Community Media - Interactive World

At the weekend I picked up in a charity ("thrift") shop a short book by world theatre director and experimenter Peter Brook called The Empty Space , first published in 1968, with a Pelican paperback in 1972. There have been several reprints and it's still a thoughtful discussion of the state of theatre. Where he speculates on 'Theatre' I found myself reflecting on 'Cinema.' It's a curious exercise to displace and compare terminologies and discourses. Sometimes it's quite shocking and sobering as a thought experiment. What did the theatre mean to him in 1968, and what does it mean to us in 2011? How have our ideas about the value(s) and function of cinema evolved alongside, or in opposition to 'theatre' ? If you're curious, his four chapters are titled The Deadly Theatre The Holy Theatre The Rough Theatre The Immediate Theatre I also found myself dreaming about a Secret Cinema . Perhaps a lost chapter of the Brook...

The Communication Initiative is a partnership and networking space where people using media and communication strategies for action on poverty and other major issues share, learn and converse. See www.comminit.com and register. The Communication Initiative Network also has a useful page on Facebook that lists new projects. Here are some features on gender and equality that appeared in their recent newsletter. 1. Mucho Corazón (A Lot of Heart) The purpose of this Mexican television drama series is to help spread the word about the MDGs and the importance of sustainable development, gender equity, and respect for Indigenous Peoples. The 35-episode drama tells the story of Maruch, a young woman from a rural community in Chiapas. It is complemented by: a weekly TV talk show, ongoing promotion through the State of Chiapas radio and television networks, and community action campaigns to encourage viewers to adopt behaviours modelled in the drama. MUCHO CORAZÓN...