The theater, the theater. What's happened to the theater?
I recently heard about a play happening here in Portland called I Love To Eat! I didn't even know what the play was about but I wanted tickets. As the play season went on I finally decided to look into and found that it was a play that was about James Beard. I realized that I hardly know anything about this man whose name I use when discussing awards, chefs, restaurants, and the food scene here in Portland. I decided to not look up any information before attending the show to leave it all to surprise.
I Love To Eat! is a one man play. Actor Rob Nagel who is also an Oregon native plays Beard. An entire 90 minute soliloquy wearing silk pajamas. The play takes place as if Beard was getting ready for bed when he is overwhelmed with memories from his life. The phone constantly rings as he reminds the audience that If you have an unlisted number then no one would be able to call you. Sometimes its his friend Julie Child on the phone, sometimes its a tv viewer upset about a kitchen disaster. During certain cues he runs and slips on his unique kitchen apron and acts as if he is back on his TV show aptly named I Love To Eat!
He recalls a dish he enjoyed to make where he whipped up some mayonnasie specifically on a dinner plate. Cut rounds of onion, which the actor ate raw just as Beard would. Cut rounds from bread. Layer the bread and onion sandwich style, roll it in the homemade mayonnaise and then in finely diced parsley. Voila. These little onion sandwiches were then passed around to the front row of the audience.
As the show comes to an end, Beard recalls his ailments and the fact that he never came out to the public as gay but it was for his friends it was obvious. Then he slowly walks up the staircase as if he is going to bed for the final time.
This show was good I wont say great but I think it is because today's foodie is in their 30's. Beard died in 1985 - I was three. We barely know this man only his name. I could tell by the older people in the audience laughing at certain phrases and moments that this show is using lines Beard was known for on his show. I did however make me want to research him a little more and attempt to understand this man.
James Beard was born in 1903 in Portland Oregon. His family vacationed on the Oregon Coast. Being bedridden with disease as a child gave him the opportunity to eat. He was trained as a singer and dance but his size left him little roles. After hosting small dinner parties he began a catering business which ended with WWII. Then his TV show came on, he met Julia Child, he wrote 24 cookbooks in his lifetime. In 1981 he began the organization City Meals-on-wheels with Gael Greene. When he passed away in 1985 his ashes were spread at the beach in Oregon.
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