I don't usually
tell people my ideas before I do them, but here's my idea. Someone
should invite me to America to produce a live performance of this
video in its entirely. The performance will take place on New Year's
Eve 2013, preferably in a warehouse setting in Houston, exactly
thirty years to the minute after the original.
All parts will be
performed by Houston musicians and actors. The role of Cyndi may be
played by one or more persons. The band may be played by one or more
persons. The vjs should be performed by two men and two women.
The role of Pee Wee Herman can be played by anyone, and the
appearance of AC/DC is optional. This might result in a cast as small
as seven persons, or much larger. The performance will take place
beside a large video screen, on which will be projected the original
MTV production, and the live performers will synchronize their
performances to the video.
The performers need
not dress, or speak, or take drugs in a manner particular to the
80's. The songs need not be performed in the original style. The
rules of the performance are purely temporal and textual, as opposed
to contextual.
The
performance will conclude with an encore of those songs from She's
So Unusual album not performed
in the original video. These songs would ideally be performed by any
number of great local musicians.
The audience will
cheer and enjoy themselves in a manner appropriate for any New Year's
Eve celebration, only this time they will be somewhat more
consciously repeating the actions and pleasures of people who partied
and danced thirty years previously, repeating rituals both arbitrary
and necessary. It will be cyclical, it will be affirming, it will be
fun. I will get tired well before midnight and wonder how I got so
old, so quickly. You will be glad you came.
And it will never,
ever happen again.
