Angela Rosado, 3 Beautiful Trouble articles; week 5

PRINCPLES:

Anyone Can Act—The idea that in comparison to theater, such deceptions are already great acting because the surrounding environment/audience members already believe you is definitely true and something many take for granted—It’s why every action movie uses disguise scenes (dressing up as waiters or business folk at a conference) so often. Even as an actor, the principle that you can do almost anything as long as you rehearse it is pretty true—you take the words you’re supposed to say later and say them enough that they feel like they belong in your own mouth. Though here, I think the challenge is in any situation outside of pre-believing environments and in lying; in interacting directly with other people, it becomes harder to act because that’s where the juggling begins—balancing the lies you tell and who you are and how you act and the way you should behave. Yes acting can be universal in this practical way outside of the art form, but it also becomes more challenging if it’s not a primary skill.

Don’t Dress Like a Protester—it definitely allows for a bigger impact on the audience because the costumes catch more attention as well as have the potential to garner bigger reactions and empathy. On the flipside, this also means this attire can become uncomfortable, which is not ideal for situations and activism that require a more mobile body or protection, and there comes a possibility that the clothes can be taken in a different way than they’re supposed to (what’s stopping people from seeing a crow of people dressed as pilots from thinking this isn’t a parade or event in their favor?)

TACTICS:

Banner Hang—I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this tactic being used in person so it was really cool to learn that this was a thing. I think it’s a strong device in that it offers a visual representation of danger for the public using bodies at risk in the space to highlight the dangers of the topic being brought to attention; it makes people worry. Though on the down side, that also means that participants can get hurt if they are not careful, especially from greater heights. I also wonder how effective this is to certain uncaring populations/individuals; how impressive someone safely hanging from a piece of fabric can be and if this is even regarded as something extraordinary or assumed to be some daily activity.