Chat about Plays

[Portia]

Here is a PS. I think that what raises any work to the level of classic is its timelessness and ability to cross cultural divides. I think William Loman (quite the name) would understand people their fifties who are trying to return to two-year schools to learn how to "retool" themselves in the wake of the technical revolution. Something we don't fully realize until we retire or lose our jobs is how much of our identity is tied up in our work. I can easily see how a jobless person's psyche begins to fray at the edges.

[Bionic Jean]

"Brassed Off". Sorry for the correction Portia, but I'm from Yorkshire originally and the title is a kind of triple joke. "Brass" is a colloquial Yorkshire word for money, "Wheers thy brass?" means "Where's your money?" Also of course the brass instruments of the brass band. And "Brassed off" as an expression means "Fed up!"

Hate to nitpick, but worth an explanation, yes? ;)

It's a brilliant film - a real favourite of mine.

[Bionic Jean]

Just realised that Shirley will know this full well. Hahaha! I do find it hard to remember where we are all from sometimes...

[Portia]

Oooooooh, I get it. Of course it matters. Thanks, Jean.

I'm a stickler for 9/11. I really like the way the Brits put the day before the month (e.g., today is 2 November). But for September 11, 2001, it is important to say 9/11 not 11/9. Especially since 911 is your equivalent to 999. So there, too, are lots of meanings.

[Bionic Jean]

Yes, it took me until a long time afterwards to appreciate that extra significant meaning. We Brits find US dates tricky if we've forgotten the convention (well I do!)

[Portia]

No worries, Jean. It took me ages to realize that a silly song I sing to one of my cats doesn't rhyme in England.

Petey Z,
I love thee.

Petey Zed
Pat your head??


^^;-)

[Portia]

Cripes, I'm off topic again. Sorry. I'll self-correct.

[Pink]

Shirley wrote: "I've just booked tickets to see a live screening of "Frankenstein" with Benedict Cumberbatch playing the monster and Johnny Lee Miller as Frankenstein on 31st October. Really looking forward to it."

I was too jealous, so I've booked to go and see a screening on 18th November, when Johnny Lee Miller will be playing the monster and Benedict Cumberbatch the role of Frankenstein!

[Pink]

Portia wrote: "No worries, Jean. It took me ages to realize that a silly song I sing to one of my cats doesn't rhyme in England.

Petey Z,
I love thee.

Petey Zed
Pat your head??


^^;-)"

That rhymes for me!

[LauraT]

Leslie wrote: "I don't know how it is that I have never read or seen Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller before. I found the amount of descriptive commentary by Miller at the beginning of the play interesting,..."

In my challenge for next ear

[Bionic Jean]

Pink, Portia, yes, it rhymes for me too! I think it must be because although we pronounce z "zed" in England, the eye sees "thee" so you automatically say "zee" in your mind. And conversely with the other part for you Americans.

I've always wondered if animals miaouw, woof, etc differently in different countries! Do they have a kind of accent to their fellow creatures' ears? Er, you can't get much more off topic than that. So...

Pink - do these 2 actors switch their roles from time to time in performances of "Frankenstein" then? That's brilliant!

[Pink]

Yes they alternated the roles each night, I think it would be good to see both versions to compare! This is a re-screening from 2011, to celebrate the national theatre's 50th birthday and was directed by Danny Boyle so I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like.

[Bionic Jean]

That's incredible! I do hope it comes here - both versions!

[Portia]

Gosh, you are so lucky to be able to see these two actors alternate roles like that. I hope someone thinks to make a video for us poor American cousins.

And yes, foxes at least have different accents. The ones we see on British TV (there are even foxes in London on the shows we watch) say "Baaark." The ones in the woods behind our house, in typical American fashion, say "Barrrrk!

[Portia]

I just found a wonderful example for my saying that Death of a Salesman is a classic. In today's New York Times Book Review, the closing line of the play, "Attention must be paid" is used for the title of one of the reviews.

[Portia]

iPhone gremlin!

Anyway, I think that when lines from anything (books, plays, movies, songs) have an immediate and universal recognition, then the work is a classic.

[amber]

I went to see a stage adaptation of The North China Lover. Didn't like it very much.

[Katy]

I saw Ghost the musical last night. Not a favorite.

[Leslie]

Katy wrote: "I saw Ghost the musical last night. Not a favorite."

Is this a musical version of the movie "Ghost" with Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg??

