#also listen to tim minchin he's hilarious

[elatedrun]

i need to stop listening/watching religious critical content before work because when I'm not thinking about how the verse I just typed could have easily also been in my lesbian necromancer books, I have comic songs in my head that cuss out the pope for three minutes

[belizedeservesbetter]

In Which David Korins Stole the Whole Show

but otherwise it was disappointing disappointing disappointing 

I got to see Beetlejuice with my mother so I suppose I’ll begin with her first thought about the show, which was: 

“How come all mothers in pop culture have to die of cancer?” 

The more I think about it, the more I know she’s right. All dead moms in film, theatre, television and books (except Catelyn Stark) typically die of cancer or some other illness. I don’t know why. It’s become an “easy” trope by which I mean I feel like writers have it happen so often because it’s a simple way to give a character a sad backstory without it raising too many questions. And Beetlejuice uses it literally in the first couple of minutes. The show starts at Lydia Deetz’s mother’s funeral, where Lydia sings a brief ballad before Beetlejuice himself comes in with a “A ballad already?” kind of joke. 

I too was wondering “A ballad already?” exactly when Beetlejuice made his first appearance. I was also wondering “Beetlejuice, already?” when he pops out in literally the first five minutes when I thought he’d be the big reveal of the show. He wasn’t. 

The big reveal, then, was the amazing set. My goodness the Maitland’s house set was incredible. Both before Beetlejuice took over and afterwards, everything about that set was stunning. It was so cool and so fun and so detailed and felt like it was taken right out of a painting. The longer I stared at it the more I loved it. David Korins walked away with the whole show, which is something I’ve never said before.

The lighting and sound design was incredible too. It added so much to the show, giving it exactly the right feel. Even if the book/score/directing didn’t understand the tone of the piece, the lighting and sound did. I especially loved how the netherworld lighting drew itself on the set. 

As for the man himself, Alex Brightman is clearly having the time of his life playing Beetlejuice. His vocal cords must hate him but he sounds great and looks great and is milking the part for all its worth. He’s so fun to watch. I also think Brightman has the perfect energy for the part, which also made him perfect for School of Rock and by that I mean he has this kind of energy where he’s still a grown adult but not a creepy adult. Like he could play Dewey Finn well with the kids in that show and it doesn’t come across wrong and the same is true for this show with Beetlejuice and Lydia. Especially in Beetlejuice he could have been the wrong kind of creepy but he isn’t. 

Leslie Kritzer is an absolute gem as Delia and Miss Argentina. She’s hilarious and embodies the spirit of Catherine O’Hara without mimicking her performance. I kept wishing for more Delia scenes because she was so so good. 

That being said, Beetlejuice should’ve been a good musical. When they first announced the show was being done in DC, I was stoked! Beetlejuice seemed like the perfect movie to adapt into a musical. I thought it would’ve been weird and different and cool and fun. I thought it would be a musical that could and would take a lot of risks. 

It wasn’t! 

It’s really bland, actually. 

First of all, I can’t believe they didn’t let Tim Minchin do the score for this. He would’ve done such an amazing job! This kind of show is right up his alley! I wanted the score to be a mix of both Matilda and Groundhog Day with an extra dash of spookiness. He has that very specific voice that would’ve been perfectly suited for Beetlejuice and yet they gave it to Eddie Perfect. Eddie Perfect who, between this and the disaster that is King Kong, will never write a Broadway musical ever again. The score was so boring. Every song sounded the same. I can’t remember a single song except for “Day-O” and “Jump In the Line,” which are both songs that were in the movie/already written! I didn’t even like that “Dead Mom” song everyone kept telling me was oh so good. 

I enjoyed Act One of the show and thought it was fun, but Act Two was a complete mess.

They also somehow managed to mess up the story. The movie is about the Maitlands but they made the musical about Lydia and Beetlejuice, which is the B story in the movie. I get that everyone loves Lydia and that everyone has made the line “I myself am strange and unusual” an instagram caption/bio at some point in their life BUT she is the side character in the movie! She isn’t as fully fleshed out as Adam and Barbara because she’s a side character, so making her the main character reduces her to one single problem and like two character traits that honestly becomes super grating.

