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ivyficFolks, it's been a good week for theater.
If you are in New York and you like burlesque, you should definitely go see Company XIV's Queen of Hearts, which they just extended and is now playing through September. Company XIV always does a good show, but they've outdone themselves for this one. For those of you not familiar, XIV does "baroque burlesque"--a combination of burlesque, ballet, cabaret, and circus acts. In this Alice in Wonderland inspired show, they have (amongst many other things) a Tweedledum and Tweedledee vaudeville mirror act (with far less clothes), a contortionist as the caterpillar in a full body gimp suit, a mermaid stripper pole act, and Marcy Richardson doing an aerial circus act while singing an operatic cover of "Mad World." Plus, you've got Michael Cunio as the White Rabbit, Lexxe as Alice, and the incomparable Storm Marrerro as the Queen of Hearts. Her cover of "you should see me in a crown" by Billie Eilish is worth the price of admission alone.
So if this sounds like your thing, definitely check it out.
(Most of those links are not worksafe, by the way).
Then the last two nights, I say Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I loved it. I know that the Harry Potter fan community has not embraced this work--but the show is a marvel as stagecraft (seeing all the magic done as practical effects--wow), and I also enjoyed it from a Harry Potter fannish perspective. I have the book but haven't read it, but having seen it, a script would not capture this as an experience.
Of course, HPCC is the most expensive theater ticket I have ever seen, so there's a real issue of fannish accessibility around that one, especially for people not in London or New York. But it's definitely a good show.
Conversely, if you haven't read the books or it's been awhile and you don't remember them that well--skip it. It does not spend any time reminding you of previous events, so 90% of the fun would be lost if you're not a fan.
(Also, I immediately wanted to go read HPCC compliant fic after seeing it, but it turns out to be a very small fandom. Perhaps not surprising given the accessibility problem, and the fact that it seems like fans just reading the book were Not Happy. But still. I wish there were more of a fandom.)
If you are in New York and you like burlesque, you should definitely go see Company XIV's Queen of Hearts, which they just extended and is now playing through September. Company XIV always does a good show, but they've outdone themselves for this one. For those of you not familiar, XIV does "baroque burlesque"--a combination of burlesque, ballet, cabaret, and circus acts. In this Alice in Wonderland inspired show, they have (amongst many other things) a Tweedledum and Tweedledee vaudeville mirror act (with far less clothes), a contortionist as the caterpillar in a full body gimp suit, a mermaid stripper pole act, and Marcy Richardson doing an aerial circus act while singing an operatic cover of "Mad World." Plus, you've got Michael Cunio as the White Rabbit, Lexxe as Alice, and the incomparable Storm Marrerro as the Queen of Hearts. Her cover of "you should see me in a crown" by Billie Eilish is worth the price of admission alone.
So if this sounds like your thing, definitely check it out.
(Most of those links are not worksafe, by the way).
Then the last two nights, I say Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I loved it. I know that the Harry Potter fan community has not embraced this work--but the show is a marvel as stagecraft (seeing all the magic done as practical effects--wow), and I also enjoyed it from a Harry Potter fannish perspective. I have the book but haven't read it, but having seen it, a script would not capture this as an experience.
Of course, HPCC is the most expensive theater ticket I have ever seen, so there's a real issue of fannish accessibility around that one, especially for people not in London or New York. But it's definitely a good show.
Conversely, if you haven't read the books or it's been awhile and you don't remember them that well--skip it. It does not spend any time reminding you of previous events, so 90% of the fun would be lost if you're not a fan.
(Also, I immediately wanted to go read HPCC compliant fic after seeing it, but it turns out to be a very small fandom. Perhaps not surprising given the accessibility problem, and the fact that it seems like fans just reading the book were Not Happy. But still. I wish there were more of a fandom.)
no subject
Date: 2019-04-27 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-04-28 06:53 pm (UTC)Given that it cost me ~$400 to see from the cheap seats, and I live in the city and didn't have to pay travel or lodging, I can see how the fans who've had the privilege of seeing it telling those that haven't that they have no right to an opinion would--rankle.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-28 09:38 pm (UTC)But especially when it comes to scripts, there's a big difference in terms of their effect when read. They tell you what happens but not generally how or what it means. I was noticing today that I was responding emotionally to the Endgame credits which are only visual and audio, no text at all.
no subject
Date: 2019-04-28 06:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-04-28 09:39 pm (UTC)