[Holly]

I really want to read some 'classic' plays? Has anyone got any suggestions?

I've read An Inspector Calls, The Crucible, Arcadia (which I loved), and The Importance of Being Earnest. I think next on my play to-be-read list would be A Streetcar Named Desire, just because my English Lit teacher is obsessed with it.

Does anyone have any have any suggestions?

[Pink]

What about Pygmalion, or an ancient classic like Medea Plays aren't my strong point, but I like those two a lot.

[Holly]

I'll definitely check them out!

[Katy]

Leslie, yes it is. Probably should have remained a movie. The music was just not good. Special effects were cool.

Holly, you may want to check out Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

[Leslie]

Holly wrote: "I really want to read some 'classic' plays? Has anyone got any suggestions?

I've read An Inspector Calls, The Crucible, Arcadia (which I loved), and The Importance of Being Earnest. I think next o..."

If you like Tom Stoppard, try Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead or Travesties.

I would also second Pink's choices - I love Shaw, so Pygmalion is a favorite of mine. I would also suggest Lysistrata as an ancient Greek satire that is surprisingly modern if you don't feel upto the Greek tragedies.

Do you have a preference as to type (comedy, tragedy, family saga, etc.)?

[amber]

I just got home from a new opera adaptation of Orpheus and Eurydice. It was really not good. I think the man who wrote it must have seen Eurydice and thought "I can do that". Well guess what? He can't.

[Leslie]

amber wrote: "I just got home from a new opera adaptation of Orpheus and Eurydice. It was really not good. I think the man who wrote it must have seen Eurydice and thought "I can do that". Well gu..."

Sounds like my reaction to Rancho Mirage a couple of weeks ago!

[amber]

Leslie wrote: "amber wrote: "I just got home from a new opera adaptation of Orpheus and Eurydice. It was really not good. I think the man who wrote it must have seen Eurydice and thought "I can do ..."

Yes I saw that post and thought I should probably avoid Rancho Mirage considering I didn't like Virginia Woolf all that much, I tend to think I'd really dislike something that sounds like a second rate version of it. :)

[Bionic Jean]

Holly - If you like J B Priestley you could try his other "Time" plays apart from "An Inspector Calls", like Time And The Conways Dangerous Corner and I Have Been Here Before

For Tom Stoppard, how about Jumpers - kind of Philososphy meets gymnastics.

G B Shaw - well anything really!

[amber]

I just realized I left out the two cool parts of the opera in my post yesterday. They are that it was done in a swimming pool and the dry ice fog that was sent out under some of the seats (not mine) and over the pool when Eurydice first gets to the underworld.

[Pink]

amber wrote: "I just realized I left out the two cool parts of the opera in my post yesterday. They are that it was done in a swimming pool and the dry ice fog that was sent out under some of the seats (not mine..."

haha, how could you forget to mention those parts!

[amber]

Pink wrote: "amber wrote: "I just realized I left out the two cool parts of the opera in my post yesterday. They are that it was done in a swimming pool and the dry ice fog that was sent out under some of the s..."

LOL
I think because they were really cool in the room, but by the time I'd gotten home I was just stuck on the idea that there just wasn't much too like about it. :)

[Bionic Jean]

YES - This is the thread Amber - you are quite right!!!

Now nobody else will have a clue as to what we are going on about hahaha!

As you were, everybody :D

[Pink]

Yes Jean now you have me wondering! I love these cross thread conversations that everyone has on here :)

[Bionic Jean]

I thought I'd "lost" some J B Priestley recommendations I'd made, but it was in the Book Vipers play thread, and Amber kindly pointed it out.

Kind of boring when you tell it! I should've kept the secret for suspense. LOL

[Pink]

Yes Jean you spoiled the suspense. I'm often trying to remember which thread I've read or written a comment on, as I regularly reply to so many. Get's confusing at times doesn't it!

[amber]

Jean wrote: "YES - This is the thread Amber - you are quite right!!!

Now nobody else will have a clue as to what we are going on about hahaha!

As you were, everybody :D"

LOL Finally I get to be the one in the inside joke rather then the one wondering what is going on. ;)

Pink if you like we can start referring to the other discussion thread about Wuthering Heights we're both in on the thread here. ;)

[Bionic Jean]

Hey hey hey!

