#Like the things that make musical theatre unique and exciting are also the same things that make it bougie and niche and inaccessable | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

d-criss-news · 3 years ago

Text

Nine Songs: Darren Criss

When Disney, Phantom Planet and Mr Hudson collide: Glee star, Emmy and Golden Globe winner and musician Darren Criss talks Andrew Wright through the pivotal songs in his life and the unexpected ways they found him.

“When we are younger, our gateway drugs to a lot of popular things don’t come from the sexiest of places. It’s up to you how proactive you want to be with your curiosity from there, and how far down the rabbit hole you want to go, if you go down at all.”

Choosing the songs that define you is a tricky business to say the least, especially when the power of song has provided an ongoing soundtrack to your life. “When you’re as avid a music consumer as musical artists are, trying to pin down Nine Songs is difficult,” Darren Criss laughs. So much so, his final choices only really crystallise as our conversation draws to its close. “It’s hard for me not to see the value and joy in literally everything,” he explains. “The curse of the creative person is that your ideas and your interests always move way faster than your body can execute.”

Criss is a creative par excellence. As well as his Emmy and Golden Globe winning performance in The Assassination of Gianni Versace, where he played serial killer Andrew Cunanan, to his upcoming role in Muppets Haunted Mansion Halloween special as The Caretaker, he’s also a prolific musician. Criss enjoyed a decadent musical consumption since childhood, so “this was a bit of an archaeological dig,” he admits. As such, everything from jazz standards, to 808s, punk rock, ‘90s teen pop, and musical numbers are excavated in the course of our extemporaneous journey through the music he loves.

Equally on his mind is how to go about approaching the task of creating his Nine Songs, full stop. “The interesting social experiment is: Are my answers going to be songs that actually shaped my life and were formative to me as an artist? Are they songs that were formative to me as a human being? Or am I picking songs that I think represent who I am to people that do not know me? All three of those things aren’t necessarily the same thing.”

He reaches a conclusion of sorts. “For the purposes of making some kind of decision, I’m gonna lean less into trying to look cool to your very cool readership, and more into the literal, ‘What made me think about music in a different way? And hit me in a very emotional way?’ I think that’s probably the healthiest route.”

Embracing the accessibility that characterises Criss’ picks - or at times the initial touchpoints that led him to them - are something he vacillates over during our chat. “I’ve seen a lot of other people’s Nine Songs and they’re super cool. It’s like Leonard Cohen B-sides and old opera records and stuff. I’m gonna be pretty honest with the pop culture zeitgeist of how I grew up but explain why there is so much value in those moments.” His contemplation continues into the next day, Criss’s publicist passes on his regrets at being tentative to admit how he encountered one of his song choices via the Shrek soundtrack.

A yearning to reinterpret accessibility and the value attached to it drives Criss, however. He tells me that a festival performance that applied the anarchic verve of punk rock to a more refined Great American Songbook number remoulded his perception of music entirely. His love of the fusion of these two genres in particular symbolises the salient musical backdrops of his childhood - the guitar bands he played in with friends, and his musical theatre endeavours that led him to Broadway and multiple Ryan Murphy juggernauts, including his breakthrough playing Blaine Anderson in Glee.

Criss employs these contrasting musical lexicons, and other areas in between, on Masquerade, his new EP. Comprising five stand-alone “character-driven” singles, it sees Criss donning different musical personas. “I’m leaning into people that might know me as an actor,” he explains. “Because if actors can do Shakespeare, romantic comedy, and then do a horror movie and wear a prosthetic nose and a wig, I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just do that with music.” The song “walk of shame” draws on jazz-standard chords interlaced with hip-hop production, “i can’t dance” looks to new-wave, and “for a night like this” is the product of Criss’ goal to create the ultimate end-of-the-night crowd-pleaser for a new-year bash, wedding or bar mitzvah. “This is all of the parts of me as a lifelong fan of these genres, trying my hand at servicing the pieces of them that I love.”

“I really love all styles of music and understanding what makes them unique and special and what makes them really pop. There are so many things that really make things sing - for lack of a better verb - and I like acknowledging those things and celebrating those things.”

“So, let’s begin. I have runners up and shit, and I have artists, I don’t just have the songs, so we might have to pick them as we go.”

youtube

“Part of Your World” by Jodi Benson

“When people read this, they’ll go ‘That’s cute, he likes Disney songs’, but it’s more profound than that. Some of the most formative pieces of music to hit me at a very early age would have been any of the songs that were coming from ‘The Disney renaissance.’ The early-mid ‘90s explosion of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and The Beast.

"One of the through lines between the three of those musicals was Howard Ashman, who is one of my all-time heroes. Dramaturg, songwriter - he really was the voice behind what made those songs great. I have always loved Howard’s lyrical sensibility and also Alan Menken, his partner who wrote these songs with him. There was a musical structure to a lot of the songs which I would unconsciously pick up in my own songwriting, not just musically, but the idea that not only did somebody make these songs, but they wrote them for a story.

“There’s a clip of Howard Ashman vocal directing Jodi Benson, who was the original voice of Ariel. It’s a wonderful example of his genius, where not only was he songwriting but he was storytelling in the way he would tell her how to perform it, and you can really see the song coming to life in that clip. That’s when you cross the street from ‘It’s a song’ to ‘This is an experience.’

"There are certain ingredients that are required to elevate music that goes beyond just a nice melody, a beautiful orchestration and a good voice. There are things that are required to really give a performance a characterisation, context and a vulnerability, that he architects in real-time with Jodi Benson. You see that what he’s doing is what makes the record so special, and that’s something that’s always been inspiring to me.”

youtube

“MMMBop” by Hanson

“I think my love of Hanson was because some people didn’t like it, so I was like ‘Fuck you, I like this, how do you feel about it?’ But this is difficult for me, because you know, I’m speaking to The Line of Best Fit and we’re trying to be cool! Although, do you know what’s cool? Being accessible! Writing a pop hit when you are 10 years old. Being in a band with your brothers and you’re all below the age of 15, you have a record contract where you are writing, producing and performing songs that are doing well.

“I was 10 years old when their first album Middle of Nowhere came out, and I remember reading somewhere that there were these kids that had a record. At the time, I was playing guitar and I was writing songs, but in my mind I was a kid, and that was it. I couldn’t be on the radio; you had to be a grown up to do this.

"This was the first time where I realised ‘Holy shit, kids can do stuff!’ It’s the value of seeing yourself in the media - that’s a whole other conversation to talk about - but there’s an immense value in feeling like there’s a piece of you out in the zeitgeist and doing well because it’s encouraging. You go, ‘Holy shit, maybe I can do this as well.'

“When you see children doing things, you’re ‘Wow, this is so cute and fabulous’, but then when you actually look at it you go, ‘This is miles above what most people in this age group are capable of,’ and that’s all I saw, because I was in the same age group and I was so inspired by that. This whole album was really a turning point for me, where I was like, ‘I can do this, I can do music too, because these guys can.'

youtube

“Ooh La La” by Faces

“This song really blew my mind. It became my own theme. It’s that ‘Make your heart sing’, nostalgic moment when you’re a teenager, driving in the car listening to it, playing guitar with your friends and you’re singing “I wish that I knew what I know now / When I was younger.” You’re like, ‘because I’m an adult now, I’m 15-years-old. If I only knew what I know now.’

“I was doing theatre from a young age and I was part of a young conservatory called A.C.T. in San Francisco. By way of somebody who knew somebody, I had an audition for a movie. As a kid not being near New York or Los Angeles it was really exciting, and this audition was for a film called ‘Max Fischer’, which would become the movie Rushmore, which would become one of my favourite movies of all time by the now very distinguished Wes Anderson.

“Separate from my own objective love of Wes Anderson, when this movie came out I was just around the age of getting into my own sort of identity with music, but also movies - indie movies - and trying to assert who I was. So, I see this movie Rushmore and I love it. I love the soundtrack, I love it so much, it’s one of my favourite albums ever. This song is the end sequence, and the way it made me feel - the vocals on it, I could play it on guitar and it was part of a cool movie - it really represented a lot in my life.

“And because of the acting thing, and Rushmore being great - it’s about this kid in high-school who's misunderstood but has his own agenda - everything about it was just so fucking cool to me. To this day, I cite that song as one of my favourite records of all time.”

youtube

“Recently Distressed” by Phantom Planet

“A guy that really formed the way I would sing and write songs is Alex Greenwald, the frontman of Phantom Planet. I went to see Phantom Planet because I loved Rushmore and I found out that Jason Schwartzman [who had been cast as Max Fischer] was also the drummer for a band called Phantom Planet.

"So, when I saw their name on the bill I went, but I didn't know their music. I was barely 14, but their set blew my mind. It was Rock and Roll, but I loved Alex Greenwald’s voice. I loved everything, and I would follow their career from there. I always tell people that my voice is a combination of me trying to be Alex Greenwald, Paul McCartney and Rufus Wainwright, but failing. Alex was incredibly formative for me.

“One of their biggest records was a little while after I first saw them, which was the song for The O.C., "California." That was more of an Elvis Costello thing, and they employed a lot of stuff that sounded to me like The Beatles and a lot of ‘60s mod/pop-rock. But later they would employ things from Fugazi, Radiohead and harder shit, and that eclecticism, again, only accelerated my love for Phantom Planet.

“Recently Distressed” is from their 1998 album Phantom Planet Is Missing. This was a cool rock song that employed these George [Harrison] and Paul [McCartney] background vocals and included all of the things that I loved. It was harder but melodic and employed minor 4th chords and more complicated chords than I was used to. I had grown up with power chords - which are very Gregorian - on a lot of alt. punk rock, like Green Day or Nirvana, and if Kurt Cobain was using power chords then that’s how I was playing guitar. Hearing this music was like ‘Oh, I’m using full chords, not sevenths, minor 4th chords, diminished chords’, shit that I would learn to use more and more.

“When you haven’t experienced much, anything that gives a hint towards possibility, even though it’s probably always been there, you’re like, ‘I like this, I’ve always kind of liked this, but it’s very encouraging to hear somebody else do it and it’s gonna make me reconsider my possibilities.’ That was literally the moment that my power chords turned into full barre chords.”

youtube

“Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” by Rufus Wainwright

“I forgot the other day how I got into Rufus Wainwright, because all of this stuff I was getting into quite young. It’s like when I talk to 11-13 year olds, it’s funny to think that this was when I was really starting to build my musical identity. But then I remembered, and I didn’t want to say because I didn’t want to sound uncool, because he is such a revered artist who exists in a much cooler place than what I’m about to say.

“I loved soundtracks and I would always buy soundtracks for movies that had cool playlists. I had the Shrek soundtrack, and there’s a cover of Leonard Cohen’s seminal “Hallelujah” that Rufus does and he smashes it, and I’m like, ‘Who the fuck is Rufus Wainwright? What a beautiful voice.’ Then I saw that he was going to be at the Virgin Megastore in San Francisco one week, so I go and he’s there promoting his new album Poses. I remember I didn’t have enough money to buy the album that day, so I had him sign my sneaker and I saved that shoe.

“The first song on Poses was “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk”, which is a very dark and reflective song about his own battles with addiction, but he’s singing it over this really beautiful, whimsical song that has a lot of really great wordplay. I always love when artists, especially lyricists, can encapsulate an idea with not exactly what they’re talking about. The song’s called “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk”, it’s not called “Addiction”. Its talking about things that he craved and how that’s representative of other things that he’s gone through. There was a sophistication and elegance to that that I really gravitated towards, that I didn’t possess but wanted to shoot for. So when I saw him, that was a big one for me and he would also continue to influence me later in my life.

“I’ve become friends with Rufus since. I’ve performed with him and we’ve made records together, which is crazy. His songwriting was very complex and punk-rock, but he had this classic cabaret voice, the kind of voice that I don’t have. I was fascinated that there was somebody that could write this really dark material but have such elegance on top of it. He was virtuosic on the piano, which I thought was very cool because musicianship is always the thing that gets me going the most about artists.

“You know what? People say, ‘Don’t meet your heroes.' I completely disagree. Chase the living fuck out of your heroes. I’ve spent a lifetime doing so, it’s made me a better artist, and I’ve sometimes got to meet them and work with them. I’ve worked on music with Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet. I’ve performed with Hanson. I’ve performed those Disney songs with Alan Menken at The Hollywood Bowl.

