bruit

Liver of Life
Chinese medicine; Local Infinities' Corpus Delicti

I started accupuncture a little over a month ago to deal with some stressy back troubles I have had for years. The diagnosis process is an unusual experience, involving questions about thirst, sleep patterns and phlegm, an intimate reading of the pulse and a lengthy appraisal of the tongue.

Independant diagnosis by three separate interns at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine has determined that I suffer from stagnant liver qi (pronounced "chi"). The liver, large and undersung, controls the emotions in Chinese medicine. If its energy is not circulating properly, anxieties and depressions can result--and, presumably, be stored beneath the scapula. This seems to make some intuitive sense: The liver is a gigantic processing center, breaking down toxins and facilitating digestion, filtering worn-out cells, helping us deal. It is also the only organ that can regenerate itself.

Tonight, I was in the audience when a man dissecting a life-sized gelatin corpse pulled out the "liver" and annouced that the ancients also thought it ruled the affect. Corpus Delicti is a weird, wordy play about the knowledge of human anatomy, performed in an actual operating theater. The show freaked me out a little and made me laugh more than once, and the corpse is really cool.It has been enjoying nothing but positive reviews from the snarky Chicago arts press, and for good reason. If you'd like to see it, you're in luck; They've extended the run for another weekend. Learn more here.