Ex Bibliotheca

The life and times of Zack Weinberg.

Monday, 24 November 2003

# 2 AM (GMT-5)

Darya and I went to see De La Guarda, an Argentinian performance troupe who carry out their act almost entirely on trapezes. The first third or so is Expressionistic shadow play — they put a paper scrim between the actors and the audience, and do amazingly clever things with lights, sound, small objects dropped onto the scrim, etc.

Then they tear the scrim away and go wild. It is easier to see what is going on in this part, — I'd characterize it as about half rumination on the existential despair of modern life, and the other half practical lessons in letting out your inner monkey. Perhaps this is a suggested antidote to the despair? It was all done in the rave aesthetic, and I'm amused to report the audience contained many people who wouldn't be caught dead at a rave — but slap a $55 ticket on it and call it experimental theater, and they'll come. And they'll have a good time, too.

Afterward we went to Cafe Lalo, which is an Upper West Side moviegoer's institution. When I was at Columbia we always used to go there after the late show. They serve dessert and elaborate mixed drinks. I was unfortunately too wiped out from the show to enjoy it much.