The Divine: A Play for Sarah Bernhardt Leah paxton

The setting of the play is Quebec City, Canada in the early 20th century. The central issue addressed is the disparity of power in society and the affect that this gap has on individuals with little power. This is seen in the women who work in the factory having to repeat what their boss says to them so that the media will not report the realities of their working conditions. This is also shown in the fact that Talbot is told that he should never go to the police about being molested because it would ruin his chances of being a priest. This shows the control that those with power are able to have over those who do not. I knew very little about the subject matter before attending the play. I had read the information about the play that was provided on canvas but could not have anticipated the many twists and turns that the play took. I had no idea how dark the second half would become.
Problems in society cannot be solved if they are not first addressed. Sometimes issues are uncomfortable and it is easier to turn the other way but this is not how problems are resolved. People all around the world still work in abysmal conditions in factories and deaths occur in these factories. Throughout history, people have been molested in religious institutions by individuals that are above them in authority. People like Sarah Bernhardt face backlash for being bold and brave and trying to bring noise to situations that people would rather remain unknown. Addressing these issues in the play allows mankind to come clean by recognizing that these injustices occur and that we are not turning a blind eye to them.
I had never been to the Constans Theatre before and did not even know that it was in the Reitz Union. We were seated a little to the right of the center a few rows back, and being relatively centrally located allowed us to have a great view of the stage and being only a few rows back made it easy to hear the actors. We were also close to the aisle and so during the part where the actress who plays Sarah told in the aisle and talked she was very close to us. The size of the auditorium made it interesting because since there was not enough students to fill it, they had everyone fill up the rows towards the front. When the lights dimmed and the students quieted, I was excited for the actors to come out on stage. I love watching acting and so I was excited to see fellow UF students performing.
I attended the performance with my roommate Holly (pictured), and one of my good friends from elementary school. As I sat waiting for Holly, I saw one of my childhood friends, Kate walking up the stairs in the Reitz Union. I asked if she was going to the play, and she said that she was, and so I told her she should sit with my roommate and I. It was the first time I had talked to her in a while and it was great catching up. Attending with friends enhanced my experience because we could exchange laughs or looks during the performance and talk during intermission. Also, it was nice to discuss what we thought about the play after it was over. Shared experiences are essential to the Good Life because shared experiences are what lead to bonds and memories and that's what makes people closer.

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