BA Theatre Practice (BATP as it is fondly known) is now coming into it’s tenth year of life, and in those ten years it has achieved an unbelievable amount. A vast number of BATP graduates have gone on to have outstandingly successful careers, the students have worked with some of the most important names in theatre and Central has been named the Center for Excellence in Theatre Training.
Within BATP however, there is a divide, a tension between students that has lasted for too long. The rift is between ‘Technical’ students and ‘PA’s’ (Performance Arts students.) What is a technical student though? It is too broad a brush, and their name means we often forget they have amazing talent creative ability. A technical student, or a ‘techie’ could be anyone from a …the list goes on.
Why is there a rift? It could be for many different reasons, Could it be we work together too early on in our careers before we have fully developed our practices? Maybe we don’t work with one another enough? Another possibility is that performance artists take technical students abilities for granted, or that technical students are confused as to what being a performance artist actually means. Whatever the problem, there has been disregard and disrespect of one another’s disciplines for far too long. It is time that we put down the hatchet and start to celebrate exactly what the collaborative nature of our courses can provide for us.
Several things are in the pipeline that will bridge the gap, possibly most exciting is the brain-child of our very own , who is writing a musical that will be performed by BATP students for charity. The project is collaborative and fun, taking the obvious talents of all students. It is about . I urge every student who reads this to get involved in some capacity.
Another brilliant project that manages to create truly exciting collaboration across the board is , which combines the talents of designers, performers and technicians from the student body, staff and alumni. Last year they put on an absolutely outstanding show at , that truly showcased the ability of BATP in collaboration. Finally of course, there is The Accidental Festival…
Rumour on the street is that once upon a time The Accidental Festival played its part in dividing technical students and Performance Arts students. Whether true or not the rumour is that students had to attend the festival in order to meet a due requirement of their courses, which led to a growth in animosity between the two. However, in 2010 we aim to make up for this wrong-doing by collaborating with technical students to create a festival that everyone can enjoy. During the launch of the applications and website we worked with some really talented technical students to put on talks from Liz LeCompte, Simon McBurney and Katie Mitchell.
We want to use all of the different strengths BATP has to offer to put on something that truly communicates the strengths of our abilities as a whole, and this is a chance to not only showcase our talents, but also to celebrate what excites us all about all aspects of performance.
Yet another important upload from Letty! What better place than AF2010 to break-down barriers and bring people together!
As you can see, as a result of all the responses and with no wish to insult anyone, we have revised this blog post. I, as administrator of this blog have been sifting through the comments, separating spam from legitimate responses, so apologies if your comments are only just coming through. Also, in proof that no censorship is affecting your right to have a voice, I have scored through anything written that we wish to retract. (We have removed any names from this article in an attempt to prevent further insult.) From all this energy and passion, I’m sure the future will be full of wonderful BATP collaborations.
Just out of interest who wrote this blog? I really don’t write understand the divide that is being talked about here..? And also I really wish the Musical hadn’t been mentioned.. its not even definate and it’s definately not about ‘techies who dream to perform on the stage..’
Personally I get on well with students from all courses across the school and I think that being a ‘techie’ or ‘P.A’ means absolutely nothing, it’s the person you are that counts and that’s what enables you to make solid working and social relationships with people.
Although there are some issues I agree with I think writing a blog like this just not make the issue better, personaly I don’t think their is an issue. I think PA’s are fine with the technical strands of BATP and vise vursa. For me it is just a difference in interests in only a small minority of these courses, for example during nights out and in the SU everyone becomes equal. I also respect Central in the way that during productions and murged projects everyone is very professional and never lets anything or one bother their work.
I think this is just life and peoples different artistic veiws.
Becca
What about us designers?! We are neither techies or PA’s, perhaps we bridge the gap, we bring both sides together
and what about the puppeteers!! we lie somewhere inbetween, we are currently working with a ziggy (lighting designer) and successfully collaborating without any riff. i think if the techy has a desire to be technical its great.. there is the opportunity. visa versa if a PA wants the chance to be techincal then they have the chance tooo ( sian being a lighting designer!! wohoo go sian)… break down the boundrriesssss !!!!!!! arrrcgggggghhhhh central has too many opinions on where boundries lie. lets ignore them.
