Reality could at times
be terribly unreal.

Haruki Murakami 

SAN JUAN ON THE THAMES

Live theater is probably the art form that brings
people the closest to a life experience other
than their own. Unlike a book, which requires people
to imagine what they are reading, and film, which lacks
a sense of immediacy, theater thrusts the spectator smack
in the midst of a life situation to fully experience it from
beginning to end. All in one sitting.

New York and London are famous theater meccas
and the opportunity to see fine productions in both
these cities is certainly the highlight of any trip. But if
a trip to London is not on your radar anytime soon,
there is still a way to see fine British productions and it's
through a British National Theater project in which plays
are filmed and subsequently shown in movie houses
across the world.

Almost like the real thing, if not quite.

National Theater Live is showing in San Juan thanks
to Caribbean Cinemas, a chain of movie theaters, including
Fine Arts Cinema in Hato Rey and Miramar (which is where
the plays are shown).

So far this year, the lineup of productions has included
Skylight, Of Mice and Men, and The Audience, which
received such an enthusiastic reception by San Juan
audiences that it was shown on two consecutive Sundays.
This excellent production, featuring Helen Mirren as Queen
Elizabeth II, takes a look at the queen and her interactions with
the prime ministers serving during her reign.

Next on the list is Behind the Beautiful Forevers, a play
about India written by David Hare and based on the
eponymous book by Elizabeth Boo.

 It will be shown this Sunday, August 23.

There is only one showing of the play and it begins at noon.
Tickets are available online or you can purchase them directly
at the ticket office.

Upcoming productions are: A View from the Bridge, Sept. 13;
The Hard Problem, Sept. 27; Man and Superman, Oct. 11
(featuring Ralph Fiennes); Everyman, Nov. 1 (featuring
Chiwetel Ejiofor); and completing the cycle, Hamlet on
Dec. 6. Benedict Cumberbatch takes on the title role of the
Danish Prince.

FINE ARTS CINEMA,  #654 PONCE DE LEON AVE.
STOP 11, MIRAMAR  TEL. 787.721.4288
Tickets: $16.


A SIMPLE TIP

This fabulous
bench idea is
 a winner.
It pairs
cement blocks
 with wood
beams to create
a smart, modern
design that will
enhance any
patio area. You
can make the
bench as long
or short as
you want by
varying the
length of the
beams. The
final touch:
colorful
cushions
give the
bench a pop
of color and
comfortable
seating.




FREE BOOKS ON LOIZA STREET

They keep saying that books -- the ones printed on sheets of
paper -- are dead and yet, you're likely to find them in the least
expected places.

Like the hanging shelves recently put up on the wall of an
abandoned building on Ponce de León Ave., near Stop 20.

More recently, another set of shelving went up, this time

near the corner of Loiza St. and Parque St. The young people
behind the endeavor used colorful bins and paint to create a
very attractive nook that invites passersby to stop and take a look.

The books on display span old and new titles but anyone
is sure to find something worth reading. So if you happen
to be in the area, bring a book, take a book.

It can be contagious.

Photography by Denise Blasor

Our lives are always
in someone else's hands.


James Salter

Copyright  ©2015 By Lorraine Blasor, all rights reserved☂