Binary/non-binary

Binary/non-binary

I knew I would have to get around to talking about this eventually.  It is something that, in the past month or two, has really invaded my thinking, to the point of obsession at times.  And I do not know where it has come from.  There have been no books that I have read, so far as I can remember; no articles.  Like imagination, I suppose, it has come from nowhere.

So how to explain it, which is not going to make it (and me) sound ridiculous.  I should say at once that it has nothing to do with sex.  Sex is such a basic aspect of life that it tends to take over, even the meaning of words (gay is another example.)  It does not actually exist in the real world; if we were not here, it would mean very little.  It is an analytical tool, a way of exploring thoughts, ideas, questions (none of which would exist without rational thought.) It is essentially about us.  But it does also lead to action.  Val was (at least at first) highly sceptical about its value (as I expect you are now, reading this.)  She saw it as she sees philosophy: a somewhat pointless playing about with words, with little or  no practical application.  But that is to focus entirely on the non-binary element.  The binary is when it then translates into action, and all ideas, concepts, even things, are both.

It takes any idea, any question, and sees it as a line, which has two ends.  The ends are extreme (of course) and usually are to be avoided – most people agree that extremism is to be avoided.  The ideal is to be somewhere closer to the middle, the region of compromise between the two extremes.  Which would suggest that perfection is always to be found at the very centre, but we all know that that is not always true, that it is dependent upon circumstances. Perfect non-binary has no action at all, and so is useless (rather like the yogi, sitting on his mat, who cannot even move to get some food.  He just thinks.)

Since there are multitudes of such lines, this would suggest a circle, with extremism on the outside – fundamentalist religion, fascism, communism – with liberalism, socialism, conservatism all well within.  Two axis, interlocking to create a position.  But this is not a sufficient explanation, for ideas are also dependent upon context – real life, in other words.  A third dimension, which converts the image of a circle into a ball.  Or an orange,   extremist views being the skin.

That is enough, or more than enough, for the time being (you can see why I sometimes cannot get to sleep, my mind whirring.)  Let me attempt to apply it to me, and to a practical situation.  I have been wondering why, when I came here specifically to do a theatre production, and was asked to do some Drama teaching while I was here, it has been the teaching which I have really enjoyed.  They are not so very different after all, using much the same skills.  But I am far more a non-binary person than a binary, closer to the centre of the orange than the outside.  And this is where teaching, or to be more precise arts teaching, fits better with me than theatre, which is always moving towards a binary end: the actual performance.  It also explains why I prefer working with younger people, even when doing theatre.  They are less fixed in their ways, less binary, with more possibility for change.  (But even then only up to a point – not babies, whose mind needs to grow along with their bodies.)

And let us now apply this idea to a real-life example.  This morning I worked with the GN Cambridge class, continuing with our work on Dream.  The content of the lesson are not especially relevant – we were using two ideas, exploring aspects of performing the play.  And it was hugely enjoyable, for me as well as for them (so far as I could tell.)  So many creative ideas, so much fun.  And all of us learned a lot.

Actually, I intended to write this piece as an illustration of the fact that I prefer Drama to Theatre, with an example taken from this afternoon, rehearsing Aesop.  But this too I enjoyed immensely, despite everything.  It was to rehearse the “sheep” scenes, and all the vital people were missing.  Because of the rain, Wolf was very late, and Shepherd was even later.  And on my way in I walked past Head Sheep, who was about to go home, as she had been fainting and vomiting.  It could not have started worse.

But the sheep who were there were marvellous company.  And Lion, who was there even though he was not meant to be, did have a single moment with a sheep (killing her) and we were finally able to persuade one girl to act as the victim, which involved being  carried off by him (and even then it was only because there was a paper, stone, scissors competition between the only two viable candidates…) which was also most entertaining. 

But when everyone bar Head Sheep had finally arrived, the rehearsal was terrific, honing each moment, and as a result sharpening the whole thing.  Everyone there enjoyed it… just as they had in the morning.  Me as much as (or more than) everyone else.

So do I like Drama just as much as Theatre?  Not really; I enjoy Drama just as much as rehearsing.  Theatre itself – Performance – is binary, set in stone and time.  Drama is non-binary; the opportunities are endless.