So the other week I went to see this play because my friend Megan was sick and couldn't use her ticket. I went with Diana and Rachel, and they both hated it. But I didn't, and I've been thinking about why that is ever since. The play followed a dysfunctional family as they gather during the father's brief disappearance and then suicide. The entire play is about the family fighting. The entire thing.
I think the first thing I liked about the play was the quality of the acting. The actors were so passionate and it was electrifying to watch. I don't think I would have felt more uncomfortable if I had actually been in the room watching a real family fight than I did sitting in the audience.
I often like dark movies and books. I find it inspirational to see people be happy in their imperfect lives, much more so than story lines where everything wraps up perfectly. Fairy tales can be a fun escape from reality, but I don't believe in happily ever after endings real life. This play, however, was not one of those stories. Every character ended up alone and miserable, and the writer of the play did not hand us a take away lesson.
I don't know if there's ever been such an unhappy family, although I know there are some very dysfunctional families in the world. Between the yelling, hurt feelings, abandonment, depression, marital problems, addictions, affairs, incest, child molestation, lying and cheating, there was some element of tragedy everyone could relate to. Unless of course you have a perfect family and don't know anyone who struggles in life, and then I am very happy for you that that is your situation. I kept wondering what it is that makes some families rise above these problems (or even avoid them in the first place) and why other families fall apart. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ helps my family, and I would imagine the same principles of love, mercy, and forgiveness are in place in all happy families.
There was one scene in particular where a young girl was sitting on the stairs listening to her separated parents fight. I started to cry real tears as I was overwhelmed with how hard and heart breaking life can be. It was kind of cathartic to watch the play. And kind of exhausting. I remember convincing my family to see a pretty dark movie over the holidays one year. My mom hates dark movies, and I think she is still a little upset about that one Christmas. :) So I know plenty of people hate dark stories with unhappy endings. But I simply don't. I find human nature fascinating, even in desperate situations. And at the very least, the take-away is, be nice or you will die alone.
What do you think of unhappy movies/books/plays? Do you love them or hate them? Or maybe some of each? Do you have rules for what makes it go one way or the other?
Luckily it only lasted a couple days as avoiding tap water is a huge pain. I still brushed my teeth with tap water during the scare, though. I figured if brushing with tap water in Vietnam and China (oops) didn't make me sick, it certainly wouldn't in Portland either.
Just before going to bed the night I got home, my room smelled all mildewy. I washed the towels and bath mats and cleaned my bathroom in case that was the problem. Then I noticed that if I stepped on my carpet in one area, a huge wet spot would appear. Gross. After discussion with maintenance, apparently water is leaking through the retaining wall and into my bedroom. Thank heavens I rent and this does not have to be my problem (other than the smell, avoiding stepping in the growing wet spot, and hoping I am not breathing in poisonous mold spores). Good luck with that, guys.
