since my last post. Well, that is understandable--lots has happened. But actually I wanted to begin this post with the title:: "Formless Weekend" After a week structured around tutoring I face four days with no plans at all---can do as I want--the city in front of me--of course, tempered by the effect my medication has on my body. Can't explain why the almost three week break---still, I awoke today filled with memories, thoughts of women I knew and desired in college who I see on the street now struggling to push their walkers forward. Can they really be the same people?
Labor day weekend, always the "end of summer". So what is new? Well, the good: fruitful tutoring sessions with about four students---i really like them a lot--one entering sixth grader desperately in need of sufficient maths skills; trying to get him to be strong in basic fourth and fifth grade math---can't understand how his teachers have passed him---he is trying very hard, should be seeing him every day, but parents can only support this for two day a week, so far. He starts sixth grade next week,, so that may limit us more--will he be able to even begin to comprehend sixth grade word problems? Will see how it plays out. The other good: two theater productions over the past weekend that were excellent, the first, an adaptation of a play from 1585 called Galatea, updated by a playwright into a mostly gay love story--cast with (i think) mostly trans actors who were extremely creative and loony---every moment, both in the writing and performance, full of surprises. Saw it in a park that has been newly created on the eastern edge of Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn--an amazing group of luxury apartment houses are just off the park---still, the park is (I assume) for everyone. Beautiful night, everyone out---Atlantic Avenue, post pandemic, between Court Street and the Park, bustling with outdoor restaurants--filled with what seemed to me to be "high end" people, almost all white, enjoying the moment. Never like this before the pandemic. The other play which I saw on Sunday afternoon, was The Nosebleed, by Aya Igawa, at the Tow theater---the small theater in the Beaumont complex in Lincoln Center, that was created to house more "offbeat" work. A strong piece centered around the playwright's attempt to define her father---a cold and withdrawn man-whom she felt was incapable of reaching out to her. Strong moments, especially at the end when the playwright actually creates the image of her father---his rigidity, his coldness right in front of the audience. Performed with great commitment---hard to believe that the playwright-actress creating this vision could recreate it several times a week. After both plays I was able to hang around and chat with some of the actors and actresses, or just tell them how much I liked their work-I think I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed that simple contact---how much it made me feel part of the whole theater environment. I left both plays feeling very invigorated.
So, looking ahead, where will I be this weekend? A good movie weekend--tomorrow (Saturday) many theaters in the city are charging three dollar admission for every movie for the whole day. Will I take advantage of it. The ifc center has a Chinese director, whose work I have never seen, but who has always interested me. A chance to see one of his three movies playing at the space. Then, of course, the is "the world", that is Brooklyn with all its places to walk and maybe hang out. And on Monday, I will go to a Memorial for a former bartender-actress who passed away last year---very young---could not have been more then early forties---she really liked me, appreciated that I was supportive of her performances, but she drank heavily---I have a feeling that may have caused her early death. Really surprised to her of this--just got an email yesterday from her acting partner. I definitely plan to go---to pay my respects, and also touch base with others who knew her. She had a beautiful open spirit-I followed her from bar in Manhattan to bar in Brooklyn. Will see how it plays out.
That should be all by now--will report (I hope) sooner then three weeks.
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