"This is all because there are people that I love who I have put on my vision board, and the things that they have done are the things that are bringing me to them. So it is nuts, but at the same time you’re like, ‘Well, what else did you think would happen?’ They did stuff that some part of me connected with, so obviously there’s a magnetic pull towards that person.

“Rufus Wainwright is one of my absolute favourite artists of all time and like I said, me trying to sing like him and failing is a big part of my own journey as an artist.”

youtube

“3x5” by John Mayer

“John Mayer’s another guy that came around when I was 15. I heard a song of his on a middle-of-the-night, singer/songwriter college radio show. This is where I used to get music. You would listen to these carefully curated playlists that you wouldn’t be able to hear anywhere else, and the host played “No Such Thing”, a new song by this young kid who had just dropped out of Berklee College of Music - John Mayer.

“I’m listening to this song and I’m like, ‘Not only is this guitar playing really interesting, but the lyrical value and everything that is going on here ticks all the boxes.' It was jazz, but it was pop. And he did something that all these other guys and girls I’ve mentioned did. They made something very unique and very accessible.

“I immediately went out to buy this album, Room For Squares, and I listened to it over and over again. It was an album that was really formative for me. "3x5” is a really beautiful song that employs a lot of chord structures and melodies that blew my fucking mind at the time, and it made me wish that I could write songs like that.

“That album was a huge turning point in the way I played the guitar, because it was the first time in my life where I would look up tabs. Up until this point in my life, if I heard a song I could play it instantly. It was like a party trick, I would get how it worked if I heard it, because most of the songs I would hear on the radio - especially those that involved a guitar - were [centred around] power chords. And now I’m hearing all of these ninth chords and thirteenths, and I’m like, ‘What the fuck is this?’ So I’d have to look up tabs.

“I think any young artist can attest to this - when you try and learn other people’s shit, it’s the best tool for educating yourself. Playing other people’s music really helps you lock in what your own style is. Trying to learn these songs - and sometimes pulling it off and sometimes not - really changed the way that my hands moved around the guitar and considered chords and voicings that I’d never really thought of.

“There’s another tie to musical theatre here, where I remember seeing Audra McDonald, who is a very venerated theatre actor, and she did a cabaret. If you’re familiar with cabaret culture, it’s more about performing the story of the songs – ‘Life is a cabaret’. She did a John Mayer song because she thought it was from a musical theatre show, and I was so tickled by this, because I was like ‘Yeah, if you really think about it, I don’t think he knows this and I don’t think his fan base even thinks about this, but there’s a number of his songs that feel very theatrical in the way that the lyrics play with each other and the way the chords move’.

"When I saw this I thought, ‘That is why I like John Mayer’, because yes, he’s an amazing guitar player, but he’s also a really strong songwriter.”

youtube

“Cabaret” by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

“Also, around this time growing up in San Francisco, as a guitar player playing music with your buddies, the number one thing that you play is punk rock. There are different parts of the spectrum of punk rock, there's the NOFX, Swingin’ Utters, like real punk, punk. And then there’s the pop-punk thing that was happening at the same time, which was also equally influential - blink-182 and Green Day.

“Fat Mike was the frontman of NOFX. I loved NOFX, and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes were a supergroup of different members from different punk bands, of which Fat Mike was one of the main architects. They would cover songs and turn them into punk rock songs. They have an album of hits from the ‘60s, and they also have an album called Me First and the Gimme Gimmes: Are a Drag, and that record is just a tonne of musical theatre covers that are done through punk rock.

“That was completely in line with everything I loved at this time of my life but didn’t really know how to articulate. I loved punk rock but I also really loved musical theatre. Not only the performative element of it, but there was a real musicality to musical theatre that wasn’t as present in some of the other shit that was popular at the time, just harmonically, or where chords would go. There was a sophistication I loved that seemed to not exist in punk rock.

“Then hearing Fat Mike at The Warped Tour going ‘Alright, which one of you Motherfuckers loves Julie Andrews?’ and hearing a mixed bag of reactions, because people were ‘What? I was not expecting that from you, sir?’ And then they start playing “My Favourite Things”, a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein song which is very accessible, but sophisticated nonetheless. And I am just living. I’m like, ‘This has got the attitude and simplicity of punk rock, but the sophistication of a beautiful song.’

“That was the first time in my life where I went, ‘It’s just all music. All these categories and boxes are completely arbitrary.’ So I thought, ‘I can do that.' I was playing power chords in punk bands but I realised that you can take chords and make them into other rhythms and voicings and have the same song. I could take a punk song and make it jazz. I could take a jazz song and make it country. So, quite providentially, I would end up on Glee, where they took popular songs and would sometimes do their own versions.

“By that point, I had been doing this my whole life. The first time this ever became a possibility for me was seeing Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, and that way of thinking about music and genre. I’ve put that into Masquerade, and it’s all born from that moment of ‘Oh my God, nothing has to be one thing. It’s just about how you look at it.'

“Cabaret” is from a pretty famous musical that I would’ve probably heard about later in life, but I first heard that song as a punk song and then I went back and heard the original. It doesn’t matter how these things happen, the inspiration happens and then you can go from there. But Me First and The Gimme Gimmes were a huge gateway drug and I play “Cabaret” now every year at my festival. That’s why the festival is called Elsie Fest, because it covers the song.”

youtube

“Modern Nature” by Sondre Lerche

“One of the great joys of being a younger brother is that you get to inherit the music of your elders. My brother and I were both really proactive consumers of music, so we would share stuff with each other all the time. But then he would come home from college, which is like coming home from a music festival essentially, right? He was in a new time zone with new people, so he’d bring home these mix CDs that he’d made from people that he’d heard about, and he brings home this guy named Sondre Lerche.

“Hearing this guy blew my mind, because he also was using jazz chords and drawing on musical theatre. Musical theatre’s a massive category, so I can’t just say that musical theatre sounds like one thing, but when I say this, I’m referring to The American Songbook, the jazz standard songbook. “Modern Nature” was a duet that I would go on to play many times with one of my oldest musical collaborators, Charlene Kaye. When we got to college and we both found out that we loved this guy.

“There was a much more whimsical way to how he wrote these songs. And what’s crazy is that loving this guy meant that we also loved Rufus Wainwright, that we also loved these other artists. But Sondre was the first time I considered that I loved that type of music, but I didn’t know that you could be a singer/songwriter and put out music that sounded like it.

“I don’t know if ‘twee’ is the right word to use, but with “Modern Nature” there was a playfulness about it, and again, a musicality that I really gravitated towards. There is a through line - there was a sophistication that was accessible, and me trying to learn those songs did make me rethink the way that I was writing music. The structures were weird and different and I liked that.

“To this day, I find myself writing songs that I think might be difficult for people to ingest, because they’re a little too left of centre, and I realise that I’m trying to write like Sondre Lerche, or I’m unconsciously just copying him.”

youtube

“Everything Happens to Me” by Mr Hudson & The Library

“I was in an H&M in Stockholm when I was 21, and I heard this really cool groove and the lyric was “Why must I always play the clown?” It was sung with a really thick British accent, had an 808 feel on it, and lyrically it had an attitude. Who would say something that sounds so like you’re in a Gilbert & Sullivan musical, but it feels hard? It was cool.

“I went home and looked this up and it was off the record A Tale of Two Cities by Mr Hudson and the Library, which would really, really fuck me up. I bought the album immediately because I loved this song. I had to order it on the internet because I couldn’t find it. It was doing well in England and he was on the festival circuit in the early-mid 2000s, but the first song on the album was a musical theatre cover with 808s.

“It was a pared-down, sort of a hip-hop version of “On The Street Where You Live” from My Fair Lady, and I’m like ‘No fucking way, this guy gets where my head is.’ I’d thought about punk rock musical theatre, but I never thought about 808s and 909s scoring these beautiful songs. I go down the track list and he has “Everything Happens to Me”, which is another very famous standard, and he had this really cool, what we would now call chill-hop, ‘study beats’ version of this song. I was like, ‘This is it. This guy gets that good music is good music and you can reinterpret it to offer it as a new song.’

“I would later become great friends with Mr Hudson. I got to meet him years later when I was with Columbia Records, and they said to me ‘Who do you want to meet?’ He was at the top of my list. I went to London and we’ve been friends ever since and have created all kinds of music together.

“He told me a story where Tyler the Creator went up to him once at Coachella and said, ‘Oh man, “Everything Happens To Me”, that’s like my song.’ We both wondered if Tyler the Creator knew that it was a Chet Baker cover. And we were thinking how cool it is that you can offer these songs to a new audience through a different lens. Tyler’s a smart guy, he’s very cultured, and I’m sure he did know. But it’s more the idea that if someone experienced this song and didn’t know that it was a cover, and this is like the first time they ever get to experience it.

“Mr Hudson would go on to do his own thing with Kanye and was on 808s & Heartbreak and has had his own career. I think “Supernova” was a hit in the UK, it didn’t really cross over here to The States, but before that moment for him, that Mr Hudson and The Library album changed my life. People use that phrase willy-nilly, but this literally was a turning point in my life. It all had to do with the same thing that happened with these other songs, where I saw someone do what I always wanted to do but didn’t really know how to pull off. Where he had this fusing of old songs delivered through a contemporary lens, but also laced it with his own original material that also employed the things that made that old songwriting interesting.

“It’s like changing the font of a great essay but finding the font and figuring out that that font is its own art form. He really displayed that marvellously on this.”

The Masquerade EP is out now

#darren criss #the line of best fit #press #sept 2021

106 notes · View notes

disneylanddilettante · 3 years ago

Note

You are now tasked with launching and designing a new Disneyland-modeled castle park. Each realm needs a new E-ticket, as well as a B-C ticket attraction, not based on a film (except Fantasyland, where movie basis is fine). What rides do you dream up to meet this goal? Same core lands as DL: Tomorrow, Fantasy, Adventure, Frontier, plus two new more specific themed lands to replace NoS and Critter Country.

*cracks knuckles* You asked for it...

Adventureland

E-ticket: Fire Mountain, a roller coaster set in a volcanic area. The effects include actual pyrotechnics (a safe distance from the track). It's mostly in the open, spiraling around an active cinder cone, but for a portion of the ride, the track dips into a “crevice” to visit a fantastic cavern filled with olivine crystals, basalt formations, and glowing lava flows.

B-ticket: Castaway's Treehouse. The Adventureland treehouse is a good idea, but would be even better if it didn't lean on someone else's shipwreck story to be exciting. In this version, you get to pretend that you are the castaway! A bank of touch-screens in the ground area let you take a quick quiz to figure out what kind of castaway you are—are you taming the jungle or running with the monkeys? Are you taking advantage of your impromptu vacation or are you eager to be rescued?

Frontierland

E-ticket: A good old-fashioned Wild West stunt show! Gunplay! Rooftop chases and fistfights! Dramatic falls and somersaults! A cast of original characters who also appear in caricature form on a unique line of merchandise!

B-ticket: Grab a pan and pick a trough. We've shipped some mud from the actual gold-bearing streams of the Sierra Nevada, and whatever you find, you can keep! Take all the time we need (we don't anticipate this one being all that popular despite the potential to find literal treasure).

Fantasyland

E-ticket: If I may borrow someone else's idea (it's okay, she's my sister), this would have to be Rapunzel's Tangled Quest, a flume ride that takes the “animated film dark ride” concept to the next level...more or less literally, as the flume rises and falls in concert with the beats of the story.

B-ticket: Enchanted Fairy Forest Maze, a walk-through attraction with many branching paths to explore and magical effects that activate when you approach them.

Tomorrowland

E-ticket: Adventure Thru Inner Space Redux! (If you didn't see this coming...you're lying. This is me here.) The limitations of 1960s technology made it hard to depict the shrinking process very well. This version of the ride, like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, would combine fully dimensional sets and props, representing microscopic objects, with screens and motion-sim effects to indicate shrinking from one scale to another. And I'm thinking it would use the original ATIS concept, of visiting a drop of pond water and the microorganisms within, to provide more visual interest and an extra hint of danger.

