RAT RE. John Sylvain and "grammar" To TravSD

[MFarkash@aol.com]

In TravSD@aol.com, dated Oct. 20:

Trav, you really have to know the language before you break the rules 
regarding words.

Are you a theatre writer, Trav, or a director or actor?  In any case, you're 
on a theatre bulletin board, so I assume that you know something about the 
art form.  Being that the theatre is one of the last bastions of people who 
care about language (as opposed to clever MTV visuals on stage),  your 
attitude is distressing and shocking.

Shakespeare's language was carefully wrought and came out of a mind educated 
about history, language and mores. For you to say "he's a great writer simply 
BECAUSE he bent the language" makes me wonder about you.

 Even as technique and precision are important to an actor, words, 
expressions and pauses are critical to a writer of theatre. There is, you 
know, craft in Mamet's strings of expletives -- those who imitate him think, 
like you, that they can spew out an artless stream of words and curses and 
make theatre.

If a bad garage band thinks it can make a lot of noise and create greatness 
because they're breaking the rules, does that make it memorable rock 'n' roll?