The Quality of Life – “Crackling, Fast-Moving!”; Flicker Bit: Tru-Loved – “Giddy Fun!”; Fa-Lash! – Hot News!Buzzin' Lee Hartgravebyline‚ Oct. 31‚ 2008Jane Anderson has written a powerful play that touches every emotion in the book. Bill and Dinah -- are a very religious midwestern couple. Dinah wants to visit their free-spirited cousin Jeannette and her husband Neil. These four people are headed for a collision of beliefs, what marriage means, and the meaning of life. Anderson was inspired to write this play from her own brother’s experience in the Mt. Vision fire of 1995. Her brother and his wife lost everything in the devastating fire – but being the free spirits that they are, they put together a makeshift encampment in the Oakland Hills after the fire swept away their home. Among the charred trees, they turned an Urt (a Mongolian Hut) into a beautiful living space. Whatever they could find in the burnt ruins they hung it from the dead tree branches. There was a Tea Kettle, aluminum trimming from the windows that was melted into what looks like sculptures and other memorabilia. The kitchen was open air. That means that they cooked outside. As Jeannette says: “When it rains, I don’t have to cook.” |