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.
> ============
>