INTRODUCTION. We were able to capture an interview with the illusive Sky Gilbert. We haven’t heard from him awhile —apparently he has been teaching at the University of Guelph for twenty-five years, and duly forgotten by everyone, despite his publication of a few little-noticed novels and poetry collections. It didn’t help that Gilbert was effectively ‘cancelled’ by Buddies in Bad Times Theatre — the theatre he co-founded— so many years ago. Thus Gilbert’s only real claim to fame was effectively erased. We caught up with him in his Hamilton home.
INT. So, Sky great to see you! You look fantastic for — how old are you?
SKY. Seventy-one this year.
INT. Seventy-one! How time flies...
SKY. When you’re having fun!
INT. So Sky, why have you been hiding all these years.
SKY. I don’t think you can really call it hiding when no one has been looking for you.
INT. Now Sky. Aren’t you being a little harsh?
SKY. I don’t think so. I’m surprised even that anyone would want to do an interview with me, after all I am not only old, but old news.
INT. Well part of the interest has been in finding out what might have happened to someone who -- when he was young, was such a crusader for well —
SKY. You can say it — sex.
INT. I didn’t want to —
SKY. Why not? Say it. Sex sex sex. Yes. My life is all about sex.
INT. But surely now—
SKY. I’ve slowed down a little bit. But I’m still pretty obsessed with it.
INT. What is it about sex that interests you so much?
SKY. I’m a pervert. That’s what Sue Golding told many years ago when she was President of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. “You love sex, it’s a primary interest in your life, you are therefore officially a pervert.” Ever since she informed me of that, I’ve identified that way and I’m very grateful to her for the insight.
INT. What’s Sue Golding up to these days?
SKY. Dr. Johnny Golding is a Professor of Philosophy & Fine Art at the Royal College of London.
INT. So he is now a trans person?
SKY. No. Johnny is a lesbian. I’m pretty sure Johnny will always be a woman and a lesbian. She is a woman with man’s name. It’s concept that people might have hard time getting their minds around — these days,
INT. To cut to the quick, what are you up to now, Sky?
SKY. I’m writing and producing plays as always.
INT. I wonder why we haven’t heard about them.
SKY. I don’t think people are very interested, these days, in what perverts have to say.
INT. Do you have to call yourself that? I mean, really Sky.
SKY. Really, what.
INT. It’s so unflattering.
SKY. But it’s the truth. (Pause) I mean, perhaps I am being disingenuous here. To suggest that I am forgotten also suggests that there is a reason to remember me. I don’t know if there is. But I can speak eloquently on this topic in relationship to Hillar Liitoja.
INT. Who?
SKY. Ah, yes -- a revealing response. “Who?” He was one of the most singular Canadian writer-directors of the theatre, a visionary of the highest order — and he recently died.
INT. Again, why haven’t we heard of him?
SKY. I think, in Hillar’s case it has to do with the general rejection of the concept of history. As one of my friends says, Hillar was made for cancelling. He was a narcissist, an individualist, and a genius. And he cared only for beauty.
INT. Ahh I see, male beauty, like you?
SKY. Hillar was bisexual. And he was particularly obsessed with artificial beauty, that is the beauty created by the artist.
INT. And you say we have forgotten Hillar because we have forgotten history.
SKY. Yes, we live in a youth centric society. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t necessary think that the old should be automatically revered, but they should not be automatically forgotten. Hillar was a flawed human being (and those who criticize artists for being flawed human beings are apparently not at all flawed themselves!). But he created —what Adorno would call — ‘other worlds.’ Hillar’s work did not teach; It only inspired. It did not create exemplary lives or imitate real ones. Like Shakespeare, Hillar created other worlds that we are meant to compare our own lives to, but not model our lives upon.
INT. Hillar. Shakespeare. That’s putting him in quite high estimation.
SKY. He was brilliant, and his work influenced so many people, and changed so many lives. So many people loved this ‘narcissist’ — and only because he loved beauty. But we don’t love people who love beauty anymore. Because we don’t love beauty.
INT. Well, you certainly said a mouthful Sky. I’m sorry I don’t have longer to talk to you.
Maybe I’ll interview you again sometime —
SKY. If you have time in the next 10 or 20 years, but I wouldn’t worry about it. I’ll probably be dead.
INT. Now Sky, there you go again. Aren’ t you the Mary Contrary.
SKY. Talk to you soon.
INT. Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?
EPILOGUE. There was no answer. This was a zoom interview -- and Sky -- who had invited me to the meeting -- ended it. I guess we will know what Sky meant by ‘artificial beauty’ or why he is so obsessed with Hillar Liitoja’s death.
Well.
Sky can’t say that we didn’t at least, try.
