Autumn Royal’s “[Regarding] The Pain of Others” takes its name from Susan Sontag’s book-length essay discussing the moral hazards involved in the photography of suffering—for both the taker and viewer of the photograph. In Royal’s poem, she makes clear that these same hazards can extend to any artform. Taking the form of a dramatic monologue, a celebrated playwright finds that life is imitating art: he is being visited upon by the themes he has “so realistically & poetically portrayed” within his works. Ironically, however, the playwright is reticent regarding his own suffering: “I’ve experienced a great loss, which I choose not to discuss / at this point in time.” Perhaps this inhibition is influenced by his belief in the necessary distance the artist requires from his or her subject to authentically represent it, but this seems an especially dubious position in the case of the playwright: if the artist has the right to keep private their own suffering, what right do they have to publicly portray someone else’s? Royal’s speaker is in turns fascinating and repulsive—his self-regard is complemented by a complete lack of introspection. When he is questioned at a dinner party regarding the ethics of a script based on a “widely reported and terribly violent incident,” he merely points out his interlocutor has passata sauce not only on the upper region of their lip, “but also the tip of their nose.”
Autumn Royal’s second collection The Drama Student (Giramondo, 2023) was last month shortlisted for the 2024 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. The awards are the richest in Australia, and several friends and poets featured in this series were nominated alongside Royal in the poetry category, including Luke Beesely for In the Photograph, Ali Cobby Eckermann for She Is the Earth and Jennifer Maiden for Golden Bridge: New Poems.
[Regarding] The Pain of Others
Since many of the plotlines explored throughout my plays
have started leaking into my current reality, I’m now publicly
admitting to embracing other people’s anguishes for the sake
of my own creative endeavours. Over the past decade,
I’ve consistently been celebrated as a prophetic & iconic
playwright — a trademark I still justifiably hold.
However, since the themes I’ve so realistically & poetically
portrayed throughout my works have tragically
begun to impact upon my daily routines —
my gratification with such accolades may not fully
be appreciated without such a declaration.
I’ve experienced a great loss, which I choose not to discuss
at this point in time — but I’ll admit that until recently,
I’ve always felt more comfortable writing about
the lives of others — from a distance, but most especially
while my subjects are inhabiting their own homes.
It’s not unfitting to mention that after years of dinner
invitations & appearances — I’ve been praised as not only
being an exceptional conversationalist, but a much-desired guest.
During such dinner parties, I’ve always offered to wash-up
after each course, yet I’ve always been denied this pleasure —
so I end up refilling my glass & observing the performance
of domestic politics. Over the years, I’ve only ever contributed
to one squabble — when an amateur actor, cast in one of my plays
premiering at the time, didn’t recognise me & vehemently
began questioning the ethics of the script — which was based
upon a widely reported & terribly violent incident.
The actor’s naïve soliloquy continued until I politely remarked
that there was not only passata saucing the upper region
of their lip, but also the tip of their nose. After the actor fled
to the bathroom to wipe away now, not only the tomato purée,
but a solid amount of mascara — my fellow comrades reassured
& praised me for my honesty. I was then reminded about all
the positive reviews the show in question had received.
I’ll have to conclude this admission shortly, but do I hope
this announcement will be respected & will allow me to continue
my quest for writing authentic dialogue & descriptions —
something I truly believe is often unattainable for people directly
experiencing the duress which makes for such interesting
material that I possess an ability to curate & represent upon a stage.
As proof of my skills, I can testify that I’ve received numerous
writing grants & government financial support — even patronage,
which, as you’ll reasonably understand, I’ve not been able
to question or reject. My hand-to-mouth existence prior
to my fruitful reputation isn’t unlike the precariousness
of those begging for money while resting against the entrance
to the building where I’ve recently commenced my latest
writer’s residency & like most artistic entrepreneurs — I can
offer nothing, as I believe carrying coins grinds my inspiration
down & closer to the pavers, which I’ve strived brick-hard
to lift myself up & away from for the sake of my creative practice.
Go to Source
Author: Thomas Moody