Wow… what an awkward blog…
Maybe I am wrong and naive, but myself and most of my colleagues have nothing but respect for the PA strand, and the PA strand seem to have a lot of respect for the technical strand. In fact there is so much respect that I would even go as far as to say we are friends (oh em geeeee!!!!)
I am genuinely confused, and feel this blog may be ostrisizing both courses and setting it up to be an “US vs Them” situation, which is silly, when all you have to do is open your eyes and realise that everyone is a theatre practitioner, everyone is tallented in their proffession, and everyone is happy…
?! Confused on how this is productive!?
Personally I don’t believe that there is a divide between technical students and Performance Art students.. I have many friends from the technical strands and naming anybody other than a P.A a ‘techie’ is wrong.. there are the design and crafts strands too.. I’m not sure where this ‘divide’ as such has come from?
Im sorry but what is the problem with Lighting Production and PA’s, I wasnt aware there was a divide? I was getting pretty drunk with one tonight? Where is the evidence to back this up?
i think theres a divide because the PAs don’t get there hands dirty
And if you are trying to close the “so called” divide, why have you split BATP and PA in the Patter section? Just a thought !!!
Waahooo. We have a blog thats got five responses!
Before we get too heated in the house, I would like to just say how the levels of different opinion on this blog are very much a positive thing.
Not all of the opinions above are mutually exclusive.
As someone who (one of the only Central students in my knowledge actually… im a freak of CSSD nature) has studied on PA, but also on a ‘techie’ strand (if you can call lighting design a ‘techie’ strand) I think that if a rift exists, its pretty minimal, and is as easily overcome as most childish prejudices and disputes. I agree with Sian and Rebecca in many respests…
HOWEVER, one of the first things you are taught when you come into first year BATP is that a rift exists, even though it probably doesn’t. People play it up and joke about it, even if it exists or not. People joke throughout the degree about the inability of techies and PA’s to see eye to eye, but also with actors/BATPs, which is equally untrue.
Lettie was right to put this up (love ya, sista) if the level of input and violent reactions to the idea of a rift proves that it doesn’t exist and that we’re all too bored by second year to give a shizzz.
Could we maybe turn the attention of this dialogue less Central-centric? oowww.
Does anyone have any opinions of similar perceptions to these in the professional industry?
Do they exist even?
I’ve not thought PA’s and techies had any problems to communicate until I read this article. They may not have the same interests/way to express them selves/ideas (…) all the time but we are trained to become professionals, and to me, this is why central is well known.
While working together being a designer/a PA or a prodi, there will always be tensions at one point. We are all learning to work with lots of different personalities and in wild world we will HAVE to deal with it!
I totaly agree with Rebecca when she says that Pa’s/techies or designers can spend nights out together having fun not even thinking about what strands they “belong to”.
So yeh… to me, this is not a genral “strand” problem. It is just a big mix of lots of strong personalities all linked together through college/the building/groups/work shops/prjects…
But hey! this is Central!
“Love life and life will love you back. [Love people and they will love you back.]”
Arthur Rubinstein.
if you really can’t make it…
“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” William Ellery Channing.
I never thought that there was a real divide between “techies” and P.A’s, or if there is, it must be created by people that want there to be one. I think that by writing about how you think that there may potentially be a problem between the courses, you may be defeating the whole point of this blog and therefore cause tension between us all, particularly those of you working on the Accidental Festival.
What an interesting post. What you might also be interested to see is the fact that the people you group together as “techies” somehow have managed without a whingy blog post about performers of any kind… Perhaps it’s because this “rift” is only seen from one side… BATP is the last place you are likely to find people who “disregard and disrespect” your practice and when you make a break into the real world you are likely to find a whole lot of people who will put modern, contemporary, innovative work to the bottom of the pile because it can be challenging and difficult to understand.
“Techies”, as you word it (actually called Production Managers, Technical Managers, Lighting Designers, Set Designers, Costume Designers, Sound Designers, Production Electricians, Set Constructors, Lighting Operators, Sound Operators, Lighting Programmers, Stage Managers, Deputy Stage Managers, Assistant Stage Managers, Stagehands, Scenic Artists, Costume Makers, Dressers, and a whole host of other things) actually aren’t trying to screw you over in some way (as the bitter edge to your post seems to suggest) – most of us are going about our jobs to the best of our ability and aiming to get a production on it’s feet to tight budgets and schedules and often in high pressure situations alongside yourselves.
