are. Monday morning in the library. AM paper had a disturbing article about police raids in the NYCHA projects that have willfully disturbed the lives of people and their families not involved in the drug selling in the projects. Very frightening---seems to be very little that can be done about it--in this case, the average person, no matter how much he detests this action---is powerless. Being a white person means living in an alternative society where this simply does not happen. So what is to be done...? Keep thinking about it, I suppose...and see what is possible. Still lots of strides to be made in changes all around the city. Must keep at it, no matter what artistic vision one possesses,no mattrer how many plays one needs to see.
Saturday night, went to see Signature Plays, three plays be Albee, Fornes and Adrienne Kennedy. Albee's play is slight, Fornes' deeply felt very well, acted by two black actors, somewhat reminsicent of Beckett. Group of four (two couples) in front of me did not like it, a little abstract but not hard to follow for myself. Finally the FunnyHouse of a Negro by Adrienne Kennedy, the strength of the evening. Have I seen this play before? Know that I have seen two other plays by this playwright, not sure if this was one of them. Was bowled over by the play---incredible production, writing is intense, a character has a monologue in which they reveal facts about themselves, and the next monologue by another character tells us that these facts may be totally imagined. Play topples over on itself, but after all, this is a "FunnyHouse" not a narrative piece. Set by Mimi Lien is terrific that black wall that the audience sees at times is unforgettable. Great acting by the whole cast. Really glad that I saw it (and probably would not have if my friend Robin was not sick in Baltimore)---again, I think that a lot of people will not like it for it defies narration and deals with a racial subject in a very intense manner. On the way home one of the actresses whose work I have known for about 30 years was on the bus---but I decided not to talk to her---as I left told her the play was great, she seemed very happy to receive this information. Too tired to "hang out" went home, even if it was kind of early.
Sunday---after session, somewhat at loose ends, watched first part of Met Game at Sports bar on 79nth street---bartender was very nice---very few people at the bar at first, later it filled up.
Thought that i would see a play that my friend Jess Chayes directed, but was tired, did not expect to be so tired, but needed some place for my imagination to roam, so decided to see Fugitive Kind at Lincoln Center--know the play, Orpheus Descending, that it was based on, really found myself taken in by it---Magnanni is terrific, so is Brando, glad they were not afraid to keep the really unhappy and brutal ending of the play, three years later when a movie was made of Sweet Bird of Youth, the ending was made happier. Finished the movie, then went home---fell asleep very quickly, woke during the evening but did not go out.
My friend Robin's brother died on Sunday morning; he was an odd duck, very withdrawn, did nothing with his life, always chauferred Robin around, he was very comfortable doing that. She feels bereft---thought that i might go down Sunday and visit her, maybe see Everyman production of Death of a Salesman as well---now feel too overbooked---options spin around in my head, everything is moment to moment---tomorrow discussion and plays in the afternoon at Friends, will report on this and other things soon.
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