Xavier Hollander: affirming eroticism
By Tim Hazell, Jan 19, 2007

Xaviera Hollander and John Peterson Friday & Saturday, January 26 & 27, 8pm  Sunday, January 28, 2pm Posada de San Francisco, Plaza Principal 2 100 pesos

“In my house I have had transsexuals, swingers, tattooed people, teachers families with kids, Italians who called my erotic work on the walls ‘pura pornografia’ and some students I give a special price as they are usually kids of friends of mine.”

—Xaviera Hollander


Following last year’s sold-out True or Falsetto, starring Ernesto Tomassini, Bajío Repertory Company is getting ready to showcase two eclectic personalities with its upcoming presentation of the controversial author of The Happy Hooker, former New York prostitute and madam Xaviera Hollander, and “ Real Dirt” farmer, essayist and lecturer John Peterson. The salon at the rear of the historic and centrally located Hotel Posada de San Fransisco will provide an intimate setting and a unique opportunity for audiences to encounter one of the most controversial and outspoken women of the last three decades as she presents excerpts from her life and novels with wit and candor. 

Artful prostitution is achieving legitimacy today, as many of its most talented practitioners go on to become noted authors and lecturers. These social entrepreneurs and activists consider their profession as a vocation and career and their work, at its best, as a form of counseling and therapy. Xaviera Hollander’s classic, The Happy Hooker, which sold over 16 million copies after its publication in 1971, is regarded as one of the most important books to come out of the sex workers’ movement. A seminal reference manual for social mores of the late sixties and early seventies, the book joins the ranks of Heidi Fleiss’s Hollywood Madam and Shawna Kenney’s I Was A Teenage Dominatrix, among others, in a genre that infuses frank descriptions of spirited sexuality with humor, honesty and uncommon zest for life. 

Literature that illuminates the world of artful prostitution is as old as the history of the calling itself. Courtesans turn up frequently in The Tale of Genji, an 11th-century masterpiece by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, and a shimmering, surreal work by second-century Roman author Lucius Apuleus, The Golden Ass. The pace of publications has accelerated recently, reflecting changing attitudes to the world of sex work as our modern culture integrates it with daily life. Xaviera Hollander has passionately advocated the need to bring sex out of the closet with an originality that has produced 19 works of fiction and nonfiction, including her most recent, Child No More, a haunting recollection of a childhood spent in a Japanese prisoner of war camp with her parents, and coming of age. She continues to re-invent herself as one of the few individuals who has influenced the way we think and behave. 

Known for her intelligence and candor, Hollander is in constant demand as a lecturer and TV personality, appearing frequently as a guest with hosts such as Larry King, Sally Jesse Raphael and Selina Scott. She has lectured for the World Congress of Sexology in Mexico City and Jerusalem. The author lives in Marbella, Spain, but spends much of the year in Holland. She is currently the owner of a well-known bed and breakfast establishment, her home of 15 years in the plush neighborhood of Beethovenstraat, Amsterdam. Xaviera is an active promoter of fringe theater, converting her living room with seating and trestle tables for home-cooked meals and cult theater productions every two months.

John Peterson, who will appear with Hollander as interlocutor and raconteur, has achieved notoriety of his own with The Real Dirt on Farmer John. The award-winning feature documentary film by Taggart Siegel chronicles the dramatic failure of Farmer John’s conventional agrarian operation and its resurrection into a thriving, organic, community farming venture. John Peterson runs Angelic Organics, one of the largest community-supported agriculture farms in the United States, and brings the discipline of growing crops in the Midwest to his winters of writing in Mexico. John’s essays have been featured in books and in articles in the Sun, Growing for Market, Biodynamic Magazine, Lilipoh, and Community Farm News. He is a rare personality who makes public presentations about farming to groups and conferences worldwide and will provide a striking counterpoint to Xaviera’s performance.

Bajío Repertory Company has a seven-year history of masterminding successful shows, such as Dracula!, The Importance of Being Ernest, and The Dresser. Audiences who have attended these, and other performances, have come to associate the company with regional professional theater at its best. In keeping with its mandate, the organizers of Bajío have frequently brought in actors and technicians from the United States and Europe, and showcased some of San Miguel’s most talented thespians in presentations that strive to blend finesse and entertainment. Hollander will provide insight into her singular career, with readings from her lighter investigations into sexuality and modern mores, personal recollections, and excerpts from her latest book. John Peterson will bring his own special brand of performance art as interlocutor. Tickets for this rare chance to see these two intriguing personalities on an intimate stage are 100 pesos and go on sale at La Conexión and Border Crossings starting Friday, January 19.

Literary Cabaret at work
By Meredith Beaumont

The Literary Cabaret on the Job Tuesday, January 23–Friday, January 26, 8pm La Cava de la Princesa, Recreo 3 50 pesos

The Literary Cabaret continue their 13th season in San Miguel with their second offering, The Literary Cabaret on the Job, devoted to the tireless travails and professional pitfalls of the working world.

