In the early seventies, the actor Klaus Kinski performed a one man show as Jesus. He’d yell and scream at the audience, giving the Lord a level of intensity not usually found in the scripture. For those in the audience, it was a harrowing experience that changed the course of their emerging religiosity. Interested Berliners had to buy a ticket to witness such a spectacle.
Which brings me to the news that New York City will soon be increasing the transit fare. Many are up in arms, legs, and other unmentionable extremities. Not me. You see, I don’t go to the theater all that much. But I do ride the subway nearly every day. For a relative pittance, I can see variations on the Kinski theme. Lunatics pontificating, nutcases gesticulating, and wackaloons simply doing their thing. It’s theater of the absurd in the purest sense. This isn’t a parade of Julliard trained thespians embodying the tortured souls of a crazy person. This a crazy person monologuing, occasionally dialoguing with the public. No Improv troupe in the country can compare to the maniac’s version of “yes yes yes yes yes yes and.”
Considering how expensive it is to see a Broadway show, the subway is a great deal. The entertainment is so enticing that many are willing to jump the turnstiles to appreciate it. Enjoy show. Just don’t ever turn your back, close your eyes, space out, or sit down without carefully examining the seat.
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