Hurrah for Broadway! "Charles III" is moving, funny, and great theatre!

Written mainly in blank verse by Mike Bartlett and directed by Rupert Goold, the theatrical production "King Charles III" - dubbed as "future history" - won this year's  Olivier award at the end of a triumphant London season and opened recently on Broadway.  It is, of course, a fantasy, but one that raises provocative questions about the future of the monarchy and invites the audience to probe the nature of power (actual and perceived), and how it is used by politicians, press, and the sovereign.

Charles has become monarch following the death of his mother, Elizabeth.  The play opens in the middle of a funeral mass in a darkened theatre with the characters, candles in hand, chanting "Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam." (Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest.). The prayer is part of the Latin Mass sung in the Roman Catholic as well as the Anglican, Lutheran and several Orthodox churches.

Royal Assent

While Charles awaits his Royal coronation, he has his first official audience with a Labour Prime Minister who asks him to sign into law a bill curbing press freedom. Charles declines and, with some encouragement from a devious Conservative Opposition Leader, he returns the bill with 'Assent Reserved' written instead of his signature! When the Prime Minister threatens to pass a new law bypassing royal assent and then pass the press law, Charles comes to Parliament dressed in full royal regalia and dissolves it!  This triggers a constitutional crisis that makes up the plot of King Charles III.

There are riots and violent protests across the country. With England on the brink of civil war, Charles invokes army support and increases the guard at Buckingham Palace. Meanwhile, Prince Harry begins a relationship with a commoner named Jess who is also an art student and a republican. Charles offers his protection to Jess (whom the media place at the centre of a sex scandal) and grants Harry's wish to renounce his royal title.  William is staying out of the controversy but his wife Kate Middleton is pushing him to secure the endangered monarchy for himself and his heirs.

Kate as Villain!

The Duchess of Cambridge, in full villain mode, plans a solution, which turns out to be William publicly offering himself as a mediator between Parliament and his father. He announces this plan at a press conference without his father's knowledge.

Seeing this as a betrayal, Charles reacts angrily but William threatens his father that he will never see his sons or grandchildren again if he does not agree.  Charles is finally forced to abdicate in favor of William, who will sign the press bill and restore the status quo between the monarchy and Parliament.

The play concludes with Harry's rejection of Jess, and William and Kate are crowned King and Queen with more Gregorian chant - this time the "Te Deum Laudamus" (O God we praise thee - an ancient Latin hymn sung on special occasions: a royal coronation, the election of a pope, the consecration of a bishop, the canonization of a saint).

Shakespeare as Inspiration

The Shakespearian references are too numerous to list. It is easy to recognise the histories (Richard II, Henry IV and V) and the tragedies (Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth).  The play makes wonderful use of Shakespearean conceits with echoes of Hamlet and Banquo's ghost (Macbeth) delivering prophecies. Princess Diana's ghost appears to both Charles and William and promises each one that he will become "the greatest king of all."

A scheming Lady Macbeth-like Kate Middleton pushes William into interventionist mode. An indecisive (Hamlet-like) William, finally develops a spine to match his wife's. The prospect of usurpation puts us in Richard II territory.

In the end, the beleaguered Charles is both a tragic and sympathetic figure. Isolated and haunted by his mistakes, Charles turns from an abuser of legitimate power into a sad, pathetic and cornered man.  He is dignified, principled, but ultimately ineffective.

Top-Notch Cast

Tim Pigott-Smith - whom audiences will remember as the memorable villain in "Jewel in the Crown"(1984 TV miniseries set in India) brilliantly captures the awkwardness of Charles, a man ill at ease with himself and others. He sets the tone from the outset when he proclaims "My life has been a ling'ring for the throne."  He is a man of principled anxiety who declares: "Without my voice and spirit, I am dust."

Richard Goulding delivers a touching performance as Prince Harry, with parallels to Shakespeare’s Prince Hal at the Boar’s Head Tavern (Henry IV and V).  Here we see Harry getting wasted and falling in love with a feisty commoner. Oliver Chris plays William with wit and charm. Margot Leicester plays Camilla as a woman who offers unconditional love to her needy husband. She keeps reminding him "I'm still here" when he says that his mother left him and now his sons "my boys, my boys" have turned their backs on him.

But perhaps the most provocative performance - and lines - are from Kate Middleton, cast as the villain. She is cunning and shrewd and pushes William (who prefers to leave well alone) into finally agreeing to intervene.  Not just king and queen of "the column inch" (newspapers), the pair know how to manipulate the press and "build their brand!"

King Charles III unfolds like a history play with the characters mixing contemporary jargon with verse, archaic expression and iambic pentameter.  It could only have been acted by a cast steeped in Shakespeare!

