Saw Sorrows And Rejoicing. . .my Personal Review

[taxifan]

first of all i didn't think i'd come back with any story at all to tell but i did end up with a tiny tiny one to tell. . .

me and my aunt got there at about 2:25 as everyone is pilling into the theatre(serves me right going anywhere with my aunt i would ever be early for it!) and we got in.

we had some hard trouble getting out seats etc. we went up one row and then i suggested we go back down and go up the next row to our seats(naturaly the second from the way back!) so we go and following this long slow line and we're stalled for some reason so i start looking around and at the bottom of the second level stairs is no other than. . .robert! :o he was seating my himself i imagined at the time just relaxing. . . I was in complete shock. i found myself gawking at him naturally and then the line started to move so i went with traffic up to the heavens of our seats. I took a good look at him though. . .very different from tv and interviews, etc al. but still only took me a second to recognize him. i guess he was trying to relax there and then all of those poepl have to pass him to sit down. . .he should have known not to sit there. . .and besides he had the bar in front of him...geez not very good view of the wife there! :-)

as we sit down i pointed him out to my aunt at this point that is now joined by two older men as well. the one sitting next to him i pointed out as her agent(i was pretty sure it was) then there was a gentleman next to him(i'm guess that was her agent's boyfriend but i coudl have been wrong) and my aunt said to me "the bald guy with grey?" and i said "NO! the one next to the aisle" then she said "oh the other bald one" and i was like "no the blackhaired bald guy the one with the most hair" and then we just rolled over laughing(no offense to any of them its just how it came out! :lol: ) with being overly hot in my sweater and my stomach growling very loudly. . .my evening continued. . .

so the play started and judith was the first to come out and the audience applauded. it was a smaller place than i have ever been to. we were in the second to last row but could see like we were in the front row. the play was only about 1hr40minutes long and only one set in one setting. the play was VERY VERY hard to understand. you just can't sit back at a play liek this and just enjoy it. . you have to pay close attention. my aunt had to fill me in on a lot. a sad thing was as we were leaving we overheard two different people saying "i have no idea what that play was about" and quite frankly it took until the end for me to get it myself or at least the middle way through. I don't think it was bad writing or anyting like that it was just hard to follow and some things are. . .

it was about a guy named dawin in africa and he has this servant that he was in love with but knew that they way things were he couldn't be with her so he marries a white woman allison(judith) instead. she knows that he loves the slave so after getting the slave preggy she makes him move to another country and then he comes back to die at his grandfather's place(i think it was anyway) and during the whole time judiht, the slave, and the daughter are there in the supposidly livingroom discussing all of this. the duaghter stands in the doorway for a while like a whole hour(me and my aunt were joking about this later on) but THEN came out and gave this powerful performance naturally. but the weird thing about it was that dawid is in the play as this ghost or something so we weren't sure if he's imagining talking to these people or its a memory or WHAT the heck is goign on but anyway he was good. . .

then the ending came and since there was no star i guess they all came out together. about 70% of the audience stood. i didn't i thought she wouldn't see me anyway. then as we were leaving i looked back down at the three men in judith's life just kinda standing there like "what do we do now?" which was soo funny :lol: then some young black guy came up to robert dont' know if a fan or in their group dont' know but we were heading out.

we didn't hang around to see if she would come out or not. my aunt and i almost stayed there and had a sandwich outside but it was getting late and i get to go home ot get ready for work but then had to have dinner iwht my uncle who was back home. then we went out to dinner, told uncle all about it plus my LOUD growling stomach and he joked and said "you should have said 'sorry judith i haven't eaten yet'" lol I even laughed at THAT one! then we talked about judiht more and how she looked and then we were talking about how she looked and aging and then my aunt said "yeah even tony danza has aged all that gray hair he has on that lawyer show" and i said "um NO!" and she's all "he used to be good looking" and i said "he still IS!" and sh'es all "well no he used to have all that long hair and thinner" etc etc but what can you do LOL

overall it was all ok. it was great seeing her in person like that. . .and by the way, out of all those jokes said on who's the boss about her legs its true! i'd trade my legs in for hers anyday! :D

[ReJoys2]

