Girlahead has already talked about how the pre-dawn, full-moon view on the rear terrace of Reef Villa #511, above, at WALDORF ASTORIA ITHAAFUSHI MALDIVES. After a memorable swim, as the sun came up, it was time to walk all of ten minutes along to breakfast. One of the best buffets in The Maldives, and that says something (it was another theatrical display).
But then as any serious traveller with eyes open 360° knows, not only voyaging but life itself is a series of theatres. Not all of them are pleasurable. The Financial Times two days ago had a fairly comprehensive profile of Yahya Sinwar, 61, the Hebrew-speaking Palestinian who is thought to have masterminded the 7th October atrocities. Revered by some, he is essentially ruthless (he’s alleged to have forced someone to bury his brother, allegedly a conspirator, alive).
That could be Shakespeare, who died 400 years ago today.
Today there are impressive people trying to make a difference, positively. In Riyadh last week MbS convened a theatre of geopolitics. With the help of Richard Athias, formerly of Davos, he pulled in some extremely impressive names. There was Jared Kuchner, son-in-law of Donald Trump, and a strongly-practising Jew. Wall Street was represented by such Titans as Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase. Also supporting the Jewish cause were such billionaires as Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock; David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman The Carlyle Group, and Stephen Schwarzman, Founding Chairman and CEO of The Blackstone Group.
THIS is the kind of meeting that should merit main media attention rather then yet another gathering of sometimes-ignorant GenZs giving their small-all for the Israelis or the Palestinians. Real life is not all black or all white, although sometimes real theatre can get away with it.