It is worth noting that however much you feel that the PA course is disrespected by the others (a view I completely disagree with) not everyone is going to get along in a production process: The director often upsets a designer or two, the LD will often have need for a complain about the production crew, perhaps the Musical Director will even have an argument with the stage crew about the smoke machines getting in her face. Ultimately, there are lots of reasons for conflict in a theatre situation and you just have to get over that and make a bloody good production at the end of it, and understand what is behind anything other people do that winds you up.
Noting your references to the past “divide” caused by the accidental festival I can’t help but feel that you’ve not understood what actually goes on there – BATP technical, design and crafts students wholeheartedly supported the backstage side of the festival not through grudging obligation but through a choice to get involved. Those of us that came to see shows did so to satisfy our desire to see the shows, not to tick boxes.
It is worth noting also that there is a reason the PA course can sometimes feel at-odds to the rest of BATP and that is simply down to its uniqueness. Historically the course has distanced itself from the rest of TP purely because it is so different in execution and style. This is a natural thing and not the result of being shunned by the other strands.
I’d love to hear who pissed you off enough to cause this post to spew forth… It’s obviously not founded in anything which actually happens here at CSSD – I know for a fact that the majority of people on other courses (the common ‘techies’ and alike) actually have no problem working with PA students and I certainly think there is a high level of respect for the innovative work which is consistently produced, especially the Accidental Festival. You will probably find this “rift” you have stuck in your head would disappear if you took the time to talk properly to the folks on other courses rather than complaining about them on this blatant whinge disguised as an olive branch.
How is this an open forum if you are deleting comments including yours aiming it at Production Lighting.
I am not aware of any divide between strands, if there is you are creating it.
This is a petty argument that has no facts to back it up.
I 100% agree with Sian’s comment if theere is a problem why the hell is it being brought up here?
I think that this blog draws attention to the fact that there may be a divide rather than that there actually is one. Throughout my time at Central I have worked with many, almost all of the technical strands and I believe I have gained there respect. Come third year everyone has a much more mature attitude towards collaboration and working together, and the “divide” has altogether disappeared.
I agree with Rebecca in that I think there is a difference in opinions and interests but that is all. This is healthy I think. The key to erasing this feel of a divide, is simply to work with one another. Once everyone has worked together properly and at a professional level then the mutual respect and understanding for each other gets rid of any inter-strand conflict.
I think this blog tries to generalise people by their strand which is exactly what the problem is. If people took the time to simply talk to individuals on each strand then they would realise that it really doesn’t matter what strand your on because that doesn’t make you. People who moan about this divide just need to go and talk to people.
Basically. There’s a huge difference between a divide and friendly banter. I personally haven’t ever felt a divide between any courses at Central within the BATP course. At the end of the day we all need each other to get work and for the productions to work as well as they do. I don’t neccesarrily understand dramaturgy, you might not neccisarily understand how a 3 phase power distribution system works. Thus you deal with the flow of the piece and I’ll make sure everyone can see it.
The only ongoing debate that I’m aware of is the nesesity for tehnical students to attend critical studies lessons as a lot of the lectures are based towards the PA and design courses.
To summarise, I don’t think that there’s a divide. I’d question if there ever was. And I would also say that last years accidental festival and bar of ideas excited all of the courses involved, including the technical students.
pistols at dawn thats what i say
and once again, why is BATP seperate from PA in the patter section, i think it is you guys that are creating the devide.
This is all just a bit embarassing for BATP.
Hey there folks, I’m sure no offense was intended here and indeed what is trying to be celebrated in the post is the things that bring all students from the BATP community together rather than what pulls them apart.
So lets focus upon that and not get distracted from all the wonderful work that is created across all strands. Save your energy for the good things, and make something special happen.
I look forward to working with all students and welcoming them all to the festival in 2010, everyone has a really important part to play in it and I hope that you will!
You know, I had no idea this would cause such outrage. There have been emails sent to and fro. I’d like to apologise to everyone. I didn’t mean for it to be interpreted that way at all, I was trying to celebrate what is brilliant about both subjects and to just give a platform to the talent that all the BATP students have. Although the SU bar is brilliant and people do get to socialize there freely it’s not a working environment and it’s not somewhere that everyone feels comfortable.