The other interesting theme is that of press freedom. While Parliament wants to restrict the press, Charles who was often the butt of scurrilous media reports and whose first wife Diana was hounded to death by invasive reporters, is - ironically - the only character in the play who wants to preserve press freedom!

Costa Rican History: William Walker & the Filibusters

William Walker

William Walker looms large in Costa Rican history books. He is the bogeyman to punish naughty kids with!  Imagine their astonishment then to find that most Americans haven't heard of William Walker or his band of merry men known as "filibusters" (buccaneers). Walker belonged to an era when Americans believed that territorial expansion was an obligation and a right!  Why should the Spanish have all the fun, claiming land and wealth in America's backyard?

The word "filibuster" derives from the Dutch vrijbuiter (freebooter) and Spanish filibustero (plunderer or pirate).  It came to mean Southern adventurers who, during the decade before the Civil War, conducted private armed expeditions to carve out kingdoms and assume power in Latin American and Caribbean countries. The newly acquired lands were meant to join the Confederacy as slave states.

The U.S. had already taken huge pieces of land from Mexico, adding Texas and California to the Union, and purchased the Louisiana Territory from France. Central America was the next target, as were Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines. Although Washington had signed a treaty with Britain - to steer clear of Central America - filibusters regarded the treaty as a mere impediment!

Fulfilling America's Manifest Destiny

The aim of the filibusters was to overpower "lesser peoples" and fulfil America's manifest destiny: a right to world expansion and domination!  They had a strong support base in the South with parades held in their honour and their adventures glorified!  Between the years 1830 and 1860, Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua - all became filibuster targets.

By fighting against countries with which the U.S. was at peace, the filibusters flouted neutrality laws that forbid Americans from engaging in private warfare with other nations. They created major diplomatic rows, almost taking the U.S. and England to war. The U.S. Navy brought filibusters and their armies back to stand trial several times but they were usually found not guilty!  

President of Nicaragua

William Walker, Southerner from Tennessee and notorious filibuster,  tried to annex Central America to establish a slave-holding empire. Anticipating secession from the Union and the abolition of slavery, his intention was to find new slaves to work the cotton plantations of the South. Walker first tried in Mexico by invading Sonora and Lower California, and declaring the areas free, in expectation of future U.S. annexation. Mexican forces had little trouble expelling his men. He was tried for breaking U.S. neutrality laws but public sentiment was on his side and he was acquitted!  

In future filibustering expeditions, Walker took power in Nicaragua and led the country for two years as president. His rapid rise and policy of "Americanisation" (legalisation of slavery, declaring English as the official language, and encouraging immigration from the U.S.) angered Central American leaders. Walker was also known for executing opponents, confiscating their estates and reselling them to U.S. supporters.  His lack of military prowess was not a suffcient deterrent for his men who, like him, were there to acquire wealth.

Costa Rica, Inter-Oceanic Canal & Juan Santamaría

Juan Santamaria Memorial

Walker soon turned his attention to neighboring Costa Rica. He tried to make peace with Costa Rican President Juan Rafael Mora but the latter saw this as a ruse for invasion. Mora also feared U.S. influence in the disputed border area of Guanacaste (claimed by both Costa Rica and Nicaragua); it contains the San Juan River which flows from the Atlantic into Lake Nicaragua and shortens the distance to the Pacific over land. In the 1850s-1860s, this strategic territory was seriously considered by Britain, France, Spain, and the U.S. as the site for a possible inter-oceanic canal!

Costa Rica had never mobilised for war but fear of enslavement brought in 9,000 volunteers. Yankee mercenaries were stopped at Santa Rosa and chased back into Nicaragua. During the fight, a Costa Rican drummer boy Juan Santamaría was killed while setting fire to Walker’s defences. At Parque Nacional in San Jose, we saw a memorial to the Battle of Rivas, 1856, commemorating Walker's defeat.  Although Walker returned twice more to attack Central America, the story of the brave young farmer, Juan Santamaría, served to strengthen national identity.

Like other countries in the region, Costa Rica did not experience a war of independence; over the years, however, the successful military campaign against Walker and the dreaded filibusters became its fight for freedom and Juan Santamaría its hero! 

Cornelius "Commander" Vanderbilt

Although Walker had no dearth of foes (Britain, the Central Americans, the U.S.), his main enemy was powerful New York shipping and railroad magnate, Cornelius "Commander" Vanderbilt. When Walker transferred the charter of Vanderbilt's Accessory Transit Company (with its large fleet of steamboats) to competitors, Vanderbilt sent agents to Nicaragua to recapture his steamboats and foment insurrection; he also sent money and arms to Costa Rica to intervene. Denied steamboats and other reinforcements, Walker was defeated.

