The Importance of Being Earnest

Last weekend, we went to the Wellesley Summer Theatre production of The Importance of Being Earnest. Our kids have seen the movie version and were willing to go along to see the play.

This production was performed in a small intimate theatre with an accomplished cast. I thought "Jack" had the strongest performance.

At the end of the 3rd act, Jack is about to discover his real name, when someone in the audience yelled out "Earnest". Our kids thought that was pretty funny and embarrassing at the same time.

Noh in Matsuyama

I flew to Matsuyama yesterday for some meetings. After work, I checked into my hotel and found out that there was a small Noh Theatre inside. My colleague from Matsuyama suggested that we go by and see it.

We were just in time to catch a few minutes of a demonstration. I didn't understand any of the song - neither did my colleague. But, it was really interesting to see. Click on the video below to get an idea of what Noh is like.

Cannon Theatre

Our girls have started taking voice lessons. I dropped them off at the studio last night and was really surprised by the great little theatre/studio.

The Cannon Theatre just opened in Littleton, Mass and is preparing for their first production of "A Little Princess".

It is located in an old mill building in the center of Littleton, Mass. The mill was built in the mid 19th century for pressing apples, making cider and vinegar.

It makes a great space for a cozy theatre that seats around 60. We can't wait to go see "A Little Princess".

Concord Players

Last night, we went to see Hay Fever at a local community theater in Concord. I have been driving past this theater for years and never noticed it.

It is a gem. The theater is small, intimate and perfect for a night out. The play, Hay Fever, is a comedy based on how a family treats their guests over a weekend stay. It is set in England in 1925.

We have just discovered how many community theater organizations there are around Boston. I looked on a bulletin board in the theater and was amazed at how many other plays and musicals are being performed in the area.


Across the street from the theater, is one beautiful old church. I had to stop and take a picture even though it was bitterly cold.

The Globe Theatre

Until this week, I thought that the best place in the world to see Shakespeare was Stratford upon Avon. I was wrong. There is nothing that comes close to the Globe Theatre in London.

It is common to see a Shakespeare play set in the 18th, 19th, or 20th century. The plots are timeless. But there is something special about seeing a play performed the way it would have been in Elizabethan times.

I was struck by the intimacy of the Globe theater. Most of the audience sits on benches. I had a chair in one of the Gentleman's boxes and so had a view of both the stage and the audience.


My gaze was drawn to the "groundlings" who were standing through the performance. They were enthralled, and I could imagine what it must have been like to see and hear the play when it was first performed.

And as good luck would have it, I got to hear "and as good luck would have it" because it is a line from The Merry Wives of Windsor.

All the world's a stage.

Saturday night, we took our kids into Boston to the Shakespeare on the Common performance of “As You Like It”. We staked out our spot, spread out our blanket, ate, and then let the teenagers go find some kind of frozen treat.

All around us people filled in with their blankets and picnics. My wife and I sat back in our beach chairs and did a little people watching.

There were three women laughing and talking. They represented the English Major/Graduate Student Faction. Strawberries seemed to be a major part of their meal.

The group right in front of us was hard to categorize. The men had a rough edge and significantly longer hair than the women. They were vigorously talking about the play itself and eating various pasta salads. We finally decided they were more Medieval Fair than Harley Davidson types.

The urban professional couple. My wife predicted that they were on a date and didn’t know each other very well yet. They had a much more upscale meal: crusty bread, brie, and smoked salmon.

Finally, our group. People looking at us would have said, “middle aged couple from the suburbs dragging their kids into the city to get some culture”.

When the epilogue was done, our group thought it had been a great performance. I’ll bet the others agreed.