#Veteran actors Helen

[daily-quiz-join]

Bollywood Wrap Up | Shivangi Joshi ने थाई-हाई ड्रेस पहन दिखाईं कातिल अदाएं, Stree 2 की Release Date आयी सामने

श्रद्धा कपूर, राजकुमार राव और पंकज त्रिपाठी अभिनीत स्त्री 2 के निर्माताओं ने आखिरकार हॉरर-कॉमेडी का बहुप्रतीक्��ित टीज़र जारी कर दिया है। मैडॉक फिल्म्स ने सोशल मीडिया हैंडल पर सभी मुख्य कलाकारों को दिखाते हुए एक छोटा सा टीज़र साझा किया और लिखा, ”इस बार चंदेरी में आज़ादी के दिन होंगे आतंक! लीजेंड इस स्वतंत्रता दिवस, 15 अगस्त 2024 को वापस आ रहे हैं!” पोस्ट में मैडॉक फिल्म्स ने एक हैशटैग भी इस्तेमाल…

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen Talk Finding Their ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ on Broadway: ‘It’s a Really Charming, Kind Little World’

It’s best to let Darren Criss describe the simply complex story of Maybe Happy Ending, the new musical he co-stars in with Broadway newcomer Helen J. Shen. “There’s what the story is and then there’s what the show is about,” the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning singer/actor/songwriter tells Billboard in an interview you can watch above.

“Those aren’t necessarily the same things,” he notes about the musical love story from Will Aronson and Hue Park, in which the former Glee star and Shen appear as obsolete Helperbot robots who meet cute and fall in love. “Thematically, it’s about two elderly people in hospice who decide to break out of the situation to go connect with their family,” says Criss about what sounds like a potentially dark theme.

And while that “grim, depressing construct for a show” doesn’t sound like the stuff of uplifting Broadway magic, Criss promises that the musical’s creators have somehow morphed that idea about the chilly march of time and hard lessons about love and life into a “really charming, kind little world” filled with Helper robots who are living embodiments of our iPhones and other digital assistants.

Because many of us imbue our inanimate digital devices with human-like qualities, sometimes holding on to them well past their best-by use date, Criss says the musical asks what happens when those objects become more like us?

Shen makes her Broadway debut in the play alongside theater/TV/movie veteran Criss, 37, after turning heads last year in the ensemble of the Off Broadway musical Teeth. She says one of the most exciting parts of performing in the show is the chance to take the lead in a completely new piece of theater not based on any existing intellectual property or a reboot/revival, but something that theatergoers have never seen before.

“It’s super overwhelming. The idea of it has been something that I’ve dreamed about my whole life,” says Shen, 24 of originating a character on Broadway. “And to have it come to fruition with this particular story, with this particular group of people I just feel… abundance. I feel so lucky and grateful.”

Both say they feel really blessed to be part of the show, with Criss noting that he has typically starred in “iconic” roles in his previous Broadway runs, including as Harry Potter in A Very Potter Musical, J. Pierrpont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, among others. “These are things people know and love,” he says of those classics.

“[Which] were great, with or without me. I now go in there trying to do my own thing and make it my own and there’s the excitement of the challenge, but also the pressure of living up to a certain thing and wanting to do your own thing,” he adds about trying to find something of yourself in a well-known role people may have seen many other times with other performers. “Whereas this, it’s an open canvas, not only for us, but for the audience. They don’t have any preconceived notions. That’s the best thing about this.”

Because it is a new experience, audiences don’t know what to expect, which both actors say makes attendees really listen and sit up in their seats to take in all the nuance of the show that also heralds the Broadway debuts for creators Aronson and Park; it began its life on stage in Seoul, South Korea in 2016 and was later produced in Japan and China as well.

Maybe Happy Ending, directed by Michael Arden (Parade), is open now at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway.

[denimbex1986]

'Before his life-changing call from director Christopher Nolan, his sensational performance as the father of the atomic bomb in Oppenheimer, and the well-deserved Oscars buzz following the film’s release, Cillian Murphy spent nearly a decade portraying working-class Brummie gangster Tommy Shelby in Steven Knight’s British crime drama, Peaky Blinders.

Inspired by the real-life gang of the same name, the six-season series followed the Shelby family’s business dealings, relationships, unsavory acts, and pursuits of power in Birmingham, England, 1919. Thanks to compelling writing, word of mouth, a Netflix streaming slot, and standout performances from a stacked cast — especially Murphy’s — what started as a small show on BBC Two in 2013 grew into a global phenomenon.

Oppenheimer’s immense scale and widespread acclaim may have solidified Murphy as a household name, but in the years leading up to the monumental project, Peaky Blinders allowed him to meticulously refine his craft, wholly inhabit a character, and take his acting prowess to the next level. A decade after the riveting series premiered, Tommy Shelby remains one of the actor’s most indelible roles — a truth even more impressive when you learn that Murphy wasn’t Knight’s first choice for the Peaky protagonist.

That’s right. The 47-year-old Irish actor nearly lost the role of Tommy Shelby to Jason Statham, but a text sent to Knight post-audition, which read, “Remember, I’m an actor,” changed everything. Ahead of Peaky Blinders’ final season, Knight told Esquire he “never forgot” Murphy’s show of confidence. Despite the clear departure from his appearance and past roles, the actor was sure he could embody the physically imposing, virile gang leader. And he was right. “It’s a cliché, but no one else could have been Tommy Shelby,” Knight admitted later in the interview. “It would be absurd. It was as if Cillian was always waiting.”

Since Murphy first rode through the gritty Birmingham streets on horseback sporting a fresh undercut and a razor-trimmed cap pulled over his eyes, the role felt as bespoke as one of Tommy’s signature three-piece suits. On the surface, Murphy nailed the Birmingham accent, convincingly knocked back lowball glasses of whiskey, confidently handled a gun, and seductively smoked thousands of cigarettes on set. But his abilities to access and expose the deeper complexities, contradictions, and PTSD of the broken World War I veteran were particularly profound.

As the leader of the tight-knit Shelby clan, Tommy was a commanding, ambitious, fiercely intelligent force; an enigma who routinely committed despicable acts, but possessed enough potential for good that he repeatedly gained empathy from viewers — with help from Murphy’s charisma and authentically pained portrayal. Haunted by flashbacks of France and fueled by booze for a majority of the series, the Peaky Blinders leader perpetually grappled with a restless mind and stained soul, while guarding a heart capable of immense love. He was, all at once, completely unafraid of his own death and terrified of losing others. And since business was always personal, his family became his greatest strength and most sizable weakness.

A fraternal feeling and the sheer weight of familial responsibility shone strongest in scenes with Paul Anderson’s Arthur, while Tommy’s intimate relationship with Helen McCrory’s Aunt Polly — which deepened and shifted on the daily — peeled back his layers and offered glimpses of vulnerabilities. Tommy’s shell was undeniably softest with Grace (Annabelle Wallis), the woman who made a tea drinker, father, and eventual fortress out of him. Through small talk and genuinely sexy sex scenes, heart-to-hearts and heartbreak, and the brutal gut-punch of unexpected mourning, Murphy tapped into the full range of human emotions to convey and process the love and loss of Tommy’s wife. He never fully recovered from her death, but devastating breakdowns after the loss of Polly and his daughter Ruby proved he was still able to feel.

