Date: 17 August 2008 05:54:44
Back down to Bundanoon yesterday; I dropped off the gift [various biscuits and cakes] at the letterbox, together with a card, and made it back without incident.
Last night I talked to a friend currently living in the UK for a half-an-hour or so; he has resigned from work and has just returned travelling through National Parks on the West Coast of the US -- as well as visiting ComicCon, a Comic Convention, in San Diego; he heads off to Italy today, then travels around the UK and then Canada. Lucky fellow.
I then went to see an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet at the Riverside Theatre at Parramatta. An interesting, energetic and fascinating adaptation: it takes place in a Catholic Boarding School, with four students [the only cast members] exploring Romeo & Juliet at night, and in secret. With only four actors, and with a changed setting, it was a very interesting performance. I do not mind if Shakespeare's plays are taken out his time, as I do feel their setting can be adapted and modified without losing anything: that is, to me, one of the amazing facets of Shakespeare's plays -- they contain timeless truths about us and our lives.
The theme of "forbidden love", as the page linked to above describes it, was present, but not in a "in-your-face" manner or as some kind of political statement: it was a natural part of the play. I also found, having a "play within a play" as it were, and having the students speak lines from the play interesting and effective, and particularly effective in terms of the last few lines of the play: lines I know, and love, but lines that gained new insight and impact in this production. As the fellow [who played Romeo] who had expressed homosexual feelings, on seeing his "Juliet" leave as he entreated 'her' to remain, spoke:
A glooming peace this morning with it brings;Also, as mentioned on the link, it was rather physical, lively and innovative. I was in the front row and the set was at floor level, so I did feel at times as though I was immersed in their world -- and I did wonder if, during several energetic scenes, if one of them may crash into me!
The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head:
Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things;
Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished:
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
In between the drive and play I watched Who Killed the Electric Car?: a fascinating documentary on the production, sales [limited as they were] and then recall, and destruction, of these cars. Definitely a film with a view to put forward, but I did nevertheless find it rather compelling. Though it did lay some of the blame with manufacturers and governments, consumers were also labelled "guilty" for their inaction -- and I sadly admit I am often very apathetic at times. From my, albeit ignorant PoV, I thought a good case was made for the electric car, and felt rather sad that it truly did appear to be crushed, in some cars' cases literally crushed, from above. I suppose we look forward to hybrids and hope for some further breakthroughs there. And it caused me to consider my usage of my car, and what I am doing to consider the environment and the future. Sadly, I must say currently not much. I hope and pray I can be spurred from my often apathetic state to some action, however small.
A very good and varied Saturday: thanks and praise be to God.