So I guess the show has a Lydia problem in that she keeps saying the same things over and over and over again and she no longer becomes interesting or strange or unusual. Also, her dad is completely right so it was hard to see him as the bad guy. They do have to keep moving forward after her mom dies and maybe a new start is a good thing and geez Lydia, it’s okay if your dad remarries! Likewise, Lydia is blaming adults for everything wrong in her life, and yet when a little girl scout comes along she tortures the little girl instead! I wasn’t sure how to root for Lydia Deetz because she made it incredibly difficult at every turn. Sophia Anne Caruso is clearly very talented and very clearly has a wonderful voice, I just wasn’t a huge fan of her Lydia. I feel like her voice is more better suited for a rock musical. She sounds like a baby Lena Hall, and I love Lena Hall, but Lena Hall is better in rock musicals than more traditional style musicals, or whatever style of musical Beetlejuice is. 

Likewise, the Maitlands, who have been reduced to supporting characters who honestly don’t really affect the story all that much in this version, are boring! Beetlejuice even tells them they’re boring to their faces. I get that’s their charm but it wasn’t fun to watch them. I felt bad for them, actually, because they’ve essentially been written out of their own story. 

But the problem with writing away the Maitlands is that the story becomes paper thin and falls apart when you give it literally any thought. Likewise, the emotional core becomes trite and predictable, because instead of the story being about a couple coming to terms with their own mortality and the family they never got to have, it’s about a girl who’s sad and a demon monster thing who is also sad but neither of them will listen to literally anyone so they’re sad cause they choose to be. Honestly, I’m not even totally sure of Beetlejuice’s motivations cause they changed so much. Likewise, he became a complete idiot in Act Two when he was pretty smart in Act One. It’s not even an interesting show about a girl dealing with the death of her mother because everything that happens with that has been done a million times before. Lydia and Beetlejuice are fun, but they’re side characters for a reason. 

The tone of the show was all over the place because they wanted to be so many things but ended up failing at all of them. They wanted to be a raunchy comedy. They wanted to be spooky. They wanted to be an Adult show. They wanted to be a fun heartwarming show for the family. The end result is a bad mix of all of them, none of which makes all that much sense. I wish they picked one and really committed to it. I would’ve appreciated the boldness. Because otherwise? This show felt so safe. I wanted something cool and new and what I got was something any writer could’ve written in their sleep. 

I think at the end of the day I’m more disappointed than anything. I really wanted this to be good. I really really wanted this to be good. At least the Hello, Dolly! references were fun.

I also really liked the snake puppet, which is truly giving a more exciting performance than the King Kong puppet could ever dream of giving. 

[fanfaremusicuk-blog]

Where does my inspiration come from?

Before I start, let me answer your first question: why might you be interested to hear where my inspiration comes from? Well, quite simply, my ‘inspirees’ might inspire you too. Here are some people who have inspired me at various stages in my life and who have helped me build my values, my passions and my dreams.

Freddie Mercury

I grew up listening to Freddie Mercury and Queen and watching Freddie perform with all that energy and charisma inspired me to want to do something musical with my life.

Freddie said: “I love the fact that I can make people happy, in any form. Even if it’s just an hour of their lives, if I can make them feel lucky or make them feel good, or bring a smile to a sour face, that to me is worthwhile.”

Tim Minchin

I love his bluntness and the way he speaks out about his beliefs. And he’s not only a good man, he shares his message in a hilarious, and sometimes musical, way.

Tim said: “We have tendency to define ourselves in opposition to stuff. But try to also express your passion for things you love. Be demonstrative and generous in your praise of those you admire. Send thank-you cards and give standing ovations. Be pro-stuff, not just anti-stuff.”

“To dream of the person you would like to be is to waste the person you are.”

Madonna

Madonna is another of my musical inspirees and I grew up listening to her music too. She’s a strong woman with courage and passion and goals, and she never lets other people’s opinions get in her way.

Madonna said: “I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams.”

“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.”

Albert Einstein

As well as music, I love science, and I love what Einstein has to say on intelligence and creativity. He was a normal guy growing up who struggled in school, but look at what he achieved in his life!

Einstein said: “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”

J K Rowling

She has imagined and shared a magical world which has brought pleasure to so many readers across the world. She did this while suffering poverty, single motherhood and having recently gone through a failed relationship. Yet, did she allow this to prevent her from achieving her goals?

J K Rowling said: “It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.”

Mma Ramotswe (yes, she’s fictional but I adore her).

The creation of genius author Alexander McCall Smith, Mma Ramotswe is a kind, fair, just and strong woman. She sometimes has traditional views but her wisdom and huge heart are an inspiration.  

Mma Ramotswe said: “We are all tempted, Mma. We are all tempted when it comes to cake.”

“Simple questions - and simple answers - were what we needed in life.”

