Tonight culture will commence in the Penthouse Suite of the Sorrento Hotel when acclaimed playwright, actor and essayist Wallace Shawn and Seattle’s less-acclaimed-but-certainly-noteworthy writer, musician and filmmaker Sean Nelson will have a chat in front of a stew-fed, whiskey-swilling audience for the tenth edition of the Penthouse Symposium series.
What will transpire? It’s hard to know, beyond the fact that the two gentlemen will be discussing Shawn’s thoughts on politics and theatre as related in his clearly titled collection of essays, Essays. Hopefully no one will ask questions about land wars in Asia, clever poisoning techniques or anything else that might hint at Shawn’s most memorable role, as the villain Vizzini in The Princess Bride. That said, I will give anyone three-to-one odds that the word “Inconceivable!” is uttered at least once tonight.
What I can tell you will happen is that I will be taking notes on the evening’s events – titillating and boring alike – to share with you in the first installment of City Arts‘ Night School Journal. Show up and you might just make it into my notes.
Stay tuned.