C-ticket: I don't have a name for it, but it's a dark ride/shooting gallery ride where you play exobiologists in a manned rover on a newly discovered planet that might harbor life. Only instead of a laser gun, you have a camera and you are recording the alien creatures that pop up unexpectedly out of the fantastic landscape. Image-recognition technology allows the ride to rate your pictures and calculate your score.

BONUS LAND #1: ANTIQUELAND

In this land, ancient civilizations and their legends come to life! Who doesn't love the art, architecture, and mythology of the peoples that flourished B.C.E.?

E-ticket: The Night Voyage of Ra, as described in this post.

C-ticket: Deus Ex MOCKina. A “4D” movie show, depicting an attempt at classical Greek theatre that goes comically wrong. Actors grab the wrong masks, things catch on fire, the stagehand with the bucket trips on the way to put it out and splatters the audience, and even the machine to lower the “gods” onto the stage breaks down and sends cogwheels bouncing everywhere.

BONUS LAND #2: SYMPHONYLAND

Imagine a world made of music! Elevated walkways dip and curl like musical staves leaping off a page of sheet music, and even the buildings resemble musical instruments. Whatever your taste in tunes, you'll find something here to enthrall you.

E-ticket: Our Musical Journey—a slow but grand ride in the mold of Epcot 1.0, tracing the history of music through the log drums and auroch horns of our prehistoric ancestors through Pythagoras's discovery of the octave, the invention of musical notation, and the constant evolution of musical genres all the way up to the electronic rave-club sounds of the 21st Century. You know how those rides like to maintain continuity through the scenes by having a theme tune that evolves through different eras? This ride is about that theme tune.

B-Ticket: The Orchestracycle—it only looks like a Dumbo clone with individual ride cars shaped like different instruments. There are two control sticks in the vehicle...one for altitude like you'd expect, and one for volume—pull back harder to make it louder, and ease up to make it softer...and what's this? Your altitude is also your pitch! Coordinate with your seatmate to play a tune, any tune! It's a challenge! Try to harmonize with the other instruments or create a stand-out solo!

Whew. I hope you're happy, OP! @_@

21 notes · View notes

littlemoondarling · 3 years ago

Note

It's time for me to as always be the one to send you tons of questions for an ask game lol ✌ 4, 17, 20, 22, 24, 25, 31, 33, 40, 43, 48, 50

4. A character you rarely talk about?

Bunny.... I really like them, her personality and struggles are pretty relatable. I think I just don't like the design I gave him, and that really puts me off of a chatacter. Might end up redesigning him.

17. Any OC OTPs?

Well I'll tell you the two that are least likely to happen: Rouge x Theodore. Rouge x Lucifer.

20. Do any of your OCs sing? If they sing, care to share more details (headcanon voice, what kind of songs they like etc)?

Ouh now this is a FUN one!

Rouge was a trained musical theatre performer in his youth, so I think David Staler would be a good headcanon voice. His favourite music is still soundtracks, he loves songs that tell a story.

Marcel is just fuckin good lol, and I think AURORA's voice would fit him pretty well. He doesn't exactly listen to songs, but if he were to, it would be heavy metal.

22. Is there any OC of yours people tend to mischaracterize? If yes, how?

I can't tell you how much I like this question, but I don't know...

24. If you could meet one OC of yours, who would it be and why?

Probably Theodore, I mean he's just fun to be around and I literally created him because I'm lonely and wished I could be someone so confident and sure of myself as he is.

25. The OC that resembles you the most (same hobby, height, shared like/dislike for something etc?)

Elliot is like a split image of me lol (except that he's taller, tho Theodore is the same height as me). He is trans and was emotionally abused as a kid, he feels as if his problems don't matter and prefers to keep them to himself eventhough he desperately needs to talk to someone. He has social anxiety and struggles with accepting the fact that he could possibly be loved by anyone. He likes writing songs and poetry but hates performing them like me, he's also an aspiring writer with tons of wips that will probably never be finished :'3

31. Pick one OC of yours and explain what their tumblr blog would be like (what they reblog, layout, anything really)

Theodore is the one that actually has a tumblr blog (I'm thinking of actually making one for him... should I?) He'd mostly post design sketches, his progress on his projects, cooking recipes, the newest thing that got broken in his cheap apartment, alot of Franny's drawings because he's just a proud dad, the newest anime obsession, a character he's simping over, how hard it is to pass a video game boss and general venting. He'd mostly reblog animal pics, anything that has to do with the shows he likes, tons of gifs, FANART, other people's cooking adventures and parenting advice.

33. Your shyest OC?

Mmm I'd say Ayumu

40. Any fond memories linked to your characters? Feel free to share!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm the moment I discovered that Teddy was my comfort character lol

43. Do you have any certain type when you create your OCs? Do you tend to favour some certain traits or looks? It’s time to confess

Aaaahhh YES I DO. Almost all of my ocs look androgynous because I just fucking love that look, I don't have a single oc with short hair bebecause I just really like long hair, alot of them have curly/fluffy hair along with plump lips and a sort of hourglass figure. And if I didn't worry about same face syndrome, all of them would have long faces.

48. OC who is a perfect cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure

I don't have a single older oc like that because I don't exactly like that trope, but I have Fran who is just the light at the end of the tunnel, I love this dude, he's so smol and full of life and hope and excitement.

50. Give me the good ol’ OC talk here. Talk about anything you want.

Well, I've been working on more of general lore lately, and I discovered that I really like just creating cultures and traditions for my realms, now I'm not gonna say that they are totally unique but I just like the process!

#aaahhhh #thank you!!!#ask!!!#oc lore #theodore #rouge #fran #elliot #bunny #marcel #ayumu

4 notes · View notes

dubububbles · 4 years ago

Text

SHINee scenario: idol s/o asks them to collaborate for their comeback song

(I want to request an idol gf scenario to you asking them to collaborate for your comeback song. Thanks a bunch! I love all your scenarios and they’ve picked me up when I had a rough day (same day i found your blog) so thank you so much!)

Requested by anon

- you’re welcome! ❤️ & thank u for your sweet words! I’m really happy to hear that, it’s why I wanted to do this blog, to make myself and anyone else feel better or smile. I hope this one can also bring some joy to you~ ❤️

Onew:

“Oh? Why are you here?” You blinked in confusion as Onew stepped inside your dorm uninvited and approached you with a grin. He seemed to be up to something, at least judging from his expression, and it made you feel even more lost. “Did something happen?”

“I have something to tell you.” He said and grabbed your hand to pull you over to the couch. If he wouldn’t be smiling so much, you would’ve thought he was bringing you bad news.

“Okay, now you are scaring me a bit… seriously, what’s going on Onew?”

“It’s nothing bad. In fact, it’s something I think will make you very happy.” he said but you still had no clue what he was about to tell you. “Do you remember when you asked me if we could do a collaboration for a comeback sometime?”

You quickly realized what he was hinting at and widened your eyes a bit. “No way… can we?”

He nodded with a proud grin. “We can and we will. I pulled some strings and got us a comeback date schedule for November this year. It should give us enough time to-- ooof!” his words were cut short as you more or less knocked him over in a messy hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are seriously the best boyfriend ever!”

Onew smiled at those words and hugged you back tightly. He then spent the rest of the day in your dorm as you both talked about possible ideas for your new comeback.

Jonghyun:

Jonghyun perked up with a grin when you entered the studio and instantly opened his arms for a hug, which you gave him, along with a kiss, and then sat down.

“You said you had something to show me?”

He nodded and turned to the computer screen. “I made a demo for our new song and thought you should hear it first.”

“Oh? Our song?” you blinked a few times and then pointed back and forth between you, to clarify that he was really talking about the two of you, which made him laugh.

“Yes, our song, y/n. You were the one who brought up the idea for us to have a collab and asked me about it. Remember?”

You did remember but you didn’t imagine that he would actually make it possible and also have a song ready for you within such a short period of time. He was honestly amazing.

“How did you compose a song this quickly?”

“I was thinking about my beautiful girlfriend and it basically wrote itself. Now, do you want to listen to it or not?”

He teased you with a playful grin and then played the song. While you were both listening to it he also wrapped his arms around you in a loose but comfortable embrace.

The song had an upbeat feel and fit into the neo-soul genre, along with some of his other masterpieces, which you thought would suit both of you really well. You could already picture how your MV, comeback stage, style and more would look and it made you feel really excited.

Key:

The idea of having a collab with your boyfriend appeared in your mind randomly one night as you were watching different performances on youtube, specifically some clips from Key’s musicals and his performance of ‘bang bang’ with Tiffany back in 2013.

He really pulled off the musical theme well and you couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to perform that kind of song together with him. You continued to watch more performances like that and couldn’t let go off the thought, so you eventually reached for your phone and called him.

“Why are you calling this late? Are you having trouble sleeping?”

“Yes, because of you.” you said along with a small huff. “I was watching some of your performances.”

“Oh, really? Which one? Born to shine?” he questioned on purpose, since he knew how that particular performance affected you.

“What? No! N-not that one…” you said and blushed at the mere thought of it. “I was actually watching some of your musical theatre stuff and it made me wonder if we could ever perform something like that together… like… for a comeback?”

Key perked up at the suggestion and then smiled to himself, since he thought it was a good idea. He also found it cute how you brought the question to him in a shy manner.

“Sounds good. Let’s do it~”

“Oh? That was easier than I thought.”

“Why? You thought I would refuse?” He asked and chuckled a bit. “I would love to perform with you y/n. That shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

You smiled but felt really happy with his words and spent the rest of the night talking about what type of performance you wanted to do.

Minho:

“When are you going to have a solo album?”

Minho perked up at the sudden question and then turned to you with a warm smile. “Why are you asking me that out of the blue?”

“Because…” you trailed off and then frowned a bit to yourself. “I think some people don’t appreciate your vocals enough and you also didn’t have enough room to show it off. It’s not fair, since some people, like me, actually do appreciate it and want more of it. So, therefore, I think you should have a solo. That’s all...”

Minho chuckled a bit at your words and how you delivered them in a stubborn manner. He also felt really grateful that you always found subtle ways to compliment or support him.

“I appreciate that y/n but I don’t know if I would want to perform all by myself. It’d feel odd.”

“Hm then, why don’t you have a collaboration?”

“Oh? With you?”

“Ah well… yes?” you blushed a bit but also felt excited at the idea of it. Before he had even said anything about it, you already started thinking of what type of genre your song would have, what the lyrics would be about and where you would film the music video.

“y/n?”

Minho eventually had to wave a hand in front of your face to get your attention and when he did he smiled and told you that he was definitely on-board with the idea, which made you smile and then hug him tightly.

Taemin:

“Taemin, do you think we could have a collab sometime? You know, just you and me?”

Taemin perked up at the question, since he had actually been thinking about the same thing but just hadn’t gotten around to asking you yet. When you brought it up first, he felt really happy and didn’t hesitate to agree.

“I’ve actually thought about that too. So, we should definitely do it when we have an opening between promotions.”

“Really?” you asked and then smiled in excitement. “Then, what type of concept do you think we should do?”

“Hm, well… I think it would be interesting to do a dance performance. I mean, a performance where we would tell the story through our dance instead of the lyrics. What do you think?”

You definitely liked the idea and also found it unique. Taemin had performed modern dance in his songs in the past, so you thought it would be cool to do something similar to that but as a duo.

Both of you would often sing or dance together for practice or during your free time, so to do it as a comeback, on an actual stage and with an original song sounded very appealing to you and filled you with happiness.

You were both the main dancer’s of your respective groups, so you definitely had the ability to pull off something amazing and you could hardly wait to do so and take the whole K-pop community by storm.

#shinee #shinee reactions #shinee imagines #shinee drabbles #shinee scenarios #kpop reactions #kpop #kpop scenarios #onew #lee jinki #kim jonghyun #kim kibum #choi minho #lee taemin #5hinee

69 notes · View notes

yegarts · 3 years ago

Text

“I Am YEG Arts” Series: Hunter Cardinal

The magic of collaboration and connection starts with an encounter. If you’re an artist reading this, you likely have goosebumps. If you’re the artist who said it, you’re Hunter Cardinal, a sakāwithiniwak (Woodland Cree) theatre artist, hailing from Sucker Creek Cree First Nation. Though his name has been on the lips of Fringe Theatre fans since 2018, he’s most recently gained attention for his and his sister’s newest co-endeavour, Naheyawin. With clients including the Legislative Assembly Office, Naheyawin offers sustainable, Indigenous-based solutions for businesses and institutions working to improve diversity and inclusions and reinvigorate the spirit of Treaty into their organizations.