Taxifan, I enjoyed your write up about seeing Judith, with all the little trials and tribulations and incidental happenings. It's neat you got to see Robert too. It must have been hard to be so close to Judith and Robert and not be able to say something to them. Even if the story didn't seem to come together for you till near the end, at least you were seeing Judith during all that time. It must be amazing to see and hear her performing live on stage. Wouldn't it be neat if she got a singing part some time? We've discussed on the boards about how nice her voice is. If that happens, maybe it will be the time for me to pack my suitcase and head to whatever city she is performing in.
Seems that we all have gone to see Judith or Tony with someone who is less than enthusiastic about being there. Maybe your aunt and uncle didn't become converted, but sounds like others did. Folle's friends were convinced by the end of the evening that Tony was all we say he is. Madewy's husband enjoyed Tony's performance when they saw him. When my daughter went with me to see him, she realized how good he is and was sorry afterward that she didn't get his autograph and a picture made with him.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Like you told madewy in a different post/topic, it was like you put us in the driver's seat and helped us experience part of it with you. :)

[madewy]

Taxifan, I so enjoyed your recounting of your afternoon with your aunt at the theatre. But it sounds to me that auntie needs new glasses if she thinks T.D. is no longer good looking. Maybe it's because she only sees him on tv 'cause in person he is dashing (a word I haven't used since Carey Grant passed on). Just have her ask Folle.
But that aside, your experience was thrilling even if the play wasn't (for you). We fans don't have to love everything our favorites do..some things just aren't our 'cup of tea'. That doesn't mean we are disloyal. Even when we don't care for the vehicle we may still find their work in it impressive. The fact that we continue to follow them and support them is enough redemption.
It sounded to me that you had a fun afternoon and evening and I'll bet you'd do it again. And from your telling of it...I'd go with you :lol: .

[folle]

Tony Danza is flat out dreamy, more so with the gray hair. Mmm, I'm in heaven just thinking about him! That smile, that enthusiasm, that...dinner jacket!

Wink, Folle

[taxifan]

wow does tony look THAT good? lol I personally like hte shorter "do" but maybe i'm alone on that one lol

sometiems you see plays or movies that are hard to follow or get the meaning. . .eventually i did and when i DID i enjoyed it a lot more. Judith was just fasinating!! :P I mean really! When she came out to bow she smiled just like angela bower(just with shorter hair!) I am just waiting for her to get her fanny back here on stage...or else to get her star so i can drive down to l.a to see it. . .maybe then meet her.

Yes you are right, we follow them no matter what. . .that is the true fan in us!! :D

[Speedy4965]

