Miss Margarida's Way

by Roberto Athayde

Miss Margarida's Way [Feb 01, 1979] Athayde, Roberto

Genres: Plays, Theatre

Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Χριστίνα · Rating 5 out of 5]

Χιούμορ, κυνισμός και μια απολαυστικά παρανοϊκή κυρία Μαργαρίτα, σε ένα θεατρικό έργο που διαβάζεται απνευστί.

[blondie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Εντελώς διπολική η Κυρία Μαργαρίτα, παραπαίει ανάμεσα στη λογική και τη τρέλα και διαβάζεται απνευστί!

[Troy Tradup · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The deserving ones, who are they? They are those who obey."

This is one of those plays that really needs to be seen rather than read. And seen, specifically, in the hands of a really great actress.

I saw a touring production of Miss Margarida's Way in 1979, starring the amazing Estelle Parsons. That performance remains a seismic event in my theatre-going life to this day.

I have a sense this is one of those parts where you can get a whole lot of stuff out of your system every night, but it’s cartoonish enough that you don’t need to carry the character around with you after. I went backstage after the play and, even after two hours spent playing a shrieking despotic monster, Ms. Parsons was nicer than nice and even kissed me on the cheek.

Miss Margarida’s Way takes place in an eighth-grade classroom and encourages audience participation, although I’m not sure how much it actually gets. There’s a plant in the audience to help with certain transitional moments, but I’m guessing the real audience interaction is generally limited to a few shouted comments and maybe some scribbling on the set’s blackboard — sorry, greenboard — during intermission. The actress playing Miss Margarida is allowed — sometimes forced — to improvise, and every performance must be both thrilling and nerve-wracking in equal measure.

"Do you know what is the great principle of history? Everyone wants to dominate everyone else."

When I was 17, the play seemed very profound and important. Today, the central metaphor (if there is one) seems pretty mushy. South American dictator as junior high school teacher? Education as indoctrination? Repressed woman undone by the demands of a changing society? I have no idea, really.

"You must not worry because Miss Margarida is not going to die. Miss Margarida will always be with you. Miss Margarida will never stop teaching you. Today it's you. Tomorrow it will be your children. And afterward the children of your children. Miss Margarida will always be here."

And:

"Sometimes you may think that the worst has passed but you are always mistaken. The worst is always in the future. The worst is always what comes after."

One of the great theatrical experiences of my life. As a reading experience … no longer quite holds up.

[Caroline Bock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've taken to reading plays -- looking how conflict and tension are dramatized -- and this one-woman play, Mis Margarida's Way-- has stuck in my mind for over 30 years. Years ago, I saw Estelle Parsons (probably more famous for the Roseanne's mother in "Roseanne") play this 8th grade teacher, who is having a psychotic meltdown on stage teaching biology and more....I supposed it is funny in parts ...overall, too dated in the age of the political correctness we live in now. Ah, but I remember how Parsons grabbed that stage even today.

All the world is a stage, someone once said....
Onward.... any other suggestions out there for modern play to read?
--Caroline

[Brian McCann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just. Awful.

I saw a production of this circa 1982 at Northeastern in a college classroom. I just wanted it to be over then.

It’s worse to read — even some 36 years later.

[Vassiliadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Γνωρίζοντας ότι το έπαιξε η Έλλη Λαμπέτη στο θέατρο, θέλησα να το διαβάσω, γιατί είχα εντυπωσιαστεί από τα λεγόμενά της. Πολύ ωραίο!