Regardless of whether he’s writing a play or teaching a workshop, it’s the questions Hunter asks that change the approaches people take. Those skills, paired with his belief that storytellers tell stories for those who need them, help us value our shared histories. Playwright, actor, and myth architect, this week’s “I Am YEG Arts” story belongs to Hunter Cardinal.

How did you first get involved in the YEG arts community?

I got my start in high school at Strathcona Composite High School! Through the different musicals and training opportunities during that time, I found myself surrounded by incredible teachers and artists from this vibrant community. This often results in me getting to work with people I’ve looked up to for a very long time—something that never gets old for me.

You describe yourself as an Indigenous myth-architect. What does that involve, and what’s the significance of the title?

Myth-architecture is an extension of the teachings we’ve gained from our Elders, who have told us that storytellers tell stories for those who need them. Myth architecture begins with a question that feels important but is without an answer and challenges us to craft a narrative that provides some sort of response. Often, this looks like “completing,” “expanding,” or “setting up” a pre-existing myth. With the play Lake of the Strangers, for example, we completed the myth of Mista Muskwa (The Big Bear) as we tried to answer the question: Why should we heal when there is so much darkness?

Looking back on your success as a first-time playwright with Fringe Theatre, what advice would you give aspiring playwrights?

I would encourage people to use everything they can about themselves and who they are as a person when crafting a story. So often we’re encouraged to leave who we are and whatever we’re bringing with us ‘at the door’ so that we can perform at our best. However, in my experience, the personal is highly universal.

Tell us a little about how Naheyawin came to be and what one of the highlights has been for you.

Naheyawin came from the ways in which my sister and I wanted to combine our passions—storytelling and system thinking—and be of service to our communities. The word Naheyawin, which can be said to translate into ‘the act of being Cree,’ was inspired by a phrase in our family.

That phrase is “When the people forget, the language remembers,” which reminds us that we can look to aspects of who we are—like our language—for guidance and tools to help us with the challenges we’re faced with today. What this looks like today is providing Indigenous-based solutions for the improvement of diversity and inclusion in businesses and organizations across Turtle Island (North America). This can take the form of webinars or us working with organizations on the unique challenges and opportunities they have to better incorporate Indigenous ideas or peoples into their work. I would say a highlight for me is whenever I get the opportunity to facilitate a webinar. I am so honoured to take part in the journey of learning that folx embark on—and so inspired by their open minds and hearts during our time together.

When you’re working with Edmonton businesses or community groups, what do you help them understand about Indigenous spirit.

For me, the most important thing is recognizing the gaps in world views of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. We often forget that Indigenous peoples have an entirely different way of looking at the world, so when we are talking about certain things like art, land stewardship, or Treaty—though we are using the same words, we are relating to them in entirely different ways. So recognizing these gaps gives us the opportunity to build those metaphoric bridges that lead to a deeper understanding and innovative solutions.

Did you always want to combine your passions for your work and your culture into your artistry?

Combing my culture into my work was fairly recent for me. I was raised with regular, but not frequent, exposure to things like smudging, going to sweat lodges, and visiting family up north at Sucker Creek First Nation. But it wasn’t until I was struggling with a role for a small project that was exploring Chekhov’s Three Sisters that I saw the utility of my culture and identity. For the entire process, I felt like the worst actor in the whole world (an all too familiar feeling)—every choice I made felt awkward and contrived, and nothing felt authentic or realized. When debriefing with my director at the time, he drew a connection between my character’s love of Latin and my love of Indigenous languages—and then everything changed for me. I felt like I had permission to use parts of myself that I otherwise would have ignored because I didn’t think it would be useful or appropriate (kind of tragic when I think about it). I then explored using parts of my identity as an Indigenous 20-something male as the backbone of my role as Hamlet at the Freewill Shakespeare Festival and felt like I could bring something very unique and grounded to that role.

What role has mentorship played in your life? Is there a piece of advice that you carry with you?

Mentorship has guided me entirely through my career—so it would be difficult to pin down just one piece of advice. But if I had to pick one, it would be the late Brent Carver sharing with me that in order to be fully present in a scene, an actor cannot leave themselves at the door. The bits of your life, emotions, etc., that you carry with you throughout the day can be fuel for creating beautiful, authentic, and singular moments on the stage. In that teaching, I walked away with the feeling that I am more than enough, and every single part of who I am and where my life has taken me is valuable.

What excites you most about the YEG arts scene right now?

The community. Edmonton has such a thriving scene here—and I would attribute that to the wonderful people that make this such an incredible ecosystem. All the success I’ve been fortunate to experience was all given to me (freely, without question) by those in this community—the roles, experiences, training, and connections.

A lot of the themes in your work seem to focus on the benefits of talking and listening—the richness of understanding. How have you seen that turn into meaningful change.

Talking and listening—whether as an actor, artist, or just a human going about their day—allows you to take a moment to connect with whoever or whatever is around you. That moment of reflection can also allow you to ground yourself in who you are, the values you enter a space with, etc., while at the same time allowing others to be different and unique themselves. I find that this moment to remember that you are connected—yet distinct—can really help folx become a more rooted ally, actor, or person. Often this can be done by asking yourself things like: what or who brought me here? How? What is my goal? What or who is around me?

Why do you choose to live and work in Edmonton?

I’m living here because this is where my friends and family are! When I’ve travelled or lived in other cities, I have always missed the sense of community here. Plus, the cost of living here is much more reasonable than Toronto or Vancouver. Also, I have a great connection to a local farmer for some very high quality, grass-fed beef.

What kind of city do you hope to help Edmonton become?

I hope this city becomes a place where folx feel connected to the larger stories that we’re connected to as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The richness of our shared histories makes me so excited to be here, and I really hope that people feel that in the future when they think about their connection to this place. Not only that, I hope that they feel a sense of wonder at the futures that await us.

Want more YEG Arts Stories? We’ll be sharing them here all year and on social media using the hashtag #IamYegArts. Follow along! Click here to learn more about Hunter Cardinal and Nahayawin

About Hunter Cardinal

Hunter Cardinal is a sakāwithiniwak (Woodland Cree) theatrical artist hailing from Sucker Creek Cree First Nation and currently based in Edmonton, Alberta. Holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting degree from the University of Alberta, class of 2015, Hunter has performed across Canada and off-Broadway in New York. Recent stage credits include Titus Bouffonious (Theatre Network), Lake of the Strangers (Naheyawin and Fringe Theatre) and Hamlet (Freewill Shakespeare Festival). He is humbled by the steadfast support of his community, with notable achievements to date including the 2020 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role in a Comedy for his work as Fink in Titus Bouffonious, the 2019 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Outstanding New Play given to Lake of the Strangers, his first play co-written with his sister and dubbed Edmonton’s Best Actor by Vue Weekly in 2018.

#yeg #yegarts #edmonton #edmontonarts #yegtheatre #IAmYegArts #artistfeature #IndigenousArtist

4 notes · View notes

meangirlsx · 4 years ago

Note

your opinion on... musical theatre being adapted for film? which shows do you think are successful (favorites??) and which ones do you think really need to be told in their original format? which ones have not been adapted but you think would make a great film adaptation? (-phantomoftheorpheum)

OH YOU REALLY WANT AN ESSAY YOU GOT IT

I’m gonna put a divide here because I’m about to be my wordy bitch self to answer the first question alone

I have so many conflicting thoughts on this. I had the absolutely incredible opportunity to work in New York theatre before and as everything shut down (that was an experience but that’s an entirely separate story), so I’ve been able to talk to people who are more closely affected by the situation, too.

Overall, I think musical theatre should be adapted for film. Theatre is an art form with an incredibly unique and undeniable power when performed and experienced live. But it is not accessible the way it needs to be.

A show on Broadway is expensive in itself, and most consumers on Broadway are not living in New York, so they’re also expected to spend money on travel, lodging, food, and transportation around the city, in addition to presumably having to take time off work or otherwise away from their lives to make the trip. Seeing shows on Broadway are some of the most incredible things I’ve ever experienced, but I am very fortunate and these experiences come at a great cost to most people. So many people who want to visit Broadway are not able to.

There are of course tours and that’s great. But similarly, they’re not usually cheap, and they’re not always close to you. I’ve encountered countless people who drove and even spent the night in another city to see a touring show that wasn’t coming anywhere closer to them. You can always find local shows, too, and those can be so wonderful. But the fact stands that a majority of the theatre world is based in an exclusive area. The Tony Awards are a nationally broadcast and celebrated event, but so many people watching have never had the chance to see the shows the same way you’ve had the chance to hear songs before the Grammys.

So I think shows being adapted to film widens the audience in a very necessary way. But there are two ways to adapt to film. The first is the way we know many movie musicals, as a true adaptation, like Mamma Mia, Into the Woods, The Sound of Music, Annie, Hairspray, Rent, and Les Mis. I actually do really love these versions. (West Side Story is also iconic but they basically forced their actors into brown face so there’s your not so fun fact of the day.) I think it’s fun to see the show told truly inside the world that otherwise is at least partially left to the imagination in most cases. And being adapted in this way typically means that it will interest more of a regular movie audience, which is really great to help get the stories out into the world and get more recognition of these shows and the industry.

The other way to adapt to film is the way Hamilton and Legally Blonde did it, where they released a professionally recorded version of the original stage production. I think this needs to happen more often. The original team of a show deserves for their work to be seen as the original form of the show.

For example, I’m so excited that The Prom is getting a movie, and I think the star-studded cast will help it get a lot more attention and therefore help the story reach a lot of people who need it, and that’s wonderful. This story needs to be told and these characters need to offer representation to people who have never had the chance to see themselves onscreen like this before. But the original team deserved to be able to tell the story they’d been telling it. They were the ones who introduced the story to the world and they deserve to introduce it to the world on this bigger scale.

It would be wonderful to normalize that kind of adaptation, maybe even in addition to the total remake adaptation format. I don’t want to get rid of one in favor of the other. Both have their place and their purpose. I suppose it wouldn’t be very sensible to create two movie versions of every show, to capture it in both full adaptation and stage-to-screen format, but I would honestly be all for that.

Some shows have such important, beautiful, intentional staging that it couldn’t be translated any way other than a professional recording. (Some examples below.) So some shows might lend themselves best to only a professional recording and not a total adaptation, but while I would love for anything to have a total adaptation that worked well in that format, I would want the original production, too, because it’s what they deserve.

I think especially now as we adapt so much to virtual formats, we’ve stepped into a new era of theatre potential. Theatre can be performed live virtually, or it can be recorded and shared to be watched over and over again just like our favorite TV shows and movies. There is nothing like the intense, electric feel of a live performance, but that should not limit us from sharing the art in other ways. The argument that being able to see a show as a movie would make people less likely to go see it has frankly been proven wrong time and time again. People want to see the show live more and will if they are able. Otherwise, we helped someone see a show who couldn’t see it any other way, and isn’t that the point of theatre? Making a difference in people’s lives? Connecting people?

As for shows that would make great film adaptations...

Hadestown is one of the most popular shows, so I feel like people would love to see that. The original team deserves to have their version of the show immortalized and shared with the world. But I would also love to see what an adaptation could do with the set for the Underworld.

I would love to see Come From Away as a movie. I think the show is so so so so so well done in its format, I can’t even really imagine it as an adaptation other than as a professional recording of the show.

Similarly, If/Then is a story I think everyone could use but I can’t even imagine it outside of its stage format so I vote for a professional recording.

Spring Awakening could really be a helpful show for a lot of people to see, but hot take I want it to be Deaf West’s Spring Awakening. Michael Arden is an absolute genius and the whole world needs to see his version of the story told through the phenomenal team.

The Lightning Thief deserved to be nominated at this year’s Tonys and they deserve a professional recording to be shared with the world. And I mean if someone wanted to make a better version of the movie with this group, I’d be down.