Hi Taxifan,
I am sorry to hear that you that you found Sorrows and Rejoicings a bit too confusing. Athol Fugard is, in my opinion, an extraordinarily gifted playwright who uses his plays to remind us that above all else we are human beings. They speak volumes about man's inherent ability to rise above the socially contrived prejudices that threaten his mere existence. Although I am by no means "an expert" at exploring the underlying themes of his work, here is my interpretation of Sorrows and Rejoicings. The play focuses on the relationships between four people: Dawid, a white South African poet and activist who fought to end Apartheid; Allison, Dawid's wife; Marta, a black servant in Dawid's family home in the Karoo (the village that he grew up in)and the mother of Rebecca; Rebecca, Dawid and Marta's daughter. As the story unfolds Marta and Allison have just returned to Dawid's childhood home following his funeral. Dawid has just died after a battle with Cancer.
Even though most of the action takes place in one room in the present day, there are quite a few flashbacks to meaningful moments in the past. Dawid only appears in Marta's and Allison's recollections of those memories. Essentially, this is what takes place. Allison, a conservative, rather uptight intellectual from England who was in school in South Africa, met and married Dawid, a passionate, young activist who vowed to make South Africa a better place in which to live with the unyielding power of his pen. For a while the two of them lived in South Africa. Initially, Allison was drawn to Dawid's drive to make a difference. Over time, however, she grew to resent his passion for his beloved homeland. She just never could relate well to any of Dawid's close relatives and childhood friends, including Marta. And, honestly, they never treated her as though she belonged there. Allison was always seen as an "outsider". During this time Dawid also has an affair and fathers a child with Marta. Although I truly believe that he loves Allison in his own way, his heart is inexorably tied to Marta's and Rebecca's. They represent what is most important to him, his unadulterated love for his country, its history, and his hope for a brighter future. Given the highly volatile status of affairs, he has no choice. He has to leave Rebecca, Marta, and his homeland behind. Dawid can not even publicly acknowledge that Rebecca is his child even though everyone, even Allison, knows it.
After some time (sixteen years before the play begins), Allison and Dawid move to London because Dawid is exiled for his involvement in the unrest that ultimately toppled Apartheid. In the beginning both of them are optimistic that this move will be good one. Allison is finally among people that she feels a connection to and Dawid yearns to exert a positive influence on the ebb and flow of social change in South Africa via the power of his incredibly moving prose (without being bound by the oppressive ties of Apartheid). Unfortunately, their high hopes are quickly dashed. As Allison becomes readily accepted by her peers, she and Dawid become increasingly more distant. Instead of inciting further change in South Africa, Dawid becomes despondent, feeling as though he has let his friends and beloved homeland down. And, he plunges headfirst into a deep depression that leads to nothing but alcoholism and pain for the two of them. Then, to add insult to injury, Dawid contracts Mumps which leaves him unable to bare any more children (forever reminding Allison about his deeply rooted love for Marta).
Eventually, Allison and Dawid go their separate ways but they never divorce. Dawid continues to drink and ultimately is diagnosed with terminal Cancer. Nearly a month before he dies, Dawid returns to his beloved Karoo and Marta. Unfortunately, Dawid is still not able to publicly declare his love for Marta and Rebecca. And, Rebecca has consequently become very bitter about it and the fact that her mother has been pining away all of these years for a man that society will never allow her to love. In fact, at some point before the funeral she even burns quite a bit of what remains of her father's best work (which is representative of her ignorance regarding the key role that Dawid tried to play in securing a safer, more serene world for her and everyone else).
By the end of the play, Marta and Allison realize that they are not mortal enemies and that Rebecca's mere presence is the embodiment of the future. Allison also finally realizes that she should have encouraged Dawid to embrace his homeland not dissociate from it. She then gives Marta and Rebecca the keys to the house, knowing that it belongs as much to them as it did to Dawid.
Well, that's it in a nutshell. I didn't see the performance in LA, but I saw it in NYC. I loved it, and Judith's performance was stellar. But, I really admire Athol's work. Once you have read some of his plays, they become easier to understand and appreciate. It also helps to keep in mind that he is a native of South Africa and that he was deeply impacted by Apartheid.
I hope this clarifies things a bit:)

[ReJoys2]

Speedy,

It's nice to read another one of your informative and entertaining posts. If we didn't know what S&R was about before, we certainly do now. Thanks for explaining it so well. We've missed you on the boards. Welcome back. :)

[taxifan]

boy did you analyze THAT ONE!! hmm. . .as rejoys said we sure know what it's about NOW!!

i have a question though for you fans. . .how come you have this ability to "travel" aorund to all these different states and watch judith or tony? r at least it seems like it anyway i could be wrong. . .boy i wish i had the time(along with money) to do all of that. . .maybe when i'm older with a good job etc i'll have the possibilities that these fellow board memebers have to follow their fav actor anywhere, literally :(

[Speedy4965]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the compliments. I am thrilled to finally have the time to post something. For the past several months I have been incredibly busy. But, I have periodically checked the message board to read everyone's posts. They are great. Hopefully, I'll be able to be a bit more active on the board now.
Taxifan, I generally don't have the ability to travel around the country solely to see my favorite actors perform either. Believe me, I wish that I could because I thoroughly enjoy live performances. Since I live in Washington, DC and have close friends in NYC, it is just relatively easy for me to catch my favorite plays and musicals in either city. Unfortunately, I have never been able to see Tony or Danny perform on stage. By all accounts, they are as awesome as Judith is. Live theatre truly showcases the depth of her talent. And, I must agree with you, Taxifan. Judith looks great. When I saw the play, Robert wasn't there. But, Herb Hamsher (Judith's manager) and Dan Pintauro were. I almost didn't recognize Dan. In fact, he was standing right in front of me for several minutes before it dawned on me who he was. He looks great. I just wasn't expecting to see him. It shouldn't have surprised me though because he and Judith have reportedly always had a very close relationship. In fact, come to think of it, he attended one of the performances of Hedda Gabler (in Washington, DC) that I attended too. I didn't try to speak to him either time because he was chatting with friends. Personally, if a WTB? cast reunion is not in the forseeable future, I would love to see several of them perform together on stage. And, it would be absolutely fabulous if the production would tour the country so that more fans could see it:)

