Two plays by Marianne Ackerman. Woman by a Window externalizes one woman's struggle with her desire, her will and her soul as she attempts to renounce a man and food simultaneously. She attempts to distract herself from her hungers by reading Madame Bovary, with alternately hilarious and sad results. Céleste examines the relationship between David Temple, a modern philosopher, Isaac Hirscholm, his doctor friend, and Céleste, the woman who becomes Temple's housekeeper and eventually his wife. Ackerman masterfully uses this dramatic situation to explore some of the issues raised in the work of contemporary Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor.
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Co-founder and former Artistic Director of Theatre 1774, Marianne Ackerman has written several other plays, including L'Affaire Tartuffe, Céleste, and Woman by a Window which were published by Signature Editions (formerly Nuage Editions). Ackerman's first novel, Jump, was published by McArthur & Company.
Born in Belleville, Ontario, Ackerman studied at Carleton University, the Sorbonne and the University of Toronto. She lived in France for a number of years, and currently lives in Montreal.
Desire twirls gently and falls. Will groans with morning sickness.
Desire: There, there, you'll feel so much better. Now you know how I felt. It's no fun being sick on an empty stomach, is it? So next time you'll know better. Fasting is not good. Will: Leave me alone. Desire: Now, now-- Will: Alone! Desire: Fasting is fascist. It's a blatant denial of social reality. Fasting represents order. Control. Totalitarian government. In the words of Emma Goldman, who was plump-- Will: Ahhhhhhhhh! Desire: (Hurt and defensive.) Well, not every great idea pops out of an empty womb. Will: True, but we haven't time for history. Desire: Time? I have all the time in the world. My time is the tirne of my children's children. When I am dead as dust rny blood will flow in the veins of grown men and beautiful women. Women full of children, and so on (Pain.) Oh, rny time is near. . . I don't like this feeling. Give me something strong and call me when it's over. Will: No drugs. Desire: Come on. In this day and age, pain isn't necessary. Will: Of course it is! Desire: Ohhh! Will: If I am forced against my better judgement to support this hideous repetition of animal acts, I insist on remaining conscious throughout. At least the bloody part may be interesting. Desire: Don't mention blood. Will: There certainly will be-- Desire: Yes, but after, holding it, throwing it up in the air. Will: (Whisper.) After you've wiped up the blood. Desire: (Going to Soul.) Please, speak up on behalf of...you know...general principles. The virtue and beauty of "motherhood." Soul: She's right. There's only one way out. Only one loophole. When a small hyphen between your legs grows big enough for a head. --from Woman By a Window
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