Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Five Questions for Mike Daisey - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com:

Mike Daisey, a monologuist who has tackled themes of war (“If You See Something, Say Something”) and the state of American theater (“How Theater Failed America”), is back with a new show about religion, money and the worship they inspire.

“The Last Cargo Cult” is about a trip Mr. Daisey took to the Pacific island Tanna where, he says, the world’s last cargo cult — more on that later — still exists. Interwoven into the monologue is a thread about the national financial collapse.

In his review, Jason Zinoman writes: “The way Mr. Daisey makes his arguments, more than the arguments themselves, is what makes him one of the elite performers in the American theater.”

Mr. Daisey, whose performances can be sweaty, thunderous and profanity-laced, talked about what inspired his new work. Following are excerpts from the conversation.


2:07 AM