Removed from Nicaragua by the U.S. Navy and made to stand trial, Walker was again found not guilty. His acquittal meant his inevitable return with another mercenary army.  His luck finally ran out.  After a failed attempt to take Nicaragua via Honduras, he surrendered to a British navy captain, who turned him over to Honduran authorities. In 1860, at the age of 36, Walker was executed for piracy by a Honduran firing squad. 

Filibustering Movement Dies, South Secedes

The start of Civil War hostilities brought an end to the filibuster movement. Historians argue that the short-lived gains made by the filibusters emboldened the South and may have impacted its decision to secede from the Union. Most Southerners continued to regard Walker as a hero, feeding the myth.  The fact that he was found not guilty of filibustering half a dozen times by juries of his peers is a reflection of a darker era that looked kindly on his exploits and provided him with funds and armies to return time and again for more plundering.

Ludi Joseph
San Jose, Costa Rica, Feb. 25, 2015

Text from my iPad
Photo of Walker from Google

Costa Rica: Volcanoes, Ecological & Biological Riches

Our travel in Costa Rica was all about Nature! What is more awe-inspiring than geysers shooting out of volcanoes, identifying constellations (were they upside down?) in the starriest nights in memory, a Pacific moonrise, or walking in a cloud forest enshrouded in fog? Check out some sights we saw.

Volcán Poás National Park

Poás Volcano

The visibility was perfect when we visited Poás Volcano in the country's central highlands on a bright sunny day.  I talked to a local (tico) who said he'd been thrice but saw nothing because of constant cloud cover!  

At about a mile across, Poás has the world's largest active caldera (crater) with a bubbling blue-green lake at the bottom surrounded by smoke and steam rising 
through vents from which volcanic gases escape. Water
from the lake seeps through cracks in the hot rock, evaporating and building steam; when the steam breaks through, geysers shoot up to 500 feet and more! Poás ejects ash, however, not red-hot molten lava like Kīlauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island.

Volcán Arenal: Currently "Resting"

Arenal Volcano

Costa Rica's most active volcano (the currently resting Arenal) is located in La Fortuna district of Alajuela province. In 1968, after nearly 400 years of lying dormant, an eruption killed 87 people and buried three 
villages. Almost daily eruptions of smoke and ash were constant until 2010. Arenal spews out black volcanic rock, not red molten lava. 

The Arenal Park protects the Arenal Volcano and begins near Costa Rica's largest landlocked body of water, the impressive man-made Lake Arenal. The vegetation in the park was completely destroyed when the volcano erupted. The dense forest that currently exists dates back to only 45 years!  It is a secondary forest; that is, it was impacted by volcanic or human activity.  

Sky Walk, Hanging Bridges, Cable Car - Arenal Park

Hanging Bridge

The Sky Walk is a 3-4 mile trail system running through Arenal Park's rain forest and includes hanging (suspension) bridges and waterfalls. The bridges sway precariously in the wind and with the weight of the people crossing - but the view from the middle is hard to beat. They are suspended over deep ravines, so deep you can't see the river or forest floor underneath - just a dense tangle of vegetation.  (Less scary - but worth the view - was the cable car ride over the tree canopy).

The combination of cloud and rain forests in the park provide habitat for many animals, including endangered ones. Anteaters, sloth, jaguars, pumas, deer, howler monkeys, and 200 species of birds inhabit the park. On the morning walk, our guide warned us about 22 kinds of poisonous snakes, including vipers!  Our afternoon guide pointed out two sloths hanging from trees - they looked like dark shapeless lumps!  We also saw jays, macaws, toucans, and the ubiquitous monkeys!   

Cloud Forests & Epiphytes

Cloud Forests are highland forests blanketed in cool fog that require 100 percent humidity to thrive. Precipitation comes from surrounding clouds - this high degree of moisture encourages plant growth. On a nocturnal nature walk, our guide called it "horizontal rain!"  As in Peru and because of their altitude, cloud forests are cool with temperatures in the low 60s in the day and 50s at night. 

Example of Epiphyte

Cloud forests have old gnarled trees draped in mosses, ferns, and Epiphytes. The roots of the latter can strangle and topple large trees used as "hosts" and we saw the damage they caused. Epiphytes produce their own energy from photosynthesis and obtain moisture and nutrients from the air.  They also grow in the rain forest and temperate zones.

Catarata de la Paz - La Paz Waterfalls

La Paz Waterfalls Video

The spectacular La Paz Waterfalls are located on the slopes of the Poás Volcano within a 40-acre wildlife preserve. The platforms along the trail allow visitors to see the falls from above, below, and center while being misted by the spray.  

Again, the park's altitude allows both cloud and rain forest to coexist making the area richly biodiverse. We visited the world's largest butterfly observatory, a hummingbird garden, frog and bird enclosures, and another enclosure with rescued big cats (jaguars, pumas, ocelots), all native to the region. 

