Curry College - Curryer Yearbook (Milton, MA)

Page 26 text:

The Lesson There was a reason for the THETAS performance of French playwright Eugene Ionesco ' s THE LESSON on October 19, Par- ents Weekend. A good reason. A reason which THETAS felt was necessary for all of us. Not only at Curry College, but also par- ents who, in case you have forgotten, are educators themselves. There is a communication need for all of us today in our own little corners. THE LESSON proves this need. This breakdown be- tween parent-student student-professor. Even at Curry there is a need for self-evaluation. In THE LESSON there is a pupil, attempting a total docto- rate; a Professor attempting to teach, a Maid, a philosphical sur- veyor who mops up after the professor. The professor, so wrapped up in his intellectual corner, proclaims the importance of a non-existing Neo-Spanish dialect as his pupil perpetuates a painful toothache, which she complains of inexaustably. She fails to understand the professors ' tirade of verbal diarrhea and her toothache becomes stronger, more painful with each sentence that her teacher speaks. The Maid appears from time to time, and reminds the professor that philology (the study of words) leads to calamity. Her warnings are unheeded by the Professor who continues his lesson and draws a knife which he says will serve for all languages. Suddenly, the pupil is pained not only in her teeth but her en- tire body is racked by hurt; her thighs, her neck, her ears, pained by the piercing voice of her teacher. All become symbolic rebel- lion of her adversity to learning. However, the professor is not a teacher but a tester, testing his pupil, attempting to slash through a communication barrier using his dictatorial methods. He stabs his pupil, the 40th victim. She was a bad pupil, she was disobedient, she didn ' t want to learn! screams the professor, as the Maid makes plans to rid the house of the pupils body. Here, the Professor is scared; and his fright is such that he greatly needs the Maids ' help, as he always has: a Nazi Swastika is placed on the Paniced Professors ' arm; and his strength is recovered. Shocking and dynamic is Eugene Ionesco ' s THE LESSON. I feel it points out our adversity to listening to each other, even it, at times, we feel that we are hearing nothing but nonsensical jibberish. Parent to child, student to professor and vica versa. We can learn from each other we must learn; or perhaps face some danger of control, a control with no freedom of commu- nication. Eugene Ionesco ' s THE LESSON is termed Theatre of the Absurd. Yet absurd as it is at times, there is a good deal to be learned from this play. And the performances of the Maid, the Pupil, and the professor played by Jo Jo Hewson, Beth Berkowitz and David Kimball, respectively seemed to be well received by the audience of parents, teachers and students. If this play is anywhere in the area again, see it. You may not agree with it or even become totally involved with it; but you will walk away thinking about it.