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Dec. 19th, 2009 02:56 pmWell, I thankfully left to visit my family for Xmas vacation on Wed, which means I was well ahead of the winter storm that blanketed the east coast and cancelled flights in all the major cities, and interstae 81 in Virgina. I think it was Virgina. We just got a lot of rain. Poured all day Friday, but is quite lovely today, if a bit on the chilly side - 47 degrees (well chilly for South Carolina at any rate).
Saw an interesting play Friday night entitled Six Dance Lessons. It was described as the most produced play around the world - which astonished me since I'd never heard of it. It's by Richard Alfieri and is about the relationship between a 72 widow of a Baptist Minister and 40 year old male gay dance teacher in Tampa, Florida. Rather wonderful two character piece, slowly building over time and through the context of the private dance lessons. Quite touching in places and hilarious in others. The theater itself was small, quaint and cosy. It only sat about 50 people, maybe less, in chairs on a raised wooden stand, with the stage close to us. Intimate live theater is a joy to watch, particularly when performed by professionals - they make it seem so easy. You believe they are the characters, that you are seeing something real. And unlike television or film - there is no editing, there is no retakes, it is live - so flubs must be handled quickly. Also unlike the huge 100-500 seating theaters - the acting is closer, more initimate. It may well be the hardest acting to do, because of the intimacy, yet at the same time the most rewarding. I adore live theater - it is by far my favorite visual medium. There's nothing like "real" 3D as opposed to computer generated 3D.
We were sitting next to one of the theater organizers, who had directed and stage managed plays in the past, but couldn't this season due to other committments. He was also Woody Harrleson's acting teacher, so was raving about the recent flick The Messenger - a rather small film about the relationship between two officers who have to inform families that their loved ones died in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Also been devoring my father's New Yorkers...read a lengthy article by Jeffrey Tobin (who'd written the bestselling non-fiction tome about the Supreme Court), regarding Roman Polansky and the Case of Celebrity. Unfortunately, you need to be a subscriber to read it. Here's Jezebel's account of the same article if you are interested : http://jezebel.com/5420636/roman-polanski-amanda-knox-and-the-problem-of-celebrity-criminals
( thoughts on the article, warning may or may not be button pushing. )
Saw an interesting play Friday night entitled Six Dance Lessons. It was described as the most produced play around the world - which astonished me since I'd never heard of it. It's by Richard Alfieri and is about the relationship between a 72 widow of a Baptist Minister and 40 year old male gay dance teacher in Tampa, Florida. Rather wonderful two character piece, slowly building over time and through the context of the private dance lessons. Quite touching in places and hilarious in others. The theater itself was small, quaint and cosy. It only sat about 50 people, maybe less, in chairs on a raised wooden stand, with the stage close to us. Intimate live theater is a joy to watch, particularly when performed by professionals - they make it seem so easy. You believe they are the characters, that you are seeing something real. And unlike television or film - there is no editing, there is no retakes, it is live - so flubs must be handled quickly. Also unlike the huge 100-500 seating theaters - the acting is closer, more initimate. It may well be the hardest acting to do, because of the intimacy, yet at the same time the most rewarding. I adore live theater - it is by far my favorite visual medium. There's nothing like "real" 3D as opposed to computer generated 3D.
We were sitting next to one of the theater organizers, who had directed and stage managed plays in the past, but couldn't this season due to other committments. He was also Woody Harrleson's acting teacher, so was raving about the recent flick The Messenger - a rather small film about the relationship between two officers who have to inform families that their loved ones died in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Also been devoring my father's New Yorkers...read a lengthy article by Jeffrey Tobin (who'd written the bestselling non-fiction tome about the Supreme Court), regarding Roman Polansky and the Case of Celebrity. Unfortunately, you need to be a subscriber to read it. Here's Jezebel's account of the same article if you are interested : http://jezebel.com/5420636/roman-polanski-amanda-knox-and-the-problem-of-celebrity-criminals
( thoughts on the article, warning may or may not be button pushing. )