Last night, I went to the Saidye Bronfman Centre in Montreal to see the play, "No More Raisins, No More Almonds." Performed by local teens, the play is set in a Jewish ghetto during the Holocaust. One of the actors was my former student Tamar Eliashiv -- who was just great (and when I caught her eye, she didn't even smile! Very professional, Tamar!!)
The play was basedon a series of Yiddish songs, written by Jews during the Holocaust. A screen provided translations of the lyrics, which were just beautiful. Again, I noted how the use of detail brings literature to life. In one of the play's scenes, a young smuggler shares tips for smuggling goods into the ghetto. Bandages, he tells the others, are a great place for hiding things -- since guards seldom look at what's under a bandage. It's the DETAILS that stay with an audience. This is just as true of books as it is of theatrical productions.
Okay, then, it's back to school today after a lovely long weekend. "No More Raisins, No More Almonds" is on again tonight and tomorrow night. Catch it if you can. The number at the box office is 514-739-7944.
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Comments
Congrads Tamar on your performance! ;D When I take class notes, I usually write what's on the board in pen and the little "details" or sidenotes in pencil, which helps me understand the course material much better. I can almost hear the teacher's voice pronouncing the words in these sidenotes, which takes me back to what the lecture was on. ( Haha... I'm the first one to post a comment... ;D )
I see you finally managed to get to see the play on Monday, after all! Congrats Tamar on your performance -- strange how, for the first time in a while, she'll be the third to write a comment... and just when the blog talks about her!!
I love writing down details in my notes... most of the time, they're small explanations so that I don't forget how we reached a conclusion for some formula, but sometimes I also have these little scribbles in the margins about how someone (mis)pronounced a word (I find small mispronounciations so cute! and I also use them to make sure I don't make the same mistakes), or how their handwriting for a specific word caught my eye, or something like that.
The bandage idea is quite ingenious (sp? i have to get to chemistry class so no time to look stuff up in the dictionnary!), and good for them for having thought of that!
*blush* thanks for the compliments... I knew you were coming though since I asked the box office if you were able to make the reservations... The bandages is for me!! I wear bandages around both legs..
side note: it's now called the Segal Center for the Performing Arts.. and student tickets are $6 for wednesday night.. tuesday we have a gala night.
very glad you enjoyed it and very flattered that you blogged about it.
and yes, Kim, I was the third because I was on stage when Ms. Polak wrote this!