……………..……………..…
Petrorialaan
– Zuid / Saturday market. From 14.45 to 16.15
No team. A
new Saddam puppet is replacing the missing one.
The theatre
travels further again, this time to the south of Rotterdam, to the most
multicultural area of the city, Africanderplein.
Long walk.
Tram. walk again. Got to the market, find the perfect spot. Not easy, but I
decided to position it in the crossing road, that somehow divides the market, and
creates a little empty area which gives space for people to see the structure
already from a distance. The ground was not straight, and from time to time the
wind blows a bit stronger, therefore I stood next to the puppet theatre all the
time. This, I know already from previous experiences, brings a lot of comments
and congratulating words but not actual play. The passer-by immediately
recognizes me as the “owner” of the puppet theatre, and I guess
they find to big a step to play when someone responsible for it is standing
there, like I would have some expectations on what should happen that they
don’t know how to fulfill. Anyway, the responses were various, for the
first time I saw some gazes of disapproval, like I am playing with to bigger
subject. But mainly thumbs up!
The war is
going for two days now, but I can’t really tell anymore. I wonder today
if this structure was now a reminder. Ok, we are all here doing our groceries,
but somewhere a country is being bombed and these guys took part of it. I should
add the Portuguese prime minister also and join the fact that half of the world
is actually ashamed of being connected to their countries. All the North
Americans I talk to, the Dutch, the Spanish. Again today there’s an
international demonstration against the war, and I find more important to stay
here.
The
children as always are enthusiastic with the sight of a puppet theatre, but a
bit disappointed when the see the characters, what happen regularly today, was
that some parents took the opportunity to explain or asked them who is who.
Saddam, Bush, Blair, Balkenende.
The almost
performative act of carrying the folded structure was even more apparent today,
because of the walk, tram and metro traveling, raising some dialogue, demands
for explanation, and a lot of help from bystanders. What is it? Why? –
Great!
The
cathartic use felt 2 days ago was gone, it became a bit didactic for curious
children, a reminder for some, and almost monumental for others that recognizes
in the structure a sort of symbolism to those who are against the war. Over and
over, I hear, it’s not good, they are all the same and as always the
empathic laugher. Today I though about the relation as empathic because it
seems like an identification for someone that thinks the same. Thus I wonder,
the same as whom, the structure or me? Is then the Puppet theatre structure
sending a direct message and gathering the sympathy of those who, for example
in this specific moment that the war brook out, don’t agree with the
decision of the United states and also of Europe, or that they agree that all
these politicians are puppets, maybe in the hands of each other, or even
because they see them leveled down to the category of harmless puppets, giving
us a break from all this nasty news we’ve just saw at lunch and will see
over and over again at dinner. All of these can only be supposition, but I felt
strongly today, a “we’re with you, keep on”.
Nice story
of the day. While standing inside the metro carriage, passing one of the stops
I saw a couple that last thursday had a long talk with me about the war and the
news, when they saw me and the folded cabinet, wave happily at me, and I wave
back at them. If I keep going out as regularly as this I will soon get to be
part of the cityscape.