Bandstand deserves to be shared with the world and actually was available virtually for a little bit and I want that to be true again. I can’t imagine that in any other form, either, because the staging of trauma is so powerful.

Waitress was a movie first but I want the stage version immortalized because we need it.

Not Broadway but I want Kerrigan-Lowdermilk’s The Mad Ones to hit Broadway and then get a film adaptation, too.

17 notes · View notes

sanstropfremir · 4 years ago

Note

I absolutely LOVED reading your kingdom review. You gave me such an insight in things I never even considered, especially since our rankings are so different from each other. The Boyz was my favorite, the narrative was about RTK. How they felt bad for having to compete against their friends but eventually the groups only lifted each other up and it helped TBZ grow into the group they are now through the hardships and mental dilemma, falling into the next challenge right after they reached the top. It should have been more obvious though, I agree, it wasn't really visible for anyone who didn't know. I was wondering how you felt about the dancing in general? my reason for not ranking BTOB high was lack of choreo (and Peniel's verse), same goes for SF9. Mostly because I don't feel the hype when watching, it doesn't keep my focus on the stage. As a baby-performer myself, my goal is to make the viewer curious about what's next. is that the wrong way to look at it? that's what I've always been told, building the tension up and down to create focus. would love to hear your feedback on that! thank you so much for sharing, we need more reviews of people who actually know what they're talking about.

i'm glad that you got some insight from it! like i answered in the previous ask im here to hopefully bring some more depth and understanding for people that care and are curious!

you unintentionally proved my point about tbz’s performance: that is way too complicated! even the most talented solo dancers i can think of would have trouble distilling that down to something readable in 100 seconds, much less a group of like, a dozen people! the introductory stages are meant to show us the character of the group and their abilities in the most concise way possible, it's not the stage to do deep philosophical and emotional introspection. for a full stage? absolutely, go hog wild! but for this stage it was too ambitious and ultimately was ineffective to anyone that isn't a fan of them specifically.

by dancing in general do you mean like, every group? i put most of my opinions on the dancing where i had them in each of the individual rankings but honestly? unless there is something that really stands out positively or negatively, a lot of ‘average’ kpop dance looks the same to me. i know it’s not, obviously, and if pressed i probably could do a more serious breakdown, but dance is only one element of performance. it has equal weight with all the others in my mind, and therefore i notice when it is either

very good

does something unique

very bad, or

interferes with another element

which is the same as how i evaluate every element, if that makes sense.

hmmmm. i thought about this a lot in the shower and turns out i had more opinions that i expected so i'll put them under a cut.

firstly, i don't think lack of choreo should be penalized or considered an ‘incomplete’ performance. at the end of the day, these are bands, and a part of their brand/product they sell is the music. complex choreo does not need to be attached to that to make it a successful performance. also, btob did have choreo. any movement on stage is technically choreography. but this terminology can cause confusion so usually non-dance choreo is referred to as ‘blocking.’ but they also did include the song’s original point choreo at 1.41. the blocking in their performance was well thought out and suited the arrangement, by placing spatial emphasis on each part of the song that needed it. obviously it comes down to personal taste if the performance is ultimately ‘successful,’ because all art is subjective, but just because something isn't as visually complex as something else doesn’t mean it doesn't have the same level of thought. think of it like this: one is a super clean-lined post-post-modern grey/white living room, and the other is a kitsch goth basement. both share interior design principles and have obvious care put into the space, but they are vastly different styles that appeal to different tastes.

part of the job of production designer/AD is to decide what gets emphasis. a question you're always asking yourself is ‘is this important to the story that we’re trying to tell?’ and btob/their AD made a very smart choice with their introductory stage because it says a lot about them and their abilities in a short amount of time. that stage said ‘our foundation is strong, we have the training and experience and confidence to be up here and not rely on visual tricks.’ because they know they physically cannot do the things the 4th gen groups can; they're a decade older and they only have four members, it's just not feasible. something you learn with experience is the power that specific and pointed emphasis holds, which segues into my answer to your last question. i don't necessarily think that ‘building hype’ is the wrong way to perform something, but i do think it is a flawed way to approach creating a performance.

i think that ‘hype’ is flawed concept at its core, and one that focuses on the idea that there’s always being something more, something next, beyond the work itself. now there’s nothing wrong with playing with tension within the internal structure of a piece, that's exactly how constructing a narrative happens. however, the flaws come once we extrapolate beyond the boundaries of that individual work. the idea of ‘whats next’ implies that you have to constantly be promoting, have a sequel coming, building hype etc so people will keep engaged with your work. which is deeply capitalistic in nature and operates on the assumption that art exists purely as a product to be sold. and in order to keep selling you need to keep making a bigger and better and more spectacular product. and this is not the case at all. marketability is not the essence of art, it merely a factor of creating it under this insufferable system. kpop in particular suffers from this because the industry is specifically fabricated to produce capitol. we can have discussions all day about idols and their artistic integrity but at the end of that day, they are all cogs working with a system that was specifically made up by essentially one person to be culturally exported and to just print buckets of money. so in following that train of thought, there is a constant attitude of bigger and better because shock value (whether positive or negative) gets social media attention and therefore it sells. and it has become exponentially easier (and also seemingly required) to make things that are bigger and better than ever before. i remember being blown away by the projection floor at the sochi 2014 olympics because something of that scale and complexity would never have been possible without literally having the funding of the olympics. now that technology is easily accessible to anyone with an amazon account and the time to learn how isadora works. in comparison, it took 2400 YEARS for just the job of a ‘theatre designer’ to be even become a job at all.

because of kpop’s fan culture it is especially prone to ‘hype’ behaviour. in general with the accessibility of the internet and social media, everything has turned into a competition, and who can generate the most buzz ‘wins’. but ultimately that has taken away the general public’s ability to recognize that you can enjoy something quietly and you can enjoy something slowly. that the enjoyment of something doesn’t need to be all exclamation marks and keysmashes and trending hashtags on twitter. there is value in a work engaging in an emotion within you that is not just excitement. most of the artists and companies that i consume the work of i don’t do so because their work makes me excited, i do so because i liked the experience of engaging with that work. several years ago i saw the eternal tides by legend lin dance theatre, which you can watch a really short clip of here. that is not slow motion, that is actually how slow the dancers are moving. and 90% of the show is performed like that. and its two hours long. and it was one of the most incredible performances i've ever seen. if i ever get the chance I will go see another one of their shows again, not because i care about how they can top that experience i had, but because i know they can produce that experience, and that is enough to make me want to seek them out again. the speed of the internet has also loosened the general public’s understanding of just exactly how long creating a performance work can take. the lead dancer in the eternal tides was with the company for eight years before she and the piece were ready enough to be performed. large scale operas, musicals, and plays often have a year or more of pre-production before they even get to rehearsal. smaller theatre companies workshop new pieces for years at a time. performance is hard and it takes time. you can eliminate some of that with sheer amounts of money and people, which is what the kpop industry has done, but it speeds up the cycle of consumption to a degree that is not sustainable, especially for companies and creators who do not have that kind of access. performers and performance makers often don't put enough trust in their audiences. if they like what they see, they will come back. they dont need to be constantly bombarded with content at all times.

now that i’ve said a bit about why i think hype is a flawed concept, let's bring it back to kingdom. sf9 did something very interesting with their stage in that they actively chose to limit their dance time. and this plays very well off the performance film stage that taeyang did a couple of weeks ago. taeyang is talented and confident (for good reason), and his solo was incredible. but when it came to the intro stage, instead of trying to one-up the solo stage, the group instead said ‘well people are going to be looking at us because taeyang is insanely talented, so let's show them that we ALL have the confidence and the attitude to be up here.’ no need for flashy theatrics, they had the foresight to do something that would make them stand out from the rest of the groups. even if i was just casually watching the stages without doing any analysis on them (like i did for rtk), i would still be able to distinguish them because they had the stones to stand around for half their stage time. now i recognize them and would like to see what else they can do. same principle as what btob and also what ikon did. there is a fine line between anticipation and hype that gets equated in media consumption nowadays, but the two are not the same.

i think the tldr on this is that you dont need to ‘build hype’ or ‘go all out’ to make an interesting work. just focus on telling the narrative that you want to tell, and the people that recognize that will come. i could have a lot more things to say about peoples shrinking attention spans and the constant stream of information that we consume on a daily basis that devalues the labour done by artists in the eyes of the public and promotes hustle culture that is burning out and damaging creators at a rate that is both exponential and frightening, but that’s probably for another time, because this is SO LONG

#kingdom #kpop questions #this was a very interesting ask thank you anon!#the consumption and production of art is fascinating and also as an artist it gives me a fucking headache #many thoughts head too full #i hope this provided you with some more insight anon #none of your opinions are wrong i just have different ones and thats ok! i love discussions like this #Anonymous #kpop analysis #text #general design questions #kingdom review responses #answers #kingdom asks

3 notes · View notes

sleekervae · 4 years ago

Text

Young God [0.5]

Two days.

Two days seemed like so little time -- hardly impactful enough to resonate in Taylor's mind in the long run. However, in the last five days something within Taylor was beginning to grow -- and it wasn't just her acceptance and confidence in playing acoustic shows in tents. There was this fuzzy warmth that festered in her belly; the same way she'd feel after eating a hot chocolate cake or her mum's gooey mac'-n-cheese.

And she only seemed to feel this way when she thought about Andy.

Perhaps it was just the thrill of being in America but the more time Taylor had spent with him the more she'd come to realize that he was having a bigger toll on her experience than she could've predicted. From the way he'd entertain and make her laugh with wild stories and corny jokes, or the hours they'd spend on the conversations they had about nothing particularly important. Maureen had told Taylor as such that it was a bad idea, but Taylor had felt this swirling warmth in her gut before.

There was a slim to fair chance that she was falling for Andy.

It had only been five days, hardly enough time to truly get to know somebody. That was what Taylor had told herself, anyways. However, the notion was just too tempting to push aside in favour for logic. She really liked Andy, more than she should've given how long she had spent with him. It seemed too cruel; her having to leave when she only just arrived.

Andy was fearing just the same, though he wouldn't dare admit it aloud.

The fact that Taylor was leaving in less than forty-eight hours was unacceptable to him. There had to have been a way for her to stay, right? Just so he could enjoy making her smile just a little more? Just stay a bit longer to hear the twang of her Newcastle accent ring in his ears like the most delightful wind chimes? To see the glimmers in her deep brown eyes when she'd sing or play her guitar? Surely, it was a crime just to miss out on the spectacular spectacle that was Taylor Wray.

All his life, Andy had never met a girl like Taylor. And that wasn't to say that he hadn't met beautiful women from the UK -- because he certainly had in the past. He hadn't met somebody so colourful as she. He could hear it in the music she sang, from songs about addictions and toxic ex-boyfriends to reflections on her teen years that were slathered in parties, insecurities, and deeply-rooted fears. There were so many layers to this unique woman; so many layers Andy wanted to peel back just to discover what passions and troubles she had just to reach her epicentre. But how many layers could he shed in only two days?

If he wanted to make a move, he had to strike while the iron was hot. The only thing keeping Andy back from practically begging Taylor to go out with him was the restrictions of long-distance. What would happen after Taylor left and he would continue touring with the band? How long would it have been before he'd see her again? Would they even hit it off on a date or would they be better suited as friends?

Thoughts like these ran rapid in Andy's mind as he picked at his bland scrambled eggs and tasteless hash browns. The prongs of his fork clinked now and again, getting lost in the murmurs and countless conversations of bands and tour organizers around him at the catering tent. CC meanwhile was just watching his friend, nearly dumbfounded at how quiet Andy was being this morning -- and he wasn't even hungover!

"Andy," he nudged his leg from under the table, "What's the matter with you?"

Andy only shook his head as he looked up, "Nothing's the matter with me," he replied promptly, "What's the matter with you?"

"I'm uncomfortable because you're quiet today," CC stated, "And not like the-morning-after-a-hard-night-quiet, either. Just like, seriously -- "

"I think we get it, dude," Jake interjected, quickly taking a sip of his lukewarm coffee.

"He's got a point, though," Jinxx said, "Something on your mind?" he asked Andy.

