to the revels of 17th century Paris!

darlings

a delicious evening’s entertainment at the sumptuous Clark Memorial Library for a new iambic pentameter (as opposed to the tougher-to-make-amusing-in-english Alexandrine form, of course) translation of Pierre Corneille’s The Liar hosted by the UCLA Center for 17th and 18th Century Studies (yes, we felt Most at Home).

the email (how modern) arrived a few short weeks ago – from george – asking us if we would like to attend a play from 1644 at an elegant library downtown – yes, we squealed (prettily) too.

and tonight we went.

and it was glorious.

george even bought a small picnic hamper (berries, a light brie and fizzy Italian mineral water in real glasses with Chinese Blue plates) and we dined in a small Grecian column enclosed atrium.

naturally.

well, wouldn’t you?

a simple feast. 

when george returned to pop the hamper in the motor vehicle we got to say one of our most favo(u)rite lines:

we’ll meet you in the garden.

and we took photographs of the May blooms. 

and the vibrant shades on the Other Theatre-goers (note the bag – a seriously chic choice). 

the theatrical setting was perfection – chandeliers, low lighting, a cast of superb actors, performing in front of mikes as if doing a “radio show” (Very BBC, as george pointed out, sotto voce).

of special note (although we have a Sneaking Suspicion george may be picking out Other members of the Cast – and we developed a new quite amusing meme to denote this: “your blog, not mine, love” when spotting a young Blade that might inspire George for a new character in his Trilogy) must be Tara Lynne Barr – still a teen-ager! – winsome, winning and curiously knowing in her role as a young to-be-wed well-born Parisian.

and let’s talk about Martin Jarvis who directed this piece!

so splendid to see him on This side of the world – and a fine well-paced production with plenty of nuance and ease of language and depth of Wit he did preside over this evening.

we saw him much in the old country – mostly on the television and sometimes when we got up to Town to the National Theatre – and most regularly as the glorious voice on “Plum” Wodehouse audio tales (which we listened to, usually while weeping gently in a bubble bath, sipping weak milky Earl Grey, during early bouts of homesickness).

during the short intermission we walked the grounds again with a little coffee (jet lag still overwhelms us from our trip to Manhattan) and admired the softly gathering twilight.

the 2nd Act was Tremendous – all was revealed but slowly, tantalizingly and beautifully paced – lean forward, lean back, a gentle laugh, a tap on the shoulder of our companion to denote pleasure at the Plot, a belly chuckle (but sweetly done), a small tear as the loved ones come together demurely – and all is well in 17th Century Paris once more (as it should be, being Paris n all).

by this point the grounds of the Clark Memorial Library were glowing with lamps and night jasmine and soft blooming roses as the audience drifted into the lawns and out towards their motorized vehicles and perhaps a late supper awaiting them in the back parlor. 

glorious.

thank you george.

*applause* to the splendid Cast and Crew and our fine Director Mr. Jarvis.