I saw a Broadway show last night, Goodnight, Oscar. It was about Oscar Levant, the guy who played Oscar in American in Paris (the talented, grumpy piano player). Of course, for me it was more of a commentary on mental health since it touched on everything from OCD (he has to stir his coffee a certain amount of times in a certain direction to prevent natural disasters) to hearing voices. My boyfriend looked over at me during the OCD part and I felt very embarrassed like the whole theater was looking at me. I never felt ashamed of what I can’t help. But I see now how ridiculous it looks. How ridiculous I look when I beg for reassurance that the house won’t burn down. Of course, I was a little annoyed the “stereotypical” OCD was what was portrayed in the show (can’t we get away from that?) but they communicated the anguish well. The auditory hallucinations struck a chord for me since I used to hear voices telling me I was worthless and to kill myself (and in one instance I tried to act on those voices). He also disassociated which I used to do. Sometimes after disassociating I wouldn’t be able to remember what had happened. I called these “blackouts” but they happened without alcohol or drugs. But mostly I saw how everyone around him only pretended they wanted what was best for him. They were just a bunch of enablers. What was best for him was to go back to the institution and get help. And in the end, he knew that. Witty and spot-on, I recommend this play for anyone looking for good acting and a good time.
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