Mabou Mines: How We Work

HOW WE WORK Mabou Mines Lee Breuer RECENTLY SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED US HOW WE WORK. WELL. HERE'S HOW WE DO IT. USUALLY TWO OR THREE PEOPLE ARRIVE AROUND ELEVEN THIRTY. THOSE. USUALLY. WHOSE KEYS DON'T WORK IN THE STUDIO LOCK. OR IF THEY WORK IN THE STUDIO LOCK THEY DON'T WORK IN THE FRONT DOOR. THESE ARE BAD DUPLICATE PEOPLE AND THEY GET PISSED OFF AND GO HAVE COFFEE AT THE BINI BON. THE WORK HAS BEGUN. CHOOSING THE BINI BON WHICH DOESN'T HAVE A TELEPHONE OFFERS THE REHEARSAL EFFECTIVELY INTO THE HANDS OF GOD. WHEREAS. HAD THEY CHOSEN THE HEBREW NATIONAL ACROSS THE STREET. AND. SPIGOTING DIMES INTO SLOTS. TRIED TO FORCE THE ISSUE. THE ENTRY. THE MOMENT. WHICHEVER WAS MOST FORCIBLE. ALL WOULD BE BLOWN. THAT TACK WOULD HAVE CONDEMNED FUTURE INTERCOURSE TO THE COOLER OF REMORSE RECRIMINATION AND THE GENERALLY SNOTTY REMARK. 29 ACCESS IS GAINED. AS A RULE. NOW. EVENTUALLY. BUT BACK WHEN WE WERE AT 22 READE. BEFORE THE IDEA WAREHOUSE BURNED DOWN. SOME OF US WOULD GET IN. AND THEN SOME MORE OF US WOULD GET LOCKED IN THE FREIGHT ELEVATOR. IN THOSE DAYS WE'D WORK TOWARD EACH OTHER FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ELEVATOR DOOR. AND FOR COUNTERPOINT. CALL OUT THE WINDOW TO THE LAST OF US STILL ON THE STREET. WHO. THEMSELVES. WOULD SHOUT INTO THE SUB BASEMENT FOR GENE THE SUPER. WHO. HIMSELF. WAS PLAYING HIS FENDER BASE WITH THE VOLUME UP. THAT WAS NICE. THAT WAS SHOW BIZ. A KITE CORD OF INTERACTION UP ELEVATOR SHAFTS. DOWN DRAINPIPES. INTO THE SUB BASEMENT. THAT WAS WORK. ENOUGH NOSTALGIA. BACK. NOW. IN THE STUDIO WE SEE TO OUR PERSONAL COMFORTS. DAVID DRINKS THE FIRST OF TWO COFFEES HE HAS IN A PAPER BAG. AND DOESN'T TAKE OFF HIS COAT. BILL READS THE ENQUIRER. I STAND BY THE RADIATOR. IF THERE'S NO STEAM I MOVE OVER TO THE HEATER. I STAND THERE TILL IT BURNS MY PANT LEG. THEN I SQUAT DOWN TILL IT BURNS MY BUTT. THIS IS TENSE. THIS IS ABOUT FINDING IT. "IT" BEING ALMOST THE SAME "IT" AS THE "IT" IN "LOSING IT." THOUGH NOT IDENTICAL DUE TO "ITS" EVOLUTION IN THE TIME OF "HAVING IT." JOANNE RUTH AND TERRY DRIFT INTO THE BABYSITTING BUDGET. ONCE RESOLVED. CASH FLOW IS EXPEDITED BY SIGNING OVER TERRY'S WELFARE TO FRED WHO PAYS HIS UNEMPLOYMENT TO THE ORDER OF JOANNE. (WE ARE A STATE SUPPORTED THEATRE).WHO THEREUPON DISTRIBUTES BY PERSONAL CHECK. APPROPRIATIONS. WHICH. IF BEFORE FIVE O'CLOCK AND AFTER THREE. CAN BE FUNNELED THROUGH JOE'S CHECK CASHING ACROSS FROM THE 14TH PRECINCT. AND WILL BE EVEN MONEY NOT TO BOUNCE 30 WHILE THE DOLE CHECKS CLEAR. IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS ENTIRE TRANSACTION HINGES UPON JOANNE REMEMBERING HER CHECKBOOK. FAILING THAT. RUTH USUALLY TRIES TO BORROW FIVE BUCKS FROM LINDA TO COOL OUT LESLIE. THOM SITS VERY STILL FOR UPWARDS OF THIRTY MINUTES STARING AT THE WALL. NO. STARING. ACTUALLY. AT THE LIGHT SWITCH ON THE WALL. THEN WITH NO CHANGE OF EXPRESSION HE GETS UP AND TURNS THE LIGHTS ON. WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER. VERY BRIEFLY. THEN FRED PUTS ON HIS HAT AND LEAVES. IT'S ABOUT THE PARKING METER. FRED USUALLY PARKS TEN OR ELEVEN BLOCKS AWAY WHERE THERE'S AN INCLINE. IN CASE OF A DEAD BATTERY. WHEN HE BRINGS IN HIS CAR. AND EVEN WHEN HE DOESN'T HE STILL SEEMS TO ENJOY THE WALK TO THE PARKING METER. AND BACK. AND TAKES IT OFTEN. THIS IS HOW WE WORK. WE WORK WITH A LOT OF DOUBT. AND SOME FEAR. BECAUSE REPEATING OURSELVES IS NOT REALLY ACCEPTABLE ANYMORE. AND KIDDING OURSELVES IS NOT. AS IT USED TO BE. SO EASY. FEARS THAT ANY PRESENTATION OF OURSELVES. THIS PRESENTATION OF OURSELVES. FALSIFIES. HYPES. MILKS. PURPLES. FAILS. AND THE THOUGHT OF JUST NOT BEING ABLE TO CUT IT HANGS PALPABLY DAMOCLEAN. WE ASK OF OURSELVES SOMETHING PASSABLY ORIGINAL. PASSABLE. LESS. TO THE OTHERS OF US SITTING THERE PASSING ON IT. THAN TO OURSELVES. PASSABLE IN THE SENSE THEN THAT PASSING ON BE PERMITTED. AND ANY. REALLY ANY. ABSOLUTELY ANY WAY WE CAN GET TO IT IS HOW...