Enjoy the silence

The Shakespeare Theatre's expertly performed leadership repertory is so good that I decided to renew my subscription in spite of an otherwise disappointing season to date. "Richard II" and "Henry V" were compelling to listen to as well as to watch. The language was beautiful==complex but clear, thought-provoking, artfully articulated. I'd find myself immersed in the action--I could have believed I was observing the court of Richard II, and then Henry IV...

...until I was drawn back into full consciousness by someone's cough or throat clearing.

What's wrong with these people? Why is Washington acough? Could we get you people some vitamins, some cough drops (to unwrap ahead of time)?

So although the audience was less talkative than the week before, it wasn't quieter. There was perhaps one fewer phone ringing, and in the realm of unwrapping candy or rattling purses, it was probably a draw. But there was a hell of a lot more coughing.

And while there was less talking, there really should be none. This wasn't a school group; these are adults who should know better. I shushed the couple next to me, who weren't even whispering. It didn't keep them from exchanging a few words a minute or so later (thankfully, they were quiet for most of the rest of the play).

Is there a Rosetta Stone package that will help me effectively master "shut the f* up" in theatre-goer? Or in cat, for that matter? In child-on-a-plane, while we're at it?

Speaking of which, that child that kept me up on the way back from Hawaii has a lot to answer for--specifically, a lot of carrots. I'm still consuming the ten plus pounds of carrots I bought in my post-arrival daze. It seemed like a good idea at the time--I needed a few carrots for spring rolls, and the ten-pound bag at Costco looked like it would do the trick. And the several-pound bag of baby carrots would work for the crudite plate. They were organic, and I wasn't going to get to Whole Foods before the party. So went my jet-lagged, sleep-deprived logic. But I digress; the point is, we could all benefit from some peace and quiet.