I think that on personal levels PAs and Techincal students are perfectly capable of getting on, but when I first got to Central (and I know that I’m not alone in this) people acted extremely disapproving when I mentioned what I was studying and I just question whether this is how we should welcome people.
This email is a result of me being stressed and tired and trying to say something nice, but getting it very VERY wrong. Sorry.
Pistols at dawn I reckon.
I wouldn’t exactly call it outrage.. just a difference of opinions.
I have to say congratulations to Letty. Having the nerve and risk-taking attitude to write this article is no easy task. What is more this message is valid. Whilst it celebrates all that BATP is, it also provokes a very familiar debate that is felt, not just within our undergraduate course, but in many aspects of many careers, within and outside the theatre industry.
For me it is a question of creation. We are all learning our path to creating, whether that be creating a show, creating a costume, creating a safe working environment or creating a response/argument. The ‘rift’ that one feels will only remain if one chooses to focus on it. Letty has addressed an issue with passion and gusto and honestly displayed how she is choosing to tackle it. This blog is a place for debate and for that reason alone, let it remain published.
I look forward to the continual collaboration and cross-fertilization that results from being in such a diverse and challenging course!
Dear Letty, sorry if you felt offended by the response…
It didn’t mean to be agressive or anything like that I think. This only just have been a really passionated start for an interresting debate
Thanks for raising these “interogations” anyway. I think if we weren’t interrested and concerned about it, no one would have answered.
Hello
The reason that is cause people is due to the fact that this is an open blog to public and alot of people disagreed that the issue that you were speaking about was not something that public should be able to see, and should have been kept with in your team.
i think this would be a good time to remind everyone who has read this article/ left a response that this is an open blog, and not just a place for the festival team to keep you up to date with whats going on in our heads (which are all very full at the moment)
So please if you fancy writing something about a succesfull collaboration either within cssd or outside of it, or anything else then please send it to us and we will post it up!!
Fascinating stuff! Talking is good. What’s interesting here to me is perceptions, and reminds me of sitting in court hearing several people describe the same event (not that I had committed any offense myself I hasten to add, I was just there…) yet no description told the same story, instead you heard how it felt for the individual, what they paid attention to, what they saw and heard. There is a valuable lesson in collaboration here for everyone, and that is what people feel is just as important as what people do. Talk to people how they want to be spoken to, respect what they do, if offended explain why, calmly, if something good happens point it out and say thanks. Performance requires a lot of work from a lot of people and each person in that process should be respected. If some members of the community have felt ignored or disrespected, reach out to them and learn a little more about them on all parts. We can argue for as long as we like about if a blog of this nature should have been posted, that would waste much time and only serve for tit for tat nonsense which any student of CSSD is above, instead lets notice how we all feel and do something to make it better. I look forward to seeing more PA’s attending Public Productions and look forward to seeing more students from other strands attending The Accidental Festival at the BAC this year to show their support and to demonstrate physically that as so many people say above, quite rightly there is no divide and we all support each others work not just in spirit or on blogs but in our actions each and every day. This is a valuable lesson for everyone, and a positive one. I personally thank everyone for their participation and considered comments. P.S. Check out the great new video with Liz LeCompte, Simon McBurney and Katie Mitchell
Woah! genuinely amazed at the response level here!
i defend Letty’s right to post the blog and her opinions. it has opened it up to a discussion and I disagree with Ashley saying it should be kept private- we post blogs here with option to comment for a reason. I don’t think there is a “divide” as such. It’s all rather metaphorical and misty rather than definitive and absolute. I’ve heard in the past that PAs are “different” etc and basically I think that what the Festival would be good in doing is sharing our “differences” with you. By the very nature of the strand it is unique and experiemental in a more avant-garde sense, which therefore sets it apart from the more traditionally seen strands of technical , craft and production theatre strands. this will then inevitably lead to perhaps a lack 100% understanding what everyone is really about, which I think could be where people then misinterpret and come to their own conclusions about strands and people etc. I’m not saying everyone who isn’t a PA is misinformed, but I think there must be something underlying in the alleged “rift”, else it wouldn’t have been brought up in the first place. Also, with regards to wider industry divisions, Central is actually one of the only Institutions that integrates all forms of theatre production on its productions at some point in the degrees, so actually we’re doing pretty well to avoid “division”