We got a late start this morning and it was more important to stick to a schedule since we had matinee tickets for the play Saint Joan. Dov was still ill, but he was so impressed with the company Bedlam, that he pulled himself together enough to go.
We made it to the theatre just as the play was about to begin. The stage, if you can call it that, was sparse, a platform, a set of stairs and two doors. At one side, hanging from the ceiling was a period painting that was cleverly used during the first act of the performance. The entire space was used in the production, including the aisles between the rows of seats, the back of the room and even the sides. The picture was raised as a window to call out to the characters in the courtyard. When the scene changed and the window was no longer needed, a character unhooked it from the wires and walked away with it. The ingenuity in the use of space, not furniture or backgrounds created a believable fluid set.
Although there are many characters in the play, the entire script was handled by four very versatile actors. All, but the one playing Joan, undertook multiple roles, sometimes switching before our eyes by putting on a pair of glasses, changing posture and using not only a different accent, but also changing tone, register and demeanor as necessary. Most of the time, imagination was not required to envision the new character. Each of the actors brought his character alive and recognizable even when he showed up later in the production. The actor in the role of Saint Joan was outstanding. She was still young but far removed from being a teenager and yet her energy, her enthusiasm and motions were those of a seventeen year old.
This play was in three acts. During each intermission, the audience was asked to leave the theatre and the space was reorganized with the use of dropsheets and once, a single prop. Because the actors used the entire theatre, you felt like you were part of the action, at times finding an actor sitting beside you while playing his part. You could see objects that were not there because the actor saw that object and it's dimensions informed where and how he moved. This type of performance must be the goal of every serious thespian. Natasha, Pierre and the 1812 Comet was enjoyable entertainment. Saint Joan was impressive theatre.
After the play, we dropped into the co-op to replenish the pantry and purchase the rest of the ingredients today's dinner. It is a store packed with anything organic you can imagine at prices less than Loblaws (except for the eggs) for far inferior quality. The care Dov takes in the food he buys and eats and his daily exercise a lot of it walking Kaya, is impressive. He has bought a machine that distills the tap water and a professional style juicer for making incredible juice blends. Today was a combination of beets, garlic, carrots, spinach, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, apple, ginger root and turmeric root. It may not sound very appetizing, bur although i did so with trepidation, I agreed to taste it and then even asked for more. My children seem to be better in the kitchen than I am and certainly are following a far healthier diet than my own. We are into role reversal; they are setting the example for me to follow.
After the shopping, Dov led the way to the B&H Deli. It is a small place with a few very small tray sized tables beside the wall and a countertop and swivel stools in front of the grill. This very much reminded me of what United Dairy Bakers used to be before it went upscale to Lawrence Plaza although downscale in the quality of the food I remember at least thirty years ago. The kids both had a bowl of soup. I ordered the mushroom barley soup flavored with dill. Even better than my own! Dov encouraged me to order the smoked whitefish sandwich. The sandwich, on fresh challah was at least four inches thick. The filling was a blend of whitefish with chives and celery. It was fantastic but too big and I brought half of it home for later on.
I'm glad I don't have to think about navigating. I just follow Dov and Marissa like a mindless sheep. To me it looks like we are traveling in circles, but we get to our destinations both quickly and efficiently, unlike my navigation in Europe. Even when he was a child, Dov excelled at navigation. It's a good skill to have in a city the size of New York.
Before heading out for the theatre, I had shown Marissa how to make roasted vegetable stock for her navy bean soup. She had put the soaked beans and the stock into the crockpot to cook until we returned later in the day. Once home, we sautéed the ingredients we bought in the co-op and added them to the soup. What an appetizing aroma filled the apartment! A fashionably late dinner, vegetable navy bean soup with homemade challah rounded out another day in New York.
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