The Habit of Art by Alan Bennett

First production I've seen here in London. 

Beautiful. 

i knew absolutely nothing about this play before I went and saw it except that it was brand new, it was at the National, and that Richard Griffths, who was Mr. Dursley in the HP movies, was in it. 

It's the newest work from the playwright of The History Boys... 

"Benjamin Britten, sailing uncomfortably close to the wind with his new opera DEATH IN VENICE, seeks advice from his former collaborator and friend W.H. Auden. During this imagined meeting, their first for nearly 20 years, they are observed and interrupted by amongst others their future biographer and a young man from the local bus station."

in the end, said Auden, art is small beer. the really serious things in life are earning one's living and loving one's neighbor. 

seeing this play inspired me. 

one day, i want to write like alan bennett can. 

i want to direct.produce.create.innovate stories like nicholas hytner can. 

it made me want to get back on stage as soon as possible. 

and it made me want to get back to a theatre as soon possible.

like i almost couldn't breath after the show i was so overwhelmed by its -ness. you know?

i find this happens to me when i see good theatre. i have trouble breathing afterwards and i feel kind of high off of it. 

what's beautiful about theatre is the collisions. the layers. especially when its good. its not just excellent, sharp writing, but its also impeccable performances, well crafted, styled directing, beautiful design work, images, ideas, questions questions questions, journey, emotion, music, song, laugher, tears.

gestures. 

breath. 

things left unsaid. a glance. 

a passage of time. 

an understand. or a disconnection. 

 it's a collision of all of these things, organized and presented. i mean really, it's unlike any thing else out there. 

& i love that i want to devote my life to that madness and beauty and quest for everything.