Desi and the college kid (Tony) got here at 10:30 and we read for about 45 minutes. We are, of course, going to be performing the version Desi has, which is considerably modified from the original script. I have the other one and know most of it, but I can adapt.
Will Tony be able to adequately fill the pivotal role of Danny, the diabolical killer and sociopath? I have serious doubts. He didn't show the slightest--not even a hint--of any acting ability, theatre understanding, or sense of what Danny--or the play--is all about. He simply read--in a monotone--each time.
We did two scenes, the first when Danny and Mrs. Bramson (my role) originally meet, the second, the highly charged and emotional vignette near the end. We went over it a number of times, with Desi trying to get Tony to show some kind of emotion. Doesn't seem likely this can be achieved, but Desi is going to work with him.
Puttered around doing wash and stuff until it was time to leave for the party. Stopped first at the Mays Landing Shop-Rite to get a live wreath for the door. Did so, and put it in the trunk.
Arrived at the L.'s by 4:00, which is when they always start, to be greeted by Flo and a sadly diminished Joe. For the past few years, he has had some "heart issues," as the stupid euphemism goes, and wears a pacemaker. He was decked out in his usual jaunty Christmas outfit: plaid pants, surely from the seventies (he's remains as slim and trim as he was then), a shirt and sweater, and Christmas socks, all in red and green. In other years, he had been the jovial, expansive host, taking drink orders and joking with his guests. Last night he lapsed into silence often and got the wine requests mixed up.
Others have health problems, too. Frank J. had had to skip last year's party for cancer treatments; he came last night, but has lost an alarming amount of weight. Don McG., with whom I spoke a lot, has arthritis in his feet and other ailments. Even more ominous, Kate and Danny S. were not able to come at all--first time they've missed. Kate is very ill and Danny is recovering--I hope, has recovered--from cancer himself. These people, whom I see once a year, are five to eight years older than I am, as they had been Pat's friends.
But they're not that much older and at my back I always hear/Time's winged chariot hurrying near...