thehumansarecoming

Saw a really interesting play a few months ago, Thy Kingdom Come. A play about fleeting moments. It all took place a big giant container, which was split in half by a sound proof pane of glass. On the other side sat a young girl. I’d realised it was sound proof after it tried striking up a conversation and all I got in return were shrugs and a bewildered expression.

Then, almost out the blue, a voice came over the speaker, a woman’s voice. Speaking in a breathy, almost whispered, kinda sexy tone. The girl sat on the other side of the glass however, wasn’t saying anything. So I was not sure if it was her speaking or her thoughts being narrated or if the voice was even related to her at all. The monologue was a confession, it was about her desire for intimacy, for something, anything. Anything other than being ignored. Her need to be more than just that invisible random stranger on the tube, bus, street. Her need for you, and in this case, me, to notice.

Sounds really cheesy, but somehow, for the most part it works. After the show I got chat with girl from the other side of the window. It turns out she was just a participant too. On her side of the window I was german (well, the voice was). We’d both gone with friends and the while they sat through their own random encounter, we sat on the pavement drinking beer chatting about ours.

Big cities need more random encounters.

That seems to have been the theme this summer. Random encounters, unexpected intimacies and somewhat abrupt departures. It’s been an great summer. I’ve met people and collected memories that I’ll hold dear for many years to come.

[photo found here]