Comments on: Review: Blackbird/Victory Gardens http://newcitystage.com/2009/07/14/review-blackbirdvictory-gardens/ Theater, Dance, Comedy and Performance in Chicago Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:42:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Dennis Polkow http://newcitystage.com/2009/07/14/review-blackbirdvictory-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-218 Dennis Polkow Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:24:36 +0000 http://newcitystage.com/?p=4454#comment-218 One of the problems of covering stage and music is that sometimes one gets in the way of the other and I ended up having to give up reviewing the opening night of “Blackbird” for a Susan Graham recital. At Newcity, however, we have a publisher who so loves stage for its own sake that he was already going anyway, and graciously offered to step in. I can’t think of another publication here or anywhere else where that could happen, and could happen so well that the review is at least if not more interesting that what the “regular” critics might produce. (Yes, he’s the boss, but he doesn’t pay well enough or fast enough for me to say that if it weren’t true.) In any case, finally got to this Saturday and had to weigh in, especially in light of this review and its additional comments. Yes, all of the questions that make up the core of Brian’s review and that so bothered the comment writer are raised in this show, brilliantly and disturbingly. I suspect many audience members will temporarily lose their moral compass as they are taken in by the experience of the play and its performances, which is part of what makes this such an effective play. But -- and at the risk of a spoiler alert for the last week of the run -- the ending of the play makes very clear that any middle-aged guys who are egocentric enough to think, if only for a moment, “what if?” are quickly brought down to Earth in the brilliant finale. And this middle-aged guy felt polluted for even daring to entertain the thought, if only for a moment, which is, I suspect, precisely the playwright’s point. But he doesn’t preach it, he has us experience it. The play never justifies nor excuses the behavior, but it does, in all of its ugliness and for all of its unsettling implications, attempt in part to explain it. One of the problems of covering stage and music is that sometimes one gets in the way of the other and I ended up having to give up reviewing the opening night of “Blackbird” for a Susan Graham recital. At Newcity, however, we have a publisher who so loves stage for its own sake that he was already going anyway, and graciously offered to step in. I can’t think of another publication here or anywhere else where that could happen, and could happen so well that the review is at least if not more interesting that what the “regular” critics might produce. (Yes, he’s the boss, but he doesn’t pay well enough or fast enough for me to say that if it weren’t true.) In any case, finally got to this Saturday and had to weigh in, especially in light of this review and its additional comments. Yes, all of the questions that make up the core of Brian’s review and that so bothered the comment writer are raised in this show, brilliantly and disturbingly. I suspect many audience members will temporarily lose their moral compass as they are taken in by the experience of the play and its performances, which is part of what makes this such an effective play. But — and at the risk of a spoiler alert for the last week of the run — the ending of the play makes very clear that any middle-aged guys who are egocentric enough to think, if only for a moment, “what if?” are quickly brought down to Earth in the brilliant finale. And this middle-aged guy felt polluted for even daring to entertain the thought, if only for a moment, which is, I suspect, precisely the playwright’s point. But he doesn’t preach it, he has us experience it. The play never justifies nor excuses the behavior, but it does, in all of its ugliness and for all of its unsettling implications, attempt in part to explain it.

]]> By: naryaquid http://newcitystage.com/2009/07/14/review-blackbirdvictory-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-208 naryaquid Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:24:46 +0000 http://newcitystage.com/?p=4454#comment-208 As far as the review above (yes, I saw the play)..The middle aged man judged the female lead as "strong"..when she was TWELVE....A ridiculous assertion by a middle aged pedophile trying to justify sex with a twelve year old virgin. As far as the review above (yes, I saw the play)..The middle aged man judged the female lead as “strong”..when she was TWELVE….A ridiculous assertion by a middle aged pedophile trying to justify sex with a twelve year old virgin.

]]> By: naryaquid http://newcitystage.com/2009/07/14/review-blackbirdvictory-gardens/comment-page-1/#comment-207 naryaquid Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:22:09 +0000 http://newcitystage.com/?p=4454#comment-207 A twelve year old is no match for a 40 year old..Please. When I was that age I was "in love" with a man in his middle thirties..It was a crush...I didn't know SQUAT and, had he had the chance, he could have taken advantage of me with abandon. I completely reject the idea that there can be any "healthy" sexual love between a pre-pubescent and a middle aged man. A twelve year old is no match for a 40 year old..Please.

When I was that age I was “in love” with a man in his middle thirties..It was a crush…I didn’t know SQUAT and, had he had the chance, he could have taken advantage of me with abandon.

I completely reject the idea that there can be any “healthy” sexual love between a pre-pubescent and a middle aged man.

]]>