A Reader's Theatre to perform selected scenes from 'The Collection,' 'A Body of Water'

March 21, 2007

On March 23 and 24, the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance will present a Reader’s Theatre Production of selected scenes for two plays: “The Collection” by Harold Pinter and “A Body of Water” by Lee Blessing. Performances on each day will begin at 8 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre in the Nadine McGuire Pavilion.

The two plays may seem unrelated; however, that is not the case.

“The Collection” tells of a man, James, who is obsessed with meeting the man who slept with his wife. In Pinter’s view, “There are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false.” This suggestion lies at the heart of the play. Little is said, but much is implied, in this story of an unorthodox romantic triangle.

“A Body of Water” explores the nature of memory. Avis and Moss wake up one morning to find they don’t know where they are, or, what is worse, who they are. For some people, this play will be perceived as two people suffering from memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease. For others, the title will be taken as an ironic symbolic meaning, which will lead them to a metaphoric interpretation in which the fluid nature of reality is integral to existence. Whether taken seriously or metaphorically, the consequences are profound: without the firmament of memory, life is a never-ending stream of possibilities — and horror.

The performance is free, with reservations being taken via a signup sheet on the callboards on the first floor of the McGuire Pavilion.

For more information, visit the Web at www.arts.ufl.edu.