Murphy effortlessly exuded swagger, showed subtle humor in moments like the famous “no fucking fighting” scene, and slipped into pure panic at the drop of a hat. He loudly expressed grief in palpable scenes, such as Tommy’s brush with death in the Season 2 finale — when he almost had (and lost) “fucking everything” — or the bone-chilling final seconds of Season 5, when he hopelessly held a gun to his head, emitting a guttural scream born from insufferable trauma and fury. But despite the grand outbursts, so much of Tommy’s emotions were expressed without words; through Murphy’s facial expressions, jaw clenches, silent spirals, and intense gazes from his deep-set ice-blue portals.

Whether Tommy was strutting through smoky streets in solitude, leading grand shootouts with adversaries like Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody), digesting Alfie Solomons’ (Tom Hardy) verbal acrobatics, recovering from ruthless beatings, chomping on a leaf with his toddler, or battling his inner demons, Murphy’s performance was mesmerizing. Over the course of Peaky Blinders’ run, the actor brilliantly resided in the middle-ground between hero and villain, light and dark, and savior and sinner. And without fail, he flawlessly found his way back under the multi-faceted character’s skin after substantial filming gaps and major projects like Dunkirk and A Quiet Place Part II. In the 36 hours we got to spend with him on-screen, Murphy delivered a career-great performance, crafting an incredibly lived-in character, while masterfully evolving alongside him.

A decade after Peaky Blinders first premiered, it remains a razor-sharp series that boasts Knight’s brilliant storytelling; captivating characters; stunning set design, wardrobes, and haircuts; a killer soundtrack led by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ “Red Right Hand”; and a cast that was firing on all cylinders. The series’ legacy is as strong as the Shelby family in their prime, and when the credits roll on the dark final season — one made considerably more challenging by COVID-19 and the real-life death and mourning of McCrory — you’re reminded again that no one else could have been Tommy Shelby; that Cillian Murphy, as promised in his post-audition text, is one hell of an actor.'

[next-autopsy]

A/N: Well, hi there!

I'm back! Hope y'all enjoy this chapter, lmk what you think, I love hearing from you guys x

Based on the actors portrayal/hbo show and written with no disrespect to the real life veterans. Also all images found on Pinterest.

TW: swearing, casual 1940s racism, yelling/fighting, not much else tbh....

Tags: @malarkgirlypop, @panzershrike-pretz hmu if you want to be added

Made of Glass

Chapter twenty one: Chock-a-Block

The next month was uneventful compared to previous ones. June was slow and felt heavy, dragging on and seeming longer than it was. Birdie spent a lot of the month by George’s side The two became increasingly close, sharing all sorts of pleasantries and childhood stories. Birdie loved hearing about his nine siblings and the practical jokes he pulled on them. It reminded her of her own mischievous family who she was missing more than ever. 

July came and went by comparison. Birdie received a letter from her brother-in-law, stating his wife, her oldest sister, Helen had safely given birth to the couple's second child. They already had a little boy, Daniel and now were blessed with a girl. They named her Gracie, a variation of Bernadette's middle name and asked her to be the newborns' Godmother. Of course she was ecstatic and accepted gleefully. Sadly, she would miss the babies christening but the sentiment was there. 

By the end of August, rumours were spreading that they would soon be on the move. Their next destination was a curious speculation. A bet ran through the regiment: Europe or the Pacific? 

September started and the 506th was preparing to move once again, leaving Camp Mackall behind. Easy presented themselves prim and proper in their class A uniforms and packed everything they had in the basic olive green sacks provided for their belongings. 

A train awaited them, the soldiers climbed aboard without question. It was packed but no one minded too much, they just bunched up and invaded their neighbours personal space like it was a game. 

Bernadette shuffled through the teeny walkway of the moving train, legs and bags stuck out making her journey that much more difficult. 

“Birdie! Saved you a seat!” Her attention was captured by the brown haired man calling out to her. She smiled when she saw him, guarding the space next to him like it was his job. Bernadette tried to make her way closer to Luz but the train wobbled and threw her off balance. She toppled over ungracefully and landed atop someone's lap. 

She began spitting out apologies and her face turned red, rightfully embarrassed by the situation. When she looked up and saw Liebgott's face smirking at her, she wanted to die; right then and there. 

“Good trip?” That shit eating grin made Birdie want to slap him, she settled for rolling her eyes and scoffing instead. Birdie got up and balanced herself, making sure to use his shoulders to aid her ascent. She shoved him hard enough for him to understand she was less than pleased about the whole ordeal, but in a playful manner so that he knew she wasn’t really mad. Joe smiled at her, a genuine smile that reached his eyes and caused her to reciprocate. 

“Birdie!” George called out again, sensing she was distracted and needed some prompting. She whipped her head round to him and nodded to show she had heard the impatient man. 

“You better go before he screams so loud the whole train hears.” Lieb joked, he didn’t really want to send her away but there was no real reason for her to stay. The southern woman spoke softly, telling him she would see him around before joining her friend at the other end of the train car. 

Liebgott had been accepted into her posse with little resistance, he was already friends with most of the guys she hung around anyway. It was mainly Joe Toye and Bill Guarnere who didn’t love the fact that he and Bernadette were on friendlier terms, the two still held grudges against him for his previous treatment of the woman. He didn't really blame them, he had been particularly difficult when it came to Coldwell.

Over the past months, Joe had come to terms with the fact he actually wanted to be Birdie’s friend. Tipper kept trying to get a love confession out of him but he was adamant it wasn't like that. Sure he liked the woman, but in a totally platonic way of course. Besides, they were both soldiers being sent to the front lines, when would they have time to date and fall in love? Not that he wanted that. He didn’t. 

Joseph Liebgott was perfectly happy being friends with Bernadette Coldwell and that was that.

The train had taken hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers aboard to a shipyard in Brooklyn, New York. It was Birdie’s first time in the city, though she didn't get to see much of it as they were ushered onto the SS Samaria in an orderly fashion. 

The sun began settling, turning the sky a beautiful mix of pink and pastel orange, Birdie's favourite shade of the fiery colour. Luz had snagged a life vest for the woman and shoved it on her so he could pull her out onto the deck and watch as the ship passed the statue of liberty. 

It was a surreal moment, one Bernadette would always remember. The green lady loomed over them, as if bidding the soldiers goodbye and good luck. It felt real now, they were finally leaving their beloved home country and joining the war effort.

As the ship left the mainland of America behind, the sombre mood grew. George and Birdie shared a cigarette on the deck before returning to the bunks below. It was crowded, more than the train had been and now, the lack of space was starting to get on everyone's nerves.

Everyone tried to keep themselves busy, playing cards, writing letters home or reading whatever books they could find. Most of the men smoked freely which caused the already state air locked in with them to be tainted with tobacco. 

After five full days stuck in the overcrowded, sweaty mass of men, Birdie had had enough. She was ready to get off this ship, unsure if she could take another day. She had seen men get sick from the constant swaying and vomit where they stood and now she was noticing the raise in tempers as cabin fever descended. 

It was unbelievably hot and all Birdie wanted was some fresh air and silence but conversation continued on around her, disregarding her wants. 

She could hear Muck and Malarkey chatting to each other while they approached the area she was stewing in. The men in question climbed up the sides of the hammock like cots as you would a ladder and settled into the spaces next to and above her. 

“Hey guys, I’m glad I'm going to Europe.” Toye spoke up, inserting himself into the conversation. He pulled out his switchblade knife and flicked it open for dramatic effect, “Hilter gets one of these right across the windpipe. Roosevelt changes Thanksgiving to Joe Toye day, and pays me ten grand a year for the rest of my fuckin’ life.” 

