GUMBO LAGNIAPPE (YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING)
(A Collection of New Plays, a New Translation of Tartuffe and Recent Medical Essays)
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
GUMBO LAGNIAPPE derives from a couple of typically Louisiana expressions: gumbo and lagniappe. Gumbo refers to the ubiquitous Louisiana roux-based stew made with just about anything edible. Lagniappe is a Creole term for “a little extra.” Merchants in French-speaking New Orleans used to add “a little extra” to a customer’s order as a token of friendship and respect, and a hope of continued patronage. GUMBO LAGNIAPPE, represents a “gumbo” of several genres (plays, medical essays and even an original translations of Molière’s “Tartuffe”) that all come as “a little extra” to previous publications by the author. This volume contains some original plays, many with public health themes, but others dealing with our fascinating current political and social climate. A collection of selected recent medical essays, some of which complement the plays, also add to this literary gumbo. Several of the plays were written for the 2020 Spectral Sisters Productions Ten-Minute Play Festival for which the theme was “You’ve Got to Be Kidding,” thus the other portion of the title. These plays, much like the many that have preceded them, have gotten very little critical acclaim. Although a few have appeared on stage at the Kress Theatre in Alexandria, Louisiana, most have never been performed and hardly ever read. Since they have all been self-published, however, they have attracted a host of marketing services, all promising to introduce an unknown genius to the eager outside world. Such rubbish, directed to the vain and foolish with extra cash, only represents modern day sirens coaxing the unwary onto the rocks of bankruptcy. To add to this gumbo, there is also a new translation by the author of Molière’s classic, “Tartuffe.” Denouncing hypocrisy never seems to go out of style and I wanted to do a translation from an English speaking Francophile playwright’s perspective. Changing poetry into prose while untwisting the language, sometimes archaic, into contemporary English prose proved an interesting task. Perhaps this new translation brings nothing to world literature, but it kept me engaged and enhanced my appreciation for a wonderful work that has stood the test of time. I hope Monsieur Molière will forgive me. Together, these new plays, an old classic and some assorted medical essays, really do offer some lagniappe, a little extra, to the body of world literature. My thanks to those who want to explore something new while supporting an undiscovered author from Central Louisiana. This town, stuck in the middle of Louisiana and two hours’ drive (at least) from any larger city, has the advantage of being like a tramp steamer isolated in the immensity of the Indian Ocean. We have learned to entertain ourselves on the trip and this unlikely town has produced a host of plays from many other unrecognized playwrights. May creative energy continue to bubble forth from this curious location, as far off-Broadway as you can get, but perhaps a bit closer to heaven.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
GUMBO LAGNIAPPE (You’ve Got to Be Kidding) contains original plays, many with public health themes, but others dealing with our fascinating current political and social climate. Several plays were written for this year’s Spectral Sisters Productions Ten-Minute Play Festival for which the theme was “You’ve Got to Be Kidding,” thus the second part of the title. A collection of selected recent medical essays, some of which complement the plays, also add to this literary gumbo, as does a new translation by the author of Moliere’s classic, “Tartuffe.” Together, these new plays, an old classic and some assorted medical essays, offer “lagniappe,” a little extra, to the body of world literature. This small town, Alexandria, stuck in the middle of Louisiana and two hours’ drive (at least) from any larger city, has the advantage of being like a tramp steamer isolated in the immensity of the Indian Ocean. We have learned to entertain ourselves on the trip and this unlikely location has produced a host of plays from many other talented, but unrecognized playwrights. May creative energy continue to bubble forth from this curious location, as far off-Broadway as you can get, but perhaps a bit closer to heaven. My thanks to those who want to explore something new while supporting an undiscovered author from Central Louisiana.
About the Author
Born in San Francisco, California, David J. Holcombe grew up in the East Bay when pear and walnut orchards dominated the landscape. Far removed from the poverty and strife of many locations, his doting parents encouraged him with a degree of salutary neglect. Beginning writing in high school, he continued in college at the University of California at Davis where he took courses from Diane Murray-Johnson (author of Le Mariage and Le Divorce). He graduated from with an MD from the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels, Belgium in 1981 and completed an internal medicine residency at a Johns-Hopkins University affiliated clinic In 1986. He and his Belgian wife, Nicole, moved to Alexandria, Louisiana, the “Heart of Louisiana” where he joined an internal medicine group. He resumed both creative and technical writing in the 1990’s.” Although a full-time internal medicine practice offered little free time to indulge in creativity, he nonetheless continued writing, painting and folk dancing. Transitioning to a less demanding job in public health in 2007, Dr. Holcombe continued to write both technical and creative works, resulting in regular columns in regional publications, and the self-publication of 11 books. Fourteen of his plays have been produced locally by Spectral Sisters Productions, a developmental theater group with which he has been affiliated for the last 16 years. He remains an obscure author outside of his small city, but has nonetheless been nicknamed by his compatriots the “Chekhov on the Bayou.” Chekhov would not be amused. David Holcombe and his long-suffering wife continue to support the local arts scene by hosting visiting artists, musicians and filmmakers, attending all manner of arts activities and donating time and treasure to local theater groups and arts organizations.