All the world’s a stage
By Christine Foster January 18, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Theater Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams Fri–Sat, Jan 18–19, 8pm Sun, Jan 20, 5pm Teatro Santa Ana Biblioteca Pública Reloj 50A 150 pesos, reserved seats

This weekend is your last chance to catch Terence McNally’s remarkable Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams. One of today’s leading dramatists, McNally has enjoyed a larger-than-life career, winning four Tony Awards, two Guggenheim fellowships and numerous OBIE awards for such shows as Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune, The Ritz and Love, Valour! Compassion!

McNally has, of course, borrowed his title from Shakespeare’s The Tempest: “We are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” Dedication is the playwright at his most personal, offering a wry tribute to his greatest passion: the theater itself. He brings us the lovable Jessie and Lou Nuncle, veteran performers who’ve played everywhere from Broadway to cruise ships, and who are now running a small children’s theater in a strip mall in upstate New York. On the main street of their town is a crumbling, grand old vaudeville house and there is a chance they might be allowed to take it over. But are they willing to pay the full price for their dreams? The pound of flesh the dying owner demands for her dying theater is shocking—and all her own.

Dedication is produced by The Player’s Workshop and directed by Michael Gottlieb who has woven his own love of theater and show people into this production. He has also brought together a wonderful cast including David Hunter and Irene Diamant as Lou and Jessie, Chris Davis as their long-suffering technical director, Arnold; Gwenneth Holmes as Jessie’s rock star daughter, Ida Head; and Seth Sharp as Ida’s soundman soulmate. Elena Shoemaker appears as the redoubtable Mrs. Annabelle Willard, the theater’s puppetmaster, and Juan Vincourt as her soap-opera-addicted chauffeur, Edward.

Be sure to catch this compassionate, lyrical and darkly comic look at who we are, offstage and on. 

Crossing the Line in one act

Theater Crossing the Line Fri, Jan 25, 8pm Sun, Jan 27, 6:30pm Teatro Santa Ana Biblioteca Pública Relox 50A 100 pesos

Crossing the Line is a one-act comedy written, produced and directed by Carlos Diaz, featuring performances by Rocio Evers, Etienne Sánchez and Diaz himself. Although light-hearted in tone, the play deals with a very serious subject—the tensions at Mexico’s border with the US. Through humor, Diaz manages to cast some light on a ticklish situation that affects a great many people on both sides of the border.

José is a young Mexican trying to enter the US. Tom is a border patrol agent doing his best to deny José entry. During the course of their argument, they come to realize that they have a mutual acquaintance, a former girlfriend named Sheryl, a pretty and intelligent woman who now intends to marry a Canadian. As a result of their “shared experience,” and the unexpected arrival of Sheryl on the scene, the men warm to each other and eventually arrive at a better understanding of each other’s position. Finally, José reveals the real reason for his wanting to enter the US. It is not what Tom at first imagined and leads to a surprise resolution of the impasse.

The play opened here last September in its original Spanish version and was enthusiastically received. Now Diaz feels it is time to present it in English. Tickets are available at the theater.

Taking a closer look at relationships 

San Miguel Playreaders
Two Robert Anderson plays
Tue–Thu, Jan 22–24, 7pm
St. Paul’s Church
Cardo 6
Donation 20 pesos

San Miguel Playreaders present two one-act plays by Robert Anderson: “Footsteps of Doves” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Two other plays in his collection, You Know I Can’t Hear You When the Water’s Running, were performed last winter to rave reviews. Anderson often writes about relationships, particularly between married couples, with a certain wry amusement and sympathy, making it easy for the audience to relate to his characters. Seasoned actors Vera Campbell, Frank Simons and Clara Dunham will perform in both plays, with new reader Ruth Schlimovitz joining the cast and acting as stage manager. Doors open at 7pm; the play begins at 7:30 or when the house is full. 

