An Evening Performance by George Garrett
"An Evening Performance" by George Garrett is a thought-provoking narrative centered around a remarkable public spectacle in a small rural town. The story opens with the anticipation of a high dive into a flaming cauldron, featuring a character named Stella, who is presented as a daring high diver. The scene is set with the arrival of a ragged group including a limping man, a girl named Angel, and a red-haired woman, who draw the curiosity of the local residents. Despite the initial excitement, the narrative quickly unfolds to reveal underlying tensions regarding safety, risk, and the value of performance art.
As the evening of the performance approaches, weather conditions challenge the event, and Stella's reluctance to dive raises questions about the nature of her act. The tension escalates when the local merchant pressures her to proceed against her better judgment. Ultimately, Stella's successful dive becomes a poignant moment that resonates with the crowd, yet it’s met with mixed feelings from the merchant, who fails to grasp the deeper significance of the performance. The aftermath of the event leaves an indelible mark on the town, provoking reflections on ambition, risk, and the impact of performance on community values. This story invites readers to consider the intersection of art, personal sacrifice, and societal expectations in a poignant and memorable way.
An Evening Performance by George Garrett
First published: 1959
Type of plot: Sketch
Time of work: The mid-twentieth century
Locale: The rural southern United States
Principal Characters:
Stella , a high diver and a muteA lame man , who accompanies herAngel , a young girl who accompanies Stella and the lame manA merchant , a local man who sponsors Stella's performance
The Story
This brief story opens with a description of the promised performance: High atop a tower rising to the clouds stands a plump woman in a spangled bathing suit, poised to plunge into the flaming tub far below. Posters bearing this picture proclaim that "ONE OF THE FABULOUS WONDERS OF MODERN TIMES/ STELLA THE HIGH DIVER" will dive one hundred feet into a "FLAMING CAULDRON." The posters appear suddenly; some are torn down by grumbling citizens and police officers; a few remain for several weeks, silently enticing the residents of the quiet rural town.
Then, one cool and gray October evening, a battered truck parks at the local fairground, and a sagging army-surplus tent rises beside it. Three people have come in the truck: a limping man; a little girl named Angel, shining always in white and unbelievably clean; and a broad, sturdy, red-haired woman who smiles uncomprehendingly and speaks only with her hands. The man does his trading in the town, whose residents watch the family curiously for several days. One morning, the lame man begins to build what appears to be a drilling derrick on the center of the field. Local men gather to watch the stranger working furiously, and the local police officer asks what he is doing. Curtly, the lame man responds that he is building a tower for Stella's dive. On being told that he must purchase a twenty-five-dollar permit to produce an exhibition, the man falls still. As he prepares to admit defeat, a local merchant offers to buy the license for him in exchange for half the profits from ticket sales. The lame man grudgingly agrees and schedules the show for the following evening if the weather is good.
By midafternoon of the following day, the lame man has finished preparations for the evening's performance. Then, a wind rises, bringing rain; the tall, rickety tower sways in the wind. However, wet weather does not keep away the crowd. At dark, a large crowd gathers in a ring around the tower, but Stella refuses to carry out her dive. The merchant, when informed of her unwillingness, insists that she dive despite the risky conditions. Declaring that there must be a trick to the dive, the merchant dismisses danger. The lame man explains simply that the dive is no trick; it is quite dangerous, and Stella hates doing it. On hearing this, the merchant asks in exasperation why they put up posters, build towers, and sell tickets. Because someone must, is the lame man's reply. The merchant gives him five minutes to begin the show.
The lame man turns on the lights around the tower, and Stella appears before the crowd, walks to the foot of the tower, and takes hold of the rope ladder. The lame man addresses the crowd, introducing the woman and explaining that her performance is not magical or mysterious, but based on skill; anyone with "the heart and the skill and the nerve" can do the same. Stella's dive will be "proof of the boundless possibility of all mankind." She climbs the rope ladder to the top of the tower and unfastens and tosses down the rope. As the tower moves in the wind, she signals to the man, who lights the gasoline on the water in the tub below. As he does so, she jumps. She seems to hang gracefully in the air before sliding smoothly into the fiery water. The crowd waits quietly, and she emerges from the water smiling and unhurt. She returns to the tent, followed by the lame man and the merchant. The merchant complains that the brief show seems hardly worth the fifty cents each member of the crowd paid. The lame man responds that Stella's risking her life ought to be enough for one evening; the crowd should be pleased. After failing to change the lame man's mind, the merchant takes his share of the profits and leaves. The crowd departs also.
The next day, all traces of the three strangers are gone, but the memory of the evening performance haunts the small town long afterward. Preachers denounce it, and storytellers embroider on it. A crippled old man says that it was bad for the people because it made them sophisticated, dissatisfied with common marvels. Then the narrative voice, which has recounted only an objective view until now, takes on omniscience and agrees with the old man, who could not even imagine the dreams of unfortunate women now smilingly dreaming of diving from a high tower into a pool of flame.
Sources for Further Study
Booklist. LXXXII, October 1, 1985, p. 191.
Los Angeles Times Book Review. September 29, 1985, p. 14.
The New York Times Book Review. XC, October 6, 1985, p. 28.
Washington Post Book World. XV, September 15, 1985, p. 5.