Confession Project Review #2

Yet again I am blown away by our class's willingness to be so open and honest with such personal secrets. Some of my favorites from today were Alyssa's sculpture, Montana's wood varnish piece, and Catie's video/performance. I thought they were all well executed and the visual results of their work were stunning. However, one performance really stood out to me overall.

Max's "skit" about alcohol and having to take care of someone so inebriated that they can barely speak was haunting. The lighting, the podium, and his acting all came together and created a captivating performance that the entire class couldn't help but become engulfed in. I was in awe of how commanding his presence was. He did a great job convincing the audience that we were in the actual moment. I could sense that in the first act he was young and tending to someone he loved. And in the second act the change in atmosphere was the perfect contrast. His friend wasn't tenderly trying to take care of him--he was swearing and being abrasive, which is a common response I see whenever I go out on the weekends. I admire Max's choice of performance because it was so different than what I had seen before.

A performance that I thought could have used a bit more work was Johnson's. The symbolism of his objects was clear, and I don't think the narrative added to the confession. I think it would have been much more powerful if he let a sculpture or the objects speak for themselves. I think the concept of having four different life paths for his friend to choose was great and that it conveyed how our actions today always affect our future. I just wish the performance wasn't as explicitly executed, because digging deeper would have given the class a chance to put together the message by themselves.