I explored this idea through the language of alchemy in the Soul Spectacle (episode 6). In a more practical way I also think a deep fertile understanding of my role as a Showman will be reflected in my artistic creations and make me a deeper and stronger performer. The answers to these kinds of questions has, for thousands of years been sought and found in mythology. I think this is something all artists struggle with in the dark nights of the soul. Understanding this, on as broad a front as possible, can help me feel justified in my vocation and ultimately in my existence.
Who am I? Who is the Showman? What's my role in the world. The impression our art gives off is frivolous, it does not, at first glance, appear to have any serious purpose or value.Ī big part of the Way of the Showman is about answering that question, and finding serious purpose and value in our vocation.
From our audiences and the world comes the frequently asked question: Is this your real job? The question crystallises that whatever we do when we perform does not appear to be something one could do for a job, which after all is a serious affair. This kind of doubt creeps up on me from inside myself, but I also get it from outside. I know I am not unique among performers in, at least occasionally, experiencing the imposter syndrome, the persistent inability to believe that my success is deserved or that its been legitimately achieved as a result of my own efforts or skills. For my personal angle, having a firm foundation makes me a more stable person. Seeking a mythology is valuable for my own personal development but also as a creative venture valuable to the community of showfolk at large. If we can find that I believe we have found a worthwhile first step towards to our mythopoetic project. The following mythopoetic explorations of the underground of our Craft seeks to discover possible foundations, a landscape and language fertile enough to plant our mythopoetic seeds in. It’s about giving rise to myths, or about myth creation. The word Mythopoetic comes from greek and means myth making. Come with me, let’s raise the sails of our Showmanship and set course for the interior, for the heart of our Craft. With so many cultures and communities having their own legends, stories and myths, to draw on my question is: What if there existed a mythology of Showmanship? Perhaps it does? Perhaps all we have to do is look. These movies and the art in general draws on the fertile, and royalty free, imagery of mythology greek, norse, biblical, world folklore and much, much more. It’s also a heavy source of influence on things like Marvel movies, Cohen Brother’s O Brother Where Art Thou, Harry Potter and through the work of Joseph Campbell and his book “Hero with a Thousand Faces”, mythology was a huge influence on Star Wars.
Mythology is everywhere and portrayed in every branch of art paintings, statues, frescos, temples, dance, performance art, opera, and every type of music. It has been and continues to be a tremendous source of inspiration for creation of art. So if a share mythology can have these kinds of benefits I’d say mythology is a good thing. If must, seems too strong a statement, I would at least say that since shared mythology benefits and strengthens identity, creates meaning, it can foster a deeper resonance by helping us discover and determine shared goals and potential, create a sense of belonging both to a community and by understanding your place and role in a community, it can create a sense of belonging in the world. I believe a healthy, strong culture, or community must have its own mythology.
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