BIrds and book, day 63 (also "Pygmalion")
We're just in from having seen Seattle Shakespeare's production of "Pygmalion" because, once more, we took a cab home rather than waiting for a bus. We've become quite bad about cabs lately which sort of makes us Eliza Doolittle, not that she feels any guilt about the carbon footprint of her cab-taking which, I suppose, is quite reasonable. People are taking the "motor-bus" in the play but does that mean that Eliza's cab is an automobile or is it a horse-drawn vehicle? It's not obvious in a staged production but maybe Mr. Shaw addresses the question in the written version.
Mr. Shaw is on stage more than I'd like in the Seattle Shakespeare production. His initial appearance is amusing but after that it seems just annoying. I can see where they want to get the social commentary which was, I'm assuming, part of his stage direction in the play but, frankly, I don't need an actor in costume to tell me about the decorations of Mrs. Higgin's drawing room. I think I can recognize the art on her walls without being told what it is.
Aside from that carp, which is pretty minor, really, I have no complaints about the show. Although she is quite hideous in the shot on the Seattle Shakespeare page, Eliza was quite fine on stage; her transformation from guttersnipe to lady is quite impressive. Eli was worried that the actor playing Henry Higgins would be too young but he pulls it off nicely. Eliza's father (the actor doubling as the annoyingly omnipresent Mr. Shaw) was very fine and Mrs. Pierce did a good job of presenting what seemed to be the "message" of the play: what becomes of Eliza when they're through with her? It's been decades since I read the play but I assume Henry's mother really does pick up on Mrs. Pierce's concern: is Eliza to become another Mrs. Eynsford-Hill, incapable of supporting herself because she's a "lady" so she can't have a job but too poor to keep herself or her family? The ending of the play is nicely ambiguous though, really, it seems unlikely that Eliza is going to be returning to live at Wimpole Street any time soon. The play continues for another week, I think, and seats are certainly available. The local Imaginary Reader could find worse ways to spend an evening and Seattle Shakespeare is likely one of the more reasonable priced-tickets for live theatre. The "Eliza" cocktail is a fine Aviation, too.
One reason for the cab (which cut through an alley rather than waiting for a light; I'm not sure I've ever had a cabbie do that before. He got a good tip) is that we need to be up deadly early tomorrow to accompany my brother to the airport so I really need to rush this post on to the bird list and get some sleep.
Birds
American goldfinches
house finches
house sparrows
pine siskins
northern flicker
dark-eyed juncos
yellow-rumped warblers
black-capped chickadees
chestnut-backed chickadees
starlings
crows
Book
Our Mutual Friend page count unchanged
The prediction for today was rain but it turned out to be a blue-skied if blustery day. Eli did a little fruit-tree pruning while I planted peas and shifted some volunteer arugula about in the front-forty. Gradka enjoyed a great deal of time in the yard, chasing leaves and climbing trees. I am quite convinced that the lionesque nature of these early March days means the month will go out quite lamb-like. Eli keeps asking when we'll be able to have breakfast outside again. "Soon," I promise. "Soon."
Mr. Shaw is on stage more than I'd like in the Seattle Shakespeare production. His initial appearance is amusing but after that it seems just annoying. I can see where they want to get the social commentary which was, I'm assuming, part of his stage direction in the play but, frankly, I don't need an actor in costume to tell me about the decorations of Mrs. Higgin's drawing room. I think I can recognize the art on her walls without being told what it is.
Aside from that carp, which is pretty minor, really, I have no complaints about the show. Although she is quite hideous in the shot on the Seattle Shakespeare page, Eliza was quite fine on stage; her transformation from guttersnipe to lady is quite impressive. Eli was worried that the actor playing Henry Higgins would be too young but he pulls it off nicely. Eliza's father (the actor doubling as the annoyingly omnipresent Mr. Shaw) was very fine and Mrs. Pierce did a good job of presenting what seemed to be the "message" of the play: what becomes of Eliza when they're through with her? It's been decades since I read the play but I assume Henry's mother really does pick up on Mrs. Pierce's concern: is Eliza to become another Mrs. Eynsford-Hill, incapable of supporting herself because she's a "lady" so she can't have a job but too poor to keep herself or her family? The ending of the play is nicely ambiguous though, really, it seems unlikely that Eliza is going to be returning to live at Wimpole Street any time soon. The play continues for another week, I think, and seats are certainly available. The local Imaginary Reader could find worse ways to spend an evening and Seattle Shakespeare is likely one of the more reasonable priced-tickets for live theatre. The "Eliza" cocktail is a fine Aviation, too.
One reason for the cab (which cut through an alley rather than waiting for a light; I'm not sure I've ever had a cabbie do that before. He got a good tip) is that we need to be up deadly early tomorrow to accompany my brother to the airport so I really need to rush this post on to the bird list and get some sleep.
Birds
American goldfinches
house finches
house sparrows
pine siskins
northern flicker
dark-eyed juncos
yellow-rumped warblers
black-capped chickadees
chestnut-backed chickadees
starlings
crows
Book
Our Mutual Friend page count unchanged
The prediction for today was rain but it turned out to be a blue-skied if blustery day. Eli did a little fruit-tree pruning while I planted peas and shifted some volunteer arugula about in the front-forty. Gradka enjoyed a great deal of time in the yard, chasing leaves and climbing trees. I am quite convinced that the lionesque nature of these early March days means the month will go out quite lamb-like. Eli keeps asking when we'll be able to have breakfast outside again. "Soon," I promise. "Soon."