Using google’s image search functionality, you get approximately 44,700,000 image results for “theatre”.
This is the first one:
And this is the last one:
Try it yourself. Click here (with “Moderate SafeSearch” enabled). Results may vary by geographic location.
Do you agree with google? Are the drama masks really theatre’s most significant image? If not, then what is?
Absolutely friggin’ wonderful.
Oh, there was a question there too. I think the comedy/tragedy masks are the abiding icon for theatre, I just find them a bit dusty and too linked to the pervasive view of theatre as pedantic and boring. It’s interesting to me that theatre really seems to resist easy iconography, what could we replace the masks with to indicate a new kick-ass aesthetic in theatre? What single image could possibly brand what we want theatre to be to people?
To me it’s Brook’s notion of the Empty Space, but an icon of nothing probably won’t help much. Hmm…blank buttons and t-shirts?
Maybe Heath Ledger as the Joker could be our new mask…
…and then Seth goes all synchronicity on the subject…
That’s uncanny. I read that Godin post earlier in the day. Strange, the connections that are forged in the subconscious.
As for iconic images for theatre, how’s this?
Oh, ha ha, Mackenzie. You a funny cat.
The definitive, Abiding, Iconic image of Theatre?
My Obvious, Anglocentric Suggestion:
http://www.malaspina.org/gif/shakespeare.jpg