The Literary Cabaret smartens up!
By Meredith Beaumont

Theater
In Vogue
Tues–Thurs, Jan 2224, 8pm
La Cava de la Princesa
Recreo 3
50 pesos

Suggested Caption: Rick, Reesha, & Marilyn – dressed to kill

The Literary Cabaret will be presenting the first show of their 2008 season, entitled: In Vogue, this coming week. Songs, skits and poetry pertaining to the wonderful, wacky world of fashion will be presented with the British trio’s usual satirical flare and in-the-groove irreverence. Not exactly fashionistas, but definitely into dressing up, Rick Davey, Marilyn Bullivant and Reesha Browning, will be guiding us through the history of dress and things associated with the realm of haute couture, not to mention bargain basement bling.

Works to be featured date back to the Egyptians (with a slightly naughty piece regarding the flimsiness of the costumes of that time) and the ancient Greeks. A fragment from the poet, Sappho, illustrates that they were seriously into decorative dress, using such fine fabrics as linen and gauze. The tunic-like peplos of that period were belted and held together at the shoulders by bronze pins; the fashion changed to the pinless chiton after a soldier was stabbed to death by women using their dress pins. (What was he up to, we ask ourselves?) The Greeks were also seriously not into dress; the Olympic Games were always held in the nude. In colder climes, animal skins were prized as far back as 30,000 years ago when prehistoric hunters believed that they took on the spirit of the animal they had killed when they wore its skin.

Suits first appeared in the late seventeenth century with long jackets and matching breeches. (A poem by Leonard Cohen offers a slightly different take on the subject.) Wigs were popular at that time, having been introduced by Louis XIV to cover his baldness; hugely elaborate curls cascaded down to chest length. Join the Cabaret in a song, lovingly reproduced, from this period. Underwear first appeared in the 20th century. The avant-garde poet, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, said that poetry is the underwear of the soul, and will take us through the delights and discomforts of these knickers and vests.

As observers of the human condition, The Literary Cabaret has noted that truly high fashion tends to play on distortions of the human body. In the 1500s, men padded out the fronts of their doublets to create an artificial paunch and women shaved the front of their hair to mimic Elizabeth I’s receding hairline. Boswell, in The Life of Samuel Johnson, commented on the 18th century period of fetishes and fads. Large false hips were created, in the form of panniers for women, and very white skin was considered attractive for both sexes. It was also stylish to wear black beauty patches, cut to various designs, including sun, moon and stars. Since washing was considered unhealthy, heavy makeup and beauty spots helped cover the layers of dirt and subsequent skin blemishes. In the early 19th century, after the excesses of the previous century, clothes became more simple, with flimsy, high-waisted, empire-line dresses, pushing breasts to the forefront. The witty Jane Austin’s astute observations will capture this pro
vocative era.

Music Hall songs from the Belle Epoch will punctuate the evening, illustrating the Edwardian period when it became desirable for ladies to accentuate their bottoms with a padded bustle. The waist was corseted to an unprecedented smallness; some women resorting to having a rib surgically removed to reach the desired 18 inches. By the 1920s, bosoms were being bound to achieve the boyish flat-chested look; waists were dropped and hair bobbed. Glamour came back in the 30s and eyebrows disappeared. Bosoms were cantilevered by push-up bras in the 50s, and then abandoned in the 60s when false eyelashes (glued on with difficulty) became de rigueur. In the 70s, platform shoes elevated everyone to Amazonian heights. In the 80s, people imitated astronauts and wore jumpsuits. In the 90s, belly-buttons were pierced and exposed. 20th century luminaries will include the definitely drab in dress but elegantly eloquent, Alan Bennett; the radically rakish Ray Davies, and the perennially stylish Noel Coward.

Nothing escapes fashion: food, furnishings, transport, even dogs come in and out of favour, and it all keeps repeating itself, over and over again. What next, we wonder. Or do we really care? Let The Literary Cabaret entertain you as they sashay down the runway and lampoon the fables and foibles of the dazzling, ritzy world of fashion!

Meredith Beaumont, journalist, painter and bon vivant, writes fairy tales in her spare time.