Rick Davey, Marilyn Bullivant and Reesha Browning seek to assure us all that, although their shows may seem effortless, they are keeping their noses to the grindstone in order to dig deeply into the world of English Literature that can be enjoyed in an atmosphere of music, mirth, and merriment, requiring little or no form of labor on the part of the audience.

The tireless British trio intend to put their usual boundless energy into producing a program that will feature a number of skits: two by one of their favorite playwrights, Harold Pinter. Pinter, who celebrated his 70th birthday in 2000 and was suitably feted around the world at that time, is, of course, the master of the absurd, and what better situation for the ridiculous than the workplace? His characters, who always seem a little bit on edge, will be seen in a particularly nasty interview situation and in a highly technical discussion in a nameless factory.

The workplace of today and yesterday will be explored, noting changes that have taken place. There’s a song about a milkman—(M)they still do exist in England—(M) and it’s a very comforting experience to hear the clink of bottles being put on the doorstep at 5am when one is still cozily tucked in bed. Benny Hill wrote this one in the 1960s when milk carts were still often being pulled by horses even in London, a fact that seems difficult to believe these days. A song made famous by Gracie Fields tells the story of women working in factories for the war effort (WWII), and other songs tell about the funnier side of being a furniture mover, computer programmer, window cleaner or farm boy.

On a more poetic note, there will be verse by D. H. Lawrence (the first major English novelist to have truly working-class origins). His father was a coal miner, and he himself was determined never to work in the pit. Encouraged by his mother, he managed to escape the occupation that was so often passed down from father to son, and attended University College, Nottingham, becoming a teacher. Many other poets have had other professions before, while devoting themselves to their creative writing—including Poet Laureate John Betjeman, whose books on architectural criticism have been widely acclaimed, and, although the poem featured is about real estate, it tells us more about the sleazy side of a young executive and his willingness to be bought.

Joyce Grenfell, who was originally a radio critic for the Observer newspaper and later became an actress and singer, contributes one of her brilliant monologues that obliquely tells the tale of a working woman. In addition, Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, who were respectively a naval engineer and a classical composer before getting together to write humorous songs and appear in the highly successful revue “At the Drop of a Hat” describe in detail what can happen when you innocently call in a tradesman to fix a small problem.

Love letters from San Miguel

Love Letters Thursday, February 8–Sunday, February 25 Villa Jacaranda, Aldama 53 125/ 250 pesos

This is an excerpt from the first e-mail love letter I ever received, shortly after I had left San Miguel de Allende, where I met the man with whom I had fallen in love a couple of weeks earlier in San Miguel and who has been my best friend, companion, and lover ever since.

—Barbara Lemke



Hola Chica Mia,

It's about 3:19 en la tarde and you have been gone for hours. I have left your coffee cup on the table where you last drank from it. The same for the cup of water by the nightstand in the bedroom.

Your memory lingers and I do what I can to encourage it to stay.

I am glad we had one more night together, baby. This is a strange, strange day to realize you are not in town and that we will not be meeting anywhere soon. . . .

I have spent hours thinking about where you were during certain years when I was at particular periods of my life. And what might or might not have happened had we met then. A certain ennui, a tristeza hangs over me and it is hard to concentrate on working. Well, actually, it is impossible to work. . . .

There is probably much to say, but I am a little too sad to say it. My energy is low and my brain is just sort of coasting, dwelling so much on recent memories.


Love,

XXX

I received this handwritten Valentine two weeks after I fell in love with Mayer, whom I married six months later, and have now been married to for 25 joyful years.

—Susan Page



Dear Heart,

I have walked through many lifetimes 
Into the deepest valleys,
Across the parched deserts,
Stumbled over the sharp rocks of cold wild waters,
Hiked over verdant rolling hills . . .

Then, pulling myself over a jagged ledge,
I saw the highest mountain!
That glorious lofty vision remained my constant companion,
As I greeted tomorrows coming,
With outstretched arms and an open heart . . .

And many days later, as the world fell away far below,
I took one last step onto that high of highs,
Bid all past regrets farewell . . .


Gave wing to my heart, and took flight into your life
'Til the end of time.

Forever my love,

Mayer


The Authors’ Sala presents these and other love letters to celebrate A. R. Gurney’s famous play, Love Letters, playing at Villa Jacaranda throughout February. We encourage you to submit your love letter for this collection! Your letter might be personal, historic, or literary, published anonymously or with your name, as you choose.

When you submit a love letter, you will be entered in a drawing for romantic prizes. Send your contribution to Paulette Quann at pauliquann@yahoo.com. Final deadline for submissions is January 31.