[Pink]

amber wrote:

"Pink if you like we can start referring to the other discussion thread about Wuthering Heights we're both in on the thread here. ;)"

Well if Jean is discussing Wuthering Heights I guess that conversation is getting pretty heated ;)

[Bionic Jean]

Ah Pink, how well you know me!

I really am trying to stay out of that "Wuthering Heights" thread y'know! It wouldn't be fair to barge in when people haven't finished and come to their own conclusions... even if they do end up being poor misguided souls! LOL.

[amber]

LOL I do believe Jean has me beat in WH dislike and I started my post in another group with "I hated, hated, hated this book" ;)

[Portia]

Ok, All About Books and English Mysteries have transAtlantic membership but The Book Vipers is mostly Brit, right? I figured that when the cooking thread went up today and I was completely lost.
Waiting for the house to open for "Romeo and Juliet".

[Amber]

I want to see the frog and toad musical at mtsu tomorrow if tickets are still available. I've seen the claymation shorts they used to show on pbs when I was little and have read one of the books and have enjoyed them. It's called a year with frog and toad so it should be good. I'm going to check out a tuna christmas in december too.

[Portia]

So, the actors playing Romeo and Juliet did a fine job, although Juliet grew up a tad too quickly for my taste. I really like the idea of having her start out as a geeky 13-year old, complete with lace up boots, long ski hat, and glasses.

The actor playing Friar Laurence took the admonition of making the audience understand what he was saying to the point of enunciating e-v-e-r-y w-o-r-d. The director chose to shorten the play by drastically cutting both Mercutio's and Tybalt's lines. Mercutio was well into his Queen Maeb speech before I realized what he was saying and Tybalt the Cat wasn't onstage long enough for the actor to show the character's felinity. I did like the idea of each character who died taking his place on the catwalk above the stage to watch the remainder of the play.

I was really disappointed by being denied my tears at the end because the final speech about "Juliet and her Romeo," was also cut. But these two young actors have a lot of Shakespeare in them. I'm sure I'll get my tears another time.

[Bionic Jean]

Portia - great description of that interpretation, thanks!

As for Book Vipers (though this should been one of their threads - hope the mods don't mind the comparison.) Yes, All About Books is international and I feel has quite a young membership. Including us spring chickens of course, Portia. ;) Book Vipers I was told started as a book club within "MumsNet" - a British internet organisation for young mothers. Some bright spark commented that it was more like a "nest of vipers", and so the name was born. Now of course there are members who are not mums, young, English or female, but maybe the profile is largely still British.

Amber - you must tell me the name of that group...

[Amber]

Which group Jean? The people doing the frog and toad musical or Tuna Christmas? The people doing the frog and toad musical are college students from mtsu (Middle TN state university) and Tuna Christmas is only done by two guys at center for the arts which is one of our local community theaters besides Murfreesboro little theater. MLT is much cheaper than center for the arts for their plays though they only charge $10 a person. Center for the arts charges $13 for plays and $15 for musicals. The reason why Center for the arts charges so much for theirs is because people have to pay to audition there and at MLT you audition and volunteer for free since that community theater is a non-profit organization.

[Bionic Jean]

Sorry - other Amber! Though thanks for explaining about those productions you hoped to see, Amber-with-a-manga. Did you get to see the "Frog and Toad" Musical? Was it good?

[Leslie]

Jean wrote: "I thought I'd "lost" some J B Priestley recommendations I'd made, but it was in the Book Vipers play thread, and Amber kindly pointed it out.

Kind of boring when you tell it! I should've kept the ..."

Book Vipers has a play thread?! It didn't last time I was there (but that was 3-4 months ago)...

[Leslie]

Amber wrote: "I want to see the frog and toad musical at mtsu tomorrow if tickets are still available. I've seen the claymation shorts they used to show on pbs when I was little and have read one of the books an..."

Hope you get to see this Amber. And I didn't realize that you were in the neighborhood of MTSU (for the rest of you, that is Middle Tennessee State University). I spent a summer near there doing climate research one year in the mid-1990s.

[Scott]

Just a note...PBS is running a staged special of Stephen Sondheim's Company. It's a great musical. Running it under Great Performances...check your local listings.

[Amber]

Thanks leslie and jean. I live out 15 mins away from there and a year with frog and toad was pretty cute. They had tickets left and so I got one and watched it with my sister. It was a good show! :-) I hope to see a tuna christmas next month at center for the arts. That's cool leslie. My sister is in her last yr at mtsu and graduates in december so she wanted me to come with her and see the musical.