New York has always had a special place in my heart for me. Even as a kid watching American movies in Korea, I loved the images of NYC: populous streets, people in sophisticated dark suits, and opulent classic American breakfast dishes with sweet and gooey pancakes (Do they really eat those as breakfast?! Phew…).
Although I’ve failed to make New York my home, it will always be a special place for me. Where else would I be able to meet Barbara Hammer in person and see an awesome production of King Lear at BAM on the same day? On the subway coming back from the theater, I remember thinking about the last lines of King Lear spoken by Edgar. I would be lying if I said I completely understood them, but since then I’ve thought about them often. How fitting they are in so many circumstances…
This writing on King Lear is profound. Gratitude to In Choi for bringing the haunting lines of King Lear into the dark NOW of these Corona Virus times but also reminding us of a culture-filled yesterday. Choi’s BIBLIOMANCY makes me want to look back at Shakespeare’s lines.
In, what a thoughtful and interesting reflections. The image of a bustling theatre feels so distant. A different era.
Indeed, “King Lear” is appropriate for these times. Interesting fact: since periodic outbreaks of the plague were fairly common during the late 16th/ early 17th Century, it has been said that Shakespeare completed writing “King Lear”, “Antony and Cleopatra”, and “Macbeth” while under quarantine.