|
Post by TheMasterGeek on May 5, 2006 22:46:01 GMT -5
Cool.
|
|
|
Post by quantumcat on May 5, 2006 22:52:08 GMT -5
Congrats,Cordy!
|
|
|
Post by tjaman on May 6, 2006 1:44:11 GMT -5
OK, well, it was still worth it.
Act I dragged. Anyone who is familiar with "Noises Off" knows that pacing is a critical aspect of the humor. So the hour-long first act (that should ideally be delivered in about 40 minutes or so) was a little painful. I was considering walking out, but I'd driven 1-1/2 hours and they already had my money, so I stayed.
An aside:
Most of the shows I've been in, the cast has Act 1 down. A little too overrehearsed, if anything. I try to avoid that by starting with different acts during the week and running from the top on Friday when I'm directing, but it's a fairly standard complaint. So I cringed to think of what was in store.
Back to the narrative:
Anyone who is familiar with Noises Off is also aware of how physical Act II is. I was just clenching to suffer through poor timing and a highly physical Act II.
They nailed it.
This troupe of people, who one act before had convinced me that they were fully a week and a half away from being ready frikkin' nailed Act 2.
So damn funny. It was obvious that they themselves didn't completely get all of the jokes, but their physical timing and reactions were dead on.
Completely blew me away. And when they took that energy into Act 3 ... I was completely floored. They added this hilarious wig bit for Belinda I'd never seen before, and they hadn't quite caught us all up to the point where we as an audience shouted out the last line, but they had gotten a dozen or so of us cuing poor Selsden from the audience at one point in Act 2 that pointed to a down-to-the-floor success.
Another aspect of the show that is just a character unto itself is the set. And the set was a little disappointing. "Noises Off" requires a full two-tiered set, and they were only able to suggest that in their space, but they used it well. And the tech crew were serious troupers.They should've been brought out for a bow as well, but they weren't. Which was sad.
But after a rocky start, they received a standing ovation, and not, from my perspective, just people gbetting a headstart on getting up and leaving. I congratulated the director on a fine performance and headed home.
... Still worth it?
Well, on my way home I blew out my dirver's side rear tire. It has a grand hole in it. I got the hubcap off but I couldn't get the lugs to budge at all and some good and kind person (named Tim, of all names [you'd understand if you knew the show I'd just seen]) stopped and helped me out. Verr' kind.
So a nicely eventful Friday night. And if my tire had to blow (which I'm sure is gonna run a certain chunk to replace), I'm thinking the weather was damn' near perfect for changing it -- cool but not cold, no wind or rain and a bright night with very little traffic.
And hey -- two new tires should last for awhile.
Q, I'm so glad to hear about the success, and Kev, you'll be missed tomorrow, but looking forward to seeing you at the 'thon.
Hope everyone's weekends are off to a good start, and we'll see you all around.
Night, everyone!
|
|
|
Post by dEz on May 6, 2006 6:51:32 GMT -5
* * * BAM KARMA * * *
To Tj last posta da nite!
.
As I was reading your reactions to Act 1, I just had to wonder if you went on Saturday night or Sunday (another show) if you would have seen a tighter timed performance for that act.
I think of my daughters dance show all those years, where I would go to all 3 performances and you always hoped that they would tape on the best night -- because there is always flux, even the older stronger performers.
Not exactly the same because, you I suspect, saw professional actors. But ... doesn't it make you wanna go see it again on Sunday? (If its still playing). Just to see if they nail it entirely?
.
AND Tj sorry about your car. What a way to stop your high!
My beliefs tend to run like this; despite you were detained and had to deal with the bum tire issue, you probably avoided something far worse down the road.
I just always tend to think that when unavoidable and irritating things happen to me, I was just dodging something even more catastrophic or demising.
|
|
|
Post by dEz on May 6, 2006 7:19:49 GMT -5
I LOVE IT ... I LOVED IT ...
G-D I LOVED IT ...
LOVE IT ... LOVED IT ...
LOVE
* Deep Breath *
.
I LOVED FIREFLY!
.
I watched all of Firefly last night and I loved it! G-d that was good. Joss -- he just absolutely grew as a writer, just in comparing the first season of Buffy, to this.
And I have to sit here and get a little defensive on behalf of Firefly the show itself for not being allowed to continue on into other episodes. What the hell is wrong with people?
* Sniff *
So ya'll I know you're always crabbing about Angel getting cut off -- but at least he had his run. Poor Firefly never got their chance ... so I'm a little broody over that this morning.
* Broods *
|
|
|
Post by dEz on May 6, 2006 7:32:25 GMT -5
Now I want to thank Tj again for sending me Firefly (and Serenity which I have not seen yet).
And at the time he ordered me the discs, he sat down and wrote this poem for me. And it didn't mean allot at that time, because I had never seen the show ... didn't know any of the characters and stuff. So it read a little like Japanese to my mind.
But it absolutely means everything to me now ... and I love Firefly and I'm brooding in that it only had 1 season, and I'm finding comfort in Tj's poem today, which I'm going to share with you now.
.
Cap'n Tightpants, Kaylee, Wash and Zoe touched our hearts Jayne and Book, Inara and the Tams They've sailed in a Firefly to more distanter parts Perhaps indeed one day they'll come again.
But Serenity, like poetry's, an oft elusive thing We sometimes can't discern it 'til it's gone Surprising us, enchanting us, too quick upon its wing But all the more relived, thru mem'ries fond.
By: TJ (tjaman)
.