[madewy]

Speedy
I only know you from a few previous posts of yours I've been fortunate enough to read, and of course this one. After reading these I can understand why the early members of WTB?R would be so pleased to see you back. I was unfamiliar with Fugard until I read your post. You not only cleared up any confusion I had about S & R but you also piqued my interest in the author. I am going to get a copy of the play and read it in hopes Judith Light may someday bring it to the area where I live. I am also going to look for a biography of Fugard.
Are you sure you are not a critic for the Sunday NY Times BookReview? ;)

[supastah]

Hi all!

Taxifan I'm so glad that you got to see Judith perform live. Eventhough the play wasn't what you expected at least you were open minded enough to give it a fair chance. I love the story about seeing Robert and the rest of JL's entourage. It must have been very exciting for you! It took me awhile to get Hedda Gabler but once I understood it and got the "hang of it" I absolutely loved it. Now, I'm a huge fan of Ibsen. I have read several of Athol Fugard's plays. (I majored in English and minored in theatre in college.) The play may have been hard to understand at first because of the excitement of seeing Judith live, her husband in very close proximity to you, and trying to understand a play all at the same time. I wouldn't be so hard on myself. Fugard is a very deep and briliant playwright that focuses on the relationships and how they affect people. If you are interested in Fugard I would recommend that you read "Master Harold and the Boys". When I read for a class I absolutely loved it and it may be a little easier to understand.

Glad you could share your story!!!
:wub: :wub: :wub:

[Speedy4965]

Hi Everyone,
I have to agree with supastah. Master Harold and the Boys is one of my favorites. Blood Knots is also very good. I am especially fond of their cast of characters:) Once I read these plays in college, I was hooked.
In many ways, I think that Ibsen and Fugard share a bit in common, particularly their flair for simplicity. They focus more intently on the subtle nuances of human relationships and a person's reaction to climatic events rather than on the events themselves (ie, if a person is murdered, the audience never sees it.) Instead, they deftly deal with the aftermath and what may have led someone to commit such a heinous act. Simple things, such as conversations, meals, and childhood memories are most important.
If you like this style of play, I also reccommend reading Anton Chekov's work. He was a Russian playwright who is best known for his comedies. He wrote everything from simple comedic sketches to multiple-act dramas. Above all else, he loved to poke fun at the quirkiness of human behavior. But, he always did in such a way that audiences went home with a heightened awareness of themselves and of their own infallibility. The Seagull, Swan Song, and Three Sisters are among my favorites:) I am particularly fond of this quote: "Any idiot can survive a crisis. It's the day-to-day living that wears you out." :)

[supastah]

Hey Speedy!

I love that quote! I have a quote book at home and I'm in the process of writing it down! I also agree with you about Checkov. They are very similar in the respect of evauating human emotion and relationships.

By the way Speedy, I was bidding on that red JL hat for the Big Brother's and Big Sisters charity and I noticed someone with a similar online name. I was just wondering...was that you and did you win the hat? It got past $450 and it was too rich for my blood. :P

:wub: :wub:

[Speedy4965]

Hi Supastah,
I minored in English in college but majored in political science and then earned a masters degree in international affairs. For the past few years I have worked as a foreign policy analyst on a diverse array of government projects. But, I have always loved theatre and writing because one can learn a lot about himself and the world around him by exploring the themes of great pieces of literature and drama, big and small. I love great quotes too, not just from authors and playwrights, but from anyone who has something interesting and insightful to say. I would love to hear more about the quotes that you have collected some time :D
Yes, I did win Judith's hat. I have never been a collector of celebrity memorabilia. But, the hat means a lot to me. It's a very long and personal story. Suffice it to say that Judith is among a handful of people who have inspired me to circumvent a lifetime of adversity to become the person I am today :D