I have started to wonder, on top of my wondering, have I been taught too much? I was always under the impression that as an artist and creative it was my duty to learn about as many styles and genres of theatre as possible. On top of this it was more important to learn about varying practitioners their methods and ways of creating. The part of me that has been moulded by my lecturers and professionals screams out to me that this is a must, in order fo rme to know what I'm going to do creatively! But then theres a strong part of me that is disagreeing with this notion entirely.

Take a person without any knowledge of styles and genres, peoples and plays what would they come up with if given the opportunity? I suppose you could argue that they could come up with a load of crap, which entertains nor provokes no one, but equally what if it was something great? What would happen? We would have to label it, name it and should its success continue call it a 'movement'. And then no doubt in years to come an A level student somewhere is just repeating history and doing the same damn thing and calling it said 'movement' and critics and audiences alike are judging it and loving it based on its ability to reflect someones work who has been and gone. 

I understand that labelling a style, genre and movement is great where people have a specific favoured style of work, this way they can ensure they are going to watch something they will most probably enjoy. For others it gives them a sense of direction for their work but for me its just confusing. 

When I wrote Balloon Woods I couldn't place my work under any category. I couldn't label it or compare it to anything. When interviewed and asked who my influences are and what style influenced my work I couldn't quite give an answer I truly believed. I found myself listing off companies and people, styles and genres I tried desperately to justify as being asimilar to my work. 

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying what I'm doing is original, groundbreaking or unique in anyway and I'm not expecting the Ogando movement to start anytime soon, but sometimes I just think I write what I like and I direct what I would like to see, but can I really say that in future if anyone asks me who my influences are? 

I don't want to have to feel less of a professional because I can't list of a library of theories and practitioners and link them to my work. If anything my work tends to reflect methods and influences from film and television directors and writers, but its theatre...so what do I call that?! Someone said when watching Balloon Woods, "this could be a film!" So should I just presume I'm in the wrong industry?!

I don't know all I'm saying is I'm torn! To read or not to read is the question folks?! Is it really helpful or is it hindering? And why do we feel the urgent desire to label and collate work, it is art after all?