The Romance of the Fragment

A moment of connection. A glimpse of what could be. That unexpected glance, word or touch from a man, woman or child. The point when all the world seems at peace and the meaning of life has been gently revealed. This is what art can do for us. Take us to a place where we no longer feel jaded, cynical, angry or lost. Remind us of a forgotten rapture, a stolen moment, an act of kindness. Guide us to a spot where innocence is our present, where we feel liberated from adulthood, responsibility, pain. The how of this matter is a different story. The journey to a brief nirvana could lead us through brutality, violence, torture and murder. But from there a delicate fragrance or a quiet gesture, an image or a word can remind us of hope, of resilience, of the bonds of humanity that make us one in all our technicolor g(l)ory. These are my musings after seeing Sam Shepard’s A Particle of Dread at Signature Theater.