“What if we don’t get to Europe? What if they send us to North Africa?” A voice from above Birdie called down. The woman tried to shuffle closer to Bill, her bunk mate, to see who it was but his body got in the way and unless Birdie wanted to mount the man, it would remain a mystery. Bill ruffled her hair and plucked the cigarette out of her hand.

“My brothers in North Africa.” Guarnere took a long drag of the stolen smoke, “He says it's hot.”

“Really? It’s hot in Africa?” You could actually see the sarcasm coming off of Malakey and he paused his reading of the comic he held in front of him to make fun of the man's obvious comment.

“Shuddup!” The Philadelphian shot at the redhead before continuing, “The point is, it don’t matter where we go.” Birdie reclaimed her cigarette while Bill was distracted, mid sentence, “Once we get into combat, the only person you can trust is yourself, and the fella next to you.”

Bernadette cleared her throat, raising her eyebrow at her talkative friend as if to tell him to rethink his words. Bill rolled his eyes and added, “Or lady next to ya. Happy?” She nodded, that would suffice.

“Hey, as long as he’s- uh… they’re a paratrooper.” Toye added from his place by their boots, trying to avoid a glare from the Mississippi woman. 

“Oh yeah?” Luz exclaimed from the opposite side of the aisle, “And what if that paratrooper turns out to be Sobel?” He was climbing up to his bunk on the top most rack, George hoisted himself up and past Christenson, who added his two cents to the discussion, 

“If I'm next to Sobel in combat, I'm moving on down the line. Hook up with some other officer, like Heyliger or Winters.” Pat had a special hatred for the CO after he was made to march twenty-four miles, full pack and in the dark, half of it completely alone; all on Sobel’s orders. 

“I like Winters. He’s a good man.” Bill began speaking once more. It was then that Birdie noticed Skip leaning over his hammock above her and poking his head down so she and Malarkey could see him. Malarkey eyed up the cigarette he had in his hand and silently asked Muck for a puff, she shook her head and giggled at the two. 

“But when the bullets start flying, I don't know if I want a Quaker doing my fighting for me.” Guarnere thieved Birdie’s nearly finished smoke yet again, she responded with an outraged, “Hey!” but he ignored her, pushing himself up and jumping down to the ground. Bernadette shuffled over into the empty space Guarnere had left.

“How do you know he’s a Quaker?” Skip asked, flipping down into Birdie’s, now vacant, cot and giving her an unlit cigarette to make up for the blatant robbery he had witnessed. 

“He ain’t Catholic.” Bill shrugged, snubbing out the butt of his pilfered tobacco stick on the floor with his boot. 

“Neither is Sobel.” Don called, passing his comic to Skip who immediately started flicking through the pages with interest.  

“That pricks a Son of Abraham.” 

“He’s what?” Liebgott, who sat across from where Bill now stood, had perked up at the term he used. He was happy to listen in to the conversation, it kept his mind occupied but when the expression was used like a slur he had to say something. 

“He’s a Jew.” Bill clarified, assuming Lieb just hadn't heard the phrase before.

“Oh fuck…” Liebgott muttered under his breath, he laughed but not because anything humorous had been said. He threw the cigarette butt he was fiddling with down before shuffling off his bunk and jumping. He landed with a thud and stepped over to Guarnere so they were face to face. Joe looked down at the man, chest puffed, “I’m a Jew.” 

Several men (and Birdie) sat up or shuffled closer to the two hot heads, anticipating a fight to break out.  

“Congratulations.” Pronounced bitingly, not actually intended to congratulate, “Get your nose outta my face.” Bill pushed Lieb’s chest, forcing him backwards. 

Birdie stared, she knew Lieb was going to swing, she could see him planning it out in his mind. She noticed his curled fist and knew an attack was imminent, before she could do anything, Lieb took a jab. His target blocked him and they grabbed onto each other attempting to… Birdie didn’t know what. Strangle each other? Hug? Who knew?

Multiple men also grabbed into the pair but no one could break them apart. Birdie scoffed and jumped down, she shoved people out of her way and when she got close enough to see her friends through the growing crowd, she yelled. It was the loudest her voice had ever gone; a screech, if you will.

“That’s enough!” Her words froze the horde of angry sweaty men. Bill and Joe still held onto each other, fists grabbed onto handfuls of shirt but now their focus was on the girl. She huffed and pushed surrounding men away from the idiots who began the kerfuffle until she reached them. Everyone else watched on, curious to see angry Birdie in action. 

Bernadette yanked them apart, fuming. She turned to Guarnere first, her eyebrows were furrowed and her teeth clenched.

“You!” She pointed to him, glaring, “Keep that prejudice bullshit to yourself! No one wants to hear your stupid ass opinions! What the fuck is your problem?” Bill shrunk back, he had never seen Birdie this angry before and he didn't care to see it again. The woman whipped around to face Joe, he was smiling at her rude comments aimed at the man he wanted to punch. His joy in the situation only pissed her off more, if that were even possible.

“You think this is funny, huh?” She hissed at him, Joe’s smile dropped. 

“Not everything is a personal attack so calm the fuck down. Why do you think punching him is the solution to everything?” The question was rhetorical so Joe only looked down to the floor, avoiding eye contact with the scary southerner. She was absolutely at her wits end and just had to get out of there. 

“It’s like a fuckin’ pissin’ contest in here, Jesus!” Birdie growled as she turned and stomped off to get some fresh air on the deck of the overcrowded ship. 

A/N: ooooo she's mad...

~ next-autopsy ~

Chapter twenty two

[sillyname30]

Darren Criss returns to Broadway alongside newcomer Helen J Shen in the futurist new musical Maybe Happy Ending, and PEOPLE has a first look at the pair in action.

The two actors — he an Emmy winner for his role in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, and she/they making her Broadway debut in the production — lead the four-person show that takes place on the outskirts of Seoul in 2060 and follows two humanoid-looking Helperbot robots near the end of their warranty who make a powerful new connection with one another after they're abandoned after their owners and traded in for newer models.

On paper, it's an offbeat concept for a story, but a romantic one that surprisingly shows the humanity in the small things that make any life worth living.

The internationally acclaimed duo of Will Aronson and Hue Park created the magical musical, penning its music (Aronson), lyrics (Park) and book (both Aronson and Park). Their work is also a technical marvel to watch, thanks to a stunning visual design developed by Tony Award nominee Dane Laffrey.

Direction comes from Tony Award winner and visionary artist Michael Arden (Parade, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Once on this Island), who is one of the industry's biggest talents and most sought-after directors.

In fact, it was Arden that drove Criss to the show, the actor told PEOPLE last month at his theatre-themed music festival ElseFest.

"He's been a longtime friend, and if you stick around long enough, you see your friends do cool things and you wonder, 'Oh, I hope one day I get to work with them.' And then that day finally came and he called me and here we are now," Criss said. "and I'm truly beside myself with gratitude and excitement. And I know that's a cliché thing for artists to say when they're promoting something, but I don't know any other way to express that. There's something special here and I can't believe I get to be a part of it."

Criss isn't just a part of it; he's also in a role he's never been in before: a veteran of the boards, leading Shen through her first show. The Glee breakout was made his debut on Broadway in 2012 as a replacement in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and has since starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2015) and American Buffalo (2022).