It was then that Ashley chuckled under his breath, "It's not a thing, it's more of a whom," he said, popping a cube of melon in his mouth with sass. Andy refrained from glaring at him, while the other three seemed to remain oblivious to what Ashley was getting at.

"What're you talking about?" CC asked him. Ashley didn't respond, instead he pointed past their table with his fork in the general direction of Asking's table. At that table sat the boys with Taylor and Maureen sequestered between James and Cameron, all caught up in the flood of random conversation.

It was then that CC's face lit up, "Oh! I get it! He's thinking about Taylor!" he nearly exclaimed too loud for Andy to bear.

"Jesus Christ! Shout it out louder, why don't you?" he snapped. Jinxx snickered to himself as Jake leaned over the table, trying to get a better glimpse of the blue-haired singer from his seat.

"Are you?" Jake asked.

Andy didn't know why he felt so sheepish and silly for admitting it, "I don't know. Maybe, I guess?"

The guys just stared at him, "Well, which is it?" Jinxx asked, "Either you are, or you aren't?"

"Well, of course he is!" Ashley said, "They've been attached to the hip since she got here. And who can blame him -- I mean, just look at her --!"

"Okay!" Andy snapped again, now beginning to get a little impatient, "You guys got me. I like her. I really fucking like her," he sighed with defeat then and started stabbing at his scrambled eggs.

"Oh, that's nice," CC nodded, "... So, why don't you do something about it?"

Andy glared at him, as though the underlying issue wasn't obvious enough, "Because she's leaving the day after tomorrow," he replied.

"Then why are you dragging your feet?" Ashley asked, "She's got two days left, you may as well give her a reason to remember you,"

"Yeah, dude," Jinxx nodded, "I mean -- what do you got to lose?"

"How about the fact that I might not even see her again for months -- maybe a year after she leaves?" Andy said, "What is she going to do between that time? What am I going to do between that time?"

CC cocked his head, "You're all uptight because you might not get to fuck her for a year?"

"No!" he exclaimed, "It's not even about sleeping with her,"

"So, what's it about then?" Jake said, "Explain it to us,"

With a heavy sigh, Andy ran his hands through his long hair, struggling to come up with the right words to say, "It's like -- I go out with her. We have an amazing time, but after she leaves I won't see her again until God knows when. What's to stop her from forgetting about me? Or worse: we go on a date it goes terribly, and she doesn't want to see me again?"

"Seriously?" Ashley nearly choked out, "Okay, let's play out this scenario. You tuck your dick between your legs like a coward and don't make a move. Taylor gets on that plane back to Europe -- probably thinking that what you guys had wasn't serious -- and moves on. She's hot, she could get another guy in minutes --"

"Okay Ashley, we get it," Jake said, "She's hot,"

"Lemme' finish," he continued, "Or you could grow a pair, ask her out, show her a great time and give her a fucking reason to remember you. So the next time you do see each other again -- maybe in another few months -- she'll be all primed and ready for you,"

"He's not wrong," Jinxx said, "I mean -- again: what do you have to lose? Worse case scenario, you guys stay friends,"

At his words Andy turned his head again, his gaze shifted to land on the blue-haired rocker and her friend. Taylor suddenly stood up, followed closely by Maureen and the girls ventured back in the direction of the coffee canteen. Taylor's eyes met Andy's for a brief moment, she gave him a blushing smile and a wave. Andy smiled back.

His friends however started to laugh.

"He's gone!" Ashley announced with glee, "Andy Biersack is whipped!"

"I am not!" Andy quickly quelled.

"You are too," Jake grinned. Andy groaned and buried his face in his hands, trying to will away the crimson in his pale face.

Across the way, Taylor's ears perked when she heard the raucous laughter from the far table. From the corner of her eye she could make out Andy shaking his head while CC and Jinxx were laughing at his expense. She could just make out his annoyed little scowl under his hair; she thought it was adorable.

"You are so whipped," Maxeen tsked, shaking her head as she too watched the boys.

"I am not," Taylor stated defiantly.

"You are too," she replied, "You're like some mushy, female lead in a Nicholas Sparks book. Just fucking ask him out,"

"We leave in two days," Taylor reminded her, "How is that fair to me or him?"

Maxeen glared at her as she tampered with the coffee canteen, "It ain't fair at all. That is to say, however, that you won't ever see each other again. It's kind of exciting though, don't you think?"

Taylor scoffed, "More like tragic,"

"Don't be so dramatic, now," Maxeen chided, "Like my nan always said; you want to get dramatic? Go to the theatre,"

Taylor refrained from rolling her eyes, "I don't think I'm being dramatic, Max. After I leave, he might meet another girl who'll grab his attention and forget all about me," she shrugged as though chatting about the weather, but Maxeen could hear the hypertension in her voice.

"You're overthinking," Maxeen told her as she reached for the fruit platter tongs, "If you go out and show him an incredible time, he'll have no reason to forget about you. Simple logic, really,"

Taylor exuded a heavy sigh. She felt as nervous as she did before her first kiss, or the time she had to go for her driver's test back home. It was exciting and surely her life would've been changed, but there was also a risk that Taylor wasn't so sure she wanted to take.

Then she chuckled to herself: Maxeen was right, she was overthinking it.

But then again, she may have had ample reason to, given her past relationships...

Maxeen snapped her lips together, "You look like you've been accused of the Hindenburg Murders right now,"

"What the fuck would I do, Max? Just go up to him and ask him to take me to dinner?" Taylor huffed.

"Well, considering that you don't know your way 'round the city, I say take your shot," Maxeen replied.

Taylor took another glance at the table of theatrical rockstars, a pit burrowing in her gut but it wasn't one of trepidation. She was surprised simply because at first glance, Andy wasn't her type. Well, perhaps he wasn't the type that everyone expected her to be attracted to. However, while style and physicality played a role, Andy was a charismatic enigma that had Taylor instantly hooked on every next move he would make.

Was it a big deal that she was leaving in two days? Surely, she's see him again. They were part of the same scene, of course they could see each other again. And the relationship she had formed was something that she was leaning towards pursuing.

A few hours after her latest set, Taylor stood in the reflection of the bus bathroom mirror. She tousled her hair around a few times, pulled it back, pulled down the skin of her plump, rosy cheeks. She had been rocking this shoulder-length blue bob for over a year, and she looked damn good. However, Taylor decided that it was time for a change. She had sharp bone structure and big eyes, and within her suitcase she had packed a few bottles of hair dye.

She ducked out of the bathroom and peaked into the rec area again, where most of the AA boys sat around and chatted together.

“Hey boys,” she called to them, “Could I borrow a razor off one of you?”

James raised an eyebrow at her, “What’re you gonna’ do with it?” he asked.

Taylor narrowed her eyes, “The fuck you think I’m gonna’ do with a razor, Cassels?” she replied, “Anybody seen Max?”

“Last I saw, she was trying to steal a kiss from Neil Westfall,” Danny chuckled.

Taylor simpered, Maxeen always had a low-key crush on the boys from A Day to Remember.

“Alright, I’ll do it myself, then,” she decided, “Who wants to lend me a razor?”

As the evening fell into deep night, and despite his head being hazy from all the alcohol he’d consumed, Andy was sure of a few things:

First of all, he knew that CC was just as drunk if not more than he was, watched his long legs dance and jig on the pavement ahead as he leant against Jinxx, Jake and Ashley ready to catch him from behind, heard his cheers and yells of excitement as they passed other people in the street who cheered back outside of bars and clubs, could hear him singing his own songs loud and proud all the way back to the bus lot.

Secondly, he knew that he was going to have regrets when he woke up with a throbbing head and a scratchy throat in the morning. Not complimenting Taylor the second he saw her and her new blue and pink pixie cut that made her look like a glittery desert rebel. Knocking a drink over Ben and staining his shirt. Singing Billy Idol’s Blue Highway in a tipsy acapella with Danny, as dared by Sam, which he saw Taylor recording from the corner of his eye. That last shot of tequila he thought he could handle but now knew had tipped him over the edge from tipsy to officially drunk.

And thirdly, he was certain that he was addicted to being close to Taylor Wray; spent every moment with her wondering how he could make her happy, how he could prompt the laugh he’d first heard almost a week ago, wondered if she knew how deeply affected by her perfume he was and if she was aware of the way her brown eyes sparkled and shone even when he closed his own.

Taylor watched her new friends struggle to support CC and laughed each time he insisted on stopping in the street to check out the next bar, despite Jake trying to pull him away from innocent bystanders. James pulled CC away, eager to get back to the bus and lie down, though CC pressed a kiss to his cheek too, wrapping his arms around Jake’s waist. Andy was laughing too, sauntering beside her, hands shoved into his pockets, his skin glowing under the street lights, his slender nose wrinkling as he observed his friends struggling ahead of him on the pavement. His lips were slightly parted, his expression vacant. She tilted her head fully in his direction, laughing when he smiled lopsidedly back at her, nudged her with his elbow.

“What is it?” he asked.

“N-Nothing…” she hummed, her voice laced with the suggestion she’d had a little too much to drink. “Just really... I like America more than I thought I would,”

“Well, I like your new haircut,” he grinned, “I should’ve said that earlier. It really suits you,”

“Thanks,” Taylor ran a hand through her shortened, blondish-bluish-pinky hair do. She chewed on the inside of her cheek to keep herself from telling him that he was one of the reasons why she was so happy, then looked down at her feet as they walked, swallowed hard and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

“Have you had fun on the tour?” she asked then.

“I have indeed,” Andy nodded, trying not to let his drunker side shine through, “The present company’s made it all the better this time around,”

“Hmm. I didn’t know you thought so highly of Ben,” she smirked.

“Don’t tell him, it’ll go to his head,” Andy chuckled.

“I’d never dream of such a thing,” Taylor smiled warmly, then threw her arm around him, leant into his side as they walked together, inhaled the comfort of his cologne and let it embrace her like an old memory she hadn’t quite been able to place until this moment. Andy’s hand came down on her waist but he was conscious of how much was too much, kept his grip light, thankful her sweater was thick enough that the warmth of her skin didn’t bring him to his knees in the middle of the street.

“Tell me something about yourself,” Andy said suddenly.

Taylor raised an eyebrow, “What would you like to know?” She was soft-spoken and quiet, a little giggly and leant her head against his shoulder.

Andy hummed thoughtfully, alarmed by how close she was pressed to his body, “Hmm, well -- when did you start doing your own hair?”

“Are you really that infatuated with my hair?” she giggled.

“It’s just curious to me,” he shrugged, “This morning you were the hipster at the book store, and tonight you’re an extra outta’ Mad Max,”

“I wouldn’t take it that far,” she replied, “I got a job at a hair salon when I was sixteen. The woman who ran it, Vicky, she sort of took me under her wing. Taught me how to cut hair, how to cut my own hair. She put me on the straight and narrow -- as straight as I could possibly be, given my life choices,” she chuckled. Andy went to open his mouth, but closed it again when she continued to speak, “I mean, I weren’t exactly the erm -- what do you call it here -- homecoming queen back home. I got into a spot of trouble with some bad people, but Vicky was amazing. She saw a potential in me that no one else did. I’m sure I wasn’t the best protégé she’s had, but I owe a lot of my life to her,”

Andy was speechless for a moment, stared back at her blankly, looked down at the blurry ground beneath his feet feeling completely lightheaded, then lifted his gaze to her again, “That’s pretty serious,”

“She was a very serious hair stylist,” Taylor shrugged, “If music don’t work out, I’ll always have me hair career to fall back on,”

He smiled, the corners of his lips turning up in a way that was uniquely Andy and he smoothed his hand over her shoulder, left bare by the sweater that had slipped off her warm skin.

“I think you’re doing pretty well, so far,” he said.

“You’re just saying that,” Taylor rolled her eyes playfully.

“I mean it, Taylor,” Andy spoke firmly, “You’re a fucking firecracker. I’ve never met somebody who’s captured my interest the way you do,”

His eyes were dark but they were shining with the reflection of the lights and she couldn’t help but grin back at him when he smoothed her hair back with the same hand, entranced by his raw and genuine loveliness, the way he would go out of his way for her even when it made things difficult, his heart of gold, how much he respected and cared for her.

