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COMMENTS


Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 4:03 PM
Subject: Good piece of work

Dear Richard Vetere:

I saw your play 'Machiavelli' last Friday night. I thought the play was an absolutely brilliant piece of work on many counts. It was insightful in its turning the casting on its head ; the general tendency is to assume that the 'Prince' was Machiavelli's personal belief on the effective use of power, rather than as an instrument invented by one individual as the best guarantee of his survival from the hands of those who weild it. I like how the main character was cast as both an exceptionally insigthful man into human character, but who at the same time was directed to be understated and to pay appropriate condesension and homage to his prince. Not the least compelling was this complex character who is allowed to speak words of profound insight far above his prince's comprehension, and who at the same time had to conduct himself in due recognition of his place. Only behind close doors in the privacy of his lair, or with his family, would he allow himself, his tone, to match his perception. I thought yours was a veritable tour de force. And it made me very happy and very pleased to see a condiserable piece of intellectual work on stage in New York City. Indeed I was also well entertained by the superb acting as well. From the point of view of technique I well admired how the narrative was held together by the ubiquitous presence of Alphonso, Machiavelli's gaoler, who ultimately announces the demise of the House of De Medici, the installation of a new Republic and the re-elevation of the author of the Prince. Of course it is standard fare that the authoritarianism has two sides: submission by the governed and arrogance by the governor.

It was close to two hours of sheer delight. Thank you again for a wonderful piece of work.

Lloyd T.


Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 6:34 PM
Subject: Machiavelli

Dear Richard Vetere,

I am a junior lecturer at the University of Leiden, in the philosophy of law group in the law faculty. I received your contact information from my mother who had seen your play on a visit to New York, and had spoken to you on the occasion.

In the past year I taught Machiavelli's Discourses to Dutch law undergraduates, and am currently finishing up a text that will appear in a book my boss and supervisor is editing. The book is on evil, and I'm authoring the entry on Machiavelli's view on evil.

I am interested in reading your play that my mother had enjoyed seeing. If possible, I would very much like to read this play. And if you are interested, I could also send you some of my own writings on Machiavelli,

with kind regards,
Benjamin B.


Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006
Subject: Great!

Dear Richard Vetere:

I saw Machiavelli last night and loved it -- a wonderful play and a
fine production!

If you have a private mailing list, please put me on it.

Thanks,
Eleanor B.


Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Subject: More Machiavelli

Thanks to that great article in my latest Bottom Line newsletter, I was able to share my enthusiasm for the play with colleagues and show them what I have been raving about. Nice photo of you.

MsBerniceS


Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2006

Richard

The play was great. It made me think a lot about my own life. I wandered around the west side for probably an hour and a half.

Thanks for writing a (another) great play.

Frank W.


Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 9:54 AM

Hi Richie,

Been a long time. A man that lives in my building where I work told me of a play he went to see that was great. He went upstairs to get the playbill and brought it to me and I read it and saw your name as the writer. It was great to see that you wrote it. The play was Macchiavelli !

All the best,
Piero


Sent: Sunday, October 22, 2006
Subject: Re: re-Machiavelli

I recall receiving a mailing and it was offered on the Internet as well. It really was impressive. I did find my l965 edition of The Prince and my copy of Richard Buskirk's Modern Management & Machiavelli, The executive's guide to the psychology and politics of power.

I wish the play had a longer run and a more accessible venue


Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2006

My wife and I just saw your wonderful play, "Machiavelli". We loved it! Thank you so much for your work.

Anthony & Andrea C.


Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Subject: Fwd: re-Machiavelli

I thought you would enjoy reading the response to my email from my cousin in California who is a great intellect. You have to know how much we enjoyed the show.

Bernice S.