"This is now my fourth Broadway show — which I can't believe I'm saying that, this is crazy. But Father Time is undefeated in the ring and he continues to throw his punches, so I am now in the senior position here. And that is one of the new experiences for me," he says.

"The great thing about youth is that it's always going to be there to remind you what is exciting about the next thing," Criss continues. "So it's a joy for me to be able to be present for Helen and the other members of our company as they make their ascents. It's a big moment; it can power cities, that excitement and that raw energy, and it's an exciting and invigorating thing to be around. So on top of the show being something that we genuinely love and are excited to be a part of it, it's this sort of unbelievably delightful cocktail that I'm just going to guzzle every day until it's time to go."

Preview performances for Maybe Happy Ending began on Oct. 16 at the Belasco Theatre in New York City. An opening date is officially scheduled for Nov. 12.

A Korean-language version was first performed at the DaeMyung Culture Factory in Seoul South Korea in 2016. That production subsequently won six Korean Musical Awards including best musical. It's been revived in Korea multiple times since, and has also been performed in Japan and China.

Arden directed the English-language, American premiere of the show at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia in 2020. It won the 2017 Richard Rodgers Production Award.

In addition to Criss and Shen, Maybe Happy Ending stars Dez Duron (NBC’s The Voice) and Marcus Choi (Wicked, Flower Drum Song).

Rounding out the production as understudies are Steven Huynh (Blue Bloods), Hannah Kevitt (Back to the Future: The Musical), Daniel May (Flower Drum Song) and Christopher James Tamayo (Les Miserables).

[servants-hall]

Contains a slightly different ACGAS 4x01 synopsis:

All Creatures Great and Small (Thursday 05/10/23, Channel 5, 9pm)

Words by Scheenagh Harrington

A well-known online encyclopaedia describes the literary version of Siegfried Farnon as “outspoken, opinionated, bossy, quick to lose his temper, and also quick to blow over”.

As lovers of this drama know all too well, he is based on Donald Sinclair, the Yorkshire vet who was immortalised by partner Alf Wight in the James Herriott stories.

Viewers of a certain age will forever associate the role of Siegfried with the incomparable Robert Hardy, who brought the character so vividly to life in the 1978 television series.

What is less well known is that Sinclair wasn’t especially keen on Hardy’s portrayal of him, despite the fact the thespian based his performance on Sinclair’s “eccentricities”.

Luckily, it didn’t prevent the pair from later becoming firm friends, with Hardy remarking he wished he had got to know Sinclair sooner. “It would have helped me to perfect a much more interesting character,” he mused.

Fast-forward to 2020 and it’s Samuel West who takes on the role of the curmudgeonly vet for the series reboot.

He described his alter-ego as “a man of honour”, and believed Siegfried had evolved over the series to become a “deeper and more serious” character. However, the actor said he wanted to retain the sense of him being a bit of a “loose cannon, because that’s fun to play.”

For the uninitiated, Samuel’s mum and dad are veteran stars Prunella Scales and Timothy West, while his grandfather was actor Lockwood West.

Samuel’s CV reads like every wannabe thespian’s dream, working in theatre, film, television and radio. His dulcet tones have enhanced countless documentaries, but he has also appeared as a reciter with orchestras, even performing at the 2002 Last Night of the Proms.

Born in 1966, he first appeared on the TV in the 1975 drama series Edward the Seventh, and made his London stage debut in 1989 at the Orange Tree Theatre, playing Michael in Cocteau’s Les Parents Terribles, and got rave reviews.

Thirteen years later came his stage directorial debut with The Lady’s Not for Burning at the Minerva Theatre, before his radio directing debut with a 2011 production of Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s Money on BBC Radio 3.

Samuel has racked up countless appearances on the small and big screen, and one thing connects them all: no matter how big or small they are, they are always great.

He’s the ideal choice then, for Siegfried, who we find trying to hold Skeldale House together singlehandedly, as the curtain goes up on series four of this evergreen drama.

It is spring 1940 and change is on the horizon for everyone. Without Tristan, Skeldale House is busier than ever. The war hasn’t come to much, prompting James and Helen to dream about the future, hoping that he won’t be called up.

Meanwhile, a chance encounter leaves the vet worrying if a dog is being mistreated. True to form, James wants to ‘put the animal first’ regardless of the consequences.

At the same time, Siegfried finds himself repeatedly called out by experienced farmer Clifford Slavens and has to learn that everyone needs a bit of support during hard times. So, when Mrs Hall takes a leap of faith, he’s on hand to do so.

The cast also includes Nicholas Ralph, Rachel Shenton and Anna Madeley.

[rookie-critic]

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023, dir. Chad Stahelski) - review by Rookie-Critic

I love the original John Wick film. The mixture of high-octane action and the mystery of this secret underworld of assassins was just a winning formula, and Keanu Reeves was the perfect man to step into the shoes of the titular role. Also, the story of "man who used to be a badass returns to old ways after being wronged" hadn't been done to death yet. It felt very fresh and new. There was a relatable nature to the way Reeves played Wick; an empathy for the loss of his wife and death of his dog, Daisy (even if it was more about what the dog represented than the dog herself), that the second and third installments in the franchise just couldn't replicate. That's not to say that Chapter 2 and Parabellum are bad, they're still incredibly fun and amazingly choreographed action films, but that's really all they are. The wife and the dog from the original film are but mere excuses to fuel Wick into further turmoil within this world that, while a specter of Wick's old life in the first film, is now on full display here. Again, I'm not saying that as a criticism, I love this world and like getting to see more of it, the point I'm getting at more is just that, as the John Wick films dialed up the non-stop nature of the action, they started to sacrifice the story and what made the original something a little more than just a "zany action movie."

Chapter 4, however, does not have this problem. It somehow manages to find a wonderful balance of the breathtaking and edge-of-your-seat action that made the second and third films fun, and the empathetic, character-driven nature of the first film, and they accomplish this through the inclusion of a single new character: Caine, a Zatoichi-esque blind swordsman played with as much heart as physically possible by veteran martial arts actor Donnie Yen. Caine, who is a friend of Wick's from his days before getting out that has now been tasked with hunting him down, brings an element to Chapter 4 that 2 & 3 didn't have; a way to remind the audience that Wick, as a character, is more than just a mindless killing machine, and that his wife Helen didn't make him a kind person, she just made him want to accentuate that part of his personality that was always there. Sure, we've had characters in the franchise that could be considered Wick's friends from before, such as Winston and Charon, but as good of friends as Winston and Wick are, Winston still exists as an authority figure in this world, even if he is just middle management. The existence of a character like Caine gives us another fully fleshed out character in this world that's just as much a pawn of the system as Wick was (and is), and it brings the whole franchise back down from mindless action land to place where, while there is still plenty of mindless action, we have something to connect with on the screen, and due to the nature of the relationship of these characters as they fit into this story, we as the audience are conflicted: should the hunter win, or should we root for the guy we've been rooting for for three movies now? I'll also add that of the four John Wick films, this new one has the best fight choreography, hands down. It's honestly some of the best fighting/stunt choreography I've ever seen in a modern action film. This is a mammoth of a movie, at just 11 minutes shy of three hours. Most of that runtime is focused on the action, and there was only one fight sequence in the entire film where I felt bored. I don't keep a great sleep schedule, and most times I do fight to stay awake in the theater. That was never a problem during John Wick: Chapter 4. The story, the action, the characters, the world, it all gels and works in a way that only the first film really did for me.

