Oh, Madge,
Deepest congratulations and admiration to you and your students.
(Forgive the delay in writing--I've been traveling since being at Winedale
during your final weekend -- just returned night before last.)
I am thinking especially of Othello (a play I usually flee from) in the
intimacy of the Barn, of being so close to the players and the language.
The pleasure Iago takes in manipulating words like he manipulates people
was never as clear to me; the laughter that the recurring mention of
'honest Iago" provoked in the audience, binding us together and relieving
the tension for a moment--I hadn't experienced that before. The power of a
lie and sticking to it, the power of evil ... and all the while, we
couldn't help admiring the evil architect, the smartest person on stage
(and the young man who played him). It's infernal! For the first time, I
accepted that Desdemona prefers dying to life without Othello, without his
love--she makes a choice. What a society... The misogyny and the racism in
the play were so clear, so appalling. I appreciated, too, how important
Amelia's standing up to Iago is at the end--she expresses our outrage and
grief.
I loved how seductive Titania was with jolly Bottom. Silly Thisbe moved me.
The pedants at the beginning of Merry Wives have nearly always bored me,
but this time, they were fun and funny. It was a pleasure seeing different
students pop up in more than one role in a play and then again in a
different play. of course. It was wonderful how DIVERSE the class was!
Talking with them after, their joy, sense of accomplishment, and wonder
reminded me of the lovers in Midsummer, after their experience in the wood.
How did y'all do it? Well, I know the answer to that--hard work! And Madge,
the Barn was cooler than in the past. Thank you for that!! Thank you for
all of it.
I bow before you and the students.
Love,
Mary
Mary Collins
646-554-3076
collinsmary...@gmail.com
On Wed, Aug 21, 2024 at 8:40 PM Madge Darlington <mmdarling...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Dear Shakespeare at Winedale Community,
>
> Whoa, I cannot thank you all enough for the kind and generous gift you
> have given me.
>
> Thank you to all who contributed, thank you to all who came to see the
> plays at Winedale this summer, and thank you for your kind and loving
> support.
>
> This summer was filled with both grief and joy. I cannot think of another
> community of people who navigate those emotions more gracefully. We happy
> few, indeed.
>
> Thank you. Let's keep in touch as we head toward the 55th season.
>
> With love,
> Madge
>
> --
> *Madge Darlington, M.F.A.*
> mmdarling...@utexas.edu
> (512) 627-6038
>
> *Assistant Professor of Instruction*
> The University of Texas at Austin
> Department of Theatre and Dance <https://theatredance.utexas.edu/>
>
> *Interim Director*
> Shakespeare at Winedale <https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/winedale/>
>
> --
> Be vigitant, I beseech you!
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