Works for me AND Yesterday, I saw a play, I think I'll stay at home today

[thebitterguy]

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.
-- Sidney J. Harris

Quiet day yesterday. Morning was an appointment with ketronic which left me sore and bruised. God bless her. Afterwards, I hopped over to Chapters to root around for the Coronation St. book Cynra had enjoyed so, but couldn't find a copy. Instead, I pillaged the Remainder bins and picked up a book by Andy Serkis on being Gollum ($4), Joe Esztrehas memoirs ($5) and a book on King Jack ($5). And the new Astonishing X-Men.

I've only dug into the Eszterhas book; man, you'd think a guy who was gonna spend several hundred pages telling us what a great writer/storyteller he was would do a book in a non shitty way. Is it wrong of me to desire a plot in this? Or at least some kind of linearity? At this point, I can tell how little I care because I can't distinguish between his first wife and his second.

After I got home, it was off to the shows for the LotR musical. It was every bit as impressive as everyone had made it out to be, visually. The challenge of cutting JRRT's opus down to size was apparent. I was put out by Brent Carver's performance as Gandalf.

Everyone seems to feel the same way, although the reasons seem variable; he rushes through his lines (something that we can all feel grateful for, though, if it's the case, as that's a behemoth of a production), he lacks 'gravitas as Gandalf, he apparently hasn't realized the best way to raise his arms away from the wind machine during the Balrog scene to keep his sleeve from getting slapped into his face, etc. I think we're just putting too much on the guy.

Liked Rebecca Mendoza'sperformance as Galadriel. Apparently, she played Mrs. Organa in SWIII. That was a Fascinating Mini Fact.

Musically, nothing sticks, but that's as much a flaw of mine as the production's. I find it difficult to maintain music bits in my head. I do recall the Hobbit's song was nice. And that whole scrubbing of the shire bit was a bit much. Does everything really go back to normal in the book version? "Thank God for the magic elvish dirt" and all?

We did dinner afterwards at Kama (I was grateful for that as I'd been hankering for Indian), but I ordered the buffet and felt great pain at that.

And then, we went home and watched TV. Finally caught up on TAR, and it's like morphine. Of course, all night long I was dreaming about Russia, but that's a chance you take.

Comments

[indefatigable42.livejournal.com]

That's too bad about Brent Carver. I keep hearing people say that. He isn't even old enough to be a plausible Gandalf.

I loved him in The Pirates of Penzance -- the Stratford production ended up as a TV movie in 1985. He was a fantastic Pirate King. I've heard people say that that whole production ripped off the movie version with Kevin Kline, but I have a soft spot for it anyways. It had a better Mabel.

Yes, I was only seven when this was on TV. We taped it and I watched the tape to death very quickly.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

But do they sing that "They're Taking the Hobbits To Isengard" techno song that's been making the rounds? :-)

[thebitterguy]

Sadly, no. That might have picked up the pace a bit.

[thebitterguy]

I wonder if it's possible to get a copy of the PoP; it sounds really good.

We figured he would have made a much better Aragorn.

[redeem147.livejournal.com]

Yes on the magic dirt.

It's very sad to want to see someone on stage for years, and then be disappointed.

However, Mr. T came through with flying 'gollums'.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Too bad. It probably would have injected some laughs. :-)

Personally, I'm wondering how they're going to avoid Wagner jokes, considering...

[indefatigable42.livejournal.com]

It's on DVD, and it can be purchased through Amazon. There were a few early-eighties Stratford productions of Gilbert & Sullivan that made it onto TV. I should look some of the other ones up.

[doghousereilly.livejournal.com]

The author of Basic Instinct wrote memoirs?

"And then it came to me in a blinding flash. I typed as though possessed. CATHERINE OPENS HER LEGS. SHE IS NOT WEARING ANY PANTIES! That's what it's like when the magic happens...sometimes the muse blesses you from out of nowhere, and you get gold on the page."

[thebitterguy]

He actually mentions that that moment, which is his most famous acheivement, was actually the director's idea. He takes full responsibility for Showgirls, though.

[thebitterguy]

Magic Elvish Dirt saved the Shire?

Oy.

I'm hoping Mr. Carver was just having an off day. Or we can see him in somethimg more appropriate for him.

[thebitterguy]

Oh, yeah: Theriault is the Bruce Lee of Canadian theatre in the 21st century.

[thebitterguy]

Sweet. I'm gonna look for that.