I so badly want to give this a 10/10, you have no idea how badly I want to give this a 10/10. However, that sequence I mentioned where I did feel bored was very long, or at least it felt that way, and I feel they could have used that 15-ish minutes to develop a character, who goes by Nobody in the film, that never really got the development I feel he should have. He travels with his emotional support dog and they work together (something I wish John Wick himself had done in Chapters 2, 3, and 4), which gives him a way to relate to Wick, but that's never really explored outside of a moment towards the end of the film. That development really needed a bit more backing for the aforementioned moment to have the impact I feel like the film makers wanted it to, and he was the one character in the film that felt like a remnant of the way things had been done in 2 & 3. That aside, John Wick's fourth outing was phenomenal and, regardless of its runtime, is a film I believe needs to be witnessed on the biggest screen possible. So, if you can, make the time to go see this in the theater, it's a roller coaster ride you won't regret taking the time for.

Score: 9/10

Currently only in theaters.

[lboogie1906]

Delroy George Lindo (November 18, 1952) is an actor. He is the recipient of such accolades as an NAACP Image Award, a Satellite Award, and nominations for a Drama Desk Award, a Helen Hayes Award, a Tony Award, two Critics’ Choice Television Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

He was born in Lewisham, south-east London, the son of Jamaican parents. His mother had immigrated to the UK in 1951 from Jamaica to work as a nurse, and his father worked in various jobs. He grew up in nearby Eltham and attended Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys. He became interested in acting as a child when he appeared in a nativity play at school. As a teenager, he and his mother moved to Toronto. When he was 16, they moved to San Francisco. He began his studies in acting at the American Conservatory Theater.

He has played prominent roles in Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Clockers, and Da 5 Bloods; he received universal acclaim for his performance in Da 5 Bloods as a Vietnam War veteran, winning the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor and the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor. Other movies: Get Shorty, The Cider House Rules, and Gone in 60 Seconds. He starred in The Chicago Code, Believe, and The Good Fight.

His film debut came in 1976 in Find the Lady, followed by More American Graffiti.

He stopped his film career for 10 years to concentrate on theatre acting. He debuted on Broadway in “Master Harold”...and the Boys. He had earned a Tony nomination for Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.

Other films in which he has starring roles are Ransom and Soul of the Game.

He co-starred in Glory & Honor. He received a Satellite Award for best actor. He has continued to work in television and was seen Kidnapped.

He had a small role in the Congo. He starred in A Life Less Ordinary.

He has an honorary doctorate in Arts and Humanities from Virginia Union University and earned an MFA from NYU’s Gallatin School. He married Nashormeh Lindo (1990). #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[droughtofapathy]

"Welcome to the Theatre": Diary of a Broadway Baby

Appropriate

January 13, 2024 | Broadway | Helen Hayes Theatre | Matinee | Play | Original | 2H 30M

This is the second time I have seen this show on Broadway. Last month, the full main cast was in, but today was something unique. Sarah Paulson and Elle Fanning were both down for the count, so understudies took over. Paulson's understudy had just joined the company on Tuesday and had not been rehearsed, so she was doing her damned best with the script in hand. And I am going to gleefully commit Lesbian Blasphemy here, but I did not like Sarah Paulson (or Elle Fanning, for that matter) in this show at all. It's always a crapshoot when screen actors perform on stage, and in their case it wasn't impressive. But the understudy is a stage veteran and my goodness, she was incredible for what she was working with. With her at the helm, I was able to enjoy and understand the worth of this play far more. That being said, it's still not my favorite. It was clearer what the playwright was going for, but still structurally awkward.

Verdict: Enjoyable, but left no lasting impression.

A Note on Ratings

[onenettvchannel]

#OnlyOnOneNETnews: Baron Geisler to be Guest Judge in all short filmmakers of Negros Oriental at the SineMaDaCig Film Festival 2023

DUMAGUETE, NEGROS ORIENTAL -- The City of Gentle People is set to showcase their talents of local filmmakers in Negros Oriental with the upcoming SineMaDaCig Film Festival late Thursday afternoon at 5pm on May 11th, 2023 (Dumaguete local time) at the Silliman University Luce Auditorium in Hibbard Avenue, Dumaguete City, the said province.

The festival will present films produced by aspiring filmmakers from Metro Dumaguete College such as 'Luyo sa Pagbakho', 'Asin', 'Bidlisiw', 'Helen', 'Lapis', 'Ma, Balik Na', 'Sugal' and 'Ugma Damlag'.

Adding to the excitement, Baron Frederick von Geisler, a veteran actor from Angeles, Pampanga was confirmed as a guest judge at the event. Geisler is known for his roles in film and television (with the likes of 'Jologs: The Movie' and 'Ang Probinsyano' on DWWX-TV 2's Kapamilya Channel: Manila), and was also being praised for his contributions to the Philippine television and cinema industry.

Interestingly, Metro Dumaguete College (MDC) has a special connection aside for Geisler. The school itself, located in Negros Oriental is known for its academic programs and support for local artists and filmmakers. Geisler, who struggled with addiction early in his own career, visited the university to share his personal experiences and insights into sobriety.

Tickets for the aforesaid short film festival starts at PHP200 (roughly U$D3.60) and are open to all local students of MDC. The event is intended to encourage the growth and development of the local film industry in Negros Oriental and provide a platform for emerging filmmakers to showcase their talents.

The public is invited to support and testify to their creativity of these upcoming filmmakers of Negros Oriental.

PHOTO COURTESY: Metro Dumaguete College via FB PHOTO BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

SOURCE: *https://www.facebook.com/100063950323593/posts/637244198417252 [Referenced FB PHOTO #1 via MDC] *https://www.facebook.com/100063950323593/videos/940347213881235 [Referenced FB VIDEO via MDC] *https://www.facebook.com/100063950323593/posts/641493227992349 [Referenced FB PHOTO #2 via MDC] *https://www.facebook.com/100063950323593/posts/639742494834089 [Referenced FB PHOTO #3 via MDC] *https://www.facebook.com/100063950323593/posts/641560141318991 [Referenced FB PHOTO #4f via MDC] *https://www.facebook.com/100007689547835/posts/3470171313249153 [Referenced FB PHOTO via Margie Solas Calimpong] *https://www.facebook.com/100000120144103/posts/9841635242517049 [Referenced FB PHOTO via Ken Dequito] *https://su.edu.ph/academics/culture-and-arts-council/#1505362176888-7620f79d-92f9 [Referenced Biography via Silliman University] *https://mdci.edu.ph/about/ [Referenced Biography via MDC] and *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Geisler

-- OneNETnews Team

[sageglobalresponse]

Nigerian celebrities who received honorary degrees in 2022

2022 brought showers of national and international academic honours for Nigeria’s famous personalities.

From entertainers, to politicians, and religious heads, several public figures received honorary and actual degrees from national and international universities.

Here is a list of famous Nigerians who earned academic recognitions in 2022:

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Inarguably one of the most academically decorated persons in Nigeria, Adichie opened the floor for the showers of honours this year after she earned her 16th honorary doctorate degree from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium in April.

The comedian and was also appointed as the Head of Department of Arts, Music and Entertainment at the varsity.

The success was a family affair as Helen’s husband, Femi Bamisile, was also awarded a Doctorate degree in Law, by the same University.

Peter Okoye

Peter, one half of Nigerian music duo, Psquare, bagged an honorary doctorate from the Escae-Benin University, Benin Republic in June.

