Real snow, a few inches. It was peaceful to watch during the night, then to awake to the ground thickly covered on Sunday morning. I took Abby out to play in it around 1 am, then shovelled a path around the house and cleared off the steps so Nelson could get in and out of his cat flap. The weather report today said that more snow is expected on Thursday.
Thursday, tonight, Feb. 13, at 7 pm is opening night for “Anything Goes” at the M.V. Regional High School. There will be two more evening performances on Friday and Saturday, then a matinee at 2 pm on Sunday.
I’m really excited about seeing “Anything Goes.” I love all of the 1930s and ‘40s musicals with their convoluted plots and deliciously clever language. The play was written by P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton, music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It will be great fun. Here’s a bit of the title song.
“In olden days a glimpse of stocking
Was looked at as something shocking,
But now, God knows,
Anything Goes.
Good authors too who once knew better words,
Now only use four-letter words
Writing prose, Anything Goes.
The world has gone mad today
And good’s bad today
And black’s white today,
And day’s night today.”
And on it goes. Among the other well-known songs are “You’re the Top,” It’s De-Lovely,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” and “Let’s Misbehave.” The school productions over the years have all been fabulous, and I can’t wait to see this one. Maybe twice. I wonder if Iyla would like to go with me. I used to sing these songs to her when she was a baby. Imagine us “Dancing Cheek to Cheek.” Happy memories. She loves Wodehouse’s Jeeves stories, so I think she would enjoy it.
At 2:30 pm on Sunday afternoon, David Mintz is performing a concert of show tunes from the same period at the West Tisbury library. Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, and Irving Berlin are some of the songwriters of the Great American Songbook. Another opportunity to enjoy this wonderful music.
Also at the library, kids of all ages are invited to a Pal-entine’s Day party on Friday, Feb. 14, from 3 to 4:30 pm. Saturday events begin with a “Baby Carrier Dance Class” at 10:30 am, a seed-starting workshop at 12:30 pm, and a jazz-themed film and discussion led by Dave Kish at 3 pm. The library will be closed for President’s Day on Monday. Thursday afternoon, Feb. 20, there will be an art reception for Ed Shulman from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.
I read an article in Sunday’s Washington Post by Sebastian Smee, their excellent art writer. It’s about an exhibition, “Twentieth Century Nudes From Tate,” at the Worcester Art Museum through March 9. Lucien Freud, Stanley Spencer, Gwen John, Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Willem deKooning, Francis Bacon, Barkley L. Hendricks, and more, all from collections in four museums affiliated with the Tate, including Tate Modern. It sounds like a reason for a trip off-island.
With sadness, I read about the passing of Warren Hollinshead, a great presence in West Tisbury and island-wide. My condolences to Marilyn and their family.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. I used to make heart-shaped hamburgers for dinner and Ella Cullen’s cherry nut cake in heart-shaped pans for dessert. Mike doesn’t eat sweets anymore, so it’s been several years since that was our Valentine’s menu. It was so pretty, though. Pink cake and frosting. So many memories of Mrs. Cullen’s perfect-for-every-occasion recipes.
If you have any West Tisbury Town Column suggestions, email Hermine Hull, hermine.hull@gmail.com.
