The Secret Wolf

One of my favorite books, (it changed my life) is 'Impro,' by Keith Johnstone, it is about comedy, acting, creativity and STATUS. It makes the point that essentially we are hierarchical animals (like a wolf pack, or dare I say it, a group of baboons) and all human activity can be seen with new eyes, if we understand that 'status transactions,' underlay all we do and say. Pretty all-encompassing.

It's very useful for someone writing plays, all drama (tragedy and comedy) is essentially a series of status games played out for the audience's edification --- laughter or tears. I'm on this track this morning because it's easy to see some of this with appropriate distance, for instance: Elizabethan England -- the whole society is built on a sophisticated system of status, based on 'royal blood,' property, wealth, and family connections.

The same 'system' is alive and well today in the Military/Industrial/Corporate Behemoth we have constructed in USA, INC. There is still 'royal blood,' please refer to the Prescott Bush Dynasty, and all comedy and tragedy emanates out of the various ways individuals deal with displays of POWER (Big Monkey Man wielding Major Toys of Destruction).

The satisfying role (for me) is to make 'play,' of all this 'status energy.' The absolute master of this was of course, William Shakespeare, he wrote in very dangerous, risky times, but he was clever enough to play at all times with subtly and craft. Christopher Marlowe made the mistake of jumping into the game directly -- thus, the knife in the eye lays him low.

Pretending, imagining, acting; playing the game of status, 'shadow play,' takes on Power, slyly, indirectly. The direct route is a loser's game. If we are to play the role of 'wolf,' better to be the 'lone wolf,' dressed in sheep's clothing.