Salieri vs. Sweeney Todd: FIGHT!
Update! I am not dead, yay! Just a little lazy with the postings.
Well, looks like we finally have a winter wonderland outside. To be honest, as much as I hate driving in snow, I like how the world looks and sounds when there's a healthy layer of it on the ground that doesn't melt in 24 hours. I mean, this winter's had a lot of cold, but we haven't had a lot of snow build-up. Global warming, perhaps?
This past Friday I was in for a treat: Brian and I got four free tickets to the play Amadeus for Christmas, and we finally used them :) It blew me away! It was such an excellent play, and we had really good seats for it, too. The acting was incredibly strong--props to the men who played Salieri and Mozart! The costumes and set design were phenomenal but didn't overwhelm the actors or fill the stage. And their choice of how to use Mozart's music was really effective; when it filled the playhouse, I felt a deep and overwhelming sense of awe. It was heady and powerful, and ran right through me as if I myself were a string responding to a sympathetic tone. I shuddered a few times. I was even moved to tears. It was just...an incredible experience.
If I had the money to burn, I'd go again to see it. But perhaps I ought to just rent the movie, which I have never seen.
Either way, it was so much better than the latest Sweeney Todd production, which seemed to be translating the old nutrition adage to musical theater--if something is too enjoyable, then it must be junk with little nutritional value. Therefore, what is "good for you" (for example, health foods or High Art) should not be enjoyable. You, audience, are here to enjoy High Art--so sit there and be impressed by our bizarre, trimmed-down, claustrophobic, nonsensical production. After all, it's symbolic!
(Although, I have to give props to the musicians/actors themselves, who had to act and play their own orchestrations without sheet music for the entire thing!)
Yay, we finished the first story! My poor little nerdling Montaigne merchant managed to tackle and bring down a hulking Vendel henchman with six pistols, and hold him down for a good round or so before taking two dramatic wounds right to the forehead from a shockingly well-thrown candlestick and then being thrown down the stairs by said Vendel. It was not quite as awesome as Jen's Castillian swordswoman taking down five brutes in a single phase of combat (notice, I didn't say "round," I said "phase")--but considering my Jacques' paltry Brawn of 1, and the fact that it was his first serious combat in his life, it was a very brave moment for him. I can certainly say he mentally handled it better than Eddie would have.
Anyway, the first story is now complete (besides some soft wrap-up that needs to be taken care of), and I managed to buy my brawn up to 2, so maybe next time he won't be taken down so easily by a candlestick ^.^;
Incidentally, I decided that a good double for Jacques is Charlie Cox, the little-known British actor who starred as Tristan in Stardust. In fact, Tristan is a good model for Jacques' overall look, except Jacques has longer hair and (right now) a bloody bandage on his forehead.
Despite Jacques getting his @$$ kicked, I am having such a blast with this game and this character :) Not only is the game itself really fun, but it's nice to be role-playing regularly again, and with a character I can really sink my teeth into.
Hmm...if it's still relatively light out when I get home, I might have to consider going out to Schenley Park for some sledding, if this snow keeps up. I don't have any snow pants, but darn it, I have at least two big full-size sleds, and I want to use them!
Well, looks like we finally have a winter wonderland outside. To be honest, as much as I hate driving in snow, I like how the world looks and sounds when there's a healthy layer of it on the ground that doesn't melt in 24 hours. I mean, this winter's had a lot of cold, but we haven't had a lot of snow build-up. Global warming, perhaps?
This past Friday I was in for a treat: Brian and I got four free tickets to the play Amadeus for Christmas, and we finally used them :) It blew me away! It was such an excellent play, and we had really good seats for it, too. The acting was incredibly strong--props to the men who played Salieri and Mozart! The costumes and set design were phenomenal but didn't overwhelm the actors or fill the stage. And their choice of how to use Mozart's music was really effective; when it filled the playhouse, I felt a deep and overwhelming sense of awe. It was heady and powerful, and ran right through me as if I myself were a string responding to a sympathetic tone. I shuddered a few times. I was even moved to tears. It was just...an incredible experience.
If I had the money to burn, I'd go again to see it. But perhaps I ought to just rent the movie, which I have never seen.
Either way, it was so much better than the latest Sweeney Todd production, which seemed to be translating the old nutrition adage to musical theater--if something is too enjoyable, then it must be junk with little nutritional value. Therefore, what is "good for you" (for example, health foods or High Art) should not be enjoyable. You, audience, are here to enjoy High Art--so sit there and be impressed by our bizarre, trimmed-down, claustrophobic, nonsensical production. After all, it's symbolic!
(Although, I have to give props to the musicians/actors themselves, who had to act and play their own orchestrations without sheet music for the entire thing!)
Yay, we finished the first story! My poor little nerdling Montaigne merchant managed to tackle and bring down a hulking Vendel henchman with six pistols, and hold him down for a good round or so before taking two dramatic wounds right to the forehead from a shockingly well-thrown candlestick and then being thrown down the stairs by said Vendel. It was not quite as awesome as Jen's Castillian swordswoman taking down five brutes in a single phase of combat (notice, I didn't say "round," I said "phase")--but considering my Jacques' paltry Brawn of 1, and the fact that it was his first serious combat in his life, it was a very brave moment for him. I can certainly say he mentally handled it better than Eddie would have.
Anyway, the first story is now complete (besides some soft wrap-up that needs to be taken care of), and I managed to buy my brawn up to 2, so maybe next time he won't be taken down so easily by a candlestick ^.^;
Incidentally, I decided that a good double for Jacques is Charlie Cox, the little-known British actor who starred as Tristan in Stardust. In fact, Tristan is a good model for Jacques' overall look, except Jacques has longer hair and (right now) a bloody bandage on his forehead.
Despite Jacques getting his @$$ kicked, I am having such a blast with this game and this character :) Not only is the game itself really fun, but it's nice to be role-playing regularly again, and with a character I can really sink my teeth into.
Hmm...if it's still relatively light out when I get home, I might have to consider going out to Schenley Park for some sledding, if this snow keeps up. I don't have any snow pants, but darn it, I have at least two big full-size sleds, and I want to use them!