I'm not surprised folks haven't heard of [Caryl Churchill]. She's a late 20th century playwright. Amazing stuff, a very strong woman writer. It's a shame that she and others like her are not better known.

Eh, I kind of don't love her. Mind you, I've read several of her plays, but never seen them performed - that probably makes a difference. I have a collection of her plays here, actually - I'll have to check them out again & see what I've been missing.

Meanwhile, a mighty THANK YOU to whoever it was (maybe omnis?) that suggested the icecream ball to meara as an amusing thing for her beach date, a while ago. Thanks to that link, I now own an icecream ball! And can make my own icecream!

And it is TEH YUM!!!!

I think Churchill is hard to read, but I worked on A Mouthful of Birds and it was quite profound.

I have had a little bit of exposure to other playwrights.I find that Shakespeare is easy for me to see. and then some of the more modern /absurdest/minimal plays are ok ---but the closer they are to real,the more that feels missing from a play. I really find it hard to read most plays.

My father used to read me Shakespeare as my bedtime stories when I was under 10. I don't have a distinct memory of his plays in high school, but I know we did As You Like It when I was in 8th grade at a private school.

I also grew up with a Shakespeare in the Park company near my house. Back then it was free and you could watch rehearsals. Over the years it became more popular, started charging and eventually had to move because it outgrew it's humble beginnings which marked my childhood.

I had an earthquake too!! It was SCARY! For me. Cause I had never had one. And half of us in the room (on the third floor) were like "Um, eep! Earthquake! What do we do!" and the rest of the people were Californians and all still sitting down going "oh please...[um, wait...still going....kinda big...um...we should...oh, ok, it's over. Whew. Didn't lose my cool. I'm still lookin' smooth.] CHILL, East Coasters!"

Then we decided that meant it was time for lunch.

Also, apparently the company I work for is hiring ALL the lesbians. Not only was the woman I worked with last week gay, the woman who is training with us this week, who turns out to live all of a mile away from me? Gay gay gay. Hah!

but the closer they are to real,the more that feels missing from a play. I really find it hard to read most plays.

Wow. That's very interesting.

I lovelovelovelove Neil LaBute's Latterday Plays (Iphigenia In Orem, A Gaggle of Saints and Medea Redux, iirc). And I'm very fond of Patrick Marber. Love Mamet's ear for dialogue, but quite often want to smack him in the face with a heavy object. (Although I just read Duck Variations and found that very likeable.)

I remembered our new security system is operational moments after I tried to beat a stapler into submission. I hope there's no camera in this office. Stapler assault is a misdemeanor, right?

Stapler assault is a misdemeanor, right?

Laga, girl, you don't want that rap on you. Do you know what they do to staple-offenders in prison? Run. Run while you still can.

I checked the monitors- it looks like there's no camera in here. And the stapler will keep his trap shut if he knows what's good for him.

If all else fails, you were here with me and the cats, playing canasta.