Such a nice old man

I spent a life time knocking round
the same old patch of concrete,
I waste all my time breaking rocks
and painting smiles on my feet.

I seize the end
for we drift toward the blue shore
send the birds along
I’m not waiting for this day

She’s my little sad eyes,
I’m her bluest boy,
She’s my little sad eyes,
I’m her bluest boy,

I’ve become a weapon,
She’s my little sad eyes
She’s become a toy,
I’m her bluest boy

You may call me a fool
destination to no end
I may cast the anchor
down into the bottom of this well

I dreamt about the train we somehow lost,
That bled those giant marbles made
Of sand for us
I wrote all night, Free man, Alright!
Big Day, All smiles. Burned all their files!
I wrote all night, free man, Alright!
Big Day, All smiles. Burned all their files!
I wrote all night, free man, Alright!
Big Day, All smiles. Burned all their files!

Mes amis et moi à la gare d’Avignon (par M)

As mentioned in my last post, we must complete three experiences off of a list given to us by our T.A. We also have two create two experiences that we think that future students should do. My first suggestion I believe is very important to any student studying in Avignon: see a show (theater, dance, opera, orchestra, etc.) in Avignon.

Avignon is the city of theater. Every summer it houses the world’s biggest theater festival. Plays are shown in the Palais des Papes for reasonable prices (see above picture, which does not belong to me). Unfortunately, I was unable to get a visa to be an au pair in Avignon this summer and will therefore not have the chance to be present for the 65th Festival d’Avignon. But that is another bitter story, unrelated to the importance of theater in this town.

The presence of theater in Avignon is astounding. You can’t cross the street without seeing a theater, directions to a theater, or multiple posters for plays. In my history class at the university, we are learning about the relationship of the events of the Festival d’Avignon to the events occurring in France at the same time. My host family owns a theater. Theater in Avignon is inescapable, which is why it is necessary to see a show in Avignon and I have had the privilege to see several.

My host family’s theater is owned and run by the family members and every show that I saw starred my host sister and her boyfriend. The first show that I saw was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” IN FRENCH. As a lover of Shakespeare, I found it slightly blasphemous to translate his plays. The plots of Shakespeare and fascinating, but it is the way that he uses that English language that makes his plays beautiful. I went into the experience skeptical. But then, I received news that made me even more skeptical—the shows was going to be played by two actors. This lead to many questions about which I contemplated while waiting for the play to begin.

I was blown away. Shakespeare is still beautiful in French. Shakespeare is doable with only two actors. If I hadn’t been informed that there were only two actors in the show, I probably would never have known. My family’s theater uses a technique of using masks in all of their plays. They adjust their voices for the characters and change costumes. France had bested me. The show was unlike anything that I would ever have been able to see in any English-speaking country. We live in a cult of Shakespeare where our puritan nature refuses to allow us to make changes to the Anglophone god of the theater. But maybe we can learn from the French and add new twists to our favorite classics.

The other shows that I saw this quarter were “The Magic Flute” (in German) and Sleeping Beauty (in French). I’ve loved every moment of watching theater in Avignon because I have seen quality productions and I know that theater is important to it’s culture and economy.

One day I will hopefully be back in Avignon to see the Festival, but for now I am content with the plays that I have seen.

And as is very fitting, my last night in Avignon will be spent seeing a reading at my family’s theater.

Collection of dogs on my EU. Trip No.8 #noijadogeu #noijatrip #avignon #france (Taken with instagram)

[Flash 10 is required to watch video.]

Bob Dylan - Heart Of Mine

Pont du Avignon, Avignon, France. 2009. 

Such a nice old man