Sent: 10/17/06

The play sounds very stimulating and enjoyable. I've always been fascinated with both Machiavelli and "The Prince". His thesis of Love, Hate, and Fear is played out situationally in government and business, as the Prince or Leader's knowledge of the situation, event, or milieu can control or change or direct Fortune, no matter how unfortunate. People forget that Machiavelli's idea of a Prince, was not necessarily an Evil Prince or leader (Hitler) but also a good one (his concept of Jesus). The good leader was trained with good counsel, practical wisdom, and scientific knowledge (of war also)and should use his power to serve the common good. Machiavelli didn't believe in equality, but rights and power had to be earned by demonstration of worthiness and ability, and that some secrets had to be kept from the masses. His ideas of the Lion and the Fox---are exemplified by Roosevelt and Churchill, both pragmatic and Machiavellian in their knowledge and uses of Power, and their focus on 'the ball' or the necessary goals. FDR was driven crazy by Eleanor regarding equality, civil rights, etc, and FDR kept telling her he would do would he could, but he had to use the southern congressman and others for the immediate and necessary goal---winning the war. Yet, secretly he funded, or defended publicly a lot of her projects and stances and efforts, all well documented. FDR used to say that he never let his left hand know what his right hand did when trying to accomplish some necessary good. Trump has it all wrong when his concept is the use of unrestrained Fear and Ruthless aggression.. Cronkite in his excellent memoir tells of following the Stevenson Presidential campaign and his admiration of the man and his ideas, but correctly concluded that Stevenson would make a dreadful President as he didn't know how to use Power, or what it was. Teddy Roosevelt did and was brilliant at it and for the good. Too often the line between public morality and private morality is confused or blurred. A state cannot operate on the Highest morals of one's private morality. Nor should that be the basis of a country's foreign policy. Churchill once said, "I have no Eternal Friends or Eternal Enemies only Eternal Interests", meaning for him the British Empire and winning the war with teh Empire intact. Hence he said he 'would put in a good word for the devil' if he fought Hitler, and allied with Russia when the latter was attacked by Hitler, despite Churchill's well known enmity of Stalin and Communism. Wilson got it all wrong and thus made some horrendous mistakes. Kissinger, whom I don't admire, however, is quite right when he says that 'morality' cannot be the overriding thesis of a country's foreign policy. The commission to re-evaluate the war in Iraq has already stated that Am. has got to stop talking about spreading democracy( especially in areas where it is untenable). Altruism to Machiavelli was suspect---and is at the core of an historian's difficulty in analyzing or assessing a biographical life or an event. For example---Ford was given credit for increasing his worker's wages from 4. to 5. a day, unheard of in his industry to the hue and cry of his competitors, because Ford rightly knew that well paid workers were a stable working force, and also could afford to buy the cars they produced. That increased the success of the company. But, and he's the hooker, Ford wasn't totally altuistic as some historians give him high marks for enlightened labor practices, for he increased the workers hours and speed of work, thereby making his economic policy palatable and also financially rewarding. Ford also built model homes, schools, etc. for his workers, but instituted unannounced inspections to make sure the workers where 'living correctly' (clean homes, etc.). Machiavellian policies also of course treads into the field of 'the end justifying the means when the end is 'good' or beneficial to society. Liberialism can get very authoritarian when good measures are bureaucratically enforced and supervised. In the hands of Hitler the Machiavellian principles are destructive, but Machiavelli wanted his Prince to be 'good', to serve the good, and gave a model for training such a Prince. All ideas have the seeds of destruction---individualism is the hallmark of Am. democracy, but rampant individualism with no regard for the community or the community's welfare, is utterly destructive. Seeing a play that evokes all these issues is really thrilling.

I'm glad this play was produced, and in I wonder whether such a play would run or be understood in La La Land of LA. Some of these small theatres do a great job. There are oodles of them in LA, and one in Glendale is in an abandoned and partially renovated old warehouse. The drive up there is dreadful, but the rewards are great.

bglaze


Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006
Subject: Machiavelli

Hi Richard,

I had the good fortune of seeing "Machiavelli" last week and wanted to let you know you much I enjoyed the performance. I loved the addresses to the audience as well as the use of verse and I thought the characters of Lorenzo, Giuliano, and Marietta, in particular, were wonderfully written and brilliantly played ! I had a great time and it was a pleasure to see.

I wish you continued success with the run and all future projects.

Jenny G.


Sent: Monday, October 09, 2006
Subject: Machiavell

I saw the play a second time yesterday and it's better than ever !

Elizabeth


Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Subject: A Great Trip...

We enjoyed every aspect of our trip to New York -- the highlight being our having the chance to see MACHIAVELLI. It is a wonderful play with excellent performances throughout.This is a really strong, satisfying and entertaining theater experience; we wish you continued success with the play.

Robert N.


Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006
Subject: Re: Machiavelli

I really enjoyed the play
truly, truly spectacular

crw


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