"It's not common ground. It's their ground, and we're just standing on it."
I'm back. Didja miss me?
*
Last night, queenspanky, wingsmith and I went to see Now or Later, a new play by Christopher Shinn at the Royal Court Theatre. It's about the gay son of a US Presidential candidate, on election night - and his decision to go to a party the previous week dressed as Muhammed. ("How did they know you were dressed as Muhammed?" / "Well, the fact that I had 'Muhammed' written on my T-shirt probably helped.") as expected, the play was about politics and religion - but also about the personal vs. public, and family problems. I really liked how there was no 'win' scenario in this particular family; that whatever the outcome had been, John Jr would have felt it impact negatively on him. I also liked the different perspectives put forward - even though on occasion it felt that these conversations should have been held a lot earlier, and spaced out over a number of months, rather than taking place in one night. Nonetheless, it was a very powerful play, helped considerably by Eddie Redmayne's performance (John Jr), but hindered somewhat by uneven pacing and lacklustre direction. Still, overall it was an impressive achievement - succinct, witty, powerful, funny and touching at times. Given how cheap tickets are, it is highly recommended.
Quote:
John: When we [he & his ex-boyfriend] fell in love, he said a big part of why he fell in love with me was that I wanted a monogamous relationship. Which not a lot of gay guys do.
Jessica [his mother]: They don't?
John: Np. Especially not at Ivy league universities, where queer-theory professors teach that gay people who want monogamous relationships have self-loathingly internalized the value system of an oppressive patriarchal heteronormative culture.
I might as well have a Scarlet M pinned to my chest.
Jessica: I don't know what to say. I thought things had changed in the gay world.
John: Well, it doesn't help that politicians continue to deny gay people the right to marry, which sends a pretty clear signal. Why try to have something that society says you don't deserve and won't get?
*
In other theatre-related news, athena25 and I have tickets to see Ivanov at the end of October, which I am very excited about. I remain astonished at those who waited for the reviews to book, especially considering that it's Branagh doing Stoppard doing Chekhov. What were people waiting for? Direction by Peter Brooke? I had the good fortune to see Branagh on stage once before, in Mamet's Edmond at the National, which was very impressive indeed. I thought that perhaps the set dressing was a bit fussy at the time - I could quite happily have watched Branagh on an empty stage, he's certainly big enough to fill it - but the play itself was very good, and Branagh was amazing. Which, given that I'm not really a Mamet fan, says quite a bit for the direction and for Branagh himself.
*
I couldn't get tickets to see the RSC Hamlet, as they sold out within 2 hours of going on sale. Damnit. BUT. I may be seeing someone even dearer to my heart if all goes well in the next month. I have been given no promises, and will be a small puddle of goo if it happens, anyway, BUT. The mere possibility is making me happy.
*
I had to indulge and buy the special extended edition of Sex and the City: the Movie. I don't care if people think I'm silly, it's guaranteed to make me happy. As is Pret-a-Portea, which I am going to with my mummy on Sunday. Now, the plan was to also go to London Fashion Weekend, but I'm not sure that we'll have time, plus tea-dresses are a little difficult to manage when one is shopping. So the plan is to stay in Knightsbridge, rather than shuttling back and forth to S. Ken, and maybe finally find a tailor to fix my silk evening gown. (If you've seen me in the last 3 months, this has been the bane of my existence. C'MON. I know silk is difficult to repair, but it's not that bad, and, anyway, isn't this what specialist tailors are for???) I am, of course, obsessing about clothing and girl!things because that's what I do to cheer myself up. No-one is allowed to make a single disparaging comment on shoes, make-up or girlishness on pain of me being pouty.
Speaking of tailors, I must repair wingsmith's trousers. Honestly, that boy. Tut tut.
*
Last night, queenspanky, wingsmith and I went to see Now or Later, a new play by Christopher Shinn at the Royal Court Theatre. It's about the gay son of a US Presidential candidate, on election night - and his decision to go to a party the previous week dressed as Muhammed. ("How did they know you were dressed as Muhammed?" / "Well, the fact that I had 'Muhammed' written on my T-shirt probably helped.") as expected, the play was about politics and religion - but also about the personal vs. public, and family problems. I really liked how there was no 'win' scenario in this particular family; that whatever the outcome had been, John Jr would have felt it impact negatively on him. I also liked the different perspectives put forward - even though on occasion it felt that these conversations should have been held a lot earlier, and spaced out over a number of months, rather than taking place in one night. Nonetheless, it was a very powerful play, helped considerably by Eddie Redmayne's performance (John Jr), but hindered somewhat by uneven pacing and lacklustre direction. Still, overall it was an impressive achievement - succinct, witty, powerful, funny and touching at times. Given how cheap tickets are, it is highly recommended.
Quote:
John: When we [he & his ex-boyfriend] fell in love, he said a big part of why he fell in love with me was that I wanted a monogamous relationship. Which not a lot of gay guys do.
Jessica [his mother]: They don't?
John: Np. Especially not at Ivy league universities, where queer-theory professors teach that gay people who want monogamous relationships have self-loathingly internalized the value system of an oppressive patriarchal heteronormative culture.
I might as well have a Scarlet M pinned to my chest.
Jessica: I don't know what to say. I thought things had changed in the gay world.
John: Well, it doesn't help that politicians continue to deny gay people the right to marry, which sends a pretty clear signal. Why try to have something that society says you don't deserve and won't get?
*
In other theatre-related news, athena25 and I have tickets to see Ivanov at the end of October, which I am very excited about. I remain astonished at those who waited for the reviews to book, especially considering that it's Branagh doing Stoppard doing Chekhov. What were people waiting for? Direction by Peter Brooke? I had the good fortune to see Branagh on stage once before, in Mamet's Edmond at the National, which was very impressive indeed. I thought that perhaps the set dressing was a bit fussy at the time - I could quite happily have watched Branagh on an empty stage, he's certainly big enough to fill it - but the play itself was very good, and Branagh was amazing. Which, given that I'm not really a Mamet fan, says quite a bit for the direction and for Branagh himself.
*
I couldn't get tickets to see the RSC Hamlet, as they sold out within 2 hours of going on sale. Damnit. BUT. I may be seeing someone even dearer to my heart if all goes well in the next month. I have been given no promises, and will be a small puddle of goo if it happens, anyway, BUT. The mere possibility is making me happy.
*
I had to indulge and buy the special extended edition of Sex and the City: the Movie. I don't care if people think I'm silly, it's guaranteed to make me happy. As is Pret-a-Portea, which I am going to with my mummy on Sunday. Now, the plan was to also go to London Fashion Weekend, but I'm not sure that we'll have time, plus tea-dresses are a little difficult to manage when one is shopping. So the plan is to stay in Knightsbridge, rather than shuttling back and forth to S. Ken, and maybe finally find a tailor to fix my silk evening gown. (If you've seen me in the last 3 months, this has been the bane of my existence. C'MON. I know silk is difficult to repair, but it's not that bad, and, anyway, isn't this what specialist tailors are for???) I am, of course, obsessing about clothing and girl!things because that's what I do to cheer myself up. No-one is allowed to make a single disparaging comment on shoes, make-up or girlishness on pain of me being pouty.
Speaking of tailors, I must repair wingsmith's trousers. Honestly, that boy. Tut tut.