Reflecting on the Transformative power of seeing our work as theatre

“It is the act of acting that in the end, differentiates memorable experiences from ordinary humans activity.” 

- The Experience Economy by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore

This quote validates and highlights one of the most essential parts of our business. What differentiates us from a normal home, a normal household, a country life that is private? What differentiates us from a group of friends joining us in a private way as they so often do, and did for many times past? What differentiates us from a restaurant, or a cafe- as we do serve three meals a day, and have an always open coffee bar stocked with snacks and treats, coffee and tea? What makes us different from an art school, as we do hire artists to come and teach in our facility to avid art students? And worst of all, and most important? What makes us different from venue organisers? Owners who help facilitate the rental of their property to interested groups, instructors and more? Or a type of camp counsellor, here to cheerlead and host, while our groups come through? 

Perhaps we are all of these things. They are not so bad. But the key point here, is that all of them belong to the realm of “ordinary human activity”. They are things that “anyone could do” because many people can do many of these things- they cook, they clean, they host their friends, they own property, they bring in workers to fix problems, they garden, they mow the lawn. If they are artists, they even might have their artist friends over in groups to their home, and create artists soirees. 

What makes us different? What elevates us, or differentiates us, from these things that anyone could do? 

It is the act of theatre. 

Much like in the Old Globe, which Carolina and I just visited in London, a specially built round structure, with balconies stretching all the way round- to behold humans, just like you or I, reciting lines, interacting, moving about the stage, talking about their troubles. What makes this different than things that you or I could do, and do everyday? In short, what separates all the elements of a play from the realm of ordinary human activity? 

I agree entirely with the quote above- it is the act of acting that separates it. 

The actors know they are being watched, they are doing and saying all this ordinary and sometimes not so ordinary lines, with knowledge of being seen, in a pre-composed and pre-designed environment, in coordination with other performers and people supporting their performance. I argue one step further, even if everything happening in a play is something domestic for instance, highly relatable, and ordinary- the fact that is is being conceived of as a play, presented to the public, tickets are sold, and lights lowered- all of the packaging and intentionality around such an event is precisely what differentiates it. 

We must keep this at the forefront of our minds - as we perform in all of our activities. We are performing our lives, our hospitality, our connections. Both in person and through our storytelling- through our many storytelling vehicles.

By keeping the performance foremost in our minds, we also keep ourselves into slipping into laziness- familiar relationships, bickering, normal household tensions. We bring the best of ourselves everyday, and it is this which allows us to transform, and enjoy these experiences with our guests. We must be taken out of our ordinary as well, to be able to truly meet the retreat participant in this moment which is in many ways suspended from reality.

Our guests save us and elevate us if we are able to rise to the occasion.