Events
La Boheme
10.5.02
For my birthday this year, Crystal
and I went to the opera. We dressed with casual elegance as would befit
such an evening (well afternoon, we saw a matinee).
However, this was not a traditional
production – this was Baz Luhrmann’s La Boheme. Set in the 50’s, the opera
got a new look with neon signs, James Dean clothes, and loosely translated
supertitles. One memorable line of beautiful Italian was translated as
“I’m freezing my ass off.”
Later in the opera when the
four friends are mock fighting in their garret, the supertitles looked
like an old episode of Batman: “POW!”, “BAM!”, “OUCH!” The cast was very
talented and, as Crystal said, it was nice to finally see the story of
young, starving artists played by young, thin actors not huge, aging, Wagerian
divas. I really enjoyed the energy and spirit of the show as well as the
beautiful music.
Another interesting aspect
of the production was that all of the stage business (moving scenery, changing
lights, adding “snow”, etc.) was done in front of the audience – the curtain
never closed because there was no curtain. All of the stagehands were dressed
in costume (or reasonable facsimiles) and in a strange way it pulled you
further into the show, like we were a part of making it, not just watching
it. If you aren’t a purist, I highly recommend this production if you have
a chance to go see it. The opera was never more fun!
Night
and Day
10.11.02
I’m a fan of Tom Stoppard, so
when a friend offered to get us comp tickets to Night and Day at the ACT
in San Francisco, I immediately said yes.
I was a bit worried that
it would be heavy and dark since it dealt with Serious Issues and the Current
State of the World. I shouldn’t have worried. This is Tom Stoppard – witty
dialogue and fast-paced conversation are his hallmarks no matter what the
subject.
The play is set in a random
African country in the throws of civil war in the 1970’s. The three main
characters are reporters – a veteran writer, a veteran photographer, and
a cub writer – all trying to get the scoop on the story. The cub takes
the first lead with a lucky break – he’s kidnapped by the opposition forces
and the leader takes a liking to him, because he’s just that kind of open,
happy, and earnest young man. Tensions are high when the three reporters
meet at the home of a British businessman who is living in the county with
his wife and son while managing a mine. Sparks fly and the true role of
journalism in world affairs is discussing in cutting detail – shining a
light in the dark places of the world because atrocities are worse when
committed in the dark, but of course being first and making the money is
part of it too because new is a business.
For all the extremely cogent
and valid points made, I laughed a lot at the byplay between the characters.
Especially brilliant was the actress playing the businessman’s bored wife.
Her asides to the audience were wonderful and showed her inner turmoil
in sharp contrast to her outward superficiality. The end was a shock but
you can easily guess who the Redshirt in the piece will be. All in all
it was the perfect Stoppard play – witty, enjoyable, and thought-provoking.
Renaissance Fair
10.19.02
It was the best of all Renaissance
Fairs, we scored comp tickets and the parking was free.
Okay, so the drive was a
bit pro-longed, but I hope that the Ren fair stays at the Fruit Tree for
a good long time.
Like the much mourned Black
Pointe Site, the new location in the hills East of Gilroy are pleasantly
shaded with California Oaks. The weather was pleasant, at the lower end
of warm. Not yet cool, but definitely fall.
Karen and I met up with Gina,
Ken and eventually Dorothy as we wandered the Fair. We ate, we shopped.
A good time was had by all.
We kind a sorta garbed. Bodice,
skirt. You know the typical, I don’t actually want to garb, but I have
some spirit.
Afterwards, we jetted out
via Hwy 5, avoiding the mess that is Morgan Hill traffic, and singing Nightmare
Before Christmas all the way.
Halloween Gaskells
10.26.02
All around a success. The
dancing, evening, the costumes.
The music was good, although
the choice to play the first Congress of Vienna in a minor key was odd.
Not bad, but just a little off.
There was a wide variety
of costumes this year, which was nice. In some previous years, there has
been mostly straight Victorian with a smattering of Halloween costumes.
One of the most clever sets was a group of people who all wore outfits
in pink stripped fabric. There were 17th, 18th, 19th century gowns, kilts,
coats, bows, cumberbunds – all manner of styles. I never saw them all together,
however having them smattered throughout the crowd was a very nice touch.
Our costumes were also a
nice success. I’m glad that Gina suggested that we do a trial run at World
Con. Karen was able to work out some of the kinks with Eris’ hair (less
clumpy, more blended). And, well, we only wore the high heels for the First
March. After that, the goddesses lost some height and gained some traction
by changing into dancing slippers.
