Butterfly Bombs in Boston

Madama Butterfly, Boston, MA
Majestic Theatre Boston
219 Tremont Street (Halfway between the Citi Wang Center and the Boston
Common)
Boston MA 02116

Friday, 10/26/07 at 7:30 PM
ORCHESTRA CENTER, Row P, Seat 109


BULGARIANS, RUSSIANS, OTHERS FROM CEE DRESS UP LIKE JAPANESE AND SING

I bullied my wife into coming with me to see this production of Madame Butterfly -- and then I dragged her out of the theatre after one act.

1. I realized that I really only like that one heart-tearing aria that everybody knows but that still brings tears to one's eyes -- and that is not a reason to sit through the whole business getting a stiff neck and a sore tuchus.

2. I hate this story! Pinkerton -- an apt name -- labor spy, private dick, collector of thugs -- is a first class pig of an American and, knowing that he is going to abandon his 15-year-old Japanese wife and she is going to end up killing herself, why would I stay through the end of this awful story.

3. I had forgotten that she had converted to Christianity and was cursed by her family for it; I had forgotten what a fucking pedophile Pinkerton is; and I had forgotten that the utter arrogance, narcissism, swashbuckling bullshit (aptly captured by the Bulgarian leading man simply by keeping his hands in his pockets)brilliantly characterizes Americans abroad.

Argh! I could not stand it. They say that the customers boo-ed the first showing of Madame B. I would have, but the audience seemed polite and I hate getting thrown out of places. Much better to just leave.