et in arcadia ego

("Yes, Mama, if you would have it so.")

I saw the UW's Arcadia tonight--it was lovely, & beautiful, & I'm very glad I went despite misgivings about seeing a show just before I start rehearsals for the same play. Nevertheless it was really enjoyable & I got to see the entire story played out in front of me, which any theater fool knows is far better than reading it on the page--although with Stoppard it's usually a good idea to do both, given how convoluted the man is. I even got a couple things I'd missed in my million several times reading through it (finally, slowpoke that I am, I understand why the letters to Septimus have covers that he throws away. Finally).
Their set & costumes made me pine, though. Man. I mean, we're raising money, & I'm sure we're going to be fine on the budget front, but...our budget will never be like theirs unless we seduce a really, really rich person who then slavishly gives all their money to us. Perpetual need of money for something we like to think money can't buy....there's art for you.
Also, of course, it just made me madly excited to work on the play myself. Goddamn, but this play is good.