Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Imitation of Life

A very long time ago I was writing a short story with the somewhat titillating title 'The Central Hackney Masturbation Club'. No, it had nothing to do with goalposts for jumpers, it was strictly 'Adults Only' as is the link which prompted this post.

The story was inspired by a birthday party (not mine). No masturbation took place. Apart from the usual verbal kind. But it was distinguished by the prescence of a couple of literary pornographers and the title was inspired by the level of attention they recieved from many of those present.

Broadly, to cut a short story shorter, the Central Hackney story was about a sort of erotic book club that ultimately got out of hand because the rules it placed on its participants (eg 'no touching') were ultimately transgressed by human nature and arguably lack of self-restraint, (not to mention that those who had joined it did so for a range of questionable reasons).

In other words the club marketed itself as a highbrow fetishisation of the erotic (much as the erotic review always tries to) but was really a manifestation of British sexual repression, inadequacy and in some cases the downright twisted manipulativeness of its participants.

The idea being played with was therefore the old chestnut of where the line is crossed in fetishisation, pornography and sexual gameplay between erotic fetishisation and an ultimately more compromising psychological fetishisation of both sex and erotic subjects - ie people (the pretentious might think Pale Fire though no comparison is intended).

Anyway it came to mind when an arts list I'm part of sent me this ad today:

Stone Soup continues its Adult Storytelling evenings at Joint Cafe, 92 North Hill, Plymouth, on Wednesday August 3rd. This event occurs on the First Wednesday of every month.
Doors Open 7:30pm
Stories from 8 to 10
Suitable for Adults Only
Admission £3
Further details on this, and future, events is available at http://www.stonesoupstorytelling.org.uk

5 comments:

ChrisB said...

PS Students of trans-Atlantic culture will no doubt be as amused as I am by the name of the Cafe in the ad.

Arabian Nights or Boogie Nights - its too early to tell - any Plymouth correspondents with greater knowledge would be welcomed!

ChrisB said...

Looking at these scary b*stards site I'd say its more Night of Eternal Darkness (or the ZShadow of Mordor...) - wouldn't fancy a 'pull on their joints' so as to speak.

The really scary thing is to think exactly what kind of 'adult content' people looking like this come up with.

Then again I was pondering this with an American friend and she wasn't biting (there's a theme here I feel) she was like - "THEY'RE NOT SCARY... you want scary? back home they just closed my local church for holding satanic ceremonies involving kids and animals"

... freedom of worship, ALL the way!

Questrist said...

I was going to say "do you think they'll act it out?" but then I saw the photos....

ChrisB said...

Have you noticed we're developing a sort of erotica theme here?

I'd like to think it started as a not-so-subtle psychological response to your last terrorism-related post entitled 'dirty mouth'.

Maybe we all just want to make love not war after all...

This reminds me of a young woman of my acquaintance with whom I was reflecting on the nature of fear and the fact that we, as a generation, were brought up under threat of nuclear annihilation.

'I know' she responded, 'I spent my whole childhood terrified I'd die a virgin. I used to wonder if I could find anyone to fuck in four minutes'

Gordon said...

'I know' she responded, 'I spent my whole childhood terrified I'd die a virgin. I used to wonder if I could find anyone to fuck in four minutes'

That's genius, but really I think I'd have to pour myself a medium sized drink (a large one - no pun intended - being out of the question) and realise that I'd never have time to run to the grocery store for a last cigeratte.