Announcing the news via his Instagram page, he wrote, “Dear Team P! It’s a great honor to be decorated by a distinguished educational institution, Who have recognized my contribution to Dance and Music as well as my support for the youth in the entertainment industry.”

IK Ogbonna

Ikechukwu Mitchel Ogbonna was another Nigerian celebrity awarded an honorary degree in June 2022.

Institut Superieur De Technologies Et De Management, Togo, awarded Ogbonna a Doctorate (Honorary) Degree of Arts in leadership and Development.

Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, added another feather to his already colourful academic cap in 2022.

The prolific writer bagged an honorary degree from the reputable University of Cambridge, UK, in June.

One of the most prestigious honours in the world, the Cambridge varsity honorary degree is bestowed upon people “who have made outstanding achievements in their respective fields,” the varsity’s official site noted.

The Adeboyes

The founder of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and his wife, Pastor Foluke, both bagged doctorate degrees this year.

In July, Pastor Foluke was conferred a honorary doctorate degree in Education by the Benson Idahosa University Edo.

Likewise, Pastor Adeboye himself received an honorary doctorate degree from the Oral Roberts University, USA in December.

In total, Pastor Adeboye boasts of 8 honorary degrees from different universities in the world.

Tiwa Savage

“Some call me Queen, but it’s Dr Tiwa Savage from now on,” an excited Tiwa said as she gave her acceptance speech during the University of Kent graduation ceremony which held in July.

While the mother-of-one had a rough 2021, 2022 was definitely her year of bouncing back, better and stronger.

Coupled with multiple brand deals and hit features, the songstress bagged an honorary doctorate degree from her alma mater, the University of Kent, UK.

Dubbing her the “Queen of Afrobeats” the University hailed Savage for “her inspirational and international career in music.”

Mishael Maro

Nigerian film director and producer, Mishael Maro, was conferred an Honorary Fellowship of the James Currey Society at the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford in July.

Maro currently serves as an Academic Visitor at the African Studies Centre, University of Oxford, for the 2022-2023 Academic year

The Fellowship is named in honour of British publisher, James Currey and his contributions to African scholarship and literature.

Ireti Doyle

Wedding Party actress, Ireti Doyle was not left out in the 2022 academic honours galore.

The veteran thespian was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree by the Institut Superieur de Communication et de Gestion University in Benin Republic.

The actress confessed that while she had a “healthy expectation of receiving accolades” she did not envision an academic honour.

Bob Manuel Udokwu

Former Guinness Ultimate Search games master, Bob Manuel, was another Nigerian actor conferred an honorary doctorate degree by the Institut Superieur de Communication et de Gestion University in August.

Ireti Doyle also broke the news and shared their pictures from the ceremony on her Instagram page.

Both veteran actors incidentally both featured in the movie, Living in Bondage, which clocked 30 years on the day they were both conferred the award.

Queen Silekunola Naomi Ogunwusi

Queen Silekunola, estranged wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi was also decorated with academic honours this year.

In September, the Queen was conferred an honorary doctorate by the Myles Leadership University, Benin Republic.

Rejoicing via her Instagram page, the prophetess wrote, “While you walk through this world, please work hard. The heat will come but the honours will soon follow.”

Kaffy

Popular dancer, Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau, also known as Kaffy, was also honoured with a doctorate degree from Myles Leadership University in September.

The 2022 honour is her second, as she earlier bagged a doctorate degree from Escae Benin University, Benin Republic, in 2020.

Adesua Etomi-Wellington

The multi-award winning Nollywood actress not only bags awards for her performances on stage, she was also given a nod in the academic world this year.

In September, Wellington was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by her alma mater, the University of Wolverhampton.

In a statement by the UK varsity, Etomi was lauded for her “phenomenal contribution to arts and culture”.

Obi Cubana

Nigerian businessman and socialite, Obinna Iyiegbu was among the several celebrities conferred with honorary degrees this year.

The club owner bagged a honorary Doctor of Business Administration from the Enugu State University in November.

Celebrating the win, Cubana wrote on his Instagram page, “He wrote, “Ladies and Gentlemen. You may wish to address me henceforth as Dr. Obinna Iyiegbu Okpataozueora 1! (Dr. Of Business Administration).”

Sunday Igboho

In November, Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeymo alias Igboho was also conferred with academic honours.

Igboho was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Triune Biblical University in Brooklyn, New York, the United States of America.

Governors

Governors of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; and Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, all received honorary doctorate degrees from Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State in December.

The news was shared by the Governor of Lagos State, Sanwo-Olu, where he congratulated his colleagues for the achievement.

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss Says Maybe Happy Ending Is a ‘Phantom-Level’ Spectacle

If you'd asked Darren Criss years ago what his dream stage role was, “Hedwig was it,” says the Golden Globe winner. Well, Criss did perform the title role in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway in 2015. So in the decade since, what is his new dream? Answers Criss: “If I'm being really honest, it's being able to originate something that hasn't been done on Broadway yet.” So, you can say his newest Broadway project, the new musical Maybe Happy Ending, is another check off the bucket list.

When speaking to Criss about this show in July, he hadn’t yet started rehearsals. But he spoke about the musical with a palpable excitement—after all, it is the first original musical he’s done since his days with the musical theatre company he co-founded, Team Starkid. In recent years, the Emmy winner (who rose to mainstream fame after starring in Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story) has done mostly revivals on the stage, such as Little Shop of Horrors and American Buffalo.

----------

But to Criss, the particular pleasure of doing something like Maybe Happy Ending is the opportunity to utterly surprise the audience. “​​Being part of something this original is always a bit of an exponential curve,” admits Criss. “It's always a tough climb at the beginning, because people might not have an instant familiarity with it. But I think that it pays its dividends real soon, once they see what they're in for.”

For Shen, though Maybe Happy Ending follows robots, it touches on deeply human questions—both Helperbots are nearing the end of their lifespan and so they must decide if they want to take that emotional leap to make a connection, even if it means they might lose each other. “It feels like there's a ticking clock at the end of it,” she says. “And so, they're a little bit forced to live life to the fullest while they have this opportunity to do so.”

It’s not just the show that’s new. This is Shen’s Broadway debut. While Criss has over 15 years worth of experience under his belt, Shen is a relative newcomer. She was born and raised in New Jersey; her parents immigrated from Shanghai to America. They both play the violin, passing down their musical aptitude to their daughter, who grew up playing piano. She graduated from the University of Michigan (Criss’ alma mater) in 2022. Though she is still green, Shen’s credits are impressive: This year alone, she starred in the Off-Broadway musicals The Lonely Few and Teeth—both of which were favorably received. “I suppose, in a way, it feels like arriving,” Shen says with hesitancy, as if she doesn’t want to spoil this lucky year. “I think it's a cautious arrival. It's so wonderful and such a blessing and gift to be working with this particular team.”

Criss met Shen during her final callback for the show, which was a chemistry read with Criss where they sang a song together (though years earlier, Shen had attended a master class Criss held at the University of Michigan). More recently, the two have quickly bonded over being trained musicians who eventually became actors (Criss plays guitar, violin, and a bevy of other instruments). 

When it’s pointed out that he’s now effectively a Broadway veteran, Criss exclaims (to the giggling Shen), “I cannot fucking believe it. That sounds so twisted, like so Twilight Zone. To me, I've always been the youngest, like, I was always the kid.” But then, he brings it back to his co-star, which he does multiple times during the interview saying, “She'll kick so much fucking ass. That's one of my favorite parts about being in this, I get to forever now be part of the inevitable rise of a young star.”