Thank you Tj -- I'm going to put it in my blog at the 'Fraud this morning.
|
|
|
Post by dEz on May 6, 2006 8:02:31 GMT -5
* Broods *
|
|
|
Post by quantumcat on May 6, 2006 9:26:35 GMT -5
I'm not sure brooding is good for the soul but it *looks* sexy! (spoken by one whose attempts at artful brooding have been passed of as "pouting" - or dyspepsia.) <sigh> tj,I'm sorry about Act 1 and the tire but grateful that the bad part was mitigated by some good. You're a doll to send our dez the Captain Tightpants saga. It'd be sad if she couldn't enjoy the whole Jossian experience.
|
|
|
Post by tjaman on May 6, 2006 10:54:24 GMT -5
Aw, anytime, dez. Glad you liked it. We Browncoats are an evangelical bunch. It's even sadder, maybe, for Cordy and grail and those others who were in love with it from the opening segment of "The Train Job" (the first glimpse anyone ever caught of "Firefly" on the air), and suddenly wasn't there anymore. A whole rich range of emotions.
But indeed, the cancellation was a travesty. * kicks a random fox *
I'm so glad they released it as a DVD set (and, judging by how sales skyrocketed on Amazon after the movie, I'm guessing so are they). And I'm really glad about there having been a movie. It was released, it was so on the bubble, and no one could commit to a sequel, but if someone at Universal is looking at the big picture, I think a sequel at this point would do even better than "Serenity."
There are a lot more Browncoats now than there were last August.
The sense I get about this cast is that they would drop everything in a heartbeat to be part of a direct-to-8-track release of "Serenity 2" ;D
P.S. -- Nah, it was just a group of community theater types, same as if we were to do it. And Thursday was the opening night, so I'm guessing it went all the smoother the night before //shudder//. But some of the audience were return business from the night before, who wanted to see the parts that they missed, so clearly it was getting a following.
As for the blowout, I'm happy it happened last night and not on my way to my friend's wedding. More traffic between Fargo and Minneapolis and there'll probably be more of a time crunch. So on one level ... yay! ;D
Morning, everyone!
|
|
|
Post by dEz on May 6, 2006 11:36:34 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by TheMasterGeek on May 6, 2006 11:37:14 GMT -5
Dez, that was my first reaction to Firefly, I was completely in awe. I watched it on the computer, with the headphones on, so it made my experience even better. I watched the final seven episodes in one night.
|
|
|
Post by dEz on May 6, 2006 11:45:57 GMT -5
Dez, that was my first reaction to Firefly, I was completely in awe. I watched it on the computer, with the headphones on, so it made my experience even better. I watched the final seven episodes in one night.
* * * BAM KARMA * * *
To Kevee; Damn straight about that luv!
* Curious *
.
QUESTION:
I would like to ask for a comparative response for everyone's feelings about; Firefly, Buffy and Angel while viewing in the FIRST season only.
To me, Firefly the writing and witty humor -- also how ever very complex and different each character is was incredibly mind blowing.
Buffy just in comparing the first season to Firefly was evident that Joss was still growing as a writer. I'm not bashing Buffy in any way ... I love Buffy. It's just I am so awestuck over Firefly. And it took me awhile longer to "get into" Buffy. I believe about the time of the 7th epi "Angel" I was drawn in, to the point where I was drawn in after the 1st Firefly epi.
Different stories, sure. But I'm trying to compare the quips and writing, the character development in the story telling here.
So .. Angel the series, I haven't seen yet.
Please comment your feelings.
|
|
|
Post by tjaman on May 6, 2006 12:10:04 GMT -5
"Firefly" was down to the floor some of the best writing in the 'verse.
Joss gave himself limitations.
He rarely made it about the technology. The surroundings, their situations, they created a large enough space for the characters to really shine.
But you could run into Mal, Wash, Zoe, River, Simon, Jayne, Kaylee and Inara in the course of your day to day life, in the way you would not meet, say, a vampire, or a Slayer, or a witch or a karaoke-singing demon.
But even in Buffy and Angel, it was more about the characters.
The magic, the supernatural, the superpowers and the technology all provide a larger setting to tell richly human stories.
Joss was giving us power.
The metaphors for superpowers -- strength, intelligence, artistic ability, creativity, love -- and how it's used, let him tell big, important stories.
I am intensely fond of "Buffy," this incredibly powerful woman who spent the entire series sharing her power and coming to terms with it.
"Angel," is a richly nuanced story about stepping up, taking responsibility for your actions and using your power to make the world better.
"Firefly," oh, "Firefly," a story on screen and in RW about a committed group of people taking on the establishment and finding success.
All of it, all the way through, emphasizing the power of the individual to make an impact.
Which, both as metaphor and mythology, is terribly, terribly important.
imo
|
|
|
Post by TheMasterGeek on May 6, 2006 12:10:22 GMT -5
I still haven't caught the first season of Angel in its entirity, so I will wait to pass judgement on it, but yeah, Season 1 of Firefly is so much better than Season 1 of Buffy.
Dezzie, have you checked out the thread about Nick's "Friend's" name in the Caritas board?
|
|
|
Post by dEz on May 6, 2006 12:17:21 GMT -5
Dezzie, have you checked out the thread about Nick's "Friend's" name in the Caritas board?
I just know it's there, but I haven't had a chance to sit and really look at it. I skimmed it but fast -- so no. Not yet.
I'm still sitting in my broody mood. Being all angsty about Firefly not getting it's fair shake. So I dont wanna laugh right now.
* Wallowing *
I really wanted River to BE the ship. That was crazy awesome.
River: You're wrong about River. River's not on the ship. They didn't want her here, but she couldn't make herself leave. So she melted... Melted away. They didn't know she could do that, but she did.
River: I'm not on the ship. I'm in the ship. I am the ship. Simon: River... River: River's gone. Early: Then who exactly are we talking to? River: You're talking to Serenity. And, Early... Serenity is very unhappy.
|
|