“He will be a small man inside. He will feel small and unimportant. That is why he needs to put ladies down, Mma. Men who are big inside never feel the need to do that.”

I hope you feel inspired by these incredible individuals and I hope you share some of my passions and values. But at the end of the day, life would be boring if we were all the same!

[anaceinthecrowd]

Let’s get personal. 100 Questions!

1: 6 of the songs you listen to most?

"I'm Only Sleeping" by The Beatles

"No Exit" by Childish Gambino

"Friend" by C418

"Beauty" by Tim Minchin 

The old NBC Olympics closing credits mix by various artists

"Rey's Theme" by John Williams

2: If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

Damn! I was hoping to meet someone from another Earth. Well I guess if I have to meet someone from THIS Earth it would have to be Stephen Colbert. He seems like a super nice guy. He's also smart and hilarious.

3: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.

“him.” How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere by Larry King

4: What do you think about most?

If I'm wasting my life doing what I'm doing.

5: What does your latest text message from someone else say?

"Ask Alexa to play Valentine music. It's good and grandma will love it" from my mom.

6: Do you sleep with or without clothes on?

With

7: What's your strangest talent?

Idk if this is a talent but I have a near-encyclopedic of all things Disney World.

8: Girls... (finish the sentence); Boys... (finish the sentence)

Boys are good but some are assholes. Girls are good but some are assholes.

9: Ever had a poem or song written about you?

Idk but I don't wanna say no just in case someone did and I just forgot xD.

10: When is the last time you played the air guitar?

Today

11: Do you have any strange phobias?

I have an immense fear of missing out.

12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?

Yes

13: What's your religion?

Not religious, nor spiritual.

14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?

Going for long walks

15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

Behind

16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?

The Beatles. Almost every song they ever put out was great. They became the biggest influencers on music in the last century and they did it in just a few years. Most musicians work their whole lives to have an ounce of the influence and raw talent each of them had. Plus they had an incredible effect on culture, notably helping facilitate the change that came from youth for the first time having enough money to buy what they wanted, not what they got from older people. The youth got to decide what they wanted and they wanted the Beatles. Not just the music but their fashion, art, movies and so on. 

17: What was the last lie you told?

I've never told a lie! (He says as his nose doubles in length)

18: Do you believe in karma?

I used to.

19: What does your URL mean?

It's a pun on "a face in the crowd" which is a saying about being unknown and hidden in plain sight and I felt like this applied to my experience with being asexual. Also I typed "ace" into a pun generating website.

20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?

My greatest weakness is fast food. My greatest strength is n/a I'm weak as hell.

21: Who is your celebrity crush?

I like some famous people but I don't really have crushes on any.

22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping?

Yeah but I didn't like it.

23: How do you vent your anger?

Complaining to friends (still not sure why they put up with it)

24: Do you have a collection of anything?

Mistakes? XD   I used to collect snow globes but they started to brake and get green water so I stopped.

25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

I'm so damn lonely I'll take anything. I wish that were a joke.

26: Are you happy with the person you've become?

I hope to be one day.

27: What's a sound you hate; sound you love?

A sound I hate is the smoke detector going off when I'm cooking and a sound I love is that sound (like I think only Disney world fans will get this) when you're out in front of test track and the cars go by on the track above. 

28: What's your biggest "what if"?

What if I'm actually the villain of my story?

29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

No and yes

30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.

Right: fan. Left: laptop.

31: Smell the air. What do you smell?

Pine scented candle. I love scented candles.

32: What's the worst place you have ever been to?

My middle School. It was the border between two gang territories. We'd have gun and bomb threats every day.

33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast?

I live on the east coast but I gotta go with West coast just because I've been to more of it. 

34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?

Idk

35: To you, what is the meaning of life?

To find what you live to do and do it as much as you can.

36: Define Art.

If someone makes anything and calls it art, it's art. I think that's how it works now. 

37: Do you believe in luck?

I believe I don't have it.

38: What's the weather like right now?

Sunny and in the 80s. Way too hot for winter.

39: What time is it?

9:33pm EST

40: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?

Yes and no

41: What was the last book you read?

Steve jobs by Walter Isaacson

42: Do you like the smell of gasoline?

I shouldn't but yeah xD

43: Do you have any nicknames?

Drew

44: What was the last film you saw?

I saw Chris Rock's new stand-up special this morning. It was really good!

45: What's the worst injury you've ever had?

I ran on the top of some bleachers, tripped, and fell all the way down, breaking my collarbone along the way. 

46: Have you ever caught a butterfly?

