(Untitled)

[bookelfe]

As I mentioned before, recently a bunch of us went to see Nixon in China!

gramarye, who knows the most about the history and politics, and sandrylene, who knows the most about the music, have already written up excellent reviews, and before you go any further you should read them:
Shannon the historian's review
Sandry the music major's reviewBut now that they have

Comments

[sandrylene]

Except one, which was filled apparently by a *Korean.*

[bookelfe]

a) Pretty much! Um, it seems to be easier for oral sex, because EITHER you just have the guy facing away from the audience and the girl in approximately the right position in front of him, and people will get the gist; OR, if it is the other kind of oral sex, you just have the guy sticking his head under the woman's skirt. And now you know more than you needed to?

b) All except Madame Mao, who was a Korean soprano! (None of which I realized until after the opera was over, we were too far away to make it out.) And - on the one hand, I don't know how filling out an opera's cast works, and I can very easily see why Chinese opera singers might be reluctant to play Mao or Chou En-Lai in this play, and why it might be tactless to try and recruit them (and likewise tactless to recruit Japanese or Korean singers, although they did it for Madame Mao.)

And yet, ON THE OTHER HAND.

[genarti]

a) Except it's onstage in an opera, so 1) sticking his head sort of a foot in the air above the woman counts, no skirt-lifting necessary, and 2) no noises are actually necessary because everyone is singing arias at the time instead. In this case, arias about revolution. The sex is presumably subtextual in them?

[sandrylene]

Nixon's cardboard head gets carted away
Pssst, typo!

Totally agreed about point E! He comes off as spectacularly useful and sane by comparison, and I would totally like to know more.

Also, I so love how you phrase things. :D You are my favourite, dare I say, the *best* Becca. <3

[bookelfe]

Ahhh, thank you! *fixes quickly*

I think I should politely refute the 'best' statement as there are a lot of excellent Beccas out there! But I am glad to be your favorite. :D

Randomly, while I'm thinking about it.

[gramarye1971]

c.) how anyone ever elected Nixon as President ever

If I recall rightly, there was a throwaway line in the first part of Act I where Nixon makes a comment about it being an election year (1972), and Chou En-Lai's like, 'Dude, even I blush to think about how you've been screwing over your political opponents, and I'm supposed to be propping up a dictatorial regime here.'

(More of my thoughts on this excellent and disturbingly accurate review to come!)

Re: Randomly, while I'm thinking about it.

[bookelfe]

Hahaha, you do in fact recall correctly! Though I had forgotten about that line until you mentioned it. Someone booms "You've got my vote!" to Nixon, too, but I honestly couldn't tell whether it was Kissinger desperately trying his best to be supportive, or Mao or Chou En-Lai being extremely snarky.

Re: Randomly, while I'm thinking about it.

[gramarye1971]

Pretty sure it was Chou En-Lai. Sung with that 'Ahahaha no srsly this is awkward' inflection that Russell Braun did so well.

Re: Randomly, while I'm thinking about it.

[bookelfe]

Hahahaha yeah, I believe that. (He really was excellent at conveying EXTREME AWKWARDNESS.)

[bookelfe]

WE DO! Wouldn't it be exciting if I actually got to drag you down here for a show that didn't leave us with our heads spinning and full of WTF?

[kindness_says]

H2$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rymenhild]

My conclusion, upon reading your review and Shannon's and Sandry's, is that I am very glad you all went to the opera and I am equally glad that I did not!

[bookelfe]

On the other hand, admit it, you're totally disappointed you missed Spiderman.