I Think That This, Too, Will Pass.

“I think that this, too, will pass.”

— Franz Kafka, from The Complete Stories; “Description of a Struggle,”

Ophelia (played by Anastasiya Vertinskaya) from the 1964 Russian Hamlet

Well, something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Ros. Ophelia!

Oph. (delighted and surprised) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern! This meeting likes me much. We have not met since we were babies!

Ros. The Queen hath summoned us, and I have come in a half-hearted hope that I may claim once more my baby-love!

Oph. Alas, I am betrothed!

Ros. Betrothed? To whom?

Oph. To Hamlet!

Ros. Oh, incomprehensible! Thou lovest Hamlet?

Oph. (demurely). Nay, I said not so – I said we were betrothed.

— W.S. Gilbert, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern”, 1874

March 27 is International Theatre Day.

In 1961, March 27 was established as World Theatre Day by the International Theatre Institute. If you’re looking at a calendar, that means today. So let’s celebrate!

Please, wherever you are…

remember a favorite show tune

pop in a soundtrack or cast recording

watch a movie of a musical or play that you cherish

better yet, buy a ticket to a live musical or play (as pricy a proposition as that may sometimes be today).

If you never go to the theatre, you’ve never been to the theatre, or you don’t know what theatre is about, and you’re reading this, and you live somewhere close to a theatre, be it legit theatre, dinner theatre, university theatre, or any kind, you must go, and you must try and experience that. The theatre is like nothing else on this whole planet, and the reason for that is that it is alive.