater, Milwaukee WI]Curtis CarterMarquette University, curtis.carter@marquette.eduCarter, Curtis. 1971. Deaf prove deft in 'My Third eye'. Bugle American, October 27-November 3,Entertainment Section, Vol. 2. No. 35 (No. 48).Deaf prove deft in'My Third eye' by Curtis L. Carter Joyously expressive faces and excited communication among the people going into the Pabst Theater to see the Natio-nal Theater of the Deaf perform in "My Third Eye" signaled the makings of a special evening. The language of the theater crowd was pred9minantly the language of signs, as it would be on the .stage. The audience was not disappointed. The National Theater's "My-Third Eye" tells a story that draws on .,the' experi-ences of the actors. Episodes plumbing the experiences of their sih~nt 'lives pro-' vide enlightening and- dramaticany en-grossing materials. This material is pre-sented in sign language accompanied by verbal narrative. "My Third Eye" is five short pieces: "Biography.," "Side Show," "Manifest," "Prominade," and "Curtain Raiser." The ~ story is told first in a series of biograph-ic narratives. Each member of the cast, backed up by a screened picture of a childhood scene, reveals painful and joyous experi-enceswith special relevance for him. We see a child suffer as he is forced to learn to speak "the way the others do." Together the sketches offer sensitive-ly portrayed insights into the life of a deaf person. Stepping up the dramatic pace is "Side-show," a cleverly worked satire picturing as a curiousexhibit the,strange habits of the non~deaf. . From the deaf community's point of view, the telephone, thealarm clock, the tape recorder, all listening movements appear strange and very funny. To show the, range and variability of uses for sign language, the company of-fers "Manifest," a fast paced revue demonstrating their facility with sign language through poetry, inflection, and recitation games in signs. "Manifest" shows the ' rjchness and artistic potential for expression that is not often apprecia-ted eveh by ' those who know and use sign language. After intermission, the company turns to more artistically 'ambitious projects: "Promenade" and "Curtain Raiser." , "Promenade" is modern dance psycho-' drama. Abstract in nature, the piece consists of the group milling around, going through, under, and on top of a' large canvas drape. Each actor per-forms different movements, with occas-ional eruptions of verbal content expres-sing such emotions as anxiety, fear, rage, regression, through body language. As the canvas rises and falls, people 8Wrf1HlWWtHi:@wm£d&Q t;Uw.tBtiliRmliHl .:OOl£t~££l&tUkl'" UHl%Wm&&WW&",%\E\*? m [ I move in relation to it, creating sculp- Performers appear as tuxedoed audF tural effects. At intervals a group co- ence members staring expactantly all hesiveness develops and someone be- with cheshire cat-like grins at us. ' They comes a victim of their hostile actions. invite participation through sign lang-For the victim, the rising, tumbling uage from audience members, and res-walls of the canvas become a prison. pond with polite applause. We get the ' Two figures are caught in the shake-up- point. But then the piece begins to fall but looseness of character formation in' apart when too many new elements are performance detracts from its dramatic introduced - a sign language version of intensity. It loses force, especially at "Three Blind Mice," song and dance the end, when didactic ' reflection on routines complete with a chorus line: what would be missed if a person lost The piece ends with a rollicking and his,sense of sound takes over. very entertaining chorus line song (in "Curtain Raiser"begins as a well- sign-s) and dance. It is all fascinating to constructed satire on a concert audi- watch, but I did not see them belonging ence. It is clever,humorous, a "com- to the same work. Again the ending did edy of musical chairs" with a somewhat not follow through in the moreimagina-experimental structure. The movement tive vein, established at the beginning. is. chbre9graph~daround-placeIl1en,t and '_",' '.'/-- r~pla~~6}'eN f:;-!>.fctifli~~j_bY , the 'soCial h~;r,ar~~y:;onll!~,persons,~""",,, " .. " ' ., 

Deaf prove deft in \u27My Third Eye\u27 [Review of the National Theater of the Deaf\u27s play  My Third Eye  at the Pabst Theater, Milwaukee WI]

https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&amp;context=phil_fac

Deaf prove deft in \u27My Third Eye\u27 [Review of the National Theater of the Deaf\u27s play My Third Eye at the Pabst Theater, Milwaukee WI]

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

epublications@Marquette