| I think there are two things going on here. First, no one (or at least I) is (am not) trying to get you to believe in ghosts or anything else. But I also would not think that one's enjoyment of JC Superstar depends on believing in Christian ideology (or of Angels in America, angels -- I could go on endlessly but I won't). Second, I don't disagree that ghosts in modern stories are vehicles rather than beliefs. But theatre is about suspension of belief so one could say that lots of things "take you out of the play." When you watch 1776, most are aware that those people did not sing and that they are watching a "vehicle." (Again, I could go on endlessly.) When you watch WSS, anyone familiar with R&J is likely "taken out of the play" following the parallels, divergences, etc. watchng the vehicle And when you hear the vehicle of the cleverness of Sondheim's rhymes, some are also taken out of the play. I think what surprised me (and others) about your post is that you were apparently not appreciating the reason the ghost-father was a vehicle. In any case, I think perhaps this is mostly about not enjoying what you saw, which you are upfront about. |
