(no subject)
Saw James Taylor on Saturday. It was a really neat show. He told the stories behind most of the songs, and had a big screen with photo and video projections to illustrate the stories (and make some jokes).
My favorite part, though, was when he said (paraphrased), "This is an electric guitar. It's much better than the guitars that used to run on gas... And I don't even want to contemplate the horse-drawn guitars they used to use." I love him.
[I cut out some whining here because it doesn't do anyone any good. The basics were that my horoscope today is: You're always on the go, but the stars strongly recommend you put on the brakes. Your mind, body and soul need some time to recuperate. Gather your forces so you're ready for the next required round of effort. And that's a lovely thought, but I don't have time to recuperate, and this fall has been and will continue to be crazy.]
ALSO, I just finished Wilde: The Complete Plays which is, excuse the corny phrase, an ABSOLUTE DELIGHT. Seriously, Oscar Wilde is just the greatest, and I can't count the times the first few plays made me LOL.
I also can't count the times I've read The Importance of Being Earnest, and it never gets old. Go read that one yourself - it shouldn't take you long - because I'm not going to bother copying down my billion favorite lines. Other than that, the only play in this book that I've already read is Salome. My beloved Earnest sets the bar high, but the rest are not disappointing. Now where can I see them performed?
Okay, but I do have a couple specific things.
1. You know the famous line, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars"? First, since I always just saw that attributed to Oscar Wilde, I always figured it was just something he said or wrote as himself. Not so! It was a line he wrote for Lord Darlington in Lady Windermere's Fan. Interesting. But it gets more interesting. I also always assumed that the line was said seriously, and it was by Lord Darlington, but check out the context:
Dumby: I don't think we are bad. I think we are all good, except Tuppy.
Lord Darlington: No, we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
Dumby: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars? Upon my word, you are very romantic to-night, Darlington.
Cecil Graham: Too romantic! You must be in love. Who is the girl?
I guess I just think it's funny that this line is famously quoted as so profound when, in its original context, it's mocked! haha.
2. Of all the plays (there are eight), An Ideal Husband is the only one with these hilarious character descriptions. These are just stage directions in the play, so the audience would never even have any idea that they were there!
MABEL CHILTERN is a perfect example of the English type of prettiness, the apple-blossom type. She has all the fragrance and freedom of a flower. There is ripple after ripple of sunlight in her hair, and the little mouth, with its parted lips, is expectant, like the mouth of a child. She has the fascinating tyranny of youth, and the astonishing courage of innocence. To sane people she is not reminiscent of any work of art. But she is really like a Tanagra statuette, and would be rather annoyed if she were told so.
That's not even the funniest (Mrs. Cheveley's description includes: A work of art, on the whole, but showing the influence of too many schools.), but it's one of the shortest and I'm lazy. I wonder if any actors are able to get all that across in their performances.
Then I learned that there is a playwright named Timberlake Wertenbaker. And when I went to look up some info on him, I found that it's really her. Who knew? What a name!
My favorite part, though, was when he said (paraphrased), "This is an electric guitar. It's much better than the guitars that used to run on gas... And I don't even want to contemplate the horse-drawn guitars they used to use." I love him.
[I cut out some whining here because it doesn't do anyone any good. The basics were that my horoscope today is: You're always on the go, but the stars strongly recommend you put on the brakes. Your mind, body and soul need some time to recuperate. Gather your forces so you're ready for the next required round of effort. And that's a lovely thought, but I don't have time to recuperate, and this fall has been and will continue to be crazy.]
ALSO, I just finished Wilde: The Complete Plays which is, excuse the corny phrase, an ABSOLUTE DELIGHT. Seriously, Oscar Wilde is just the greatest, and I can't count the times the first few plays made me LOL.
I also can't count the times I've read The Importance of Being Earnest, and it never gets old. Go read that one yourself - it shouldn't take you long - because I'm not going to bother copying down my billion favorite lines. Other than that, the only play in this book that I've already read is Salome. My beloved Earnest sets the bar high, but the rest are not disappointing. Now where can I see them performed?
Okay, but I do have a couple specific things.
1. You know the famous line, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars"? First, since I always just saw that attributed to Oscar Wilde, I always figured it was just something he said or wrote as himself. Not so! It was a line he wrote for Lord Darlington in Lady Windermere's Fan. Interesting. But it gets more interesting. I also always assumed that the line was said seriously, and it was by Lord Darlington, but check out the context:
Dumby: I don't think we are bad. I think we are all good, except Tuppy.
Lord Darlington: No, we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
Dumby: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars? Upon my word, you are very romantic to-night, Darlington.
Cecil Graham: Too romantic! You must be in love. Who is the girl?
I guess I just think it's funny that this line is famously quoted as so profound when, in its original context, it's mocked! haha.
2. Of all the plays (there are eight), An Ideal Husband is the only one with these hilarious character descriptions. These are just stage directions in the play, so the audience would never even have any idea that they were there!
MABEL CHILTERN is a perfect example of the English type of prettiness, the apple-blossom type. She has all the fragrance and freedom of a flower. There is ripple after ripple of sunlight in her hair, and the little mouth, with its parted lips, is expectant, like the mouth of a child. She has the fascinating tyranny of youth, and the astonishing courage of innocence. To sane people she is not reminiscent of any work of art. But she is really like a Tanagra statuette, and would be rather annoyed if she were told so.
That's not even the funniest (Mrs. Cheveley's description includes: A work of art, on the whole, but showing the influence of too many schools.), but it's one of the shortest and I'm lazy. I wonder if any actors are able to get all that across in their performances.
Then I learned that there is a playwright named Timberlake Wertenbaker. And when I went to look up some info on him, I found that it's really her. Who knew? What a name!