The Play’s the Thing...

Aline writes: We’ve seen a few good plays recently. The first was “The Home Place” with Tom Courtenay. He made such a big impression on me when I saw the film “The Dresser” so long ago, so I was thrilled at the opportunity to see him live. And he didn’t disappoint! “The Home Place” is by Brian Friel, set in 1878, and is ostensibly about Home Rule in Ireland, complete with a well-meaning English landlord whose world is turned upside down when his English cousin arrives to conduct an anthropometric project involving measuring the heads of local people in order to identify racial characteristics. Lots of foreshadowing Hitler and his classifying of “inferior” races.

We also saw “As You Like It” last night. It was set in the 1940’s and had wonderful music with live accordion, cello, flute, and singing in a great 1940’s French style. The production was a bit uneven (it is in previews, so some muffed lines, etc.) but very enjoyable. Except for that weird Buddhist Hymen (the god of marriage) at the end – pretty bizarre! I hoped they paid that actor A LOT to apear in those robes!

But, one of my favorite things about English plays is the ice cream at the intermission, where the girls and boys with cigarette-type trays come through the theatre so you can buy ice cream cups. Somehow it is very English! And delicious of course!