Avignon Theater Festival, the fourth day of my third season.

I woke up at five in the morning in the hammock to the sound of rain. My waterproof bag was tied to a tree trunk, and I zipped up my raincoat and turned to the other side. It was half past ten when I got dressed and almost fell out, then headed back into the city along the riverbank.

Avignon, July 12, 2024, Friday.
12:00 The Thousand and One Nights
I thought I would watch a dance performance with an Eastern atmosphere. And that’s exactly what it was. It was based on the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, featuring Aladdin, Ali Baba, and of course, Scheherazade, portrayed by an opera singer. So it was a story between opera songs from the world of Scheherazade with live music. All of this took place in a small theater room, elegantly arranged in the basement of a museum. I liked it.
The problem is,
I don’t feel like doing much today. After a long walk, I lay down on the walls surrounding the papal palace and slept for an hour. In the afternoon, I walked again, then had roasted chicken from the store. Feeling full, I watched street performers; an endless procession of dancers and street musicians circled the streets. I had planned to go back to Arles in the afternoon, but I don’t feel like it now. I’m not in a bad mood, I just feel like I’ve seen enough. In the evening, I might watch a musical. In the meantime, I’ll listen to a little jazz concert and have a few bites in front of the theater. It’s been a comfortable, enjoyable day today.
21:00 Al Capone
As we know, Capone was the notorious mafia leader of Chicago during the Prohibition and bootlegging of alcohol. A highlight was the scene where arguments were presented – from different people’s perspectives – for and against prohibition and (controlled) legalization. It was a lively, fun-filled play lasting barely an hour and a half, with lots of Italian music performed by two brass players. It was a good performance and worth the price. It took place at the Notre Dame Theater, which used to be a church, where they halved the height into two levels, with a smaller room below and a spectacular stone-walled theater with arches on the altar’s spot above.
During the remaining free time,
while waiting for the train, I wanted to go to the nearby outdoor party, but at the corner, four to six police officers were apprehending a man, directing him to the main street sidewalk. The man was shouting, and the four officers worked silently and professionally. There was no violence or mercy. They pushed him down to the ground with their faces. In the next five minutes, a police van arrived, and meanwhile, an ambulance went into the entertainment venue. Interestingly, I didn’t feel fear; perhaps because only the anxious person had a reason to…
Seeing all this, I thought it best to wait for the train at the station; at least I can write in my journal until then.
In Arles,
my depleted scooter is waiting for me. I will walk nearly twelve kilometers. In light of this, I don’t feel like partying, even though when else, if not this weekend (Sunday), is a national holiday, and there’s always a festive atmosphere at this time, everywhere, although it seems that some in Avignon have overdone it this time.
After my leisurely day, I will have a leisurely night because the last train has been canceled, and we have to wait at least forty-five minutes for a relief service.