#ben whybrow

[docrotten]

XTRO (1982) – Episode 266 – Decades of Horror 1980s

“Stay in the car. …  Stay In The Car! … GET BACK IN THE CAR!!” No one ever follows directions in horror movies. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Crystal Cleveland, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they check out more of Lucio Fulci’s innovative deaths in Xtro (1982).

Decades of Horror 1980s Episode 266 – Xtro (1982)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! Click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

Gruesome Magazine is partnering with the WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL (https://wickedhorrortv.com/) which now includes video episodes of Decades of Horror 1980s and is available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, and its online website across all OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.

An alien creature impregnates a woman who gives birth to a man who was abducted by aliens three years ago. The man reconnects with his wife and son for a sinister purpose.

Directed by: Harry Bromley Davenport

Writing Credits: Iain Cassie, Robert Smith; (story by) Harry Bromley Davenport, Michel Parry; Jo Ann Kaplan (additional dialogue “Americanized”)

Produced by: 

Robert Shaye (executive producer)

Mark Forstater (producer)

James Crawford (associate producer) (as James M. Crawford)

Music by: Harry Bromley Davenport

Cinematography by: John Metcalfe

Special Effects by:

Tom Harris (mechanical effects / special effects supervisor)

Francis Coates (Creature Effects)

Selected Cast:

Philip Sayer as Sam Phillips

Bernice Stegers as Rachel Phillips

Danny Brainin as Joe Daniels

Maryam d’Abo as Analise Mercier

Simon Nash as Tony Phillips

Peter Mandell as Clown

David Cardy as Michael

Anna Wing as Mrs. Goodman

Robert Fyfe as Doctor

Katherine Best as Jane

Robert Pereno as Ben

Sean Crawford as Commando (credited as Tok)

Tim Dry as Monster (credited as Tik)

Susie Silvey as Woman in Cottage

Arthur Whybrow as Mr. Knight

Anna Mottram as eacher

Robert Austin as Van Driver

Vanya Seager as Paula Phillips

Xtro (1982) is one of those movies. Either you love it… or you say, “WTF?” Or maybe both! Luckily, the 80s Grue-Crew are joined by guest host Dirk Rogers, an Xtro fan, to help sort out the mess and to point out why he likes it so much. It took a while for the crew to get the finer points, so you’ll have to check out the episode to see if any of Dirk’s teachings sink in. 

The film depicts an alien impregnating human women with a “plunger” appendage and giving an eleven-year-old boy the power to bring anything he can imagine into reality. How could one expect anything but a five-ring circus?

At the time of this writing, Xtro is available on physical media as an all-region import Blu-ray formatted disc from Second Sight Films. 

Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Bill, will be Death Ship (1980)! Co-written by Jack Hill (Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told; 1967) and starring George Kennedy, Richard Crenna, Nick Mancuso, Sally Ann Howes, Kate Reid, and Victoria Burgoyne. Yo, baby!

Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans – so leave them a message or comment on the Gruesome Magazine Youtube channel, on the Gruesome Magazine website, or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.

Check out this episode!

[existentialmagazine]

Review: B. Snipes new single ‘Friend’ delivers quick-paced indie rock that’s catchy and meaningful in one

Since releasing his first EP in 2015, the up-comer Ben Snipes (known musically as B. Snipes) has truly flourished into a formative indie-rock act unlike any other, delivering modern touches in nostalgic roots. It’s no surprise it sounds familiar either, with influence from The Killers and The Strokes, as well as folk artists like John Prine and Townes Van Zandt that separate Ben’s work from most. Now with a few scattered singles over the years, and his second of 2024 just releasing, Ben is here to make you feel heard in a space where he’s authentically himself too.

Have you ever just really needed a friend? Yearned for company when everything seems to be falling apart? Desperately wanted to escape the loneliness that seems consuming? Well, you’ll probably find that Ben’s newest single ‘Friend’ might relate a little too much, aching for someone to lean on in the midst of personal and societal collapse. With soft faded-in percussion, the introduction of ‘Friend’ in itself is at first cautious, perhaps afraid to ask loudly and be met with rejection. But it picks up soon, hurtling along with quick-paced drum beats, vibrant guitar strums, bright piano keys and rich bass twangs, a speeding shift that seems to mirror Ben’s building emotions coming into the opening chorus. As his lines right away delve into the deep end, Ben sings ‘you say you want to be a friend, when the whole world ends…’ , an acknowledgement that it’s often left until no return for people to start showing up. Even the world ending would be a semi-selfish reason to show up, pushed to the bottom of their priorities unless some devastating event - that also impacts them - may occur. Ben’s vocals are fleshed out and bold, keeping up with the fast-moving sound and flowing through gorgeous highs and lows with a delivery that’s a little pushed and emotive in itself.

Things simmer down a bit for the verse, a shift towards just intermittent piano notes, bass twangs and clashing drums, still hurtling along but with much less of an impact with the reduced layers. Ben’s vocals are more intimate to match, a spoken-sung sort of delivery that reminds a bit of Sam Fender and Sundara Karma in one, delivering charisma in such a uniquely diverse package. You’ll want to sing along to every single line, even when some will have you frozen for a moment to reflect on what exactly it is you’re saying: ‘He gave you your name too, yeah but he didn’t know you.’ Weaving in his own childhood trauma and a clear sense of isolation through it, moments like this line carry the harsh reminder that although you may have family, they are not always there to give the love and safety they should provide. Instead, the idea of family seems to be nonexistent to Ben, pushing onwards alone as he’s done from a young age.

Between autobiographical admissions and and a composite of adjacent experiences through his work as a clinical work as a therapist, ‘Friend’ carries the raw truths that we can’t always look in the face: ‘The lights go out, you see it now.’ To match these new lines, the bridge ebbs and flows with an almost theatrical edge to it, a cascading of piano keys and rising vocals that quite literally feel like the final moments before the lights dim at the end of a theatre show or concert. Everything about it is intricately thought out, a sonic experience that’s tied to its words with careful planning and depth, delivering an experience through ‘Friend’ that you won’t be able to forget - so add it to your own playlists here.

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

// This coverage was supported and created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

[noramoya]

#ThrillerLiveCloses #ApprovedByMJon2009

“Right now our world has been turned upside down, with a pandemic that is changing our way of life. It is affecting us all, financially, emotionally and socially. For me it has resulted in THRILLER LIVE closing prematurely (and permanently) in the West End, as all theatres around the country have been shut, in the public’s best interest. Myself and the rest of the team totally understand and respect that we must all practice social distancing, working together to beat this virus. But yesterday was a very sad day as I joined the cast, crew and other creatives at the Lyric Theatre for one last time. We wanted to come together to say goodbye to each other at the theatre that had become our home for the past 11-years. Ironically we were just two more performances away from becoming the 11th longest ever running show in the West End. Still to be 12th, and the longest ever running show at the Lyric Theatre is an incredible achievement. Another thing the coronavirus has shown us is that we never know what is around the corner and we shouldn’t take what we have for granted. Through hard times, we get to see what matters most and what we really need to value.

