Kyle’s Reviews > Hag-Seed > Status Update
Kyle
is on page 73 of 301
Perhaps the old coot living in a farmland shack isn't as crazy or desperate as one would assume, despite measuring the years of exile by the age his daughter would have been. He dedicates himself to teaching Shakespeare to nearby inmates, and as the planets align on a special day, he can resume the revenge plot that had kept him going, in secret from his imaginary daughter. The plot just fell onto his plate at lunch.
— May 14, 2018 09:39PM
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Kyle’s Previous Updates
Kyle
is on page 292 of 301
As pivotal as Anne-Marie was to the great Prison-Tempest caper, from encouraging the players to dance, sing and compose a musical about Caliban’s post-island life to the union of art and commerce represented by her new relationship with Prince Freddie, it is another Miranda who swaps roles with 8Handz’ Ariel. He gets a sea voyage with Felix and Estelle while the ghosting Phillips daughter is to the elements set free.
— Jun 07, 2018 03:57PM
Kyle
is on page 275 of 301
The team reports continue and strike a balance between hard-edged reality and romantic escapism: Evil Bro Antonio has murder, rape and injustice that seem to mirror the world as it is, even Miranda’s athletic rebuke is full of violence. On the other hand Gonzalo and Hag-seed are more aspirational and optimistic, a well-run kingdom and rehabilitation for dark deeds such as the prisoners Atwood conjures up would think.
— Jun 06, 2018 06:58PM
Kyle
is on page 255 of 301
After all the machinations of Felix Phillips’ revenge plan: the assumed identity, the drugs and kidnaping, he simply gives up his prey with the understanding that he is back where he wants to be and the politicians are under his digital-evidence wielding thumb drive. Still his revenge has the bitter taste of potato chip and cigarettes. Team Ariel, however, gained 8Handz his freedom and a new climate-changing purpose.
— Jun 05, 2018 09:05AM
Kyle
is on page 238 of 301
It would be a sorry turn of events if all the interactive theatre was just a fever dream of Felix as he lays dying of hypothermia in his tin bath, or monoxide poisoning in his Peugeot, but the way his enemies fall into their roles once separated and drugged in various places and mental states is almost too perfect. The corrupt minds will be found out thanks to 8Handz and his video recording. Freddie’s chess is mated.
— Jun 02, 2018 12:53PM
Kyle
is on page 218 of 301
The on-boarding of the Goblins is surprisingly vast, as if the whole prison-isle is at Felix Duke’s command. Do the guards know what is about to go down? How far is Estelle willing to go to push her lady luck? The ones magically not in the know are the tipsy politicos, visiting Fletcher on another routine campaign-stop. And like many vying to enter Canadian politics, they really had it (the prologued tempest) coming.
— May 31, 2018 11:19AM
Kyle
is on page 203 of 301
As plays 1 and 2 get nearer to curtain, everything about redemption and revenge starts to get real, in surprising ways: the players are revising their roles and owning them with Anne-Marie to back them up; Miranda is making her presence heard. Most significantly a part of the production that Felix can’t control, luring his enemies into a trap, becomes a more bountiful prize thanks to the cosmic influences of Estelle.
— May 28, 2018 11:02AM
Kyle
is on page 173 of 301
Painful self-reflection as the story flashforwards a couple of weeks and the cast is in the thick of reshaping the show for their purposes while secretly fulfilling Felix’s revenge fantasy. The stomp-dance Evil Bro exposition is quite creative, but rubs up against Prospero’s ego. Even the act of buying costumes and props has Mr. Phillips questioning his role as Mr. Duke, but the real kicker is Miranda being shut out.
— May 26, 2018 02:59PM
Kyle
is on page 154 of 301
Casting a play has its own special magic to it, knowing where the alchemical transformations will come from even with less experienced and disinterested actors, and Felix treats this spellbinding directorial task with great care. His former enchantment of Anne-Marie still has its hold and even the most obstinate inmate seems ready to dive in. The black magic plot with white-hat hacker 8Handz begins to take its shape.
— May 25, 2018 11:00PM
Kyle
is on page 129 of 301
Fifteen prisoners wanting to play Caliban - seems like the correctional system is populated with the put-upon island monsters. They are still keeping up with the Shakespearean-slang curse words, but it will only last, it seems, as long as Felix’s magic holds. Like these Players, he is trapped in a prison that includes tin bathtubs and decency-observing imaginary daughter. Is this jail for himself or for someone else?
— May 22, 2018 07:37AM
Kyle
is on page 112 of 301
The play gets its plot and its double agenda, to be carried out through closed-circuit tv. Felix convinces his players on the more feminine characters of Miranda and Ariel, a challenge well met by Duke: he first reconnects with his spritely gymnast, and then he sells Ariel as a digital expert. Even in the early days of VR’s second wave (January 2013) the technology’s presence still remains “no real alchemy” (p. 110).
— May 20, 2018 08:10AM
