where are we....

going? What is happening in the city? What is happening to us?
Last night: Troilius and Cressida in the park. Where to begin? Got there at 6:30---had no trouble getting in---on the line sat next to a very nice couple---she teaches at Woodside, he is a copywriter; they live in Sunnyside.
The production--this is a very difficult play to bring off--a true ensemble piece---found the first act a little "streaky"---performances somewhat obvious---had trouble with the vision of Cressida as a kind of privileged private school girl---yet the play evolved fairly, Second act was much stronger--the final scenes had an incredible impact---the acting was far more focused---director Dan Sullivan really understands the play and allowed its brutal and unfair strength to show itself. At the center of  all this was Bill Heck's Hector---an actor of incredible charisma whose death was really frightening. Audience gave them a very deserved strong ovation. Also liked Max Casella who caught the garbage mouthed Thersites very well. Sullivan's updating seemed a little gratuitous at times, but ultimately got out of the way of the action. The play itself is a stunning piece of writing---some of the lines are so aware and the language so amazing, that I was in awe.
Now the bad news: the voice over from the Public's artistic director, blatantly asks the patrons to thank Bank of America--I find that really repugnant---you know the abuses that Bank of America participated into cause the bank destruction of 2008. How can this man honestly ask us to be greatful to the Bank? And why does the audience---a 90% white audience, most of whom look like they graduated from Ivy League Schools or somewhat similar ones---who probably know the difference between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton--sit there in silence. Nothing, not even a reference---it is as if they had no awareness of Bank of America's role in the 2008 breakdown. And while the artistic director of the Public has raised the standards of production and performance in Central Park immeasurably in the past few years---why must I, as an audience member be forced to hear this blatant statement praising this bank, every time I see a Central Park production. Very sad, even sadder that I don't even know who to discuss this with---or what kind of reaction I will get from my theater friends. I feel like Dr. Stockman in Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. (possibly a little far fetched). Want to continue this dialogue, but where?
This morning---two articles in the Village Voice stressed that the city seems really divided into two sections, two visions. The one on Bronx Borough President Diaz pointed out that he is interested in undermining, possibly destroying the small businesses that line Jerome Avenue, a little bit north of Yankee Stadium. In this way, he is in "cahoots" with the Mayor. A "populist" supported by the current Governor of the State? I doubt it. A lot of money has been poored into the Bronx in the past few years. The second article was about Mr. Tusk, and independant "technocrat" with a hatred of left wing populism (according to the article) who is campaigning against the current Mayor---although with no real alternative selected. But who will ask for his support in the coming election? Anyone who wants to show that deBlasio has failed the very people he was supposed to help (the middle and lower classes of the city) would have to reject his philosophy. And the people that I support in Brooklyn,the anti gentrification---displacement, black lives matter people want blood---they are everything that he does not want. So where do we go from here?
Wow! Got a lot of venting out---time to go back to a theater web site---maybe somebody saw the third understudy for the genie in Alladin, and wants to tell us about it. Would be a relief....