One of our cast members said that leaving the Lyric Theatre was like losing a loving partner. And that is partly true, in that sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have until it is gone. But I am sure that each and every one of the Thriller Live cast and crew will go on to great new ventures, just as previous associates have. It’s been an INCREDIBLE journey which has formed great friendships, partnerships and even relationships with babies to boot! For me it seems that things have gone full circle. For it was 30 years ago today (20th March 1990) when I first met the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, and he inspired me to see a world of endless possibilities. He showed me humility, kindness and a laughter like I’d never heard before.

We were at Record One Studios where he was free and at his creative best, producing the ‘Dangerous’ album. Watching a genius at work, who since the age of 5 had been perfecting his craft to become the world’s greatest ever entertainer was a true privilege. And then came an invitation to lunch at Neverland. That was the most memorable weekend ever. I’d never seen a landscape and home so beautiful. A place where Michael could dream peacefully, and one could lose themselves in magical abandonment. Which I did playing on the arcades, riding on the funfair and watching movies in the theatre. Just before I left, as I walked out the oak door, Michael said come back anytime. And I did, at least once a year - return to Neverland, as did many lucky fans, and various charitable organisations that Michael opened his doors for, because he loved to give, help and see others happy. That was the Michael Jackson I knew - a humble, innocent soul, who also happened to be one of the greatest artists of all time. There are many, many other stories that I have shared over the years, and fans and friends will know. Each one of them still as colourful in my mind now as it was when I first lived them. I thank Michael for those memories, and even though he is gone, it has never felt like a goodbye.

From all of us at “Thriller Live”, we want to Thank everyone who came to see the Show in the West End. We are Grateful that we could keep Michael’s Legacy and Music alive through the production and cá look forward to continuing touring the world in years to come. Now here follows a long, long list of thanks to just a few of the many people who made the show possible in the West End. There has been literally hundreds of people involved on and off the stage, so apologies that I can’t list everyone, but each of you are just as important in making this show a special part of West End history ! Producers Paul Walden & Derek Nicol, Mark Strange – General Manager, Ginette Sinnott – Head of Marketing, and everyone else at Flying Music (past and present) – thank you for believing in the show and all you have done to make it a worldwide success.

•Gary Lloyd our amazing Director & Choreographer. I could write a book about his character and talent, so please go read his own ! John Maher our meticulous Musical Director extraordinaire. • Every single band member past and present including Damien Cooper, Oliver Latka, Ryan Alex Farmery, Adam Kovacs and Mike Bradley - the greatest compliment you can pay these guys, is that some audience members still ask if the show is ‘live’. Yes! Applause when screen goes back and our musicians are revealed ! • Yasmin Yazdi, Jo Dyce, Rose Wild and Aisling Duffy – our fierce Resident Directors and Assistant Choreographers whom over the years have put hundreds of cast members through their paces. • Sharon Speirs and Caroline Stroud, our two long running and outstanding Company Managers over the past 11-years. And thank you to others who stepped in. • Nigel Catmur – Lighting Designer, Chris Whybrow – Sound Designer, Jonathan Park – Set Designer, Rob Jones and Catherine Teatum – Costume Designers – thank you for making this show look and sound so great ! • Our hard-working crew – Dawn Harvey, Paul Bond, Glenn Jenkins, Sophie Kemp, Kelvin White, Bill Dimeo, Matthew Giles, Alice Johson, Sara Markwick, Gemma Tucker, Melissa Cooke, Karli Can Heerden, Inca Jaackson, Rosie Woods and Jo Conlon – thank you for being there every day and making the show possible. • Not forgetting dozens of former crew members from Becky Potts and Jessica Plews to Craig and Kate Garratt and many, many more. • A big shout out to Haydon Eshun and John Moabi, our longest running West End cast members. These two guys are stage legends, whose performances did Michael proud every single night. • Respect to Kevin Wilson PR for keeping our name up in lights and doing it always with the utmost enthusiasm. • Thank you to Debbie O'Brien Casting – the talent we have seen over the years has been incredible including Zoe Birkett, Hayley Evetts, Maria Lawson, Samantha Johnson Carter, Cleopatra Madonna, Britt Quentin, Alex Buchanan, Jerome Singer, Trenyce Cobbins, David Jordan, MiG Ayesa and so many more outstanding vocalists ! • We have also been blessed with hundreds of amazing dancers since 2006 and through to the end of this West End run. They, with the singers and musicians are the life blood of the show, which relies, not on massive production, but pure heart and soul to deliver the energy, authenticity and chemistry that was part of Michael Jackson. • Thank you Nica Burns at Nimax for giving us a home for 11-years, and all the staff at the Lyric Theatre for looking after us, and over 2 million audience members throughout the years. • Massive appreciation to Kerys Nathan, our original Director & Choreographer from 2006-2008. You’ll always be a part of the show. • Thank you to every single cast member from the original West End cast featuring Ben Forster, Roger Wright, Denise Pearson, Ricko Baird, Kieran Alleyne, Layton Williams (OFFICIAL), Sterling Williams, Lewis Davies, Kamilah Beckles, Christabelle Field, Elliot James, Earl Perkins, Emily Rumbles, Dannielle Rothman, Sean Williams, Ashton Russell, Ross Sands and Jordan Darrell, to our last with – Wayne Anthony-Cole, Vivienne Ekwulugo, David Julien, Miles Anthony, Florivaldo Mossi, Lauren Gore, Filippo Coffano, Leslie Garcia Brown, Deavion Brown, David Devyne, Mitchell Eley, Ike Fallon, Eliza Hart, Gabriela Hernandez, Amelia-Annie Layng, Arnold Mabhena, Rishard-Kyro Nelson, Oskarina O'Sullivan , Shola B Riley, Triple Calz, Cannon Hay, Isaiah Mason, Ishaan Raithatha and Messiah Unusudimi. • To everyone on our suspended touring production, and all those before which has seen us visit over 34 different countries, thank you, thank you and thank you again. We will see each other hopefully soon as we continue this journey. Until then stay safe, and don't eat too many pies, there is only one costume budget. •Apologies too many not named above, some whom I greatly admire and some whom I am proud to now call friends, you are all in my thoughts.

Lastly, and most importantly – thank you to MICHAEL JACKSON ! “THRILLER LIVE” is your Music, your Artistry and your Magic ! Thank you for your Inspiration , Love and Humanity . 🙏🏼

Dreams do come true — Adrian Grant .

[drinkthehalo]

If you love Sleep No More, you must find a way to Shanghai

I haven’t been active on Tumblr for a while, but I’ve just returned from a visit to see Sleep No More in Shanghai, and am here to tell you that if you love Sleep No More and you haven’t been to Shanghai, you really must find a way to go.

It’s so good.