I can't remember

47: Do you have any obsessions right now?

My most recent obsession has been with anything made by Donald Glover/Childish Gambino

48: What's your sexual orientation?

Ace. I mean... It's in the name.

49: Ever had a rumour spread about you?

Many

50: Do you believe in magic?

Depends on what you mean by "believe" and "magic". I like magicians xD

51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?

Yes

52: What is your astrological sign?

Idk and I'm sick of googling it every time I'm asked about it.

53: Do you save money or spend it?

A bit of both

54: What's the last thing you purchased?

10 piece chicken nugget meal and a vanilla Coke from Wendy's.

55: Love or lust?

Love

56: In a relationship?

No. Happy Valentine's day!

57: How many relationships have you had?

0 58: Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

No

59: Where were you yesterday?

Home Depot

60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?

A strawberry scented candle.

61: Are you wearing socks right now?

No

62: What's your favourite animal?

Cotton-Top Tamarin

63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?

The Scarab Gun from Halo 2 is a pretty good secret weapon I guess. JK just be yourself. 

64: Where is your best friend?

Oregon

65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr.

As of writing this I don't follow anyone yet so let me get back to you on that.

66: What is your heritage?

A little bit of native American but primarily white eruopean as far back in history as you can go.

67: What were you doing last night at 12AM?

Sleeping

68: What do you think is Satan's last name?

Trump

69: Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off?

I'm not answering that question.

70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?

Idk.

71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

Save the dog.

72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?

Honestly this question is so fucking depressing I'm skipping it.

73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love.

What is love without trust?

74: What's a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

(Once again only people who've been to Disney World will get it) the music at Soarin' (over California (it's just better)) 

75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?

Like I'm gonna put my phone number on here. Ha.

76: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?

For me... Having one would be just fantastic.

77: How can I win your heart?

Tell me something I Don't know. I love learning.

78: Can insanity bring on more creativity?

I'm not sure it brings on more creativity, but any change in mental state in a creative person will bring on a different kind of creativity.

79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

Picking the high school I went to.

80: What size shoes do you wear?

10.5

81: What would you want to be written on your tombstone?

I want it to be blank just to fuck with people.

82: What is your favourite word?

Actually...

83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.

Barracuda

84: What is a saying you say a lot?

Here's the thing...

85: What's the last song you listened to?

"Me and your mama" by Childish Gambino

86: Basic question; what's your favourite colour/colours?

Black, silver and light blue are a few favorites.

87: What is your current desktop picture?

Artists rendering of Epcot.

88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?

Satan Trump. #callback #comedy

89: What would be a question you'd be afraid to tell the truth on?

When my family asks me why I don't have a girlfriend yet I'm always afraid to come out and tell the truth to them... That I'm asexual and have no interest in dating anyone except another ace, and because of the rarity of aces its really difficult to find someone. I have no interest in coming out though. It wouldn't change anything.

90: One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren't really doing anything, they're just standing around your bed. What do you do?

Laugh my head off because I'm obviously being punk'd. Where's Ashton?!?

91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what's even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?

I mean the obvious superpower I now have is the ability to digest radioactive material. But if I could have any power I'd want to be able to travel through space and time.

92: You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

See now this is why that superpower would come in handy! You wouldn't have to choose! (See how I dodged that question. That's my real superpower!)

93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

Idk but if I could live my life just as it happened but without being overweight, that would be great.

94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?

If I say John Lennon will it bring him back to life? Cause if so then yes, John Lennon. Final answer.

95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

My mind says south Korea because the Olympics but my heart says to go to Oregon to see my friends.

96: Do you have any relatives in jail?

Not that I know of.

97: Have you ever thrown up in the car?

Yes

98: Ever been on a plane?

Many

99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

"Can't we all just get along?"

100. Age?

21

101. What’s a good way to spend a Valentine’s Day when you’re single, lonely and bored?

This. 

[thealpacalypse-archive]

Here’s a kinda review of JCS

(but not really it’s just me having some gay feelings)

mostly for @judasisgayriot and @buildarocketboys in case they wanna cry with me

(warning: it’s long. but it’s me, so what do you expect. considering that, it’s not even that long. and it has some pretty pictures and a video)

so I went to see this production of Jesus Christ Superstar yesterday and I kinda expected to be disappointed - being as invested in this musical as I am, I thought I was bound to be. And was I disappointed? 