It’s not just talk. Criss recently had Shen perform multiple songs at his music festival Elsie Fest. When asked what they’re excited for in Maybe Happy Ending, Shen’s answer was getting to sing the score. “The uniqueness of the sonic world—the music is so ethereal, and it's so gorgeous,” she enthuses. “The music feels so beautifully understated, but also, it's orchestral and sweeping. And not to mention, the people who are already attached to the project are people that I look up to in my own career so much.”

There is the assumption that because the show has a chamber musical sound, and it has four cast members, that it’s a small show. Think again, teases Criss: “It's four people, and the story is a ‘smaller’ story, but it has really, really big ideas.” So much so that in July, Maybe Happy Ending announced it would be delaying the start of previews by a month, citing supply chain issues that prevented crucial components of the set from getting to the theatre in time.

Though, Criss admits, “it sounds like we're covering up some nefarious reason.”

Laughs Shen: “We had to clear our beef.”

“Yeah, our beef,” smiles Criss. “Supply chain delay sounds like, kind of made up, but it's literally that.” Though he can’t say much more about what this intricate set design entails, other than it will utilize “cutting edge technology” to match its robot protagonists. As he excitedly puts it: “We're talking [Phantom of the Opera] level of production. This is a spectacle…I can categorically say that this will be something that you have never seen the likes of before on a Broadway stage.”

[reportwire]

‘1923’ Trailer: Harrison Ford And Helen Mirren Start A War

‘1923’ Trailer: Harrison Ford And Helen Mirren Start A War

By Philiana Ng‍, ETOnline.com. Published: 6 hours ago Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren are starting a war in the official trailer for “1923″. The veteran actors star in the anticipated Paramount+ series, the latest installment in the popular “Yellowstone” franchise, and the 90-second trailer — which debuted during Sunday’s episode of the hit drama — has them defending their ground. The tense…

[next-autopsy]

A/N: Well, hi there! It's ya girl back with more! This chapter's a bit dark but like its for the plot so....

Based on the actors portrayal/hbo show and written with no disrespect to the real life veterans. Also all images found on Pinterest.

TW: Swearing, threatening, verbal assault, (lmk if i need to add something here!)

Made of Glass

Chapter seven: Smooth

Latrine duty was worse than it sounded but at least she wasn't alone. Five men were on their knees next to her.

George Luz and Donald Malarkey were the only guys cleaning latrines that she was previously friendly with. Birdie had officially introduced herself to Tipper and Shifty while scrubbing toilets. She'd tried not to think about it too much when she shook their hands, grimacing.

And lastly, tormenting her in the lavatories was Joseph Liebgott.

She had only ever butted heads with him and it didn't look like it was going to stop any time soon. He rolled his eyes when she spoke and she made faces at him when his back was turned.

George caught her sticking her tongue out at the behind Liebgott's head once and burst into uncontrollable laughter. Which had caused her to giggle and caught the man's attention, he scoffed at the pair who were apparently laughing at nothing.

“You're doing it wrong.” Liebgott told the woman in the stall next to him. Birdie audibly sighed,

“By all means; do it for me, then.” She invited but instead of taking over her task, he decided to fling an underhanded comment her way.

“Aren't women supposed to be good at cleaning?”

“Yeah? Well that's why I'm here and not a ‘good little housewife’ for some sorry fool.” Birdie was starting to reach her limit of face time with Liebgott. She brushed off everything he said with her own witty reply but she could only take so much of his attitude before she began souring, he was actually starting to piss her off.

“The man who marries you would be a fool.” Joe mumbled loud enough for her to hear. Birdie was about to retort when another voice interrupted.

“Children, children, please! Enough with the bickering, just kiss already!” It was George who tried to break up the endless insults between them, although his tone was full of delight. He attempted to keep the mood up but he was enjoying their spiteful remarks a little too much.

“Good thing I’m kneeling over a toilet, cause I just threw up a bit.” Bernadette fake gagged to emphasise her point.

“Oh yeah? Well you-“ Liebgott began but the Liebgott-Birdie banter was cut off once again.

“Oh my God! I can’t take it anymore!" Malarkey called out.

“These two are going drive us all insane!” Tipper added earning chuckles from the group excluding Birdie and Liebgott who glowered at each other and returned to their work.

Maybe ignoring one another was the best course of action.

——————————

Sparkling lavatories meant the six cleaners were released, permitted to spend the rest of the Saturday afternoon as they pleased.

Bernadette had dashed for the showers, making an effort to rid her body and hair of the lingering smell; a sickly mixture of sweat, cleaning products and an outhouse.

She let her damp hair hang down her back, allowing it to air dry on her way to her barracks. Birdie had decided to spend her time off replying to the multitude of letters she had begun receiving from her hometown. The latest letter accrued that very morning was from her oldest sister, Helen and she was itching to read it.

Her mind was off in the clouds, wondering what her relations were up to and what news might be waiting for her. Birdie's legs automatically took the route to her sleeping quarters, now known off by heart. She rounded the corner, still a few minutes away from her destination and noticed a group of uniformed men circled around and passing smokes between them.

Birdie gave them a brief smile and no second thought, aiming to cruise past them. It seemed as though they had other plans in mind.

“Well hello, beautiful.” The tallest man of the group smiled and the three men with him chuckled along as if he was a comedian. Whatever joke he was telling did not fill Birdie with joy. She slowed her pace and swallowed the salvia forming in her mouth, suddenly anxious to return to the women's building.

“Afternoon.” She spoke curtly, stepping around them only to be stopped when he moved in her path.

“Now, where do you think you're going, huh? We just want to talk.” His grin made Birdie jittery, she looked around hoping someone she knew would walk by, she'd even found herself wishing to see her CO so that he would send her up Currahee, far away from these strangers.

She heard a shuffle of feet behind her and kicked herself when she realised two of the guys had split off and come up at her rear.

The four men stepped to her, until they were close enough that she could feel the exhaled puff of their cigarettes on her from all angles.

Birdie tried her best to glare at them, the tallest man in particular. He raised his hand toward her and gently brushed his fingers against her cheek, cooing a: 'Come on now, girly.'

The second his skin touched hers a nauseating feeling churned in her stomach, she slapped his outstretched hand away and growled aggressively, “Don't touch me!”

This only caused the men around her to laugh at her and spurred two others to reach out at her, skimming her arm or toying with her hair. The southern girls heart pounded, she began imagining the most efficient way to smack him up side the head and which direction to sprint in.

“Don't be a fuckin' tease.” One hissed into her ear, she flinched away from his voice and curled her fist up, ready to punch her way out of the men encircling her like a pack of lions hunting down their prey.

“The fuck?” A familiar voice vocalised from the direction she had come from. She could have cried out in relief when three Easy company men came into her view.

Tipper, her newly formed acquaintance, stood by Liebgott and a man she was yet to converse with, labelled Grant.

The trio advanced aggressively towards the surrounded lady, causing three of the men to stumble backwards away from the brunette lady.

The leader of their gang pressed himself closer to her before her comrades reached the two and simultaneously pulled on her arm, causing her to lose her balance and lean into him. She let out a yelp at his quick action.

“This isn't over. Watch your back.” He whispered, then adding louder, “Bitch.” The offending men disappeared and Birdie was left stunned.

