Summer Theatre

It's busting out all over. Coming right up next month of course is Shakespeare at Rock Ledge Ranch, which will be very merry indeed. And sooner than that, the Springs Ensemble theater will sweat it out with Glengarry Glen Ross, which should be terrific. But in the meantime, right now in fact, we propose three kinds of theater, each unique, all virtual, pure theater.

#1 INVISIBLE VOICES-THE VIDEO! You will remember our world premiere of this show created by Ping Chong and Company, featuring the life stories of people with disabilities from our part of the world. A most moving and informative evening of theatre it was too. Meeting the Challenge, together with Windstar Studios, have created a video production of this show, which will be released in conjunction with the 20 anniversary of the ADA. The video will be given a special screening at 7:30 Monday, July 5 in the Bon Vivant Theater. It's free, and you are welcome to stop by.

#2 LONDON ASSURANCE--THE NATIONAL THEATRE. This is the second of The National Theatre of Great Britain's state of the art (it looks great, it sounds great, it's better than a seat in Row E, center), filmed from a live performance and brought exclusively to the big screen at the Bon Vivant--more information is all over our website. Let me say this should not be missed--it was the hit of the last London season, and features two of the greatest stage actors in the world in roles as delicious as summer pudding. Simon Russell Beale plays a very refined gentleman with nothing but sex on the brain, determined to marry a teenager from the country-- just what every idiot man of threescore dreams of.

—the London Guardian said Beale "floats like a bubble on the froth of his own vanity"--and believe me, there is no better or bigger bubble than Beale. The great Fiona Shaw plays Lady Gay Spanker, a hunt mad dame who believes "man was made expressly to fit a horse." I have heard on reliable authority there is also a wind up rat.

The play was written in 1841 by a 20 year old Irishman, Dion Boucicault, who went on to become the most popular playwright of this time. It's a summer confection which really should not be missed. Get out of the heat for this perfect piece of English trifle!

#3 THE WORLD CUP- Just in case you haven't noticed, or gave up after the USA went out after a worthy showing. It's far and away the theatrical event of the year. It has everything you want: drama, suspense, glory, agony, acting of the highest and lowest orders, a most extraordinary cast of characters, and we're only to the semifinals. Ghana's defeat by Uruguay this afternoon was surely one of the most devastating and painful of any event in sporting history--a heartbreaking loss for the heartbreak continent. A last second apparent victory in overtime, then the game winning shot careening off the post, and then doom by penalty kicks. A lively enough game to begin with, bouyed by the cheerful live blogging from the London Guardian's Simon Burnton who confessed at the 86th minute of a tie game that he'd quite enjoy some thrills at the end:

86 min: Uruguay have had a few half-chances, these last 10 minutes or so. Ghana, emboldened by their first goal, have been giving it some from long range. I am desperately hoping for some last-ghasp drama. Oh, I do love my last-ghasp drama.

And then,in the very last minute of the thirty minute period of extra time, his wish came true.

ET30: Ghana have a free-kick, right wing, 30 yards from the by-line. The last chance of the game...

PENALTY! RED CARD! HANDBALL! PANIC! DRAMA!

ET30+1: Ghana will have a penalty to win it! From the free-kick, Suarez cleares off the line twice. Once, from Appiah, with his knee. Once, from Adiyiah, with his hand. Penalty!

ET30+2: Gyan missed it!

ET30+2: And that's it! The penalty was the last kick of the match! Unbelievable stuff. Suarez is led off the pitch, weeping, before it's taken. Really, he might as well stick out his hand. It's a definite goal otherwise. He's saved his team from certain defeat. Horrible cheating, on the other hand. Surely that'll convert the two remaining non-Ghana fans outside Uruguay to get behind the African heroes?

Amazing scenes: You should have seen Suarez's celebration when that penalty missed. Really, genuinely incredible drama. Uruguay, obviously, are missing one of their best penalty takers. Ghana, meanwhile, will be totally gutted.

And they were--missing two crucial penalty kicks and losing the game. If you take a gander on youtube you can fine the crucial last second extra time sequence, including the reaction of the shattered Asamoah Gyan, whose brilliant left footed strike beat the USA only a few days ago. So it goes in the world cup--long minutes of impasse, and then like lightning, a violent flash of victory and unalterable defeat.