so I have read The Mask and the Face, by Luigi Chiarelli

and once again, I am awed by its strength and its vision. Written in 1913, and first performed after World War I, its vision of men-women relationships seems to me just as timely today. Essentially the plot revolves around an arrogant Count, who swears (this is Italy 1913) that if caught his wife in an unfaithful act he would kill her and be justified. On this night, at a party at his house, his wife is being unfaithful---he finds out and is faced with following through. He can't---he sends her away; she agrees to go, then he fires a shot and says that he has killed his wife, and that her body has fallen into the lake below their estate. He is arrested---goes to prison for nine months, then is tried and acquitted,  On his day of return, he is considered a hero--many have sent flowers, women want to meet him--but now he sees the absurdity of the whole business. Refusing to take part in all the celebrations ,he isolates himself and then---surprise---his wife returns---she understands her foolishness (the affair was meaningless to her) and she wants to be with him again. Do they reconcile? Can the Count's new understanding of the absurdity of his situation turn his rage to love?
Its done in a fascinating way, the dialogue is full of insight, and the supporting characters are sharply drawn.  I love the play.
  So what (if anything) can I do with it? I am showing it to my friend Sarah, an up and coming director who programs new groups into the theater she has just become co-Artistic Director of. I am sure she will read it carefully, but a production---even at a time when theater was happening--seems very difficult. Maybe, when the theaters are reopened again, we could arrange for a staged reading of the play---I already know the actors whom I think could give very strong readings in the leadsl--at one of the small theaters.  Whatever, I would just like as many theater people whom I know to get to know it.
Yesterday evening, spent an hour and a half on zoom, meeting with Imani, the leader of BAN and two other volunteers in preparation for doing some phone calls about getting free food to residents of Flatbush. First experience during the pandemic in which I was confronted with the "here and now".
This is about doing! The ghosts and memories of the past are made irrelevant by these tasks. It was a solid hour an a half---I signed up for an hour of work on Sunday, I will receive my instructions soon---should be a nice challenge.
What else..? I think that is all---its been a strange day---I spent most of it in the apartment reading the really skillful Agatha Christie mystery that Sarah got for me from her parents library.  It really keeps one going---will report soon.