‘Arts’ Archives
A Night in a Walless Church
Seeing AriDy Nox’s A Walless Church at Pillsbury House + Theatre By MATTIE WONG We almost didn’t go. Hours before the show we received horrifying news about a friend - the kind of news that starts your ears ringing and you can’t feel your body in the world anymore. We talked on the phone, and we both said we absolutely could not make it. But we spoke a bit longer, circled back, and knew that our friend was as safe as they could be at the moment, and there was nothing either of us could do. Our options were: a) stay at home and let the grief bounce off the walls of our living rooms, or b) go to the show, because, for at least tonight, nothing else could be done. AriDy Nox’s A Walless Church, featuring Nubia Monks, Essence Renae, and Aimee K. Bryant, ran through October 13th at Pillsbury House Theatre. MEDIA: Pillsbury House So that’s how we showed up at the show, a fresh grief webbing between us, not really knowing exactly why we were there, that night. We entered [...]
Campfire of North Woods
By OWEN SAARINEN The campfire knowsthe rotten log,the bending stick, themeal maker’s hands ona pile of dew-droppedkindling. Like a fussybaby, she won’t eat. He nimblycrafts the cabin, then the teepee,then the ring is cleared,and finally, the touchis made from birchbark tosultry wood that startsto hiss. In momentary joy,the tender allows his creationto sputter freely, coaxingair into the concentratedflame and ember. Both know the game, and hemust spoon feed the driestbrush or the agreementwill not hold. The fire tocrackle to life; the pot toboil on a stable grate of wood;the flames to lick high; to besatisfied, satisfied, yes Cooking on the fire is beans andrice and water for tea.Nothing better than black night andwarmed cheeks and knees.The spoon clinks and another stick is fed.Cleaned pot, ashesstomped, now it’s time for bed.