We were of course, stunning
and goddess like and we got the compliments to prove it. Validation isn’t
just for parking.
Now then, the review over,
I’m going to digress a little. I got some very interesting reactions to
my Persephone costume. I think I’ll back up slightly.
I have some very definite
ideas about where I’m going with Persephone. She’s the goddess of the Spring
and yet she is also the Queen of the Underworld. I imagine her by turns
cold and kind. From every birth comes a death and Persephone personifies
this. Kore the maiden. Persephone the sometimes Queen.
Also, I’m something of a
romantic (i.e., I read romance novels). I’ve always been fascinated by
the story of the abduction of Persephone. The various versions. Her father
is complicitous Zeus. Her father is irrelevant. Zeus knows all. Zeus knows
nothing. The parallels between Demeter searching for her missing daughter
and Egyptian Isis searching for her missing husband. And then there is
the romance at the heart of the story. Dark brooding figure, shunned by
all the other gods, sees a beautiful maiden (Kore means maiden) and kidnaps
her. Carries her off to his kingdom below the earth. It’s all very un-pc
of me and yet, I think that she chooses to eat the pomegranate seeds, because
come on, they certainly don’t alleviate her hunger. She spends six months
apart from her husband and yet in all the legends of the amorous Greeks,
she doesn’t fool around. Hades never fools around. They’re one of the few
faithful couples one finds in the Greek gods. Also, in several legends
when people need a favor from Hades, lovers back from the dead, etc., Persephone
is the one who intercedes with Hades. Hades, sans, Persephone is this unbending
rule abiding wintery creature. Persephone lends an air of mercy and compassion
to the underworld. Hades is just, but Persephone is fair.
My costume plays with all
this a bit. It’s the dark Peresphone. All black and silver. Cold embroidered
flowers, beaded to color. Silver jewelry and rings. Pale face and red lips.
Youthful hair style that riots with curls. No cleavage, but side slits
up to the thigh, which is something I don’t normally do because, I don’t
really like my thighs. However, I kind of wanted to play up the healthy
muscles.
So, the funny bit is the
sheer number of men, who flirted with me as Persephone because I’m not
with my husband. I only see him six months out of the year. He need never
know. There was no way to stay in character and make them cut it out.
It also, completely threw
me, because it’s completely antithetical to my view of Persephone.
It’s not really a seductive outfit and that’s not an aspect of my personality
that I’m playing with when I’m Persephone. To an extent I'm playing with
a younger, less forceful aspect of myself. It was interesting to revisit
her and see how people respond to her.
Also, it’s a very different
reaction than I got when wandering around with my fellow goddesses at Worldcon.
Much more awe, less pursuing the vulnerable doe.
All in all, very useful.
Cemetary
Picnic
10.27.02
Once upon a time the Victorians
were really morbid. They built huge cemetaries that they might comune with
their dead relatives. They built beautiful mausauleums, rolling parks.
Statues.
Good stuff.
Once a year we go and picnic
in their dead honor.
We try to look good doing it.
Nightmare
Before Christmas
10.30.02
Nightmare Before Christmas is
one of my favorite movies. So, when Gina emailed met that there was going
to be a free showing at Things From Another World at the Metreon, I was
certainly up for a bit of Nightmarish spontaneity. They were having a costume
contest so we dressed up. Okay we’d have dressed up any way, I hadn’t had
a chance to wear my Sally costume yet.
So, we showed up a bit late
for the contest. No matter, because no one else showed up in costume. Heh.
We stood up at the front, they asked us questions to try to determine who
should win. I opined that since we live together it didn’t matter. So,
I won 1st prize, a very cool two foot Sally doll. Karen won 2nd and 3rd
prize, a Dr. Evil and a Santa Jack Skellington. Not sure what we’re going
to do with Dr. Evil. Whatever. We won stuff. Yippee. That never happens
to me.
Halloween
at Work
10.31.02
Then again sometimes I’m on
a roll. I jointly won scariest costume at work. Angel of Death. I also
had a satisfied customer, dead Victorian gentleman.
I couldn’t believe some of
the decorations. A number of areas completely transformed offices into
Martha Stewart’s prison, the final scene from AI, Survivor Thailand, which
was absolutely incredible. Fire pit, carved pumpkin, decorations from Thailand.
Insane.
Not sure a lot of work was
done that day, but whatever. It was the best Halloween at work ever.
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