The answer to this is: Jein. yes and no. I don’t know??? 

let’s start with the bad stuff and then move on to the utterly delightful stuff from there. So the music was... not good. They butchered some parts so bad they were beyond recognizable even to me who has listened to no other musical as much as this one in the past year. And part of it was definitely due to the orchestra being overchallenged by the score and the conductor doing a bad job, but i can’t tell how much it was actually their fault, because some of it was definitely the fact that the sound was mixed so horribly that everything sounded flat and some instruments became completely inaudible. Basically, it was a mess, most of the time.

And the main cast was, umm??? not really bad, actually they were all pretty good, but not really my thing?? I guess I have to blame Tim Minchin and Ben Forster for that idk. But when I think ‘Judas’ i don’t really think ‘golden boy with a ‘bad boy’ style and a smooth pop voice’ - but that was kinda what we got.

I mean look at him, he looks like a Roger in the middle of a “One Song Glory”, not like a Judas. He sounds like that, too.

(sorry, I know I’m being salty. this guy is actually really good, he just didn’t work as Judas for me)

What I have to give him though: His “I don’t know how to love him” reprise almost made me cry, and it’s not his fault that it didn’t. The thing about him was, all through the whole show, he knew exactly when to use what kind of voice, when to shout, when to make it sound like pop etc. It was all pretty decent, but it sounded kinda clinical, not very authentic. Always like he had to practice hard to make it sound exactly like that, and for an impulsive character like Judas, that just didn’t fit for me. But in the reprise, you could see that yeah, that was exactly what the singer was comfortable with, and he stopped trying to force certain sounds and it just started to flow, it became absolutely authentic, he wasn’t singing so much as feeling that scene and it immediately blew my mind - but then at the “does he love me, too”, the orchestra completely ruined it by an absolutely unnecessary, comically sounding forte. I felt so bad for that poor guy on the stage, singing his heart out just to have the mood killed by overdone synthesizer tunes. A true tragedy.

I was sceptical about the Mary and the Jesus as well. I had seen interviews before where the Jesus guy admitted to be intimidated by the high notes and the rock influences and like. A Jesus doesn’t work with a voice that’s solely trained in musical voice and not rock as well. (Except for when you’re Yngve Gasoy Romdal because then everything works for you and even God agrees that your “Gethsemane” is a religious experience.)

(trust me, watch this. and even if you don’t like it at first, keep on watching. I have not been the same ever since I first saw this.)

Okay back to the topic tho. So, this Jesus I saw last night was nothing like Yngve Gasoy Romdal, and he was nothing like any other Jesus I’d seen before. 

(the one in the flower crown. tbh that was really cute and also clever.) There was something different about his voice that I can’t quite describe, and at first I didn’t like it, but then I got used to it and I ended up being really into it. 

And Mary, holy shit, that woman was pure magic. 

Her style and the directing choices for her were dubious at times (she had to play the victim all the time, being pushed around by the Twelve, always circling back to Jesus like a lost puppy and being ripped away from him again and again, which, yeah I got the concept behind it, but it looked really silly at times and looked like she had no own character or agency whatsoever), but overall, this woman was so much better than all the choices that were made for her. I also think I wanna marry her voice. I still have goosebumps thinking about her lower notes.

The whole concept of the show worked rather well: it was modern, but not in a ridiculous “we’re going to put everyone in ‘cool’ outfits doesn’t matter if they’re uncomfortable 50 years old choir ladies” way, but in a way that actually looked authentic. It all looked a bit too clean for my taste, like, you wouldn’t really get why those people were feeling about a guy like Jesus that strongly, and why he mattered so much - there was no real emotion, there was no way the oppression became visible, or the freedom and empowerment Jesus brought them, so idk, the audience didn’t get to see at all what was at stake. But it worked, and there were a couple of good ideas, and the choreography worked well with the concept, and the lighting was really stunning.

(the last supper was hilarious tbh, and also the first moment where I really felt like yeah, I love the way this dude is portraying and singing Jesus. His “this is my blood you drink, this is my body you eat” was really intense and so well done)

But let’s get to the reason why we’re all here: the gay.

