Cynthia Nixon presents the second of two programs devoted to a reading of James Joyce’s memorable story, “The Dead.”
“The Dead” takes place at a New Year’s dinner-dance in Dublin in 1904. It is filled with colorful characters, wonderful period detail, and is both humorous and poignant.
The hostesses of the annual dinner are the Misses Kate and Julia Morkan, the elderly aunts of the story’s central character, Gabriel Conroy. In this second part of the story, Gabriel pays tribute to his aunts and the tradition of Irish hospitality at the end of the feast, and the departure of the guests involves much confusion and humorous anecdotes. Once they are gone, Gabriel longs to be alone with his wife Gretta, and to rekindle their relationship. For her, a song overheard reawakens old and painful memories.
“The Dead,” is the final work in Joyce’s famous collection of short stories, "Dubliners," which depicts the lives of different people living in and around Dublin, Ireland at the turn of the 20th century. The book marked its 100th anniversary in 2014, and was celebrated at an evening at Symphony Space. Cynthia Nixon is the first reader, and the story’s conclusion is read by Colum McCann, the award-winning author of Let the Great World Spin and Transatlantic.
“The Dead,” by James Joyce, Part 2. Performed by Cynthia Nixon and Colum McCann.
The SELECTED SHORTS theme is David Peterson's “That's the Deal,” performed by the Deardorf/Peterson Group.
For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit http://www.symphonyspace.org/events/series/71/selected-shorts
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