How many radio pieces take you on the experience of peeing in a public bathroom? Not many, probably. Well, here's your chance. With layered
voices reading the angst-ridden messages on the walls mixed with sounds of squeaking doors flushing toilets, running water, and yes, peeing, this is a strange, yet fascinating piece of radio/audio. It would seem that the women's bathroom in question is a place for some serious contemplation of the intricacies of relationships. The scribblings are intense. I can't compare them to the men's rooms of this world, as one reviewer has done, but even for women's rooms, they are above and beyond what you'd find in your local bar. Play this as an audio postcard from a bathroom near you!
With creaking doors and background chatter, its like I'm there. I'm in the bathroom stall reading those words that are scratched in with a nail file or scribbled with a pen.
Those momentary thoughts read as a singular statement; an artistic landscape made into poetry.
This piece is beautiful and engaging. And I'm right there, with every word.
It’s a great concept: a radio document of one college bathroom’s graffiti, and it is pulled off with charm, humor, fine production value, and a lack of pretension. It manages to be both anthropological and thoroughly entertaining. The level of confiding and poetry on these walls is sort of incredible. (Boy’s bathroom graffiti is just filthy in comparison…. I think the biggest difference between men and women, it would seem judging by this piece, is their graffiti.) It’s good enough to make you think a whole series should be done on graffiti all over the place-- shopping malls, prisons, high schools, construction sights, office buildings. This was like a well done experimental short film—one that, through its art, allows you to see something common place in a whole new way—a way that allows its inherent beauty to be seen. This could fit in anywhere. It’s a treat.
If these walls could talk...this is what you'd hear.
This is a compelling, captivating piece. It's poetic and layered with great sound and it instantly transports you to a familiar place, namely the girls' room and a familiar sight, the writing on the wall. (There used to be a familiar smell too.) There's some sexual content here that some may find objectionable; it is bathroom audio after all, but it could air with other youth radio segments.
A very original slice of life. I was even more intrigued by this piece after listening to it a second time. The sound of someone urinating instantly captured my attention. Straining to hear the voices over running faucets and creaking doors swinging open, I found myself visualizing the different colors of ink on the walls and trying to match handwriting styles to comments.
Umm... I'm not sure where you'll find a spot for a piece that begins with the sound of urinating, and maybe it's a little too long - BUT - at the two minute mark, this collage of voices reading bathroom walls takes a surprising and human turn as listeners hear women using the bathroom walls as a relationship advice column. Great tape of anonymous voices using an anonymous location to be real with each other.
Comments for The Walls
Produced by Laura Vitale
Other pieces by Laura Vitale
Rating Summary
6 comments
Sarah Elzas
Posted on April 21, 2005 at 06:54 PM | Permalink
Review of The Walls
How many radio pieces take you on the experience of peeing in a public bathroom? Not many, probably. Well, here's your chance. With layered
voices reading the angst-ridden messages on the walls mixed with sounds of squeaking doors flushing toilets, running water, and yes, peeing, this is a strange, yet fascinating piece of radio/audio. It would seem that the women's bathroom in question is a place for some serious contemplation of the intricacies of relationships. The scribblings are intense. I can't compare them to the men's rooms of this world, as one reviewer has done, but even for women's rooms, they are above and beyond what you'd find in your local bar. Play this as an audio postcard from a bathroom near you!
Heather Feaga
Posted on April 21, 2005 at 10:50 AM | Permalink
It's almost what I'm thinking
With creaking doors and background chatter, its like I'm there. I'm in the bathroom stall reading those words that are scratched in with a nail file or scribbled with a pen.
Those momentary thoughts read as a singular statement; an artistic landscape made into poetry.
This piece is beautiful and engaging. And I'm right there, with every word.
Jonathan Goldstein
Posted on November 27, 2004 at 11:50 AM | Permalink
Review of The Walls
It’s a great concept: a radio document of one college bathroom’s graffiti, and it is pulled off with charm, humor, fine production value, and a lack of pretension. It manages to be both anthropological and thoroughly entertaining. The level of confiding and poetry on these walls is sort of incredible. (Boy’s bathroom graffiti is just filthy in comparison…. I think the biggest difference between men and women, it would seem judging by this piece, is their graffiti.) It’s good enough to make you think a whole series should be done on graffiti all over the place-- shopping malls, prisons, high schools, construction sights, office buildings. This was like a well done experimental short film—one that, through its art, allows you to see something common place in a whole new way—a way that allows its inherent beauty to be seen. This could fit in anywhere. It’s a treat.
Mary McGrath
Posted on November 05, 2004 at 08:21 AM | Permalink
Review of The Walls
If these walls could talk...this is what you'd hear.
This is a compelling, captivating piece. It's poetic and layered with great sound and it instantly transports you to a familiar place, namely the girls' room and a familiar sight, the writing on the wall. (There used to be a familiar smell too.) There's some sexual content here that some may find objectionable; it is bathroom audio after all, but it could air with other youth radio segments.
Cheryl Ferguson
Posted on November 04, 2004 at 05:23 AM | Permalink
Review of The Walls
A very original slice of life. I was even more intrigued by this piece after listening to it a second time. The sound of someone urinating instantly captured my attention. Straining to hear the voices over running faucets and creaking doors swinging open, I found myself visualizing the different colors of ink on the walls and trying to match handwriting styles to comments.
Kerry Seed
Posted on November 01, 2004 at 06:45 PM | Permalink
Review of The Walls
Umm... I'm not sure where you'll find a spot for a piece that begins with the sound of urinating, and maybe it's a little too long - BUT - at the two minute mark, this collage of voices reading bathroom walls takes a surprising and human turn as listeners hear women using the bathroom walls as a relationship advice column. Great tape of anonymous voices using an anonymous location to be real with each other.