(well, i’m here for that reason at least. dunno about you folks.)

i’m totally honest, friends, I saw this promo pic and I was disappointed. because the director of this is a gay man, known for his queercoded productions, so i absolutely expected a kiss on the mouth. I later got annoyed with myself because who was I kidding, this is mainstream entertainment by now, and it’s really friggin’ rare for anyone anywhere to actually do that scene with a kiss on the mouth. Especially in high key catholic Bavaria. Whatever.

but FOLKS

I WAS FOOLED

this doesn’t look that gay, but it actually was. I mean it was not what I expected at all, but okay, let me explain - Jesus, from the beginning, was a very touchy-feely guy, with pretty much everyone, especially with his Twelve. In that sense, the way he was around Mary was actually not different from the way he acted around Peter or Simon or, yes, Judas. There was this one moment in “Strange Thing, Mystifying” that kinda broke my heart even though I can’t explain why, just because the Look Jesus gave Judas there was so full of love and sadness, damn. And then again later, you know the “neither you, Simon, nor the fifty thousand, nor the romans, nor the jews, nor Judas, nor the twelve” etc. (which is one of my favorite moments anyway because it always gets me how Jesus singles Judas out), that was the moment when I realized that wow, this looks like an acting decision. That guy is definitely determined to show that Jesus loves Judas.

It was a tragedy that there wasn’t any reaction to any of this from the guy who played Judas in any way. Until the “I don’t know how to love him” reprise that I mentioned before, you had no idea how this Judas really felt about Jesus, and even then, it wasn’t clear what kind of love he meant. I mean, that’s sort of the whole point of that show???? To show what Judas feels about Jesus and why he betrays him???? And I mean that in a completely neutral way, because yes, my choice would always be to see Judas in love with Jesus, but there are other ways to show their relationship, and from Judas here I just didn’t see anything?? 

But like I said, Jesus was completely making up for it, and so did the stage directions every now and then. Like in “Could we start again please”, where at first, it was only Mary and Peter on the stage, but then Judas came from the back and Jesus came from the auditorium and they kept on walking towards each other and looking at each other and suddenly the whole song was about them, and then my heart broke, because when they finally met, they both just kept on walking, shoulders barely brushing when they passed and that was it, everything was over, they couldn’t start again because it was too late HELP I AM HAVING MORE EMOTIONS NOW THAN I HAD DURING THE WHOLE SHOW

and then. I forgot to mention that the show began with just Judas and Jesus on the stage, looking at each other and standing still, and then during the Overture, more and more people kept on filling up the stage and kept on walking around while Judas and Jesus continued to stand perfectly still, just looking at each other, not even acknowledging anyone around them - which was a really nice picture. 

and then the finale happened, and I thought that was it, Jesus was alone on the stage, it was snowing, it looked pretty. But then it kinda rewound to that picture in the beginning where everyone was walking around and Jesus was standing still, but Judas wasn’t there. And slowly, slowly, while the music was beginning to fade out, everyone vanished except for Jesus. Only when everyone was gone, he started to move towards the front right corner of the stage, and then suddenly, there was Judas, right there, walking exactly towards Jesus, like they did in “Could We Start Again Please”. And I was waiting for them to stop, for something to happen, but they just walked past each other again and I cried AND THEN I CRIED EVEN MORE because THEY STOPPED. and turned around. And walked up to each other. And honestly they were just looking at each other, shaking hands and then leaving again, but in my head, they had a real Moment there, where they truly understood, and where they were saying everything they couldn’t say through words with their eyes, and instead of shaking hands, Judas put his hand on Jesus’s shoulder, and Jesus caressed Judas’ cheek AND I SWEAR i can see that in my head so clearly that it already feels more real than what actually happened, so just give me a few weeks and I’m going to SWEAR that’s how that moment went down.

tl;dr: i’m delusional, it was gay, could’ve been gayer, the music was disappointing, but overall I had a good experience. Now I’m going to watch the 2012 tour production and cry some more k thanks for reading byyeee

[antialiasis]

FAR TOO EARLY THOUGHTS ON GROUNDHOG DAY THE MUSICAL

Because I am, ahem, a little actually full-on obsessed with this thing right now. Damn you Tim Minchin and your delicious deliciously dark serious humour.

(Far too early because I have not seen it and have no idea what I’m talking about and am trying to judge exclusively from listening to the soundtrack a lot, ahaha clearly I am Qualified to comment on it)

So in lieu of being able to actually see the musical, I rewatched the movie the other day, and along with some repeat listens to the soundtrack, it gave me Thoughts.

The movie is a fairly straight comedy. There is an element of existential horror to the premise, but it’s pretty much entirely played for laughs. Phil accepts the bizarre situation he’s in without much fuss aside from comical confusion and annoyance. There is, yes, the suicide montage (the most memorable part of the movie by far for me, because I am me). But it’s kicked off by the absurd, hilarious sequence where Phil kidnaps the groundhog, steals a car and then dramatically drives it off a cliff. “He might be okay,” Larry comments before the car explodes, then, “Well, no, probably not now.” Definitely played for laughs, and while the following montage isn’t comical in the same way until after the end (”I really, really liked him. A lot.”), it’s too short to actually whip back from comedy to any kind of serious emotional impact.

