Eric Bogosian. Writer, Actor, One-Man-Band, Striking kaleidoscope of colorful personalities.
One can consider Eric Bogosian a portrait artist; but instead of paints and canvas, he uses words and pages to immortalize his subjects – or as he calls them, voices:
“My monologues are about voices. When I first started writing them I would pick up the natural monologues of the street, on the subway. They are not just about what people are saying, but how they are saying it.” (Orlando Sentinel)
He absorbed these experiences, and the characters within, and began to recreate them in writing. The result is a large collection of individual monologues, as he calls them “piles of words”. Bogosian was originally resistant to this form as he found it “boring”, but after experimenting with his own monologues, his appreciation for the medium quickly developed. Monologues challenged him as an artist, and pushed him beyond the limit of his abilities.
When he had compiled enough pieces, he took his work to the stage, and brought it to life. Between 1980 and 2000, he wrote and performed six one-man-shows: Men Inside (1981), funHouse (1983), Drinking in America (1986), Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll (1990), Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead (1994), and Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (2000). Eventually, inspiration led him to write multiple full-length plays, including Talk Radio which was made into a full-length film in 1988. Following is the opening scene:
In concert, he intends to engage the audience as fully as possible. He refers to an old “Hell’s Angels” saying:
“When in doubt, knock ‘em out.”
Then, he steps back, and allows his audience to process what they have seen, and come to their own conclusions about the characters.
His creative palette is diverse: slimy doctors and salesmen, cold and ruthless businessmen, bums in the gutter begging for a dollar, well-to-do middle-class men, and so much more. Some are of sound mind, and some are completely disconnected from reality. They are different, yet all are frighteningly accurate and uncompromisingly real. All together they paint a comprehensive picture of America as seen through the eyes of Eric Bogosian.
Many of these characters can be seen on his website 100monologues.com, portrayed by a wide variety of actors reciting Eric’s work. This includes the following entry from Winona Ryder:
He does not compromise, nor does he shy away from the messy bits of society – he observes them honestly, and showcases them with passion and precision. He gives his characters air to breathe and space to think and speak, thus giving them what counterparts in reality could never be given. He sees his art as constructive, and believes that:
“Where theater can be really exciting is where it deals with what is going on with us today.”
Bogosian’s career also extends beyond his solo work. In addition to writing multiple full-length plays and a novel (Operation Nemesis), he has built a repertoire as a screen and stage actor, playing such roles as Satan in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (written by Stephen Adly Guirgis).
Eric Bogosian is a man of the people, and always will be. Despite the spoils that might be afforded him by his successful career, he has chosen to remain living in New York City. As he explains, the continual exposure to a wide spectrum of people sparks his inspiration and keeps his creativity alive and active.
As an actor, reading and performing his work has done the same for me. It is invigorating, and calls forth full focus and dedication from within. The staccato nature of his work allows for quick and easy immersion into, and the energy found within is addictive. Don’t take my word for it, though! Pick up his written work, flip to a random page and read it aloud. I promise you’re in for a wild ride.
Have fun. – PTN
Sources:
{www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-10-25-0310240473-story.html}
{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWgeRXFYJDQ}
