That’s Staged Art

Why send a theater critic to do an art reviewer’s job? Don Shirley didn’t understand the intent and beauty of Karen Finley (“Karen Finley Lampoons . . . Well, What Is It, Exactly?,” May 2).

Finley fearlessly and purposefully used her body and voice to weave swatches of sexual politics and then rip them to shreds. She told us stories that took twisted turns into incest or esteem issues that were impressive and sometimes moving in their language and understanding. Her parodies of idiot striptease acts that normally make men stomp and howl like the wolf in a Tex Avery cartoon were [hilarious]. This woman knew exactly what she was doing when she posed, dripping in honey, quoting her absurdly obscene Pooh bear.

Shirley said he was unsure if the show was supposed to be funny. I had no problem seeing what was funny, sad, sweet and beautiful.

CAROL LAY

Los Angeles