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The writer seems to bring up a good point about experiencing body art performance through photographs and writing and then experiencing it in its actual element. I myself believe that such body art performances can only have a full impact when seen in person. These performances contain an atmosphere and mood that sometimes cannot be captured by pictures and words. For example, when reading a play, the play often seems flat and dull, quickly losing interest. However, when I view the play and then compare my experiences side by side, I notice a definite difference. Viewing the play itself, I am often awed by what I see, much of which is thanks to lighting, music, etc. Watching the performers themselves, their body movements, the shifts and changes in tone of voice, the performers bring the play to life.

Seeing something as how it was meant to be perceived is totally different from viewing it through a different medium. Meaning may be lost, important factors forgotten, and themes ignored all because of the way they are shown or demonstrated. The script may read “Paul proceeds to then passionately rip apart the papers on his desk” and such a line might produce an image in the mind but it would fail in bringing forth the emotion behind the words. If a person actually see Paul ripping apart papers on his desk, the person is more than likely to feel the extent of passion, rage, and or frustration that Paul is feeling. Once again, I would highlight the fact that being a part of the audience goes a long way in understanding the performance rather than sitting at home and just carelessly going through the readings and pictures.

Whenever I watch a play, I find it more fascinating than just reading the script. The emotions behind the words are brought to the fore. Watching real people going about the motions of the play greatly lends itself in making the play believable. Overall, I believe that seeing is believing and not the other way around.

Chapter 4 starts off by describing the festivals hosted by WOW. The festivals are depicted as having the atmosphere of a carnival, something I found unique and intriguing. Shows are performed at a “hit and run” pace with no feel of permanency. I, personally, would have found it hard to be able to maintain that carnival feel while settling down at a permanent location, but WOW was able to accomplish just such an amazing feat.

An awesome part of WOW’s festivals was how it was able to attract so many different people. Women of various backgrounds and beliefs all flocked towards this one center to be able to experience something truly extraordinary. These festivals gave an opportunity for diverse women to mingle and meet, a non-discriminating space just for them. During a period when feminists were divided amongst themselves, WOW presented a haven for women to come and just be who they are. You were not limited to a criteria or defined by any standard. You were just you, and what you were was accepted at WOW. Many events hosted by WOW allowed women to indulge in their wildest fantasies. It was a time when you can throw away your anxieties and be whoever you wanted to be for that time.

A marked aspect of WOW was how lax they were when it came to structure and rules. One thing I particularly liked was how they handled memberships. Unlike many other organizations, if someone wanted to join WOW all they had to do was show up to their meeting every Tuesday night. There was no grand pomp and ceremony, it was pretty much simple. You also weren’t bound by your membership and so you were free to come and go as you please.

Anarchy is the only system that runs the WOW Café Theater. It’s basically going along the lines of “agreeing not to agree”. This anarchy allows for chaos that results in freedom of artistic expression. WOW’s anarchy enabled women to not settle for anything less than what they want. Through this method of anarchy, a woman is forced to fight her way to the top without abandoning her ideas and being able to emerge as a leader rather than a follower.