“You’re…” Taylor shook her head then leant back against his side for both stability and out of appreciation for him, their friendship, their connection, “… absolutely wonderful, Andy…”

10 notes · View notes

livefuntravelposts · 4 years ago

Text

Best of Monaco

Monaco is a small State that sits on the breathtaking French Riviera and is headed by a crown Prince – the Prince of Monaco. It severely lacks in size but certainly makes up for it in style and elegance –famously regognized as the world’s most affluent country in the world endowed with a lavishness of nature. Kati has been there, partied with the rich and famous and has great memories of Monaco. Stretching along the French coastline, Monaco is flanked by France on one side and brushes the magnificent Mediterranean Sea on the other. This gorgeous and dazzling country is considered the most glamourous stretch of land in Europe. Home to hundreds of the wealthiest personalities in Europe, Monaco is one of the affluent destinations preferred by casino lovers and gamblers. Renowned for its lavish and sumptuous lifestyle, this spectacular country also plays host to some fantastic natural scenery, brilliant old-school architectural landmarks, and unbelievably captivating tourist attractions. One exciting attraction you will notice when you visit is the steep, rugged promontory overlooking the Mediterranean sea, nicknamed "Le Rocher." (the Rock). On the same note, Monaco is not all about nature; it is also known for its extravagance, gambling, fine things, car racing, and romantic fairy tales. Even though words are not enough to describe the alluring beauty of Monaco, let's have a look at a few cities that you should consider while planning your trip to this trendy country.

Beautiful places to visit in Monaco

Monaco-Ville (Le Rocher)

With a name that is similar to its country, Monaco-Ville city-state lies on a coastal peninsula stretching jutting towards the Mediterranean Sea, filling itself with a spectacular, endless nostalgia. Also known as "The Rock." Monaco- Ville is a town where you can get to feel the various medieval remnants that uphold Monacos's fascinating and majestic history. This historic town gives you a chance to stroll through the ancient pedestrian streets and alleyways giving you a perfect aura of the Old Town. As you awe-inspire yourself with the beautiful architecture, be sure to pass by the Prince's Palaces, also know as "The Palais Princier.". This magnificent fortress was used as the official residence by the Grimaldis family. Make sure you check out Place du Palais, a ceremonial site with palace guards, and be mesmerized with spectacular guard changing shift performance. Besides that, you can explore the St Nicholas Cathedral - a Roman church where you will find Monaco's ruling family's remains. Other notable attractions comprise; “Princess Grace Botanical Garden|,” “The Museum of the Chapel of Visitation,” and “François Grimaldi Statue.” You can check out these hotels Le Meridien Beach Plaza, Columbus Hotel Monaco, and Hotel de France for accommodation.

Monte Carlo

Renowned for its fantastic climate, Monte Carlo is one of Monaco's must-visit destinations. This city-state is dotted with numerous casinos and prides itself on having the only public beach in Monaco. For the best experience, start by visiting the Napoleon Museum, which showcases antiques that belong to Napoleon I, a French Emperor. As you hop from museum to museum, you will be treated to some fascinating views of authentic ancient and modern architecture covered with some beautiful sculptures and mural paintings. Visit the popular Opera de Monte Carlo ("Salle Garnier") for a taste of French musical performances. Sports lovers must visit the famous F1 Grand Prix circuit for some perfect –picture moment. Be sure not to forget your camera. The Casino de Monte Carlo is another great attraction that you shouldn’t miss. Thanks to its heritage, iconic decor, and a vast array of table games and slot machines, the Casino de Monte Carlo tends to entice global clients. This renowned Casino has been renovated over the centuries to get to where it is right now. Even though we do not encourage gambling, you have to visit this iconic Casino for a perfect Monte Carlo experience.

Café de Paris

Café de Paris is adjacent the Casino de Monte Carlo, sitting on an open terrace with a beautiful ambience, where you can see and be seen quite openly while in Monte Carlo. It’s a riveting place to be any time of the day, with the sun kissing on your chics at dawn, and warm rays caressing your back at dusk. The urbane café has slot machines on the outdoor terraces, for the smokers. Smoking is not allowed inside Monaco casinos. The machine to aim for on this terrace is ‘Aliens .v. Predators’. Immerse yourself in elegance and fine dining at this classic café , you’ll be spoilt for choice with their fantastic cuisines, fine wine and a breathtaking view from the terrace facing the only casino in town.

Jardin Exotique

Occupying such a small space of earth land, Monaco crams in wonderful magical gardens. Floating high up at the entrance Jardin Exotique drops almost vertical down the rock face, making it quite cumbersome to clamber over. But if you must, its well worth the effort, since the view from up there is absolutely ravishing! Immerse yourself in a topnotch collection of prickly pear cactus and moist delicate flowers. The flora dates back hundreds of years back and have grown massively, you’ll feel like you’re wandering through a dense forest in New Mexico with the exception of the stunning New Mexico sea views. Beach lovers can explore the Monte Carlo Harbor, visit the Oceanographic Museum or opt to relax by the beach. You can also opt for a sightseeing adventure by boarding a yacht Cruise or taking a Bateau Bus (water taxi). You can check out these hotels Port Palace, Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, and Novotel Monte Carlo for accommodation.

La Condamine

Sitting at the southwest corner of Monaco, La Condamine is known as Monaco's business city-state and spans across the Port Hercule region that's usually full of luxury yachts. This district is distinctively upmarket but has a calm relaxing feel, and is a fantastic place to explore for a few hours. Experience the Intriguing mix of colorful history and modern culture that makes Monaco so unique. While sauntering through the beautiful walkway in Princess Caroline District, you can visit some the local cafes offering fresh food and drinks, go shopping, or better yet, visit the open-air swimming pool and have fun gliding down the twisty water slide. Other must-see attractions include the Condamine Market, the Monaco harbor, and Princess Antoinette Park. You can check out these places for accommodation: Chateau Eza, Hotel La Perouse Nice Baie des Anges, and Hotel Juana.

Les Révoires

Positioned in the north-west part of the country, Les Revoires is considered the smallest city-state in Monaco. Les Revoires is known for its steep Inclines that offer picturesque views. Don't forget to take photos of the beautiful "Rock of Monaco" (Monolith) and the Mediterranean waters' stunning view. When visiting Mount Agel, you can pass through Chemin des Revoires for some breathtaking views of the city and Mediterranean sea. Don’t miss out on the "Exotic Garden of Monaco. " (Jardin Exotique de Monaco), which is full of different plants and animal species. While still in Les Revoires, you can visit the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology for some history lessons. You can check out these hotels, Le saint paul, Chateau De la Chevre D Or, and Le Mas de Pierre, for accommodation.

La Colle

Just like Fontviella, La Colle city-state is one of Monaco's heavily populated areas - not to mention that it is among the smallest districts in Monaco in terms of land and Population. La Colle prides itself on having the only hospital in Monaco, "Princess Grace Hospital." There are lots of places to see and enjoy around La Colle-Sur-Loup. If you enjoy hiking or riding, La Colle-Sur-Loup is an area where numerous secret gems are waiting to be discovered. Even though La Colle is considered an Industrial area, machine lovers will be thrilled touring some very top-notch auto manufacturing factories like Venturi and Voxan. Other notable landmarks to visit include The Village of Fools, an amusement park for kids, Canyon Forest, an adventure park, and Escoffier Museum of Culinary Arts. You can check out these places for accommodation: La Bastide Gourmande, Hotel La Grande Bastide, and Domaine du Mas de Pierre Hotel & Resort.

Larvotto

Considered by many to be a Monte Carlo sister, Larvotto sits on Monaco's coastline's eastern side. Larvotte has a free to all public beach that shares a border with Monte Carlo. But unlike many beaches in Monaco, Larvotte beach is made up of pebbles rather than sand. Although Larvotte beach is man-made, it is famous for its clean crystal-like waters, coastal charm, and an aura that's hard to compete with. You can start by exploring one of the most expensive streets to rent, "Princess Grace Avenue." Which is full of tall buildings facing the gorgeous view of the sea".while there, you can pass by the Japanese Garden for some picture taking before heading to Larvotto beach. Some of the pursuits that might fascinate you while at the beach include water-skiing, sea kayaking, and motor-boat riding. You can opt for a bike ride along the "Promenade des Anglais" coastal walkway in the evening. Besides that, you can decide to relax in one of the luxurious restaurants enjoy some French cuisine. For accommodation, you can check out these places Hotel le Prejoly, Residence Belle Plage, and Mandarina Hotel by Actisource.

Les Moneghetti

Your trip to Monaco will not be complete without exploring its northern central region that is stacked with a gorgeous view of beautiful villas and apartments. First of all, you need to visit Moneghetti, a relaxing garden that prides itself on having the only railway station "Gare de Monaco-Monte-Carlo" in Monaco. While at the Moneghetti, you can head down to the Theatre des Muses for some excruciating afternoon performance. Adventure lovers can cross over to the motor racing arena for some action-packed evening at the Formula 1 Grand Prix track. Other notable attractions include the Sacred Heart, the parish church which houses the scouts association of Monaco. Another landmark not to be forgotten is the "Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince," a military infantry barrack that trains foreign soldiers. You can check out these places for accommodation: Monaco Penthouse Le Cesar, Vrbo Property and, Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo.

Our Final Word

Though not our typical destination, Monaco is definitely worth a visit. Scores of vacationers visit Monaco to experience the charming vibe of the French sea coast. Believed to be a luxurious destination in Europe, Monaco evokes an air of opulent wealth with its elegant five-star resorts, private yachts, luxury fashion shops, and state of the art restaurants. Monaco is mostly visited as a day-trip from Nice, which is about 30-Minutes away by train. it offers a great road trip ambience for countryside sightseeing while touring on the French Azur. One of the best destinations Europe!

Read the full article

#Monaco #monacotravel #monacovacation #montecarlo #montecarlotravel

2 notes · View notes

mrepstein · 4 years ago

Photo

‘THE STARMAKER WHO BURNED TOO HOT’ (The Sunday Mirror - June 14, 1970) The above piece is an extract from journalist Godfrey Winn’s 1970 autobiography ‘The Positive Hour’

Brian Epstein built an empire around the Beatles - but he carried the seeds of his own doom

By GODFREY WINN

BRIAN EPSTEIN was the business brain behind the pop revolution of the sixties. He discovered the Beatles and made them millionaires. As a star-maker, Epstein's career was spectacular but brief. He was thirty-two when he died in August, 1967 - poisoned by an overdose of a sleeping drug. With his love of show-business, GODFREY WINN - Britain's best-known journalist - was a long standing friend of Brian Epstein and watched the pop impresario build a world wide entertainment empire. And he was close enough to Epstein to see the tragic consequences that instant fame and untold fortune had on the young genius.

I found myself one Saturday evening in 1963 climbing the stairs of an anonymous building close to Cambridge Circus, in London’s theatre-land.

In a barren, unfurnished room the walls, with their peeling paint, were decorated with posters of such plays as A Taste of Honey and The Miracle Worker.

i looked at the posters, and decided that there was a certain symbolism, a link here with the intriguing encounter that lay ahead of me.

I thought, too, of all the players who had rehearsed in this room for a multitude of productions: so full of hope that success was this time almost in their grasp, and so often to be reminded that half the members of the actors’ union, Equity, are permanently out of work.

Acclaim

Would it be different for the latest Merseyside group who, already acclaimed in the provinces, were about to have their most important challenge to date, the star spot on the Sunday Night at the Palladium television show?

The Beatles, with the hair-style that they made their own, were still not much more than a name to me.

A few days before I had talked with their manager and discoverer Brian Epstein in the lounge of the Grosvenor Hotel next to Victoria Station.

He was dressed in the kind of silk suit that pop groups wore like a uniform. But there, all comparison ceased.

For at that time he had not yet discarded the solid air of the middle-class Jewish back-ground from which he was sprung.

Unreal

Epstein’s tragedy was that, in surrendering one background, he became so overwhelmed by the trappings of the world into which the fantastic success of his proteges catapulted him that he was never able to put down roots into reality again.

This son of a prosperous Liverpool store-owner was the classic example of the actor manque.

He was nearly thirty when we first met, but as soon as he started talking of the time when he had enlisted as a student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, his voice had the eager lilt of a stage-struck youth.

