Newspaper from BLACK MUSEUM by Bruno Letort

The Newspaper

Texte de Laurie Anderson et David Linx
Musique de Evan Ziporyn, David Linx et Bruno Letort


Voice 1 : The Newspaper,
You’re the only one who knows what's real 
And what isn’t 
That's why I'm telling you all this 
And not just recalling 
The places I've been and what I've seen 
Voice 2 : An avalanche of absence and emptiness under heavens of confusion, we now talk in bumper stickers and yet we are, still, taken aback…

Voice 1 : Why aren't we allowed to leave as often as we want
For all the work we've put into 
These latrines, these cemeteries, this war 

VOICE 2 : both shocked and in awe of all the noise that comes with lies. But beauty is elastic and comes in unrecognizable shapes.

VOICE 1 : So listen closely to these newspapers and magazines 
They're full of the news, correct?
VOICE 2 : But what becomes of us when we spend all our time trying not to lose. One can’t win when one doesn’t lose.

VOICE 1 : We lay our heads down on the newspapers 
VOICE 2 : Very much

VOICE 1 : And pull the blanket up over our heads 
And in training for war, one of the first things 
that General Macon did
VOICE 2 : Very much like rhythm can only be felt,

VOICE 1 : Was to burn all the newspapers.
VOICE 2 : Danced to and on, when it’s safe, nothing is safe.

VOICE 1 : So give us back our names 
We'd like to see them read aloud.
VOICE 2 : Peace comes only with the acceptance that nothing is safe,

VOICE 1 : Aloud.
VOICE 2 : That everything can be lost,

VOICE 1 : Aloud.
VOICE 2 : Any second of any given day

• Brussels