It’s difficult to explain why without spoilers, but trust me. If you don’t see the Shanghai show, you will miss something that you would have adored. I can be incredibly critical of Punchdrunk’s work (see: Kabeiroi) but I promise, Sleep No More Shanghai is worth it.

I last saw the show in October 2017 (write-ups of my various visits are linked here) and it’s changed significantly since then. So much has been added. I will share some highlights to tempt you further, but I actually recommend don’t read this. It’s better without spoilers. Just book your tickets and go.

Why you should go:

Room 802.  It’s the reason I decided to return to Shanghai, and it was absolutely worth it. I don’t want to spoil it. Just trust me. It’s so good. You get to sleep in the McKinnon. It’s far more elaborate that I’d imagined. It’s beautiful, meaningful, thematically resonant, incredibly fun, and just awesome in every way.

Some little glimpses....  

It feels like a creative evolution. Some scenes and interactions are reminiscent of The Drowned Man. Some draw upon content created for McKittrick parties. Some aspects feel like they “fix” or “restore” aspects of the NYC show. It feels too spoilery to say more, but you will experience of lot of things that seem to iterate upon the past few years of awesome work that Punchdrunk has been doing.

The set is so beautiful. The 1930s Shanghai aesthetic. The slivers of film noir lighting in the speakeasy. The surreal rooms in the Macduff suite. The corridor to the rep bar. The bamboo forest.  The spaces are gorgeous beyond words.

A ton of new 1:1s and interactive experiences (2:1, 4:2, etc). This isn’t the point of the show and it’s the luck of the draw what you’ll get to see, but there is so much fantastic new content. I counted more than ten new 1:1s.

The new show within the show. It feels a bit like Punchdrunk found a backdoor way of creating a new show within the context of Sleep No More. There is a whole new story and new characters based on Chinese mythology, and it is wonderful.

The improvements to the main show. There is a lot less downtime where characters kill time. Changes have been made that make more logical sense and have thematic resonance. You can see clearer, more beautiful views of scenes like Witches 1 (the first prophecy) and of Banquo’s murder. If you love the NYC show already, you’ll love this revitalized version of it.

Do you love the Boy Witch and Porter? Did you love the Boy Witch party and The Vanishing Boy? You will find aspects of these alive in Shanghai; that alone is reason to visit.

Incredible performers. Some of Punchdrunk’s best people are there right now. Greats from SNM NYC, like Ching-I Chang (my original Sexy Witch from when I first saw it in 2011!), Nick Bruder, Stephen Apicello, and Tim Heck. A TON of beloved performers from The Drowned Man: Laure Bachelot (as Lady Macbeth!), James Finnemore, Ben Whybrow, Daniel Whiley, Ed Warner, Simon Palmer, and Olly Hornsby-Sayer. Plus wonderful local performers, and new cast members from around the world. 

Improved logistics and crowd control. They are now selling tickets by entry time, reducing the time you have to queue and making it a much calmer experience for the first hour. Also, it’s been running long enough that it’s easier to get tickets, it isn’t sold out every single show, and more people know that it’s not an escape room. They’ve also updated the lift speech to ask the audience to watch from a distance. It’s still crowded, but it really isn’t that much worse than NYC.

It’s not as expensive as you may fear. You can get round trip airfare from NYC to Shanghai for around $800 if you hunt for deals. You can also use airline points (such as 35k points for one-way direct flights from United and Delta). Hotels are much cheaper than NYC, and you can reduce costs by sharing with friends (for example, Hotel Equatorial is around $90/night plus has a great pool, comfy beds, is near the metro, and is walkable to the McKinnon). The metro is so cheap it’s practically free, and is easy for English speakers to navigate. Restaurants are very affordable. Room 802 is expensive, but you can share with up to four people, and it includes two show tickets. Price out a trip and you may be surprised to find that you can do it.

Shanghai is great. It’s vibrant and full of arts and culture. You don’t need to speak Mandarin. There’s lots to see and experience beyond Sleep No More.

In summary: go to China!

[sounmashnews]

[ad_1] The trial for the person accused of raping Brittany Higgins in Parliament House has entered its second day.Bruce Lehrmann has pleaded not responsible to at least one rely of sexual activity with out consent within the workplace of former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds within the early hours of March 23, 2019.Chief Justice Lucy McCallum is presiding over the trial, which is anticipated to run between 4 and 6 weeks.On Wednesday, the remainder of Ms Higgins’ first recorded police interview, which came about on February 24, 2021, is anticipated to be performed earlier than the jury.Yesterday, Ms Higgins was seen wiping away tears after a part of the interview was performed earlier than the court docket.She appeared by way of video hyperlink from a distant room throughout the ACT Supreme Court, carrying a navy gown and being accompanied by her assist particular person, ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates.Both the defence and prosecution detailed messages between Brittany Higgins and former colleagues referring to the night time of the alleged assault, with the jury additionally listening to CCTV will probably be performed as proof through the trial.In his opening remarks to the jury, Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold stated textual content messages between Ms Higgins and her former colleague, former Liberal staffer Ben Dillaway, could be offered as proof.In the March 26, 2019 messages, Ms Higgins advised Mr Dillaway she didn’t keep in mind attending to Parliament House “at all” and that she solely “vaguely” remembered being there, the jury heard.Mr Dillaway requested if she “hooked up in there” to which Ms Higgins textual content again saying she was “barely lucid”.“I don’t feel like it was consensual at all. If he thought it was OK why did he just leave me there like that,” the textual content message from Ms Higgins learn, the jury heard.The defence, Barrister Steven Whybrow, made his opening remarks to the jury following the Crown prosecution.He advised the jury that it was “necessary to provide some context in this case”, earlier than quoting American author Mark Twain.“Mark Twain once said, never let the truth get in the way of a good story,” Mr Whybrow stated.The defence advised the jury they might be performed two recorded interviews between the police and Ms Higgins all through the trial, saying they occurred in opposition to the backdrop of the allegations being aired within the media.He advised the jury that the allegations made by Ms Higgins and the media consideration it obtained had turn into an “unstoppable snowball” that “could not be stopped by something as mundane” because the information on this case being “not true”.“The trial by media was well and truly underway,” he advised the court docket.“ (Mr Lehrmann) is called the accused because today, in this courtroom, the rule of law finally had to be applied to these allegations and complaints made by Ms Higgins.” [ad_2] Source link

[theconfessionofawhitemask-blog]

SNM Shanghai 09/02/2017 7pm(83rd visit)

Macbeth: Olly Hornsby-Sayer Lady Macbeth: Camilla Brogard Macduff: Gao Yang Lady Macduff: Hsu Hui-ting Duncan: Ian Garside Malcolm: Daniel Nicolson Banquo: Wang Mingchao Boy Witch: Garth Johnson Bald Witch: Jiang Yuli Sexy Witch: Ingrid Kapteyn Hecate: Fania Grigoriou Porter: Andrea Carrucciu Agnes Naismith: Xu Xinwen Danvers: Dai Shaoting Speakeasy: Chris Jäger Cunning man: John Ross Taxi: Sam Booth Bride: Lee Wen Hsin (Debby) Husband: Ben Whybrow Matron: Tang Tingting Nurse: Chen Yi’an James: Du Yanhao Man in Bar (Calloway) : Liu Yu Woman in Bar (Constance) : Shenni

Ian Garside is Duncan, yeah. Ian always gives me a Duncan vibe, at least more than Simon, so I was always wondering why he was not Duncan. This is the first time I saw him as Duncan so I decided to follow him. When I first got out, I actually was planning to follow Ben and Debby as they were so sweet on the high street. When they went up for the wedding and passed Sam’s Taxi, Sam said “congratulations!”, and the whole scene is just so sweet. But it is so rare for me to catch Ian’s Duncan and I have just followed Debby the day before, so off with Ian.

