The first event was the production of Richard III at the BAM starring Kevin Spacey. Much has been written about this world tour production and I agree with some of the criticism expressed by reviews in the Times and other places. Although I was fascinated by some of the choices of the production, I can't honestly say I really enjoyed it all. As a matter of fact, after watching the matinee, I was wishing I could have seen the evening performance to make sure my reactions were clear.
Spacey is always interesting and some of his vocal choices and delivery could be criticized but his physical discipline was beyond reproach. Watching his controlled contorsions while delivering such difficult text was worth every penny of the ticket price. Like a truly talented athlete or dancer his dedication to his craft is apparent in every move.
I saw a an innovative production of Julius Caesar done by the Yale Drama school just the week before that I actually liked better than Richard III, but that may be due to my cultural limitations and expectations. Like most Americans I haven't had massive exposure to the Bard's work and most productions I have seen haven't warranted enough curiosity to pursue opportunities to see more.
It occurred to me that these classic plays were meant to be seen multiple times in quick succesion to share a common experience and debate common reactions. How many times have we watched and discussed re-runs of episodes of Seinfeld or 30 Rock? That is what must have happened with these plays for decades among a curious public. John Wilkes Booth's interpretations apparently weren't revered enough by the public for him to bask in the glory of an actor's fame, he was jealous of his brother so he needed to become a real assassin.
Because today's productions are so expensive, and in some cases so rare, we are never acclimated to the idea that this art is for everyday people to breathe in and enjoy like a great meal. They are now mostly for the advantaged minority who are lucky enough to be exposed early on to real live theater. Today a family of four could eat well for a month for the cost of two tickets to see a broadway show.
I was 15 before I saw Hamlet as performed by Richard Burton and it was my first exposure to a classic play. I was stunned by it all and remember thinking how limited my life had been. I was embarrassed by my cultural ignorance.
At that same age I was well aware of most popular music and the demi-gods of Rock and Roll. That brings me to the second show I saw: The Million Dollar Quartet.
This 90 minute show features a wonderful arrangement of performances of classic Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis songs. The performers were all doing much more than imitations and displayed a sensitivity to the material that was complimented by true musicianship. This homage to pop music and its founding icons reminded me of how cheap and available this music was during my teenage years. 45rpm records were easy to buy and the music on the radio was free. It brought together a generation of kids who got to see that music could unite us beyond race. Elvis made us look beyond our own racial expressions to appreciate soul music from its originators. Ray Charles and Jame Brown became my heros well before the Beatles arrived on our shores and our radio stations.
Both Richard III and the Million Dollar Quartet were obviously worth my time, but the price of the tickets was so high I was left wondering why so few Americans today are exposed to these wonders of live performance. Adding up the audience members, times the cost of seats, and each performance garnered thousands of dollars for producers. I know shows are expensive to start up but I'm sure there is a Bialystock and Bloom getting rich somewhere.
The bigger point is that we live in a culture that is constantly demeaning the arts for arts sake. Because of a reduced tax base and budget deficits there is no desire to expose the masses in public schools to the best of our theater and music traditions. We would rather expose students to high profit games like football. More federal support for the arts and for arts programs in schools would mean much more diversity of expression, more freedom of speech, less religious bigotry and more students exposed to possibilities beyond avarice and greed. Maybe some are threatened by that but I see it as the only hope for an inclusive America. An America that can celebrate our best qualities and true talents.