La Paz Sanctuary: Frogs, Morpho Butterflies, Toucans

Although Costa Rica"s biodiversity is among the world's richest and most protected, a number of species are at risk and some are extinct.  Not on the endangered list, thankfully, is the Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog at the La Paz Sanctuary.  Known as the "mascot of the rain forest," it is green with orange feet and red eyes; the belly is cream, and the sides are yellow and blue - this brilliant camouflage helps the frogs escape predators. 

Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog

Morpho Butterfly

Pair of Macaws

Toucan

We also saw Morpho Butterflies which have a life cycle of four weeks. They are usually a bright blue on the outside and brown on the inside of the wings which have ornamental "eye spots!"  When not flying, morphos fold their wings, revealing only brown and black colours which work as camouflage.

In the wild, Macaws (the largest parrot species) can live up to 80 years. They help promote forest growth by dropping seeds on the ground. Toucans - famous for their large and colourful bills (beaks) - inhabit the canopy layer of the rain forest, where they build nests and protect their young from forest-floor predators.

Wetlands - Palo Verde Park, Tempisque River

Crocodile Entering Tempisque River Video

The Palo Verde Park shelters several endangered species in the marshlands and creeks of the Tempisque River Basin. We took a boat ride and were amazed to see Crocodiles sunbathing and entering the water. We also saw White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys, Bats, Herons, and Wild Lizards.   

Iguanas: Prehistoric Reptilian Vibe?

Iguana Going Walkabout! Video

Brown Iguanas are everywhere in Costa Rica. Relatively tame ones seem to hang around hotel gardens, bask in the sun and ignore people. There are other more active ones that wander around - much to the delight or dismay of startled tourists!  Besides exuding a rather prehistoric reptilian vibe, we were told that iguanas are herbivorous - and usually harmless.

Wild Lizard, Tempisque River

Not all Wild Lizards are herbivorous such as those on the Tempisque River that attack birds. When they are born, some species eat insects. 

We were told that the young ones then learn to digest indigestible fibrous plants after ingesting an enzyme from the faeces of their parents! (Fun fact or gross fact?)

High School Science & Geography!

Costa Rica brings one face to face with high school botany, zoology, and geography. It is a very creative way to educate oneself about flora and fauna - and a great place to bring kids!  I asked our guides about their academic background. One had been trained in the Management of Natural Habitat; the second had a Business degree in Eco-Tourism!

Ludi Joseph
San Jose, Costa Rica, Feb. 25, 2015
Text, Photos, Videos from my iPad 

La Costa Rica: the "Rich Coast"

Belying its name, La Costa Rica (the rich coast), the Spanish found the country far from rich with no minerals and no gold compared to Peru or Mexico.  About 50 years ago, however, Costa Rica developed its edge, cornering the regional eco-tourism market for which its flora, fauna, and topography make it uniquely endowed.

Green Revolution: Eco-Tourism Boom

Well into the 20th century, clearing the jungle was considered the best way to improve the land. It wasn't until the 1970s (when oversupply caused world coffee prices to drop) that an alliance of economists and environmental conservationists decided it was time to diversify exports and stop relying on the unpredictability of commodity markets.  The eco-tourism boom or "green revolution" was born! 

The first federally protected conservation area was set up in 1963.  Since then, the success of national parks, forest preserves, and wildlife sanctuaries has encouraged private landholders to also build reserves. More than a third of the country is now under some form of environmental protection. Eco-tourism has long since passed coffee and bananas as the main source of foreign currency earnings.

Many Micro Environments

Costa Rica's special topography creates many micro environments. A quarter of the country survives in its original (wild) state: primary habitat untouched by humans. There are rain forests, cloud forests, dry tropical forests, wetlands and savannahs, as well as a central meseta (plateau), active volcanoes, and miles of pristine beaches along the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic to the east. 

As Central American countries go, Costa Rica is tiny (less than 20,000 square miles) but its level of biodiversity (about 5 percent of the world total) is unmatched by any other small nation.

Concerns for Sustainable Tourism

Tourism profits have (for the most part) raised living standards and Costa Rica is considered a pioneer in sustainable development combining economic and environmental interests. However, foreign capital (mostly from resort developers) has inflated property values and displaced many local people.

The success of the "green revolution" also creates concerns for sustainable tourism.  The increasing number of visitors leads to more hotels, more roads, and more transportation, placing unusual stress on fragile ecosystems. How long can the rainforest sustain human encroachment?  In the years ahead, planners must balance these concerns against the need for development.

Blogs on Costa Rica 

This is the first of my blogs on Costa Rica. Enjoy! Pura Vida!

Ludi Joseph
Photos and Text from my iPad
Tamarindo Beach, Costa Rica, Feb. 15, 2015

Lake Arenal

Rain Forest

Poas Volcano

La Paz Waterfall

Pacific Ocean at Tamarindo

Cloud Forest 

Map by Google