The above was posted by one of my formerly intelligent and rational Trump Deranged Facebook friends, as usual with no dissent and a lot of “likes,” “loves,” “wows” and angry face emogis. Again, to anyone not rendered a drooling cretin by bias, the thing shouldn’t need any further commentary: it “speaks for itself,” res ipsa loquitur. Nonetheless, the meme is instructive regarding just how completely such TDS victims have left reality while their critical thinking functions head into oblivion.

“He wants the oil” is the one arguably legitimate statement, if we generously permit over-simplification because of the genre’s intrinsic limitations. There are many benefits, to the American economy, to the Venezuelan people, and to global stability of removing Venezuelan oil production from its longtime role of assisting U.S. adversaries and Communist governments. The statement is deceitful, of course: Trump does not “want the oil” for himself, not is be determined to take the oil without just compensation to the nation. U.S. companies like Chevron, Exxon Mobil, and others are expected to take advantage of investment opportunities by rebuilding Venezuela’s deteriorating oil infrastructure. This will benefit that nation’s economy and welfare as well.

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Estonian theater Kinoteater recently staged Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” in a production with Romeo played by a rally truck and his secret love Juliet by a red Ford pickup truck. The climactic duel between Tybalt and Mercutio consisted of two excavators swinging their metal buckets in front of each other. The performance was staged in a limestone quarry. “Romula ja Julia” had virtually no lines, as there were no human actors, just ten drivers, two mechanics, a pyrotechnics expert, an excavator operator, and many vehicles to convey the classic love story. Among the Shakespearean were a front-end loader, a concrete mixer, a fire truck, city buses, other large machinery, and some smaller vehicles.

Co-director Paavo Piik explained that the contrast between the powerful vehicles and the themes of love and poetry is central to the production’s experimental approach. “I would still say that even though it was cars, it felt really sweet and cute. Like when you had the scene where the cars were, you would assume, kissing, the energy was captured really well. The sweetness and the love,” one spectator told Reuters.

Right. No lines, and a bunch of machines “kissing.” By what theory could such a spectacle be legitimately called “Shakespeare,” much less “Romeo and Juliet”? They might just as well have called a demolition derby “The Illiad.”

Ethics Alarms always takes the position that the acid test of any non-traditional theatrical concept or casting is 1) whether the creator’s message and vision is being fairly respected, and 2) whether the production “works” beyond the novelty factor.

Let’s just say that I’m highly dubious about this production.

(Curmie, Curmie! Wherefore art thou, Curmie?)