Prelude To a Kiss
Well, I’m finally adding to my Blog. I feel like such an idiot for taking literally years to get to this.
I have decided to continue and be less rigorous in my goals but more diligent in my execution. I’m going to aim for one (1) play a week. Read and written about. The writing seems to be the hard part for me. I have read a lot of plays but actually buckling down and writing about them seems to be a problem. Writing the synopsis is where my difficultly lay. I’m going to try to be more succinct.
So off we go with Prelude to a Kiss, by Craig Lucas. Mr. Lucas is a playwright I like a lot. He’s smart, witty, and sentimental without being cheap or saccharine. He wrote one of my favorite movies, Longtime Companion, which you should see if you haven’t. Prelude To a Kiss is about love. It makes one want to be in love, as all really good stories of love should. It’s the story of Peter and Rita, who meet at a mutual acquaintance's party and each fall madly in love with each other. They share their stories and get married. That’s basically it.
But wait, you say, is there no conflict? No obstacle to their love? Well, yes there is and Mr. Lucas performs a minor miracle in presenting it. At their wedding, an unknown old man joins in the celebration and upon kissing the bride for luck, switches consciousness with her. Rita is now in his body and he in hers. This is a simple and time honored plot device which Mr. Lucas uses beautifully. The device serves as an elegant and affecting symbol of AIDS, in the idea of suddenly finding one's young and vibrant lover in an decaying, disease-ridden body.
Yet. Mr. Lucas does not stop there. He also skillfully ruminates upon the fears of old age, loss, impending death, and how well we know those we love or are supposed to love. I very much enjoy this play. It works on multiple levels. It could play as a light romantic comedy, full of spry,charming, and funny dialogue. However, if you want to dig in and analyze it for deeper meaning, it has it in spades.
Well, I’m finally adding to my Blog. I feel like such an idiot for taking literally years to get to this.
I have decided to continue and be less rigorous in my goals but more diligent in my execution. I’m going to aim for one (1) play a week. Read and written about. The writing seems to be the hard part for me. I have read a lot of plays but actually buckling down and writing about them seems to be a problem. Writing the synopsis is where my difficultly lay. I’m going to try to be more succinct.
So off we go with Prelude to a Kiss, by Craig Lucas. Mr. Lucas is a playwright I like a lot. He’s smart, witty, and sentimental without being cheap or saccharine. He wrote one of my favorite movies, Longtime Companion, which you should see if you haven’t. Prelude To a Kiss is about love. It makes one want to be in love, as all really good stories of love should. It’s the story of Peter and Rita, who meet at a mutual acquaintance's party and each fall madly in love with each other. They share their stories and get married. That’s basically it.
But wait, you say, is there no conflict? No obstacle to their love? Well, yes there is and Mr. Lucas performs a minor miracle in presenting it. At their wedding, an unknown old man joins in the celebration and upon kissing the bride for luck, switches consciousness with her. Rita is now in his body and he in hers. This is a simple and time honored plot device which Mr. Lucas uses beautifully. The device serves as an elegant and affecting symbol of AIDS, in the idea of suddenly finding one's young and vibrant lover in an decaying, disease-ridden body.
Yet. Mr. Lucas does not stop there. He also skillfully ruminates upon the fears of old age, loss, impending death, and how well we know those we love or are supposed to love. I very much enjoy this play. It works on multiple levels. It could play as a light romantic comedy, full of spry,charming, and funny dialogue. However, if you want to dig in and analyze it for deeper meaning, it has it in spades.
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