A moment later his expression had changed. He was earth-bound once more as he described his return to Liverpool and entry into his father’s business.

And how, one day, while he was serving behind the record counter of one of his father's stores, a customer asked about a record made in Germany by an unknown Merseyside group.

And how he tracked down the record, later saw the group performing “for peanuts” at the Cavern in Liverpool, and sensed "something dynamic”; then peddled their tapes around London recording companies.

“And do you know, that tape, that very first record, Love Me Do, sold a hundred thousand. We were IN."

Just as I was in, now - the only spectator at the Beatles' private rehearsal for the Palladium.

Screams

Or rather, myself plus the tailor who had brought with him the four new suits, black like a matador’s, that Epstein had ordered for them to wear, replicas of his own. They put them on and pranced round the rehearsal room, bowing to an imaginary audience of fourteen million viewers.

“Ladies and Gentlemen: We are very pleased to be here at the Palladium.

Suddenly, uncontrollable excitement possessed them. The Palladium. The Palladium, they shouted out, screaming like their own fans, as other pilgrims have cried across the centuries. Jerusalem on high.

It was the youngest who spoke the introduction. He wasn't satisfied till he had taken them through it a dozen times.

"It's the moment before the curtain opens," Paul commented with the air of a veteran. “You finger your guitar and hope they won't start throwing things."

The moment they started to tune their guitars they seemed to fill the shadows of the lonely rehearsal room, darkening into twilight, and at the same time to grow in stature themselves.

The Beatles will always be held in high regard for what they have achieved by the unique sound of their music.

Having been among the first to recognise their talent, I feel I am in a position to suggest now that what has gone wrong somewhere along the line has been their inability, especially in the case of George Harrison and John Lennon, to pour back sufficient of the bounty that has fallen into their lap.

Perhaps it has been part of their appeal for the adolescents, that they themselves have not grown up in the full meaning of the phrase, any more than Brian Epstein was able to do.

Right up till his unnecessary, wanton death Epstein went on referring to his discoveries as his “boys,” seeing himself as the fifth member of the hierarchy, the eldest Beatle.

Then, when the group ceased performing together except for recording sessions, he could not help feeling to some extent excluded, even though he was still their manager - “the boss,” as they called him.

Dire

So in order to try to prove that he was someone big, in the theatrical firmament, in his own right, he started producing and putting on plays, with dire results.

He had all the money in the world to squander, but too little productive talent of his own.

Disappointed, and depressed, though he would not admit it, he finally turned to pep pills by day, and sleeping pills by night, a diet that was ultimately to destroy him.

Once he proclaimed to me, standing outside the Palladium: “All that matters is to have your name in lights.”

I could not persuade him otherwise, though I had persuaded him to spend the Sunday before the Whitsun holiday, making the journey all the way to Bolton in Lancashire, to hear an unknown singer in a pub, who had been recommended to me with such persistence and such enthusiasm by one of my readers, that in the end I felt it churlish of me not to do something about it.

Kinder?

The singer’s name was Michael Haslam. He was married and worked by day in a local tannery, and he specialised in singing ballads.

As it happened, Epstein was looking at that moment for a ballad singer, as a contrast on his touring bills to such of his properties as Billy J. Kramer and Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Otherwise, I doubt whether he would have ever listened to my suggestion, and in a way now I wish I hadn’t been persuaded myself to make the effort.

To have done nothing might have been kinder in the long run to the dark, tall young man, with the sort of looks which Elvis Presley first made fashionable, and the physique of a miner, who packed them in at weekends at The White Hart.

Except that if the Beatles’ impresario had not turned up that Sunday evening in Bolton, yet another pub singer might still be imagining he was there only because the luck of being discovered had just never happened to come his way.

Certainly the audience reaction that evening in Bolton was tremendous and entirely spontaneous. I can hear it, smell it how. Even so, I was not entirely convinced myself.

Undoubtedly there was a voice of some lyrical power, but did he also possess sufficient personality?

And how would he stand up to another environment, bereft of his regular admirers, alone on a stage, or in front of a TV camera?

Epstein brushed aside my doubts. On the spot he decided to sigh Haslam up, with the arrogant impetuosity of a Tsar.

Anxious

Two or three evenings later, Epstein and I met again, this time in my London home. We had arranged that he should pick me up and have a drink, en route for the Palladium.

He was eager for me to see another of his proteges, This time the girl, also from Liverpool, who through his astute judgment had with surprising sped reached what used to be the Mecca of all music hall artists.

Cilla Black.

In the fervent hope that one day Mike Haslam, equally skilfully projected, would reach the same goal, I accepted, though Miss Black’s nasal voice with its Liverpudlian vowels screaming at me over the radio at breakfast time had not created in my mind the most enticing of images.

Doubts

However, none of that was my affair. I could switch off the knob.

Whereas the other artist, uprooted and disorientated, was to some extent my responsibility.

In the forty-eight hours which had intervened, my initial doubts had only grown.

“After all, Brian, if I hadn’t dragged you to Bolton, you would never have heard of him.” Even to myself, it sounded like a self-accusation, but my guest again brushed aside my fears.

“Don’t worry,” he replied, with a rajah-like wave of his hand.

“But I do worry,” I protested anxiously.

“You shouldn’t. Don’t you realise, it’s nothing to do with you anymore. Mike Haslam belongs to me now.

“From this moment he is my discovery, and I shall look after him completely, change him, mould him, fit him into my set-up.

“All the credit, all his future success will be entirely my doing. You merely introduced him to me. Anyone might have done that.”

I was flabbergasted rather than relieved by this lofty declaration.

Rebuff

In an instant he had assumed the air of the great, international impresario slapping down a small-time sleazy agent who had dared to suggest that he should have a slice in the property value of the unknown name about to be groomed for stardom.

Of course, I wanted no financial stake in the young man’s future. I was not in show business in any shape or form.

At the same time, I surely had an ethical stake. A moral stake, if you like. Anyway, something quite different and rather more binding.

But I was meeting the real Brian Epstein for the first time.

Gone was the mask of mock humility, worn by the apparently modest young man fresh from the provinces, who in his original talk with me had praised and congratulated everyone except himself.

For the first time I glimpsed the strong streak of paranoia, which was swiftly to grow into a kind of sickness.

Welcome

Not surprisingly, I was dismayed and we had an uncomfortable evening, saved, as far as I was concerned, by the affectionate welcome I received in the dressing room of Frankie Vaughan, who was the real star of the show.

He and the boys in the band were deep in a poker session, but the occupant of the coveted No. 1 room broke off without a trace of annoyance and jumped up from his seat to offer us drinks.

How different had been my reception in the No. 2 dressing room.

Miss Black was seated in an ungainly position, her legs sprawled out in front of a portable television set, and did not trouble to get out of her chair, or to make any attempt at conversation.

After a few embarrassed moments, I backed out into the passage again, and it was then, at my suggesting that surely his new girl needed a matronly, experienced woman in attendance to help and advise her back-stage, that Epstein made the comment that having your name in lights was the only thing which mattered.

I expect he thought my suggestion was an impertinent one, though it was only intended to be constructive.

Unfortunately, I had already promised to have supper with him afterwards, and then to see his new house, and Miss Black, dressed in a black leather coat, more suitable for the back of a motor-cycle, came along, too.

Surprise

Not wishing to lie openly about my reactions to her performance, and searching for some topic of conversation which would be of mutual interest, I asked my host if he was contemplating adding any other female singers to the troupe of artists under his banner.

I am still surprised when I recall the reply I received, uttered with absolute and final conviction.

“No, I do not need any other women artists. Cilla is the Edith Piaf of England.”

Whatever she was or has become - and Miss Black has undoubtedly achieved a large and loyal following among her contemporaries - she is not another Edith Piaf, that great Parisian singer. How could she be?

Despite all Epstein’s confident assertions, Mike Haslam failed to float for long in the larger pool.

Symbols

Even while he was still alive I never talked with Brian Epstein alone again, after that evening at the Palladium, when in the small hours I found myself standing in a room in his house dominated by a row of telephones of different colours on a long desk.

Nothing else about the house, the modernistic innovations of which suited his temperament, left any mark upon my memory.

Only the telephones, those inanimate props of a tycoon existence, stare at me like a blown-up photograph on my desk. The symbols and instruments of a certain kind of power.

“I lift one receiver,” he told me exultantly, “and say to the operator ‘Get me a Hollywood number.’ I book in that call, and five minutes later I am talking to New York.

“Hardly have I rung off, when it is Australia on the line. Everyone wants me, everyone wants the Beatles. Everyone wants all my boys.”

“What about the time factor?” I asked. “For instance, when it is mid-day here, and perhaps three o’clock in the morning there, or vice-versa?”

“I don’t mind about that. I am ready to take calls all round the clock. I like it best sitting here by myself through the night, doing business. Big business.”

His usually deceptive, quiet voice rose to a crescendo: he was playing the big scene in the third act from all the stage and screen dramas of which he had been cheated by his inability to make the grade as an actor in the legitimate theatre.

But I had no desire to play in turn the part of the stage stooge, and fled from that house in Kinnerton Street to walk home through Belgrave Square, where at the corner of Chapel Street and Groom Place the nocturnal life of the fifth Beatle was finally to snuff out in the last of his London homes, whose larger rooms he had furnished in even more grandiose style.

Some months before that happened, he had a breakdown, which was hushed up, and then they put him in a private nursing home at Roehampton, in Surrey, which caters particularly for patients whose minds have been temporarily disturbed.

Guarded

After that he was never without a friendly and considerate bodyguard, who became his shadow.

Except on that final weekend when, in a sudden change of mood, he decided to drive himself from his country home at Heathfield, Sussex, back to London, though it was a bank holiday.

The Chapel Street house was only a stone’s throw from where my elder brother lives, and sometimes, when I was dining with my family, my sister-in-law, more in bewilderment than disapproval, would comment:

“Such strange people hang about Mr. Epstein's house.

“I suppose they are waiting, hoping that one of the Beatles will come out.”

That Sunday afternoon, when the news of his death broke, and the police cars drove up, the flower boys and girls in their peacock clothes left the Kings Road parade and crowded into Chapel Street, as though they were queueing up for a pop concert.

As far as I was concerned the epitaph was spoken by David Jacobs - not the disc jockey but the lawyer, with the looks himself of a film star - who acted for so many other names in show business beside the Beatles.

Freedom

Now that it was all over, the final battle lost, Epstein's adviser from the start spoke to me with a freedom he could not have done before:

“The trouble with Brian was that he had everything, and yet nothing.

“He had a strong family feeling, right till the end, and his loyalty towards the Beatles and his other properties, like Cilla Black, was fantastic.

“I suppose you could describe it as a kind of love affair on his side, but nothing stands still in life, and he was conscious that they were inevitably growing away from him, as they matured both as artists and people.

“This made him more and more restless and unhappy, though he wouldn’t admit it except in one of his increasing moods of depression, when all I could do was to remind him how much he was worth, in money and properties.

“But even that knowledge began to lose its flavour. It was then that he started taking pills to try to recapture the sense of euphoria he had had at the beginning.

“It was imperative for him to feel that he was still in the swim himself, not just taking a percentage of their earnings.

“I hoped so much that the house at Heathfield would make a difference.

“He had gone down that weekend for the Bank Holiday. But after dinner on that Friday evening, he suddenly changed his mind and drove himself back to London, alone.

“What would I have done had I known? It’s always so easy to be wise after the event.

“Sometimes one has a kind of instinct, and can act swiftly, but even then it can be too late, or impossible to protect the person indefinitely against himself, if the seeds of self-destruction are strongly developed in him or her.

“In this case we shall never know for certain exactly what happened. Except that he went to sleep again that night, and never woke up.

Loner

“In a way, I was closer to him than anyone. He really unburdened himself to me.

“He was not so much a loner, as a oncer.

“What do I mean by that? I mean that he was incapable of any lasting physical relationship with anyone. He was incapable of love.”

All too soon David Jacobs himself was to discover his own torments.

#Brian Epstein #Godfrey Winn #The Positive Hour #Cilla Black #Michael Haslam #David Jacobs #Sunday Mirror #newspaper #1970 #70s

43 notes · View notes