Sunday, May 11, 2025

Marx or... Lennon

Happy Mother's Day! Mine started with a phone call to my mom and finished up with a long phone call with At. Texts, reminiscences, and photos through the day and the promise of a proper celebration when (if) I get back.

A walking tour of Karl Marx sites with some students in the morning. I was joking that we should guess if the groups gathering at the meeting point were there for the Marx tour or the Beatles tour. And clever AB ad libbed that we could call the game "Marx or Lennon." (Said like "Lenin.") I almost died laughing.

A visit to Shakespeare's Globe later in the afternoon where they staged Romeo and Juliet as a western... and it worked so well! In the scene where Capulet threatens Juliet (Act 3, Scene 5), he brandished his gun on his daughter and wife and it was such a great accessorial representation of his toxic patriarchy. There was an awesome moment of chemistry between Mercutio and one bright-eyed, curly-headed member of the audience we were all buzzing about in the interval as well.

Pic: The view from our seats. Mercutio did unspeakable things to the pillar we had to imagine from the look on everyone else's faces.

18 comments:

Nicole said...

Ha! That's a cute word play!
The Romeo and Juliet sounds so interesting! Lots of fun to be had I'm sure. Happy Mother's Day!

Jenny said...

Ha ha.... I bet most people were there for Beatles! Something tells me that's more popular.
That Romeo and Juliet sounds fun. The type of thing you'd think "That won't work!" and then you're surprised when it totally does.
Happy Belated Mother's Day! I hope you get your proper celebration WHEN you get back.

Nance said...

Well, *I* would be there for the Beatles.

You're doing so many great things on this trip. I know the students all feel it's a huge success.

Jeanie said...

I would have been there for the Beatles, too! I have never been to a play at the Globe and I'd love to do that sometime. Romeo and Juliet as a Western sounds fun, and probably a bit more accessible! What a great day -- started and topped off by lovely phone calls!

NGS said...

Wait...do you say Lennon and Lenin differently because in my Midwest voice they are identical. Also identical: Mary, marry and merry; Erin and Aaron; prey and pray; rein, rain, and reign. I'm done here.

Lisa's Yarns said...

I do say Lennon and Lenin differently but am like NGS in terms of other words being indistinguishable!

I would be there for the Beatles, too. I'm a HUGE fan! The Globe looks like an amazing venue, though!

J said...

LOL about Mercutio and the pillar! ACK!

I have yet to see a rendition of R&J that I don’t LOVE. I LOVE THEM ALL. I would love to have seen this with you and your group, and if only I could bend space and time, I would be there.

I am loving this trip, what amazing experiences you are having.

StephLove said...

How fun to see a play at the Globe. I didn't know it was still a working theater.

I know it was probably hard to be away from the kids on Mother's Day. Have fun with the do-over.

maya said...

Thanks, Nicole!

maya said...

Jenny, actually the Marx group was bigger, and more intergenerational, international, and interesting! The current systems don't work for most people and the admin was talking about how their tour has had more interest since the 2008 crash.

Thank you... and I noticed your use of "when" thank you for that too! xx

maya said...

I should try the tour, Nance! Perhaps even for the class... I could make a very good case for the Beatles being "cosmopolitan"--George and John, esp.

maya said...

Jeanie, I haven't been on the Beatles tour (I want to), but The Globe is very high on my list of must-dos. And since you like theater, I think you would enjoy the experience.

maya said...

Only the last two sets are homonyms for me :).

maya said...

I do want that Beatles tour too. The Globe is not on the original site, although close to it. But I find the reconstruction brilliant and it really takes me back to what it must have been like with the groundlings and whatnot.

maya said...

I had such a PANG, when you mentioned bending space and time, J! I would have loved that. Can you do that, please?

I too love all R&J!

maya said...

It's only a 20th century recreation of the theater close to where the original stood. But I like to imagine it has an uninterrupted connection.
https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/discover/about-us/

Steph, this Mother's Day was less difficult than the last time I was away. I think the the relief about the ceasefire buoyed me up!

Gillian said...

Enjoy.

maya said...

Thanks!

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