Ian’s Duncan is solid. I am a bit disappointed with his rebirth, as again, Sam, Fred and EJB would play with the thunder sound, but both Ian and Simon just ignored that. The scene in the pray room also lacks emotion yet overall, his performance is fine. i can’t compare him with Sam, the king of McKinnon, and I am very biased when it comes to Fred. Since I don’t know how good he is in his 1-1, I will rank him close to Simon, especially after I saw his performance in bar.

Then I went back to Gao Yang. There are those performers I have a terrific connection with and those i just respect. Granted I never have any 1-1s or interactions from him, but it does not stop me from considering him as one of the best local performers here. When I was following Ian’s Duncan, I detected Gao’s hand injury. It is weird that after watching the show for many times, I can pay attention to those subtle details, so when Gao touched his hand unconsciously, I just felt terrible. We are talking about a young artist’s professional career here, and for him to do Macduff, a dance-intensive role while he is this injured, that is professionalism. Every solo he did is incredible especially considering his injury and I hope he can turn it off a bit as he should not risk his professional life. Just by showing up, it is enough. I certainly would hope there can be enough performers so all those got injured can rest yet this is not the case here. With how aggressive people are these days, more and more performers are injured. I have witnessed an injured Ed playing Banquo, and now an injured Gao playing Macduff. They have my highest respect. I suppose the show can not figure out a way to deal with this issue (I honestly don’t think they have enough performers to cover all those injured), but at least they should be able to figure out a way to stop people lining up in the bar 30 minutes prior to the show. Actually to make it worse, we no longer can see man in bar or woman in bar greeting us in the bar, so I guess people have nothing better to do than lining up. I would not complain any guests acting the way they do and lining up to try to get into the first elevator as they have all the rights to do so, but I do believe Punchdrunk or the production team of this show need to think about some counter-measure so this show would not become an “amusement park”.

[francesmk]

grandma's 1st snm shanghai recap

sup fam. it is i. back from the dead and ready to TROLL.

jk i’m just here to lay down some sweet beats on this shanghai show in the spirit of grand tradition. i can’t remember how to insert a cut because i’m old and withered now.

SET: did you know that livi vaughan’s name is short for living legend? because that’s what she is. this building is almost perfectly designed. the layout is so smart and there are so many framing options for performers to exploit! i love framing options! the materials are high quality and crafted with such detail and care that it makes me want to quit directing just so i can make pretty sets instead. the world already has one ivo van hove so i’d just be extra.

LIGHTS: i never know who does the lights, although i assume it’s highly collaborative with the designers due to electricity being a pain in the ass but holy moly do we have some glamorous lighting going on! pour instance, the light through the shutters that hits macbeth as he mopes to the speakeasy to kill banquo (spoiler: banquo dies) - what we lose in nick bruder banging against walls we gain in glorious warm SIDE LIGHT. edit: it was felix. figures. he knows shit.

SOUND: shut up and marry me stephen dobbie you piece of perfection. we’ll always have new years 2013, and you probably don’t even remember my name, but as andrew lloyd webber assures us, love never dies.

HILARIOUS CUES: my current fav is how the fans turn on in malcolm’s office and blow feathers all around in time with the sound and lights and his vampire finch roleplay sexytime with agnes. that happens to me too whenever i make out with people so it was nice to see my life represented so accurately.

BEN WHYBROW: has never not come through for me. i don’t know him and he doesn’t know me but we had a conrad 100% rate of success in london and his malcolm is delivering too. i never follow malcolm and i didn’t realize he was so obsessed with birds. his 1:1 reminded me of a tinder date i went on where the guy was obsessed with chinchillas and kept showing me his chinchillas and i should have left but he was hot so i stayed. and just like the way the 1:1 ended, so too did that date - with the guy running off to discover the corpse of his murdered father.

PORTER: i walked in to the crowded lobby and a strange porter just looked at me like he knew this was my jam. once a lobby rat always a lobby rat i guess. lobbylyfe in shanghai is a lot like new york except the chairs are even more uncomfortable, the smart mirroring opportunities are gone (the ONE design fuck-up i can find), and that cabaret is making even less narrative and aesthetic sense than before.

MAN IN BAE: that was a typo but it can stay. he’s hot and he makes such an effort to engage with any vaguely white people he sees, probably cause someone in the dressing room told him we were all gonna gossip about him online later so he better get on our good side. i’m okay with that. it’s better to be feared than loved.

SPEAKEASY & TAXIDERMISTS FRIENDSHIP: what is happening here? these two besties work in the same neighbourhood, dance together in the same marriage ceremonies hosted by a witch, and wrestle a lot. are they lovers? brothers? or simply two business owners working together for the economic success of their industries? which leads me to my next question: if speakeasy never charges for drinks how does he stay in business?!?

WITCHES 2: i don’t think it’s really any less effective. it might even be more effective cause of that exorcist shit bald witch pulls. fuck dat noise.

JAKE GYLLENHAAL: was special guest last night. his matron was great!

SPATIAL EMPATHY: i know the concept of personal space is cultural and i don’t want to be an ignorant white american especially since i’m neither white nor american but i find it genuinely uncomfortable how people - men, especially - will passively touch me here. it feels so invasive and kind of triggering. i don’t think i could ever live here because of that. i need my bubble. respect my bubble. you may come in to my bubble if i make eye contact with you and wink. WHAT ELSE: this was funny. i haven’t done one of these in years. my interest in the show is so different. i’ve been feeling huge artistic burnout lately. when i graduated, i fell in to a lot of wonderful work and am happy with where my writing is going, but have felt stagnated and lost recently. revisiting a familiar show in a new place has made me realize how far i’ve come and how much i’ve grown since then, and that i need to trust it is reflected in my work. anyway, there’s no dicks in this show.