All three Easy guys arrived which arms reach, too late to fend off her would be attackers. They took slowed steps in her direction like they were scared of spooking her.

“You okay?” Grant asked her gently. She feet were welded to the spot they left her in and her eyes couldn't be torn away from the area she last saw them.

“Who were those guys?” Tipper wondered.

“Fuckin' assholes.” Liebgott answered, glaring in the direction they scampered off in. He turned to the clearly shaken girl, “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine....” Bernadette murmured, she was still in a state of shock, playing through the events in her mind. Why hadn't she done something sooner? Was her first instinct really to freeze up like that?

“Birdie, if they-”

“Jesus! I said I'm fuckin' fine.” The woman raised her voice, something none of the men had experience yet.

“I was just asking if-” Liebgott was cut off again by her harsh voice.

“Well stop askin'. I can take care of myself.” Her body shifted into action, finally thawing out enough to move and she stomped past them in the direction she was headed in to begin with. It was Joe's turn to huff this time. He was just trying to be nice and check on her, what was her problem?

“Yeah, it sure looked like it.” The second he said the words, he regretted them. Grant and Tipper tensed and Birdie stopped in her tracks.

“Fuck off, Liebgott.” And she was gone. Joe was left to watch her figure retreat with a pit of guilt settling in his stomach.

“Smooth.” Tipper pretended to hide his comment in a cough, which earned a stern look from his friend.

————————————

Her mail was forgotten in her footlocker for safe keeping.

Bernadette sat on her cot listening to her friends conversing. She smiled and nodded, hiding any indication that something was amiss. The last thing she wanted was the women questioning her or trying to convince her to tell someone. She would happily move on an ignore the events of the day.

“Hey.” A honey sweet voice pulled her focus from the larger group of women. The blonde girl who slept in the cot next to her had gained her attention.

“How you holding up?”

“Huh?” Had someone told her what happened? Were rumours spreading already? Birdie's breaths quickened awaiting an explanation from the sweet medic who had moved to sit on Birdie's bed with her.

“I heard about the night duty.... and the extra PT... and something about a circle?” Her brow quirked upwards, a warm smile curled into her lips.

Oh. “Oh!” She smiled back at the Dog company blonde.

“Yeah, um... my CO... he's just testing me, I suppose.” Birdie chuckled. She didn't want to speak too badly of Sobel in case things got back to him or Sergeant Evans was hiding under her bunk (she wouldn't put it passed him).

Constance asked Birdie more about adjusting to Easy and in turn told her about Dog company. The two shared a story or two about home, Connie spoke about her five sisters, they were all nurses taking after their mother.

“And then my oldest sister told him to shove off!” The pair cackled like two hens. Birdie grabbed at her stomach, her cheeks ached from laughing so hard. She had to grab onto Connie's arm to stop her from rolling off the single cot as she giggled, wiggling too close to the edge. This only caused another bout of laughter between them.

“Oh! My sister!” Birdie's laughter died down when she recalled the unopened letter and dove for her footlocker. She ripped it open and took a second to scan it. Her small smile turned into a mammoth grin the further down she read.

“Good news?” Connie inquired, curiously.

“My sister's havin' another baby!” Birdie declared, the room full of women heard her announcement and cheered, congratulating her on a second niece or nephew. That sparked the ladies to pull out family pictures and talk about their loved ones proudly.

Birdie reveled in this moment, all the women were chatting happily, forming the bond only close friends and sisters shared.

Francesca stood between the door and the butt barrel, watching and puffed away silently. The faintest hint of an amused expression found it's way onto her face. She locked eyes with Bernadette and the two shared a pleased look. Francesca gave the southerner an approving nod; she recognised Birdie as the glue pulling the group together.

Birdie winked at the woman then turned to review a photo that had been shoved in her direction.

A/N: I purposefully haven't named the shady guys in this chapter and they will stay unnamed cause why would I waste time on assholes like that? Till next time x

~ next-autopsy ~

Chapter eight

[kwebtv]

TV Guide  -  November 3 - 9, 1962

Stanley Augustus Holloway OBE (October 1, 1890 – January 30, 1982)  Actor, comedian, singer and monologist. He was famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen, especially that of Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady. He was also renowned for his comic monologues and songs, which he performed and recorded throughout most of his 70-year career.

In 1964, he appeared as Bellomy in the Hallmark Hall of Fame television production of The Fantasticks. 

Holloway played Pooh-Bah in a 1960 US television Bell Telephone Hour production of The Mikado, produced by the veteran Gilbert and Sullivan performer Martyn Green. Holloway appeared with Groucho Marx and Helen Traubel of the Metropolitan Opera.

In 1962 Holloway played the role of an English butler called Higgins in a US television sitcom called Our Man Higgins. It ran for only a season. His son Julian also appeared in the series. . He returned to the US a few more times after that to take part in The Dean Martin Show three times and The Red Skelton Show twice.  (Wikipedia)

[byneddiedingo]

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Katharine Hepburn in Morning Glory (Lowell Sherman, 1933) Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Adolphe Menjou, Mary Duncan, C. Aubrey Smith, Don Alvarado, Fred Santley, Richard Carle, Tyler Brooke, Geneva Mitchell, Helen Ware. Screenplay: Howard J. Green, based on a play by Zoe Akins. Cinematography: Bert Glennon. Art direction: Charles M. Kirk, Van Nest Polglase. Film editing: William Hamilton. Music: Max Steiner. Morning Glory earned Katharine Hepburn her first Oscar. It was only the sixth Academy Award for best actress ever given, and in some ways it was the first "modern" Oscar for acting. The initial one went to Janet Gaynor for a silent-film performance, and the subsequent ones were for Hollywood grande dames making their way out of silence, Mary Pickford and Norma Shearer; for beloved old trouper Marie Dressler; and for a Broadway diva making a temporary detour into movies, Helen Hayes. That last one shows what Hollywood was looking for, and what it found in Hepburn: actors who could talk. But unlike the diminutive and rather plain Hayes, Hepburn could hold the camera. Hollywood had never seen anything quite like her: beautiful in an imperious way, she had real presence and a unique style. That style would harden into mannerism after a few years and get her branded as "box-office poison" until she managed to turn things around again in the 1940s, with The Philadelphia Story (George Cukor, 1940) and the subsequent potent teaming with Spencer Tracy. But for the time she was praised for a tonic, refreshing hold on the screen. Morning Glory itself is not much: the familiar story of the hopeful who goes out there and comes back a star. Lowell Sherman, who directed, had just appeared in a similar fable, the ur-Star Is Born movie What Price Hollywood? (Cukor, 1932), and the pattern hardened when Ruby Keeler subbed in for Bebe Daniels in 42nd Street (Lloyd Bacon, 1933). Hepburn manages to segue convincingly from the naive chatterbox trying to muscle her way onto Broadway to the mature, toughened but still insecure character at the end, though it's a little unclear why such veterans as Adolphe Menjou's producer and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.'s playwright would be so susceptible to the pest that Eva Lovelace makes of herself at first. Also unclear is why Eva's performances of Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy and Juliet's part of the balcony scene so impress the guests at the party: Hepburn rattles them off with no attention to the meaning behind the familiar words. She seems, for example, to take the line "Wherefore art thou Romeo?" as a question about his location rather than about his name. The film is pre-Code, so one thing is clear:  that Eva and the producer have slept together after she gets soused at the party.