The Habit of Art

This blog is later than planned because I was poorly at the end of last week. But all the boohooing over it’s the start of a busy week this week. This week we hit the peak of clearing; Thursday will be A-level results day. I am looking forward to a new bunch of students joining us this week so that we can keep on top of clearing demands. If you are hoping to confirm or get a place at uni this week, my sincerest good luck.
I took my mum to see the Habit of Art this weekend; it’s on at the National Theatre. I had no idea what it was about but by the title, the fact that it was by Alan Bennett and that it was showing at the National Theatre reassured me that my money was probably being well spent. The result of my gamble was in fact a play within a play about a group of actors rehearsing a production about W H Auden and Benjamin Britten.
I enjoyed the play for its humour and the brilliant acting, the kind of acting that means you don’t even notice that they are acting. It felt like a two and half hour of Alan Bennett’s exhibition of his own intelligence and those of great geniuses, but also showing that he didn’t expect you to be on his level. The ‘the-audience-wont-know-that’ jokes appealed to those who did because they could feel superior and those who didn’t because they could laugh at the truth of it. Although I can’t help but think: I didn’t know at a young age that the voice of Winnie the Pooh had so much more behind it.

As someone on a degree with a base in creativity as well as skill, the message of the play was interesting too. That being creative or ‘art’ was in fact a habit, it’s not a job as such, it is just something you will do and keep doing. There was also the point made that this habit means it has relatively little to do with talent and a lot to do with perseverance. It is nice to think that if we work hard we will succeed, but it is a better alternative than the relative definite that if we do not work hard we most certainly won’t. I think I will remember that.