 Drama: March 11, 2015 Issue [#6873] |
  Drama
This week: Unusual Drama Edited by: NaNoKit  
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Drama can develop in unusual places. This week's Drama Newsletter explores one of them - the Big Brother House.
kittiara |
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I'm currently reading a rather entertaining little novel titled A Minority of One by Lesley Brain. In 2007, Lesley entered the UK Big Brother House and left after nine days, eleven hours and forty-one minutes. She was an unusual housemate. At the age of sixty, she was older than most. She came from a good background, wasn't desperate for fame, and the whole adventure was quite contrary to her usual interests.
It was an adventure, however, and that is why she decided to audition. Her account of the horrors of the audition process and the treatment of the contestants, combined with her own observations about her time in the house is fascinating, especially for someone like myself, who used to enjoy Big Brother and watched the series she was in.
It is an unusual story, containing unusual drama. After all, Lesley and the other housemates are in an unusual situation, having experiences that most of us will never encounter.
For those unfamiliar with the Big Brother phenomenon – the contestants spend their time in a “house” (which is built in a TV studio), filmed 24/7. All their conversations are listened to. They are not permitted contact with the outside world. The selection process ensures that they'll be placed with people they would never otherwise choose to mingle with. And every week they have to nominate two of their other housemates who, if they are unlucky enough to receive the most nominations, will be subject to a public vote that decides whether or not they will stay. At least, that is how it is in the UK version. I think that the American version is slightly different.
The concept is loosely based on George Orwell's 1984. Big Brother is in complete control. Big Brother is watching. Big Brother is listening. The housemates taking part in the show soon tend to display some unique behaviours – relationships (not necessarily of a romantic nature) develop and crash far quicker than one would normally expect, paranoia is ever present, and the slightest issue, such as a bruised banana, can cause a major drama and fall-out. It's a high-pressure environment.
The housemates' relationship with Big Brother is interesting as well. Some try to coax, please, beg for favours. Some try to rebel, but this tends to be unsuccessful and mostly, those housemates soon want to be liked again. Big Brother is impersonal, yet always at the center of the housemates' existence.
Of course, few of us will ever have an experience of this kind to write about. I know that I would never place myself in such a vulnerable, exposed position (and especially not after reading that book). That is not to say that we cannot write our own stories and novels that are unique, different, unusual. Even if we live the most mundane of lives, there is always our imagination.
George Orwell managed it, and his story remains popular. All we need is to look at what is, and what could be, what is the norm and what falls outside of it, and then give it a twist – something relatable but intriguing.
Which is easy to say, and less easy to do. Some of us will manage it, though. And it could well be you.
kittiara
Ps - I am sorry for the shorter than usual Newsletter, but I have broken a finger.
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The Drama Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in! 
Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Drama Newsletter Team
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