Arianne's comment about the bearded actors playing female roles, and 
people missing obvious clues to reality, makes me remember the scene n 
which the King and Duke are getting ready to rehearse the balcony scene:

'So the duke he told him all about who Romeo was and who Juliet was, and 
said he was used to being Romeo, so the king could be Juliet.

'"But if Juliet's such a young gal, duke, my peeled head and my white 
whiskers is goin' to look oncommon odd on her, maybe."

'"No, don't you worry; these country jakes won't ever think of that. 
Besides, you know, you'll be in costume, and that makes all the 
difference in the world; Juliet's in a balcony, enjoying the moonlight 
before she goes to bed, and she's got on her night-gown and her ruffled 
nightcap.  Here are the costumes for the parts."'

Thomas Rankin

Arianne wrote:

>Made my second mistake by only sending this to Richard instead of to the
>Forum, which is what I wanted to do.    Here's what
>I wrote a week ago.
>
>I'm so embarassed that I posted a message about this here instead of to my
>friends, as I intended.  I apologize!  However, it all worked out since
>they read
>further and caught the Sunday performance news.  We
>drove to Oakland and found a parking place directly across from the
>library, AND the downstairs door which
>took us conveniently to the room where the play would be performed.  We got
>seats right in the front row before the doors were closed for and extra
>half hour.  That meant we were able to explore the library which was an
>added please.  On the way we also had seen the Occupy Oakland tent
>encampment next to Lake Merritt.  It was taken down later that night, I
>believe.
>
>I hadn't heard about any of the stories and wasn't
>sure (until I checked) that Mark Twain had actually written them.
>(1002nd Arabian Night, Wapping Alice and How Nancy Jackson Married Kate
>Wilson.)
>
>
>The actors broad approach (no pun intended) was fun, but I was disconcerted
>that the males playing women were BEARDED!  I guessed there was a limit to
>what a man would sacrifice for his art, but my companions thought it was an
>intentional commentary on how people could miss obvious clues to reality.
>
>
>  We had a long talk with the researcher and the Director after the
>performance.  One of the funniest details, I thought, was that the cast was
>recruited via Craig's List.  We wondered if they might
>venture up to Sacramento if we put them in touch with the Director of the
>Sacramento Public Libraries who might be interested.
>
>I found the following excerpt from the program notes interesting:
>
>"Just as Twain questions the legitimacy of class distinctions in the
>"Prince and the Pauper," and undermines the validity of racial differences
>in "Puddnhead Wilson", his "1002nd Arabian Night" destabilized the fixed
>nature of gender categories through yet another identity switch."
>
>Who knew!  Not me.
>
>I hope to be more careful in the future to only post
>what I intend for the forum.  Thanks for the
>news about these performances.  I was glad to see
>one.
>
>Arianne Laidlaw
>
>
>
>
>
>
>On Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 7:38 AM, Richard Reineccius <
>[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>  
>
>>The message you read Saturday was ADDED SHOWS!
>>THE PERFORMANCE AT THE OAKLAND MAIN LIBRARY IS SUNDAY! (barring Police
>>Action in the neighborhood, which could close the library)
>>They'll do 'em again, and I'll try to post where/when, if Vic F doesn't do
>>it first.
>>
>>-Richard R.
>>============
>>
>>    
>>
>
>  
>