in the aftermath of witnessing and intervening in a violent attack outside her home in febraury 2021, gorjeoux moon found herself adrift on sea of experiences she lacked the words to describe
drawing on her experience of teaching english, of living with chronic ptsd, and the street violence that caused it, ‘the work’ is a winding journey through the language of experience, the experience of language, the deeply personal accounting, processing, and claiming of experience, and the healing power of shared language
in march 2021 i wrote a first draft of a book titled
’the work: how to show up and the art of intervention’
this performance in 3 parts is basically the first 1.5 chapters out of the 17 chapters i wrote then with smatterings from about half a dozen or so essays i have written since
part 1
discusses my use of and the etymology of meta, the psychology and pedagogy of language teaching and acquisition it will be educational, entertaining and informative - it will involve some interactive elements and then will it get very serious, very fast
part 2
talks about ptsd, it will unpack the incident i witnessed and intervened in through the language i needed to learn to be able to describe and process that event it will meditate on epistemic injustice, expand the vocabulary of violence and will unpack the abusive relationship i was in at the time
part 3
discusses life, the difference between learning and being taught, a spot of blasphemy, a lot of etymology, a critique of romanticism, a short account of addiction and recovery, and will end hopefully on a cathartic feel good ‘let’s make the world a better place’ vibe
critical acclaim for 'the work'
'This show is confronting in all the best possible ways. Moon's intellect is formidable, and her experience as a storyteller, writer, slam poet, sculptor, musician and visual artist is decades long. (...) in spite of the raw and discomfiting material (read: violence, sexual assault, trauma) Moon shared in this performance, I felt held and respected as an audience member.(...) What skill and heart this takes. (...) I'd watch this show many times more. I hope that, along with new audiences, I am given this opportunity.'
Hinemoana Baker on ‘the work’ a solo show by gorjeoux moon
