Opening Night

 

October 8, 2022

Perfect autumn day. 

Did a show in Lord auditorium to advertise the production. Remembered when I was in that auditorium at least once a month for one thing and another. 

L and J arrived yesterday afternoon. We ate a luxurious dinner at Vivian’s and attended the opening .  I’m in the odd situation of having no idea what I thought of it. Set and tech were excellent. The staging was innovative and attention-securing. Everyone was physically appealing. The Creature and Byron were excellent. What did I think of my own play? I think the audience liked it. They laughed at the right places. No one left at intermission. Beyond that, I honestly have no idea. The play was an experiment I abandoned even before it was–in its first incarnations–finished. I went another way. It was like seeing an old lover and wondering “What was I thinking?” Parts of it were quite beautiful. Some of that beauty was gratuitous. I myself had to strive to get all the pearls onto a single string. Am I harsher critic of my own work than a typical audience member, or a kinder one? I don’t know. I’d rather be secretly mortified and have the audience love it than the other way around. I loathed that they serve popcorn at intermission, so the first ten minutes of ACT II is obliterated by people gouging away in their popcorn bags. G from thirty years ago was in the audience, and latched on to me. L said he was clearly trying to get me into bed. We tried that. It wasn’t bad. It was a long time ago. I have never left the theater with more uncertain thoughts about my own work. As ever, I’m grateful to those who work so hard to make it happen. I combed the internet for comments, but nothing yet. People congratulated me, but so they would have done had we escaped with our lives from a burning theater.

The richness of our dinner kept me up part of the night. 

We rose and walked Asheville in the cutting and perfect light. We had crepes in a family creperie. I showed them the downtown, which was truly festive and joyful. Tents of an art show on Pack Square. People dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland, playing a game I forget the details of. Too many tourists, as people say, bit they were all happy, and maybe that was not too many at all. 

Napped with Maud in my arms. Rose and dressed to go to S’s retirement party. Looked at the invitation one last time before going out the door, and it is tomorrow. Removed my finery and checked emails. The light in the attic window is the color of bronze.