The premise of Groundhog Day interestingly invites the viewer to consider how the people around them are also people living their own lives, whose lives might be positively or negatively impacted by one’s own actions - Phil gets to know the life story of practically everyone in Punxsutawney, and eventually his character growth comes in the form of deciding to be a positive force in the lives of all these people - at least for this one day. But it is a bit of a shame that despite this premise, the supporting characters in the movie are pretty one-note and not very fleshed out - Rita gets to be a real, developed person who reacts to Phil in organic and fairly believable ways, but characters like Ned Ryerson are just standard exaggerated comedy people, who we get to see being exaggerated comedy people in a few different variations. It’s hard to truly get a sense that Phil has come to care about these people, because the movie doesn’t make them seem like actual people, just obstacles in his path that he eventually learns his way around. (Or, if you appreciate video game analogies, they are pretty much just NPCs with little sidequests that he’s learned to speedrun). As a result, I actually find his character development less convincing than it could be - there are really good moments that strengthen it (when he realizes on the day that he’s honest with Rita about what’s happening that she’s an infinitely better person than he is, and when he tries to save the homeless man), but the actual bit with him trying to help everyone in town falls flat in comparison, becomes a mere comedy routine rather than giving a real sense that he’s changed as a person.

So, what I’ve noticed from the soundtrack of the musical version is that it takes the premise a lot more seriously than the movie ever did, which is pretty exciting. Phil’s suicidal despair is actually dwelt on a bit and gets a pretty serious song exploring his tortured mental state as he tries to kill himself repeatedly - I also gather that his first suicide attempt involves him shooting the groundhog and himself with a gun, which definitely sounds a lot less comical than the version in the movie, although I can’t confirm that myself (God I want to see this show). And the second act appears to go to pains to spotlight at least two of the supporting characters (Nancy and Ned) as real people with their own rich inner lives, not simply props in Phil’s personal universe, which I imagine probably makes it a lot more genuine and rewarding when Phil starts to truly treat them that way. I really dig that; I hope that’s what they were going for and that it’s doing more of that (although obviously they wouldn’t have time to give a spotlight to every bit character).

ANYWAY. The soundtrack. I have listened to it enough to start to really appreciate the songs. Here are my favorites, not in much of a particular order.

Hope

Obviously. This song was written for me specifically, thank you Tim. Even if it weren’t about suicide, it’s a beautiful song and I love Andy Karl’s voice.

Favorite lyrics:

After acid and gas and guns and razors and rope, you may want to live but baby, don’t give up hope - I have buttons okay. In fact I’m pretty sure I have a special button just for characters listing off suicide methods, in pretty much any context; I seem to recall this just always gets me. Why? Who knows, but either way, FFFF

And in your head that leaden dread, the fucking roads have all been trod and there’s no way and there’s no God and God, oh God, this goddamn weather will last forever - leave it to Tim Minchin to punch me in the gut with precision F-strikes and repeated invocations of God.

Day Three

I just like listening to his mounting incoherent desperation. It makes me grin helplessly. Again, I have buttons. Also, the actual music is glorious, taking Day One and twisting it around and making it sound hellish and sinister. It’s great.

Favorite lyrics:

No. No. No! No! Come on! Don’t ring! Do not ring! Do not-- God, this--the hell’s happening? This--goddamn! God... damn! Somebody! Okay. I can figure this out. Figure it out, come on! Christ! Come on! Oh, damn it! Oh, God! What the hell! Help me! - yes, good, this is exactly what I wanted from this musical, A++

Day One

This one’s just really catchy. I have had it stuck in my head for days (specifically the first half, what I think people refer to as “Small Town, U.S.A.”, although on the track listing it’s just Day One).

Favorite lyrics:

And I’ve no qualm at all with your small-town people, I admire their balls getting out of bed at all to face another day in a shithole this small - just look what a gloriously condescending dick he is.

If I Had My Time Again

I really love this song musically, but the lyrics are even better; Rita with all her dreams and ambitions and desire to do things better is such a fantastic contrast to exactly how inane and self-centered Phil’s activities have been. I’m assuming this is played as the trigger for his character development, and it’s exactly spot-on. In the movie he just says that she’s such a much better person than he is; the musical shows it, in a way so achingly clear that there’s just no way for Phil to not see it himself.