[anightingalesang]

Apr 1, 2017 (Castlist)

Macbeth: Luke Murphy Lady Macbeth: Camilla Brogard Macduff: Du Yanhao Lady Macduff: Xu Huiting Malcolm: Garth Johnson Duncan: Fred Gehrig Banquo: Daniel Whiley Hecate: Fania Grigoriou Bald Witch: Omagbitse Omagbemi Boy Witch: Conor Doyle Sexy Witch: Lily Ockwell Porter: Eric Jackson Bradley Agnes: Xu Xinwen Danvers: Ingrid Kapteyn Speakeasy: Olly Hornsby-Sayer Taxidermist: Sam Booth The Cunning Man: Omar Gordon Bride: Lee Wen Hsin Husband: Ben Whybrow Matron: Tang Tingting Nurse: Kenna Tuski James: Gao Yang MIB: Liu Yu WIB: Shen Ni

Recap for 4/1, 4/2 matinee and 4/2 evening show will be posted in one post.

[dreaminpoppyland]

12/09/2017.

Early

Macbeth: Ian Garside   Lady Macbeth: Emily Terndrup Macduff: Gao Yang Lady Macduff: Chen Yi’an Duncan: Sam Booth Malcolm: Ben Whybrow Banquo: Huang Hsiao-che Boy Witch: Chris Jäger Bald Witch: Fania Grigoriou Sexy Witch: Dai Shaoting Hecate: Shen Ni Porter: Garth Johnson Agnes Naismith: Lee Wen Hsin Danvers: Camilla Brogard Speakeasy: Du Yanhao  Cunning man: Simon Palmer Taxi: Daniel Nicolson Bride: Ingrid Kaptyen Husband: Chiang Paosu Matron: Jiang Yuli Nurse: Daisy Cauty  Anna: Hsu Hui-ting Man in Bar (Calloway) : Liu Yu Man in Bar (Louis) :  Zhang Lu

I walked in today with a heavy heart knowing this was highly likely my last time to see many of my favorite residents. It was a night all about the goodbyes as I couldn’t be there for their last show on next day for some personal reasons.

I started my farewell loop with the Macbeths:Emily and Ian. It was worth fighting the crowd to catch them because with these two dedicated performers, every single scene was just perfect. It was a pity I didn’t spend enough time with them but I guess I have no more chance to see this cast combination again.

Of course I spend the rest of the show with Fania’s Bald Witch. I had to follow her for two loops to say goodbye as she is my favorite bald, and she’ll always be. Whether I was following her or not, I got fascinated by Fania every time when I pay a visit to the hotel. I could never spare my attention when she was around. Her power, her strength, her beauty, her controlling, her witchy smile, her firm eyes, her dance moves... I could go on and on. My heart is full of gratefulness for every moment I spent with her in the hotel and at this point, all that’s left for me to say is thank you. Thank you Fania for putting your heart and soul into this show, it would never be the same without you.

I also skipped some scenes to catch the Dragon Boat for twice as Ingrid was the Bride. I knew this would be difficult but I have to go see her one last time. And Ingrid’s taking on this role will always hold a special place in my heart.

It was a long long night even though I didn’t go to the evening show for double, but I did go to the Manderley Bar for a glass of hot wine. I got emotional seeing the residents walked out from the hotel when sitting in the bar as I knew it’s probably my last time to see many of these lovely people.

[pestdeterrentservices]

Tee times revealed for BIGGA National 2017

The tee times have been revealed for the opening day of the BIGGA National Championship sponsored by Charterhouse and Kubota.

Taking place at Verulum in St Albans, the championship is returning to the venue where it all began, 30 years ago, and the competition is expected to be a special occasion.

Pick up this month's Greenkeeper International for an exclusive course guide and an interview with Verulum Course Manager Chris Carpenter MG.

Verulum is also considered the home of the Ryder Cup, as it is where Samuel Ryder, inventor of the world famous competition which shares his name, played his golf.

The honour of hitting the first tee shot falls to defending champion Gary Burgess, of Grange Park and there will be a large number of prizes available for the competitors across both days.

BIGGA National 2017 tee times - Day 1 - 2 October 2017 1st tee 8.30am: Gary Burgess (2), Paul Davy (3) 8.38am: Oliver Browning (-1), Gordon Sangster (-3) 8.46am: John McLoughlin, Scott Krokoszynski (1), Ross McCarthy (0) 8.54am: Christopher Lamb (-3), Derek McJannet (0), Danny Murray (2) 9.02am: Tom Workman (0), Darren Abbs (2), Danny Burchell (2) 9.10am: Nathanial Riddett (0), Bill Whybrow (3), Cassidy Steffens (1) 9.18am: Charlie Simpson (4), Leigh Mordy (3), Paul Searles (5) 9.26am: Matthew Strudwick (4), Steve Mason (5), Louis Dunn-Allen (4) 9.34am: Liam Mulkerrins (4), Anthony Duffield (6), Nick Roberts (5) 9.42am: George Grimes (4), Jason Hunt, Scott Parnell (5) 9.50am: Ricky Jakes (4), Mark Blacknell (6), David Allen (6)

12th tee 9am: Sid Arrowsmith (8), Barry Holt (9), Paul Rolfe (8) 9.08am: Derek Cunliffe (8), David Fellows (12), Kraig Easton (11) 9.16am: Nigel Broadwith (8), Anthony Thacker (11), Steve Jones (12) 9.24am: Andrew Cornes (9), Patrick Hobbs (14), Carl Sharp (16) 9.32am: Louise Stephenson (14), Asa English (17), Terry Carver (19) 9.40am: Matthew Hutchinson (14), Peter Smith (17), Ben Knowles-Jackson (19)

from BIGGA Updates http://bigga.org.uk/about-us/news/tee-times-reational-2017/00965.html via IFTTT

[existentialmagazine]

News: Shedonist’s new sultry alternative-rock journey ‘Ask Me Why’ follows the trials and tribulations of love amidst a blend of grunge and soft ambience

Led by Persian-American singer and songwriter Jasmin Toubi and complemented by a backing band, the upcoming act Shedonist looks to fall between grungey blues rock with a 90's alternative flair. Since making their 2020 debut with single ‘5 Minutes’, Shedonist have slowly but surely made a name for themselves, even going as far as to release their debut album in 2021. Though the group still remain rather underground and unheard of, they’ve built a small, dedicated community of support and performed alongside acts like Gloom Girl MFG, Flight Attendant, and Violet Moons while honing in on their exceptional performances.

Written and recorded in lead singer Jasmin's home in Nashville, and engineered, produced, and mixed by drummer Ben Foerg, their newest offering ‘Ask Me Why’ seeps with a rawness to every instrument, feeling hazy and reminiscent of older rock stylings while never for a second leaving you to think it could’ve been recorded anywhere but a professional studio. Encompassing a sultry vocal performance, Jasmine airily glides through drawn-out lines and a light raspiness in her every word, taking you on a journey that’s almost spiritual. The instrumentals are equally enthralling, never too forceful but always lightly grunge-focused as the electric guitar’s angsty undertones shine through, bass twangs ring out and the overall palette builds up as steady drums shift into more thundering hits.