You may win one of these romantic prizes: A private appointment at Casa Verde Spa and Yoga retreat for manicure, pedicure, hairstyling and yoga class (800 peso value); a fine selection of chocolates, presented in a hand-painted wooden box, from Chocodisiac; two free entrance tickets for a Friday night show starring “Maria” at La Fragua; two dinner-package tickets to a three-course dinner and Iguana Production's play, Love Letters; or a bottle of CAVA, a sparkling drink for a great romantic evening, from Wine Styles.

Love Letters, starring David Hunter and Billie Bremer and directed by Kirsten Dehner opens at Villa Jacaranda on February 8. It will play Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 4pm through February 25. Admission is 125 pesos, which includes one drink, or 250 pesos, which includes dinner. For convenient online reservations, go to www.loveletters-sma.com 

Comedy of the Universe reprises “Transylvania”

Transylvania Mon Amour Wednesday, January 24–Saturday, January 27, 8pm Sunday, January 28, 5pm Teatro Santa Ana, Reloj 50A 100 pesos

The Comedy of the Universe, the most famous comedy troupe in San Miguel since 1999, strikes again with a reprise of its seventh production, Transylvania Mon Amour. Through the ages, people have both feared and been fascinated by the unknown and dark world of monsters, vampires, animated objects, werewolves and other creatures of the night. In this magic-comedy show you will see, and laugh, at them all, as imagined by José Luis Mendoza, director and founder of the company.

The show transcends language—it doesn’t matter whether you speak English, Chinese or Vampirese—and guarantees a clean laugh and spirit-lifting amusement for the whole family.

The flu season approaches

Playreaders present The Flu Season

Tuesday–Thursday, 

January 23–25, 7pm

St. Paul’s Church, Cardo 60

10 pesos



Will Eno’s play The Flu Season is the featured performance of the San Miguel Playreaders next week. This modern work is the story of some slightly wacky, at-odds-with-the-world characters called “Man,” “Woman,” “Doctor” and “Nurse” who meet and fall in love in a mental hospital. 


It all starts in the fall, and by the end of the play, the following spring, one of the love affairs ends happily and the other does not. But The Flu Season deals with much more than just love, mostly because of two persistent and rather unique characters named “Prologue” and “Epilogue.” These well-worn literary devices generally reflect two of our basic states of mind. Prologue is full of optimism (his title for the play is “The Snow Romance”). Epilogue is a cynical pessimist (“My character could also have been called ‘Regrets’”). Both Prologue and Epilogue talk directly to the audience throughout the play. They set the scene and comment on the events as they occur, but they also launch at random into the loftier subjects of time and art and what is real. The result is to transform the production into a sort of play outside of a play.

Eno, as you may have guessed, is a somewhat radical artist. His plays have been produced often in Britain, but he has only become popular in New York during the last few years. Recently, The Flu Season won an Oppenheimer Award. In the opinion of Edward Albee, “Will Eno is one of the finest young playwrights I’ve come across in a number of years.” 

Come catch The Flu Season, and decide for yourself!

The cast includes Lola Smith, Scott Wilson, Britt Zaist, Henry Vermillion, Marte Fraser and B. J. Abrahamson. Lights and sound are by Larry Gassler. Directed by Susan Rushton.

Doors open at 7pm, and the performance begins at 7:30pm, or earlier if the house fills.

Thomas More: saint or sinner?

Theater, A Man for All Seasons

Opens Monday, February 5

Teatro Santa Ana, Biblioteca Pública, Insurgentes 25

“Your conscience is your own private matter,” says Cardinal Wolsey to Thomas More in Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons, as if they were not 16th-century Catholics, but 20th-century existentialists, familiar with the works of Sartre. The historical More did not see his conscience as his private property but as something that belonged to the Vatican. For a Catholic like him, there could be no conflict between his conscience and the dictates of Rome, any more than there could later be a conflict between the conscience of a good Communist and the orders of Stalin. In the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, the intelligence behind the Reformation, the Pope’s status dwindled first to the Bishop of Rome and then to just another Italian politician, but for More he remained the keeper of his conscience, for whose sake More was willing to see England drift into civil war.

This anachronism is only one of several clashes between the historical More and the More of the play. The play gives us the impression that More’s household is an island of decency in a sea of corruption, though the historical More had six people burned at the stake for distributing English translations of the Bible and tortured almost 50 other suspects, some of them in his own home. Bolt’s More is a jovial fellow, teasing his son-in-law about his abstemious habits, but the historical More wore a penitential goat-hair shirt and flagellated himself with knotted cords.

Theater, however, is not history, and the idealized picture of More as a good-hearted man of principle produces stronger drama than the historical More could. So, whether your hero is Fidel Castro defying the US embargo or George W. Bush refusing to countenance stem-cell research, or anyone who clings to the rules simply because they are the rules, this is the play for you.

The play also features the character of Richard Rich. In a BBC poll, he was voted “the most despicable person of the sixteenth century.” Come and see why. A Man for All Seasons, directed by Murray Kamelhaar, opens at the Teatro Santa Ana on February 5 for seven performances. Tickets go on sale in the library patio beginning January 22.