Favorite lyrics:

Rita’s I always dreamt of learning how to dance / it’s so exciting / a new beginning every morning / to have the time to strive for more, interlaced with Phil’s Sometimes I go out without pants / I slept with 90% of women in Punxsutawney between 18 and 84 / and one dude when I was bored - Phil, striving for more.

Similarly, Rita’s I always fancied learning how to climb / I’d study math / and search for meaning / and run up hills / and learn to paint / just to know I can simultaneous with Phil’s I once masturbated seven times / in the bath / in one evening / it wasn’t fun but still / a man my age / it’s nice to know I can / it’s nice to know I can - w o w. Who wouldn’t slink back and rethink their entire life after this. (Also, it’s hilarious.)

And if you knew the endless nights that I have wasted getting wasted contemplating different ways to suicide - never mind me, just me and my buttons again.

One Day

I actually mostly love this one musically, but it’s also just a great ramble from Rita developing her character, and alongside its humour it establishes she has a bit of a romantic fantasy going on beneath a lot of layers of cynicism, setting up why she might nonetheless end up falling for a guy in the space of a day.

Favorite lyrics:

And I’d rather be alone if the only other option is succumb and settle down with some condescending clown with a great rating from some dating service, some self-professing Mr. Perfect, another narcissistic legend made a million out of hedge funds, another sexually ineffectual self-obsessing metrosexual pseudo-intellectual getting drunk and existential every time the Steelers lose a game - Tim Minchin in full form.

ANYWAY, I am a little obsessed, hopefully I can think a little less about this now that I’ve gotten some of it out of my system.

[rocknutsvibe]

60 songs under 60 seconds, because who has the time?

The parameters of pop – and by extension, rock – don’t usually allow for too much experimentation in, let’s say, temporal form. The reigning radio hits almost always clock in at three minutes (Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” at 3:39, Bruno Mars’s “That’s What I Like” at 3:27, Portugal. The Man’s “Feel it Still” at 2:44) and have for decades.

Much longer, and your odds of getting radio play decrease proportionally.

Tim Minchin in his “Three Minute Song” hilariously laments his own approach. “But the problem with my particular oeuvre/is that half my songs are five minutes and over” he sings, “and the wisdom here at the BBC is that viewers switch off if you go past three.” So too did Billy Joel in “The Entertainer,” suggesting that songs, no matter how beautiful or well written, need to be cut at 3:05 to appeal to listeners.

This was originally a technological limitation. 10″ 78s only had 3 to five minutes of recording time per side. As the most common medium for music in the early 1900s, it was a simple practicality. If you wanted to record longer songs, the quality would diminish as the grooves drew closer together.

Really, it’s been more like a century dominated by the digestible 3-4 minute track.

All this exposition might lead you to think I’d like to shatter the ceiling, that I’d like a format where artists can endlessly experiment and not suffer punishment from the music industry for not abiding a dated restriction. And that’s true.

Aim lower

But today, I’m looking at artists that subverted the industry standard another way. These are songs that aimed lower, dragged three minutes into the mud and undercut it, songs that crammed beginning, middle, and end into the shortest of spaces.

I’m celebrating songs that are 60 seconds and under.

I knew when I had this idea that the list would bias heavily towards punk, so I gave myself two parameters for qualifying songs:

Only three songs from a given artist.

Listen it can’t just be punk, Danny.

In the interest of brevity, which is just so on brand right now, I’ve decided to describe songs 60-11 in six words each. It’ll be like Earnest Hemmingway’s alleged six word story, but with less infant death. I’ll go more in depth with 10-1.

This is 60 songs under 60 seconds.

60. “Dude, We’re Finally Landing (Good News!)” by Weezer

Rivers Cuomo vocal fugue, nice harmonies.

59. “The Death And The Berth” by The Dear Hunter

Horn rip, sad cello (possibly viola).

58. “928 Horn Jam” by Trombone Shorty

Second line dancer for the uninitiated.

57. “Old Mother Reagan” by The Violent Femmes

Love child of delta and punk.

56. “Park Music” by The Avalanches

Verdant and organic, tinges of nostalgia.

55. “Beyoncé Interlude” by Beyoncé

Actually, it’s more like beat poetry.

54. “I Am Crazy” by Thundercat

Wading through a dense fog, moping.

53. “Grace” by Jethro Tull

Also wrote an album long song.

52. “Fertilizer” by Frank Ocean

More bleepy-bloopy than the original.

51. “In Accordance To Natural Law” by Bikini Kill

I read it in a fanzine.

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