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ukff
59 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Feb 2006 : 10:19:20 AM
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These days I've virtually stopped watching TV (and have instead become a DVD junkie - though that does include box sets of Sopranos, West Wing, Dennis Potter etc). I feel that quality has declined, and programs I once looked forward to seeing and then invested the effort in setting the VHS for leave me wondering why I'd bothered at all and not spent my time more productively or enjoyably.
And today I thank Mark Ravenhill for managing to articulate in The Guardian what I'd felt for a long time on a less conscious level. He writes: "A few years ago I thought I might make a living in television." (now to anyone familiar with his theatre work, like his seminal 'Shopping and fuking', this must sound incredible!) But he found... "the thing about TV drama is whatever they commission - docs or cops or drama-doc - what they really want is a little half-hour or 50-minute morality play.
"There's a tablet of commandments in soap opera - a set of liberal values.
"Be true to yourself"; "talk about your feelings"; "learn to forgive and move on"; "accept difference"; and "you're still family even after the murder/arson/substance abuse".
"This teaching of moral values is spreading across the TV drama spectrum.... now "Daleks have feelings too", and "you can travel in time but you mustn't forget your family"
Full article here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/comment/story/0,16472,1642226,00.html
Be true to yourself...
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Karel Bata
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Posted - 03 Apr 2006 : 2:32:18 PM
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Mark Ravenhill is hot stuff at the moment! As well as having an excellent play on at the National, he's about to to do a one man show at the Royal Court Theatre 19 - 27 May
I'll be there on the Monday...
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Daleks have feelings too...
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