An Anthology of Optimism

An Anthology of Optimism by Jacob Wren and Pieter De Buysser/Campo is a philosophical performance.

The worse the world seems off, the better arguments the pessimist has, but one can also say that pessimism eventually has become a politically correct self-protection strategy for those who are well enough off. As a dramaturgic effect, to begin with Wren speaks for the pessimist while De Buysser takes the part of the optimist. This is matching their personalities pretty well. As Jacob has said of Pieter: "I’ve always thought of him as one of the happiest people I know. I am so fascinated by happy people. I always wonder: are they really happy or is their happiness just a cover for some even deeper pain."

The production stages personified arguments in a playful discussion. But An Anthology of Optimism wants more than that: In an attempt of getting beyond the ordinary divide between the disillusioned pessimist and the naïve optimist, the duo goes in search of a third way, looking for the possibility of critical optimism for the twenty-first century. Their roles change accordingly and eventually they will agree on several fruitful ways which either are tried or should be tried to help the world get straight.

Philosophers, artists, scientists and businessmen have contributed to the material, responding to a letter requesting a contribution to 21th century optimism. Texts, images, objects, music and drawings have been sent in. The list of contributors and what they contributed can be found at www.ananthologyofoptimism.com.

Jacob Wren and Pieter De Buysser both are writers and performing artists. Wren has visited Norway and Bergen several times and the autumn of 2009 he also visited BIT Teatergarasjen with the performance lecture 20 Quotations. Pieter De Buysser started the theatre company Lampe, named after the servant of the philosopher Kant, and he has written manuscripts for several European theatre companies.

Source: BIT Teatergarasjen, autumn program 2009. 10.08.2010: http://www.bit-teatergarasjen.no/article/64