My dinner with Uncle Vanya

The convergence of themes in Uncle Vanya and My Dinner with Andre expresses today's theme perfectly.

Four sexually starved adults are seated around the remnants of their dinner.

R: Come on and zoom zoom zooma, zoom.

U: Come on and zooma zooma zooma, zoom.

K: Well, she has to accept it, doesn't she?

A: She could withdraw approval of your vacation request.

R: Come on give it a try!

U: We're gonna teach you to fly!

K: She wouldn't.

R/U: High!

A: She might.

Picture this instead as a date. Four sexually starved adults, brought together by K, whose "date" for the evening is R (who is gay), trying to fix up A and U.

R: Does anybody remember the theme song to Zoom?

U: I do! Come on and zoom, zoom, zooma, zoom.

A: What are you talking about?

R: We're living out our American childhoods here. Sorry.

A: But you're much older than she is. K wouldn't be going on holiday with an old geezer like you.

K: I can't wait to get to Thailand!

U: Me too.

A: I took my mother to Thailand once. She had a lovely time.

K: Who takes their mother to Thailand?

A: I get on very well with my mother. I took her to shows, we went shopping. She's just incredible. I wouldn't have thought I'd ever do something like that when I was younger, I couldn't wait to get out of the house. But I really enjoy her company.

And scene.

It would work better as just a twosome, but the point is this. Less talking, please! At this point I know he's interested. He's trying to demonstrate his respect for women vis a vis his mother, as well as his skills as a provider. I'm thinking, I already have my own mother, what would I want with this one's who will clearly be coming along for the ride?

Whatever happened to unfettered passion, hold the names? OK, I suppose AIDS. But even just the pedestal? The crush? The time before knowing? It's what we all want and yet it's not sustainable. In the current romantic climes though, it's getting totally plowed under. Dating is more like a job interview than most job interviews.