[Bards] Bards Digest, Vol 2, Issue 1

[tim jennings]

Hey from far away

Cautionary tales and Satire are certainly and rightly part of the bardic
tradition. Some are used to great effect and others not so much. The
main rule of thumb I normally suggest to folks who feel the need to
'target' someone or something with this kind of venom is to:

 a) Remove 'themselves' from the situation. If it's a personal grudge or
opinion it has no real place in the performance and everyone will look
at the teller as being 'petty' or 'self indulgent'

b) Realize if its about one individual who has hurt another individual
it is not fair to either of them to make that public and a major
presumption to do so

c) Major wrongdoings - if you are going to go after someone about that
kind of thing make sure the story is not going to make redemption
impossible. Everyone deserves the chance to screw up sometimes and then
to apologize and be forgiven eventually

Once you have considered all of these long term effects and issues it
seems to me that then the duty of bards is to guide and offer a cultural
compass about right and wrong. The trick is, like any performance, to
make it relevant to the audience and interesting as a piece as well as
being instructional. 

The purpose of art, after all, is to enrich, educate and illuminate
those it touches.

TTFN
Garraed/Tim
Bard guy in Ealdormere


Tim Jennings, Managing Director
Roseneath Theatre
+1 519 787 2399
www.roseneath.ca