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THE AUDIENCE ROARS WITH LAUGHTER; IT IS A COMEDY, AFTER ALL; AND HAPPENS IN REAL LIFE, TOO; HERE, CENTER STAGE, A LONELY INDIVIDUAL, THE TINY, SQUIRMING SATELLITES ARE GONE; ALL THE LIGHTS, AS A MATTER OF FACT, ARE DIMMED. "IT IS THE AUDIENCE," SHE INTONES, BEMUSED BY BEING PRECISELY IMAGED BY A SPOTLIGHT. "IT IS THE AUDIENCE," SHE REPEATED, "WHO IS WANTING!" ALL THIS FELL ON DEAF EARS, AND THE AUDIENCE, IF IT EVER WAS PRESENT, WAS GONE. TAKEN BY SURPRISE, OUTRAGED BY THE ROWS AND ROWS OF EMPTY SEATS, "AMYMYRITIS," THAT WAS HER REAL NAME, RAN OFF THE STAGE, UP AND DOWN THE AISLES, SCREAMING OBSCENITIES, DEMANDING AN EXPLANATION. AT THE FAR END OF THE THEATRE, NEAR THE DOOR, WHERE A SMALL RED LIGHT WAS ON, BELOW A SIGN READING "EXIT," WAS A SINGLE FIGURE, BENT OVER IN A CHAIR, FACE NOT VISIBLE; BUT AS IF ON A SIGNAL, IT RAISED UP. BURNING EYES GLEAMED IN THE DARK PROFILE. IT GAVE A GREAT SIGH, POINTED WITH ONE HAND, THEN REVERSED THE MOTION, STOPPING, STAYING PUT, ALMOST, IT SEEMED, FOR AN INTERMINABLE PERIOD OF TIME. THE SILENCE WAS SIGNIFICANT, OR, AT LEAST, IT WAS THAT WAY TO THE ACTRESS; SHE WAS QUIET, NO MOTION, NOT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT, HER EYES FIXED AS SHE WAITED, WAITED. LIFE STOOD STILL: TIME HAD WARPED OVER ITSELF; LIKE A WISP OF SMOKE IN THE OPEN AIR, IT VANISHED.
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Medium: oil on Masonite Title: Mary's doll (9) Size: 14" x 18" |