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NON

                                             March 20, 2009

Ronald Tavel tells an anecdote
about the underground "Theatre              In the introduction for the
of the Ridiculous":                         un-produced script "Movie
                                            Talk for Mary Woronov":
     "THE LIFE OF LADY GODIVA opened on
     April 21, 1966 and ran until it was            [ref]
     busted on May 15th and taken to
     court as a case engagingly coded,
     'The City of New York vs. The Life
     of Lady Godiva.'  Eventually, the
     City won, fined the Lady for
     disrobing without a C. of O., and
     closed the theatre.  I normally
     didn't write during a New York run
     in deference to its nearly daily
     problems, prima donna traumas, and
     assorted technical emergencies.
     And on this show, on some night I
     even cranked the ancient dimmer
     board we used on W.17th, and was
     present when a gelled hot spot
     overheated, exploded, and ignited
     Godiva's wig.  Since the fire was
     doused on stage, the audience
     assumed the spectacle was
     intentional, and someone in a back
     seat enthused vociferously, 'Gee!
     What a great effect!'  "


        You might read that anecdote and
        think: ha! Someone should make a
        movie about these guys, the early
        days of "The Theatre of the Ridiculous"!


                     But there's a difference
                     between the fictional and
                     the non.

                     There's no way that anecdote
                     would survive translation into
                     fiction -- it would become a
                     goofy bit like every other goofy
                     bit in every stupid little comedy.

                     The thing that makes it work
                     as an amusing anecdote is the
                     belief that it's a *true* story --

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