Author:
It is only once every half-century or so that a work of art shatters every established boundary of its medium and transcends the very definition of what it is “supposed” to be. Such works of craftsmanship and beauty captivate all who have the privilege of experiencing them, surpass expectations society didn’t even know it had, and can even change the world. I am, of course, writing concerning a recent theatrical event which took place the evening of Friday, February 8, in the Haines common room. This event was the live performance of “A Play by Charles Bennett: The Tragedy of Ted Taylor”. In the few days leading up to the play (“play” is a wholly inadequate term; mortals such as myself, however, are generally confined to such terms, even when describing superordinary events such as this), the buzz surrounding the world premiere was undeniable. The question of whether or not any play could live up to the incredible expectations set for this one was undoubtedly weighing on every member of the standing-room-only crowd’s mind. As the crowd filed out after illuminating the post-show discussion, there was no question that their expectations had not just been met, but shattered by the transcendent performance. Speculation as to the particulars of the play’s message was rampant in the crowd (some held that the play was a biting typification of the way in which Americana’s twin pursuits of unrealistic, picturesque love and overwhelming materialism oppose and ultimately destroy each other; others maintain that it was a pseudo-nihilistic rejection of the contemporary cut-throat corporate paradigm), but everyone agreed that the performance was something that one would unquestionably be lucky to ever witness an equal to, no matter how long one lived, or how long one sought for a return to the theatrical magic that was created that divine Friday evening. I know I’ll be searching for a long time.
“Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.”
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