Oct 26 2012
Living Off the Fat of the Land
It took three tries asking directions to figure out where I was going. I didn’t even see Professor Davis bedside me even when Nayoung specifically told me where to look. Finally when the production started, I hate to say it, I thought it seemed dry. It was just a projection on a house with someone narrating away. It was boring. Then two people came on stage and they sat there for minutes doing, what I thought, was nothing; one man sitting at a desk and someone else cranking some sort of device.
However it immediately picked up when the two men working for Bear Stearns were brought out. Anything business catches my interest but this caught my interest for other reasons, one of which was that it was very relatable for me. For one, one trader was obviously shorter than the other and seemingly more aggressive. The taller trader was a bit more laid back and made fun of the shorter one. This is just like the two ex-Bear Stearns traders I know, George and Josh. George is short and curses up a storm when it comes to Josh who is constantly making fun of him, especially over his height. I also believe they made this very life like. Traders often get calls from home when they’re not busy, like the short trader did. They are also known for their broad sense of humor and cursing up a storm.
I also like how they portrayed the CEO of Bear Stearns. At one point I read a book called Memos from the Chairman. It was a book filled with memos from the CEO to all of his employees and associates. Much of what this character said was stated in many of the memos, which made it truly life like. I also took an interest in the scene where Lehman went bankrupt. I never actually thought about it, but seeing it in this play, with background music, and seeing the actors depressed putting their heads down as if to say “it’s all over” actually got me thinking. How did those who were involved feel when it happened? How truly devastating was that event? Then they showed hope at the end. While grass beginning to grow again was being talked about, among all the red on the ticker, scattered green began to appear.
The scenes I found least entertaining were the ones of the people traveling out west. They seemed boring however I also feel they were very much needed for the storyline. They also got me thinking as well. How did those people feel knowing that when they arrived at their destination there would be nothing? Both scenes with the eyes really got me. The first was where the man was telling the travelers of his horrifying experience. On the screen his eyes continued to look which indicated he was thinking back. The other scene was with Alan Greenspan. His face was on the screen in the background as he spoke. Toward the end of his talk there seemed to be more emphasis on his eyes as he spoke with a more authorative tone to show that he wasn’t saying but telling the people how it was. I believe this was well done considering eyes are a window into the soul.
There were some mistakes that I noticed. The woman attempting to sell the house fumbled her lines almost saying $7,000 instead of $4,000 so stopped, addressed the man in the back again, and corrected herself. She also almost tripped while going up the stairs. One of the videos repeated itself for some reason. I also realized that the narration was actually being cranked for at one point the voice became slow, and when I looked, the man doing the cranking immediately sped up in order to correct the problem.
Throughout the entire narration I waited for seven words to be said. The moment we were told this production would include the Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck I was sure it would be somewhere and it was. “Live off the fat of the land.” One line that always stood out in Steinbeck’s works.
All in all I thought this was a well-done play. The storyline was great and very entertaining. I enjoyed the humor that was added in like the grandpa being a big doll and the trader’s lives at work. I have already recommended this play to two people and hope they find it as entertaining as I have. This has made for one of my better evenings this week.
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John Steinbeck is one of the most dramatic writers I have ever read. I was hoping they would quote the line where he actually uses the words “the grapes of wrath.” That was my favorite line of the book even though I dont remember the words:)
It was a little raw around the edges, and it did have some glitches, but all in all I was extremely impressed.
I like the title of your post. You reminded me of The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, and I could just feel Steinbeck’s southern, pioneering, dusty theme penetrating me. You clearly connected more with the Bear Sterns, more modern economic crisis than the Grapes of Wrath, more olden-day crisis. I wonder if that is how the viewer is supposed to see it, as we all live in the twenty-first century and not the Great Depression, or if we are supposed to see ourselves as being able to identify with both predicaments? I don’t think there is necessarily a right or wrong answer to that. You give a very detailed critique, and that’s always good.
I also got lost once I got off the subway by going to the wrong BAM Theater. I also thought it was boring at first, but then I could relate to it like you did because I enjoy business related things as well. Those traders reminded me of some of my friends as well and it brought back some memories. One thing that you might find intersting is that those stock prices didn’t correlate to the actual stock prices/price fluctuation at the time. I know this because I was trading at the time and traded most of those stocks. I shorted Bear Sterns at 55 and the same day it closed at 28. Then the next day it opened at 3. I was actually happy Lehman and Bear Sterns went under… I hope that answers your question about what traders experienced.
Very good job Jen! What did you like most about this play? Did this performance bring out any business related memories for you?