Mr Puss was not a big fan of the theatre. He preferred mewsicals. Photograph:Soeren Stache/EPA
Over 300 theatre-makers turned up at Battersea Arts Centre this weekend for an open space forum called Devoted and Disgruntled, organised by Improbable Theatre, themed around the idea that many of us are completely devoted to theatre but often also find ourselves disgruntled by it. Sessions - convened on the day by the participants - covered everything from How can the Arts Council Better Support National Touring? and Why Does Everyone Have to Move to London? to discussions about Why is Commercial a Dirty Word?, faith in the theatre, the ethics of verbatim theatre and Why Don't Audiences Throw Tomatoes? How to Solve a Problem Like Maria considered the pros and cons of casting via reality TV, Is Child a Four Letter Word? looked at theatre for young people and another group discussed whether theatre critics should be elected.
It was an exhausting and energising 48 hours made all the better by the fact that experienced theatre-makers rubbed shoulders on equal terms with those just starting out in the profession, those who create live art sat cheek by jowl with those who put on plays, people from touring companies could talk directly with artistic directors running buildings, and producers, actors, marketers, directors and, yes, even critics, were all on an equal footing. That even included the BAC cat which spent the weekend in the hall, sometimes taking centre stage and at others simply curling up and going to sleep.
We'll be running a full report on Devoted and Disgruntled in the Guardian Arts pages next week, but in the meantime to whet your appetite, here are some of the conclusions of the group who considered the question: What Can the Cat Really Teach Us?
Cats draw the eye and attention, so how can we be more like cats on stage? Cats are the guardians of the underworld. Cats don't talk. Cats are more interesting than any actors, no matter how good the actors. Cats are acutely aware of space and sound. They operate on a different sensory level. The cat is the law of four paws - they use you for their needs and leave you when they are done. Cats are inherently elegant. Cats are interested in what they are interested in. They prioritise differently. Is a group of cats (20 to 30) as interesting as one? Cats are entirely present. The cat is amoral. Do cats only do it for themselves? We are doing theatre for those who would take pleasure from it. Cats have no fourth wall. The cat teaches that being present in the theatre might be enough. Is a cat a clown, a blank sheet that makes the audience work? Cats have no cultural intentions. Instinct attracts, culture corrects. Why not rats? A cat's attraction is culturally specific. Aaaah. (Why not kick it?) But the metaphor might be seen as universal. (Mystery?) When applying for funding might it not be good to suggest that one is cute but possibly dangerous.