Writing of the trials and obstacles a woman faces in the pursuit of love, there’s also a deep level of meaning poured within this three minute sonic experience, lingering on the more heavy-hearted lows. Adding a more insightful depth to her passions to create and her female identity, Toubi shares "I'm the daughter of Persian Jewish refugees, and I'm very lucky because in Iran, women are forbidden to sing. If I'd been born there, I'd literally be in jail for doing what I'm doing, for being who I am."

With much planned for the upcoming year and a hope for support to help fund the final mix, master, and release, there’s never been a better time to check out Shedonist’s newest single ‘Ask Me Why’, a perfect example of their talents and relentlessness to succeed.

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

// This coverage was supported and created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

[sigmaree]

Try new in McKinnon

SNM Shanghai 13 April 2017

# The first time I have not follow anyone of the table role for less than 0.5 loop all the time. # The first time I followed Speakeasy for 1.5loop. It’s so lucky for me that performed by Olly who is my first and fav boy witch as well. How amazing I can fully watch his storyline without the crowded annoying. But I have lost once since he “sent” me to the Hecate- -. 
 # The first time follow Hecate acted by Fania for 0.5loop，although she is still regard as the best bald witch in my opinion. And I was so surprised that I got a 1:1 with her by Speakeasy’s loop. Her eyesight and voice always so mysterious and sharp.But when it was over, the space just left myself. About Hecate’s storyline,em… how to say… there are still a lot of things need I to discover and learn. 
 #The rest time, I just wander to everywhere - Andrea’s Porter who was so emotional I never found out before. - I had even wanted to follow Garth ’s boy witch… But there always some two stuck in that position… so… - And then I also wander to Tingting’s Matron and Miranda’s nurse. The first time I follow tingting’s performance. 
Macbeth: Luke Murphy Lady Macbeth: Camilla Brogard Andersen Macduff: Du Yanhao Lady Macduff: Xu Huiting Duncan: Fred Gehrig Malcolm: Jude Monk McGowan Banquo: Daniel Whiley Boy Witch: Garth Johnson Bald Witch: Omagbitse Omagbemi Sexy Witch: Laure Bachelot Hecate: Fania Grigoriou Porter: Andrea Carruccio Agnes Naismith: Xu Xinwen Danvers: (not sure) Ingrid Kapteyn 
Speakeasy: Olly Hornsby-Sayer Fulton: Omar Gordon Taxi: Sam Booth Bride:Jiang Yuli Husband: Ben Whybrow Matron: Tang Tingting Nurse: Miranda Mac Letten James: Gao Yang Woman in Bar (Constance) : Shen Ni Man in Bar (Calloway) : Liu Yu

[drinkthehalo]

Sleep No More Shanghai - Final Thoughts

Some final thoughts on Sleep No More Shanghai. There will be some minor spoilers.

I saw the show 34 times, over five visits from NYC from Dec 2016 to Oct 2017.

My initial thoughts on the show are posted here and highlights of my favorite performers are here.

I have to be honest, the show lost a lot of magic for me after the first cast change. There are some great new performers, but the original cast was INCREDIBLE. It brought together many of the best performers ever to work with Punchdrunk.

It was particularly magical because many of the performers were in The Drowned Man, and of course you know me - anything that reminds me of  Drowned Man makes me happy. (I wouldn't be the @sleepnomoreboston of Drowned Man; my heart warms at the thought of it living on in any form.)

But it's not just the nostalgia - it's that Drowned Man had a particular performance style that was all about developing interesting characters and engaging the audience. Building in little interactions and moments throughout the loop, recognizing audience members who'd been following a while - and developing the characters with complex motivations, dialogue, and humor. And with many performers having worked together before, and with weeks before opening to rehearse together, the chemistry between cast members was absolutely off the charts when the show opened.

Since the cast change, I feel the loss of those performers, and that original chemistry. Miranda Mac Letten and Laure Bachelot as Sexy Witch. Omar Gordon & Fred Gehrig as Cunning Man. The extraordinary chemistry between Fania, Miranda, and Olly as the witches. Fania as Bald and Omar as Banquo. I could go on and on.

That said, of course cast changes are inevitable, of course new performers will come in and many of them will eventually become the next generation of "great performers." 

So - final thoughts -

I was lucky enough to see Paul Zivkovich as Macbeth. Having seen Paul as Macbeth many times in New York, it highlighted for me the differences in the Macbeth loop in Shanghai. The Shanghai Macbeth is SCARY. Scarier than in New York, more deranged.

In New York the Walled Garden solo is contemplative, Macbeth wrestling with the nature of his own soul, and sorrowful, foreshadowing his fall from grace and his death. In Shanghai it's still beautiful, but it's also explicit that in his internal struggle the dark side of Macbeth has won. The Walled Garden is right outside Duncan's room, so Macbeth peers in, creeps in through Duncan's room, lingers over the bed, malicious. It’s not just a philosophical struggle between good and evil; it is a premeditated decision to murder another human being.

The other reason the Macbeths seem worse in Shanghai is Duncan. In New York, Duncan is a symbol. Regal. Distant. I never really care when he dies; my heart doesn't start to break until Banquo and Lady Macduff.

But in Shanghai, Sam Booth's Duncan is a stunning reinvention of the character. He's still a symbol - as every character is - but he's also human. He's *specific* and idiosyncratic. He sings to himself, and dreams, and has moods and fears.

He's terrified not just of his own death but of age, of irrelevance. He's conflicted towards his son, proud and yet full of dread that Malcolm will one day replace him. He latches on to Lady Macbeth because she makes him feel youthful, alive in the face of the looming death he fears. He's flawed; he thrills at the prospect of an affair with his host's wife. 

Sam's performance highlights the man beneath the regal symbolism of the character. The fragility of his humanity, as he stumbles up the stairs singing, as he struggles to remove his jacket under the influence of the drug. As he dreams of kissing the woman who's sent him to his death.

He becomes a symbol, not just of "the king," but of regrets and lost possibilities.

A few other thoughts:

For my final visit I didn't get to see Andrea Carruciu at all. But thankfully I did see him for a final time in August and was as impressed as before with the quality of his performances as both Macbeth and Porter. Two of the most complex roles - and so different from each other - for someone new to Punchdrunk to pull them off as well as Andrea is an exceptional feat.

I love the Bride as a character, and the performances of both Tang Tingting and Debbie/Wen Hsin Lee who originated her.

I love watching Speakeasy Barman play pool with the audience. I’m delighted with how much fun Olly is in that role.

I love that Witches 1 has such a huge space to flow through, how beautiful it is with an unobstructed view and a high ceiling. 

I love every single thing about the Dragon Boat scene. How epic and emotional and eerie and dark it is. It feels like Drowned Man, like Twin Peaks, like that video of Faust that’s floating around. It’s completely new to Sleep No More yet fits and complements everything about it.

