The Divine: A Play for Sarah Bernhardt By Hunter Williams
Spatial Experience: Having never been to the Constans Theatre, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was actually quite surprised at how large the venue was. There were a plethora of seats to choose from, but I was directed to sit in the middle of the theatre. My seat location was perfect, and I could view every part of the play without having to move in my seat whatsoever. Once the lights dimmed and the audience quieted, I began to feel a rush of excitement go through my body. It's not every day that you get the honor of seeing a live performance. Place is a very important element of the good life because it can be a huge factor in one's experience. The setting of any event or performance can often times either "make or break" one's experience.
Social Experience: I attended the play with two of my good friends, Michael and Jordan. I believe that attending the play with my friends really made it a much more enjoyable experience. I really did not do too much to get ready for the play besides walking there with my friends. Shared experiences are a valuable part of the good life. We shared some laughs during the funny parts of the play, and being able to discuss the parts we liked and disliked afterwards was a bonus. Going through certain scenarios, whether good or bad, with people that matter to you is always nice.
Cultural and Intellectual Experience: The play made me realize some of the issues that our current society is facing as a whole. Through many ironic elements of the play, such as using people's struggles to write a plot for a play itself or the hidden sins of active church goers, I came to the conclusion that society as a whole needs to recognize some of the issues it tries to hide. Through the reoccurring theme of irony, we were able to see how the underprivileged go about their struggles just to make the privileged people's lives more enjoyable. The performance made me realize that people can easily ignore things in the world that are wrong when they become the norm. The performance made me appreciate the blessings in my own life and made me want to use my blessings to give back to the world and less fortunate.
The Emotional Experience: This performance gave society the opportunity for "katharsis" by blatantly addressing societal issues when often times they can be overlooked. There are many twisted, horrific aspects of this world that are hidden behind closed doors. Similarly to solving problems with addiction, the first step of solving societal issues is to admit that there's a problem. This play is an example of taking that first step in order to solve issues that the world faces.
All images taken by my friend, Jordan.
Credits:
Jordan, my friend.