"What's that you said?"

So I've reviewed another show.  The critic was out of town on opening night of Into the Woods and asked if I'd review it.  It's not one of my favorite shows, but the production was excellent, so it was a nice evening,

But I've realized another reason why I should no longer be a critic.  It's not only that I'm tired of seeing so many shows, or that I don't like going out into crowds in this post-COVID era, but it's my hearing.  My hearing has gotten worse, I can tell.

My hearing aids help tremendously.  I don't have to ask "what?" as often and I don't need to have  the volume of the TV turned up so loud nobody can stand it (in fact, Ned turns the volume up so high that when he goes upstairs, I have to turn it way down).  And I can hear what people say on stage.

But there's a difference between hearing and understanding.  I have become so accustomed to reading close captions on the TV that late at night, when Ned and Marta are sleeping in the room directly above the TV, I can enjoy a show with no sound at all, but just reading the captions (I do have headphones if I want to listen to the sound).

But I realized, seeing Into the Woods, that while I could hear everything being said, I had a difficult time understanding what was being said.  It's like there is a shield between my brain and the sound coming in from the stage.  It's not a problem for a show like Into the Woods, which I know, but if I were to review a show that I don't know it would be impossible, no matter how high I turn up the sound on my hearing aids.

Lord, it's hell to get old....

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