I love Witches 8, obviously.

I love the gorgeous film noir lighting in the speakeasy, and the layout so that you can see many more angles on the Macbeth/Banquo fight. If you stand in the right place you can see the expressions on their faces up close in ways that are impossible to see in New York. 

I am super impressed with Garth Johnson, whose improvisations are clever and full of characterization. I was thrilled when his Porter made up for the lack of mirror behind the lobby desk by finding his reflection in the top of the lobby desk itself. 

I was thrilled also with Ian Garside’s Porter, who was full of sorrow yet also amusing and sweet. He performed his 1:1 with an emotional narrative that I’ve not quite seen before, and loved very much.

(Overall the Portering in Shanghai is A++).

Although I miss Omar & Fred I still love that Cunning Man is such a distinctive, devious character in Shanghai.

I love the expanded use of the Macduff child's mirrored bedroom. Multiple scenes and 1:1s happen in there, making sure that far more of the audience notices what is certainly one of the most chilling and heartbreaking sets that Punchdrunk has created.

I love the little passageway into the crib room, and the scene over the cradle with the tiny lights. Eerie and beautiful. The beauty of the set in Shanghai is extraordinary.

I didn't get to see Austin Goodwin's Boy Witch, Conor Doyle's Porter, or Paul Zivkovich's Porter, all of which have been popping up recently. That's Punchdrunk, of course. Get used to disappointment.

I understand they need flexibility in the cast schedule, that many of the people I want to see are swings who wouldn’t be on the regular schedule anyway, that Punchdrunk’s long-running show model depends on the audience not getting attached to particular performers in particular roles. But of course we get attached anyway. A great performance can be life-changing. The performers are not interchangeable.

Ed Warner is my great regret of Sleep No More Shanghai. I did not see him perform at all on my final visit, and saw him only once before, as Banquo. His Banquo was exceptional (best Banquo 1:1 I've ever had) but I would have loved to see him as Husband or Cunning Man.

I wanted to see him as Husband because I have not yet seen a fully convincing performance of Husband, and I think Ed would convince me. He can capture vulnerability like no one else. The best Husband I've seen is Ben Whybrow, who is an extraordinary actor (I wish I'd seen his one man show in London) - his 1:1 moved me to tears both times I saw it - but he also projects competence, self-confidence, a sense of emotional remove, a sturdiness. That doesn’t work quite right for the Husband character - he should be very young, very naive - a character whose primary function is to be manipulated by Cunning Man and (in a way) Bride.

Your heart should be breaking for him, but with Ben I wonder why he falls for it. He seems like he should know better. But I think Ed - based entirely on that Miguel 1:1 where his eyes were brimming with tears and I STILL remember every moment of it like it was yesterday - he could project the vulnerability in such a way that I would never question it. I would feel the tragedy of the character, and the longing for love that drives him; he'd have my complete sympathy, without my doubts.

But I'll never see it. Sigh.

Oh and Cunning Man because... I don't know, it's just a funny character in Shanghai, and I'm super curious as to what he'd do with it. It's the opposite of Husband, an archetype I've not seen Ed play - how would he handle it? I’ll never know.

Anyway. I am, in general, running out of things to say about Sleep No More, in any form. Six and a half years is a long time to be active in a fandom, especially one as physically and financially exhausting as this one. I’m taking a break for a while, but I’m sure you’ll see me around.

[whenwillweawake]

The pattern is a part of you

I don’t know where to begin with this one. We all had a character that we went back to, time and time again, for one reason or another. By the end, I had a handful, but the one that absolutely defined my time at Temple Studios was Conrad. 

It all started at my third show, on a Saturday night just before Christmas. I barely remember the details. I do know it was quiet. Really quiet.

I found Conrad (Adam Burton, obviously) alone in his dressing room, in the final loop, right after the reset. My mouth was dry, my heart racing. Being in that dark little room as he scribbled on a flyer and prepared his suitcase was completely terrifying. It took a fair amount of courage to not just turn around and leave. I felt like an intruder in his private space. I was still at the point where I had no idea what to expect - and Conrad was a stranger to me, but even then, always seemed to be aware of us.

The blurs I remember from that evening are mainly selfish ones. My complete shock when he locked me in his dressing room and how for the the first time I felt I had become part of a character’s story, a confidante as he unlocked the door and we continued onwards together.

That loop also had me step into Studio 3 during a show for the first time; an experience I found completely unsettling. (Unbelievable now, given that it became somewhat of a ritual to spend a bit of time in there each show)

When he started rehearsing lines back in his dressing room, I fumbled to pull out a chair and sit down. His eyes were on me the whole time. I didn’t give his shoulders a rub. 

I remember how the scene with Romola in Studio 5 made the hairs stand on the back of my neck and my body go stiff. Those voiceovers, those disembodied voices. The way a whole new level of control, or fate, or destiny, or whatever it was, emerged for me. I knew nothing of Romola’s story at that point, but I remember how fearful I was for her. And how Conrad being asked to visit Studio 8 chilled me to the bone. I would see this scene play out again many times, and it never once lost its impact.

And then, my first trip to Studio 8 with Conrad (and my only time with Adam). I wish I could recall the details. Mainly it’s just the startling absurdity of his Grandmother costume, his shaky voice; so quiet, so close to my ear. I remember a dash through the darkness, and leaping up the stairs to watch the final murder as he gripped my shoulders. Me, out of breath, shaking. I was completely invested in Conrad. In our journey together. We’d been through this whole thing tonight, side-by-side. And then he let go of my shoulders. 

A rose appeared in his hands, from absolutely nowhere, given to me to throw. Then he led me to the stage, and left me. I’m not sure if I’ve ever felt more alone. I wasn’t ready for him to go.

It was this loop (and Adam Burton’s ridiculous ability to engage you in a story) that is really to blame for all of my visits since.

Following that night, Conrad become as much a habit as visiting Temple Studios did. I spent a few more loops with Adam’s Conrad before he left. Starting to notice the details: The way he used to look at the “Property of Temple Studios” sign and say “I don’t think so”. The imaginary shooting of Claude and Alice on the board room table. The exchange with Harry. The constant use of his dropper. The clicking of his fingers. The way he timed putting his wig on absolutely perfectly with the music. The weird little exchanges with Omar’s Fool in the corridors outside Studio 2. What was it that the Fool told them? 

At this point in time, I had Conrad down as someone who was professional through and through. Perhaps a touch cold. Someone who was sick of the studios, using his scientology and drugs as a way to cope. Someone who really wanted to be on the outside, living his other life in drag, outside of the studio’s grasp. But they got to him first, sending him to his fate.

This picture of Conrad grew less and less clear for me over time. Different versions of him, my mind drawing tenuous links between him and The Grocer, him and The Fool, and my changing interpretation of events outside the studios, all adding to the complexity of his story.

