A strange time isn't it? Not different in reality to any other time simply in physicality. Thankfully, I'm not Jerry Saltz with thousands of inbox emails. And am rather grateful for the ones that I get and for the most part solicited. Everyone still wants your attention, moreover, your money and support. One would be a fool to let one's guard down, do something rash, 'have a heart'. How many hearts have I seen broken in normalcy.
This thought occurred to me whilst watching on Stars in the House:
Plays In The House: TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS: Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed. Adapted for the Stage by Nia Vardalos. Starring Teddy Canēz, Hubert Point-Du-Jour, Nia Vardalos and Natalie Woolams-Torres. (only available until Sunday May 10th).
Cheryl Strayed wrote the now universal book Wild, and this adaptation is from her pseudonymous advice column. Honestly: wasn't totally OK with this. Adaptations are always a 'bitch'. Whatever form. But as, maybe ya’ all know, I'm not a soft-touch crowd and stayed for full 90min. There is something about real testimonials that touches. Deeply. I remember an Actors Theater of Louisville reading (very long ago) of testimonials from farm foreclosures that: got me.
Advice to Natalie in the TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS reading is advice given to me from a seasoned 'star' long ago. Learn the material (which of course you had!) until it is not you who cries but the audience. That's also quite a Louis Althusser (Marx) concept of theater but one I believe works best. Yet: when you cried in that reading, it was totally us. (cried with you btw!) So, I guess, there are exception to that 'rule'. btw- Schrader's First Reformed was AMAZING). [spoiler alert- for many the subject matter of this movie will be very disturbing, well for everyone!]
t'b'c…tt
INT. DAY.
Kitty's trying to conduct Mozart. Not, bad…
Andrew: Bad news. Honestly: you can't possibly do a tour until next year.
Kitty: [her face slowly becomes that of The Godfather disappointed] [she has never seen the GF.}
Stuck with you, then ;) {Einstein equation with 'cat' features, and 'E'. humor}
Loved my tours. Mexico City was great! Those crazy 2 iguanas who came to 'Kitty room'. Miss meeting creative creatures. Magic Mexican milk. My tail felt a bit strange after the 'beau' male iguanas that morning…probably the weather. They did leave a sombrero…..El Salón CAt
t'b'c…'t a
Kitty sings for Mother's Day. Enjoy being a safe creature.
[ P.S. Not exactly a Mother's Day suggestion but to understand the light we must delve into the darkness. The streaming run is about to end today (Saturday) of the Dutch National Opera's Woyzeck (Alban Berg) based on Georg Büchner's play - the true story of Johann Christian Woyzeck, a wigmaker who later became a soldier, and who murdered his female companion. He lost his mother when he was eight and his father when he was thirteen. It's painful to watch this opera, and I was just 'checking it out' but stayed the whole course so brilliantly conceived and executed is Polish director Warlikowski's production. It never manipulates the piece simply elucidates it. The use of children is totally true to the original Büchner (except the opening ballet class that's inspired and brilliant), even using a child to recite the fairy tale from the original play later on.]
A strange stream choice for Mother's Day (or maybe Germanically perfect;(- Berlin's iconic Schaubühne streams their Woyzeck (Thomas Ostermeier’s production) May 10. 12.30-6pm (Eastern). In German (with French subtitles)
https://www.schaubuehne.de/de/start/index.html
