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April 16, 2005
Performance of Finnegans Wake
Last Thursday evening I attended The Medicine Show's performance of Finnegans Wake. It is an incredibly successful adaptation, and well worth the $15.00 ticket price. I have a couple of quibbles with Act II and, a very minor complaint regarding the ducks in the Anna Livia scene in Act I, but if you have ever read Finnegans Wake this adaptation really does succeed in bringing its overall flavor to life. It will definitely encourage you to re-read the book.
For more information give the theater a call at 212-262-4216. The show runs through April 30. Also, be sure to pick up the CD of Christopher McGlumphy's recording of the music when you leave. Even if you can't make the show, ask about purchasing the CD. It is well worth the $5.00 cost.
If you do go, be sure to read Barbara Vann's note in the program. It is a concise introduction to Finnegans Wake you can share with your friends who consider the book something too strange and unwieldy to bother with. In the late 1980s, when I was working with Finnegans Wake and the assorted critical guides, I became frustrated that critics were failing to convey something important about the book. Eventually, I, too, came up with a couple of performance adaptations that I hoped would do a better job of presenting Finnegans Wake. Both were published in The Abiko Quarterly, a journal published in Japan, but have not been performed. On line versions are available here. One involves reading, the other involves singing. Maybe one day, inspired by Barbara Vann, I will devote some energy to getting them performed.
Posted by apc at April 16, 2005 11:04 AM
Comments
The reading is viable. Perhaps Merce Cunningham can read instead of Cage. Also, with the Modern's rennovation, you need to find where they put "Bed"
Posted by: Cagean at April 19, 2005 08:16 PM