Positive Nihilism

"I just don't think that meaninglessness necessarily negates joy."
- Darcy Boynton

I love my sister.

Feature Film 2012

MIKE: "We're going to need a lot of meat."
KEITH: "This will go down in history as the day you said that."

Project: Feature Film 2012 is officially on.

Keith's Big List of Playwriting Heresies

Conflict is overrated.

Conflict, in and of itself, is as boring as anything in creation. Negotiation and play are much more interesting than outright conflict. Suspense is closer to the heart of storytelling than conflict will ever be.

Subtext is overrated.

The unsaid can be very powerful, but it's often bracing to hear a character say exactly what he thinks. Too much of what passes for subtlety is actually just stalling.

Truth is overrated.

A play should contain precisely the amount of truth that makes it most compelling. No more, no less. Resonance is important. It is not the same as truth.

Controversy is overrated.

It's easier to shock people than to please them.

Seriousness is overrated.

A great comedy elevates the spirit. Fun is a major spiritual principle.

Originality is overrated.

It's good to be original, but it's much better to be good.

Relevance is overrated.

History is littered with forgotten topical dreck. A good play makes us care about its subject matter. People love to gush about how Shakespeare's plays are "still relevant today." Honestly, who gives a shit? What matters is that they're good.

Quality is underrated.

Most of what is said about any given play is an attempt to dodge the awkward question of whether it's actually any good. "Daring"? Sure. But is it any good? "Timely"? Okay. Is it any good? "Ambitious"? Almost certainly not any good.

The real purpose of any play should be to HOLD AND REWARD ATTENTION. That's it. That's the whole ballgame. If you've done that, then you have something worthwhile. If you've held without rewarding, then you're wasting everybody's time. And it's impossible to reward without holding. Once you've lost the audience, you've lost the whole show.

The audience is the ultimate testing ground. The audience is who you're writing for. If your play doesn't work in front of an audience, then I'm sorry, but it just doesn't work.

Paraphrased from Ben Kamine

You are your own worst enemy – and that's wonderful news.

Possible Mantras

Precision is heroic.

Commitment is heroic.

Commitment does not preclude doubt.

The Life of an Actor

"This doesn't smell as good as it did yesterday."

– Lauren Cipoletti, on her dinner

Side Effect

I don't know if this is a fringe benefit or a fringe drawback of being in India, but I've had the Aerosmith song "Taste of India" stuck in my head for a solid week.