They have a way with words . . . and they kill people (2.27.22)

"I loved that I was finally seeing a production that was examining people who are beautiful and light and whimsical with words, and they kill people."

--James McAvoy

This is the Scottish actor, James McAvoy, commenting on his enthusiasm for the Jamie Lloyd play, Cyrano, which opens in April in Brooklyn.  He's talking, of course, about Cyrano de Bergerac, of the Edmund Rostand story.  McAvoy plays the title role.

He's NOT talking about the new film out now with Peter Dinklage in that title role.  But it's curious, isn't it, that two versions of Cyrano are presently vying for attention?  I wonder what that means, culturally?  Maybe that in our big dumb, hunky fake-it-till-you-make-it world (the Christian we are), we could all use a little honest passion and beauty (the Cyrano we want to be).

But anyway, my Wednesdays@One friends, Cyrano, as we know, is one of us, a poet, a maker.  Which says what about poetry, about us?  That making art is compensatory?  That poetry conquers all resistance?  That we who make poems make love, too?  THAT WE ARE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, YES, DESPITE APPEARANCES (big noses, small stature, whatever)?  That even if we were killers, there'd always be the poetry?

I'll take all these explanations.  Well, maybe not quite that last one.  😉