—

I admit, I was worried when Adam left. Worried I wouldn’t like whoever was to be the new face of Conrad (I never did connect with Owen’s version). Worried that my favourite thing in Temple Studios would no longer have the same pull. And then Ben Whybrow turned up, beard and all.

The first few times I stumbled across him I remember thinking “This doesn’t feel so bad…”. But I wasn’t ready, not yet anyway, for a full loop.

Then one night I caught him in the Horse & Stars (probably in one of my extended visits with the Barman) and ended up heading along to the motel room behind him. He caught my eye and very soon I found myself removing one shoe, then the next, one stocking, and the other. Carefully handing them back. I still wasn’t ready to stick with him though, and watched him slip away through the studio gates whilst I headed on over to Tuttle’s.

There must have been something in his wolfish grin though, because during the very next loop as he pinned Tuttle up against the wall, I found myself drawn back to his side. Another rendition of I Can Never Go Home Anymore, then self-conciously slipping back into a relatively crowded motel room.

I felt half-guilty seeing this scene twice in the same night and slid behind some other white masks. But then, he had fixed me with his gaze again, grinning. And I was undressing him for the second time that night. 

There was no way I could resist any longer, and soon we were in his dressing room, “It’s okay, you can drop the act now”, an inkblot, being questioned about why I do it, is it the thrill? The shadow of a moth. The drops on my tongue and running down my chin - wiped away gently with a thumb.

This Conrad felt more youthful. More playful. A little more carefree. He owned the stage during the magic trick and recited lines from The Glass Menagerie in his dressing room. He more easily gave up all his money to the Gatekeeper, again, with a grin. And in Studio 8? He felt more desperate. “We all have a part to play”. His weight shaking in my hand as I led him to the little bed. 

He held me tight as we raced through the darkness, our breathing heavy. The horse. A moment. Stanford’s voice echoing through the darkness “He will lead you”. We run. He stops suddenly and I nearly go flying. A change of direction. His torch scanning the floor until it lands on his face, eyes ripped out. “Hurry, we’ve got to go”. Charging up the stairs, clutching my hand, darting through the crowd, just in time to see the final moments of the murder.

And, though he left me, he also came back for me. More drops on my tongue. Parting words and a goodbye before leading me back into Studio 3. 

It was thrilling to know that I loved this Conrad just as much as the first.

Jude soon followed. Motel speeches that ended with “Read the book!”, reciting Hamlet in his dressing room, cartwheels through Studio 2, an anger at Andrea that I had never witnessed have such intensity. All sass and confidence until he started to fall apart at the seams, stumbling and falling down the stairs on his way to Studio 8. Not letting me step on the string.

And, then, there was Alex, who turned up and had absolutely no right to be as good as he was. Hilarious, dark, dangerous. In so many ways a completely different creature. Catching his last loop on his first night, I knew from his motel room speech that he was going to be a good one. I could forgive him fumbling with stockings and a bra, when he delivered that speech in a way that made it completely new again.

He was also unwittingly to thank for one of my absolute favourite and most unexpected Temple Studios memories. Having dashed through Studio 8 with him in the final loop, I found myself kicked out into the corridor… alone. Shaken and utterly confused I looked to my right, my brain whirring with the knowledge that the final murder was probably already underway, an empty corridor. I slowly turned to my left, to the stairwell, only to find my eyes meeting Stanford’s. He held up the rose he was carrying and beckoned me over, grabbing my neck and asking if he could trust in my discretion, before marching me to watch the murder.

After that first night, Alex’s Conrad only got better. Commanding, self-assured, everything Conrad should be. I wish I had seen more of him. He was forceful about getting his shoulders rubbed too - and remains the only one I felt obliged to obey.

—

Then Adam was back and my final months following Conrad were all about the differences, the changing moments, the new additions and the favourite scenes.

There was the complete surprise of a newly-shaved face and drops on my tongue after Andrea led me into a deserted Studio 3, covering my eyes and stroking my arms with her feathers before vanishing.

There was the time, just once, that I followed (Ben's) Conrad for his first loop after finding him doing push ups in his dressing room at the start of the show.

There was the somehow-self-aware “Perhaps we met in a dream?”, to Harry’s questioning. The loaded looks between Conrad and Dwayne. How much did he know his part in Mary’s death? Who arranged him as a distraction? Dwayne? The studio? Was this just another part he had to play?

There was watching each different Barman’s reaction to him as he removed his wig - and the way the lighting during that scene made it look utterly cinematic no matter where you were stood. (To watch it from in the saddlery, through the doorway, was just as special as from the other end of the bar, as you slunk to the right so as not to have Conrad’s gaze fall on you as he undressed).

There were so many scenes in that motel room. Some empty, some full, some with disobedient door holders or people chewing gum. People keen to remove his stockings or people horrified by it, just using the tips of their fingers as they struggled not to make contact with a thigh. There was the way he sought out everyone in the room while blotting his lipstick, and how I nodded in agreement every time. The way he zipped up his trousers just before leaving. It was always different, always a joy.

There was Ben’s Glass Menagerie lines and Jude’s Hamlet and the addition (in what felt like the last few weeks) of Adam’s speech in his cage whilst waiting for the PA. I never did catch much of what he was saying.

There was the increasingly dirty looks Conrad was dishing out during the magic trick as he plunged the sticks through the box. The final week was outrageous. There was the discovery that Conrad really IS lying when he tells Luna “it’s water”. Gin, definitely gin. And there was Larry, taking me by the arm and escorting me to “my usual spot”.

There was James’ Harry telling Conrad “Nice moustache!” and the new speech that emerged right at the end as Conrad waits to enter Studio 5. Talking to his shadow, words about how he used to have an inferiority complex, how he’s different now. Words I wish I had committed to memory and that maybe would have helped me unravel his past.

There was the makeover to his dressing room in early April, and the way he pointed at the magician before heading to Studio 3. A photo of someone credited, by a note on the back, as an inventor of method acting. 

There was the way that Conrad, particularly Adam’s, seemed to get darker somehow. And seemed to become more and more tormented at the end of his loop. The way the PA seemed to become more powerful as time went by, and he seemed to become weaker. 

There was the Fool, staying on the stage during the finale next to William and Mary, while Conrad mirrored him, crouched down at the side next to Wendy and Marshall. Conrad’s words of “the former becomes the latter, and the latter becomes the former, by sudden unexpected reversal” running through my head as I try to make sense of their respective trips to Studio 8 each loop.

—

When I came to the final show, probably much further from understanding Conrad than I had been on my first visit with him, he was the obvious choice for much of my last night in there.

It was a great choice. Gone were most of my tears from an emotional final loop with Jesse’s Grocer the night before, and instead Adam played it with humour, acknowledging the huge (adoring) crowd following him.

Words were changed in the motel room and met with raucous laughter. “Can the last one in hold the door?”; “Maybe I’m pretty good at this now” as his shoelaces were perfectly tied;”If this is a nightmare, perhaps we’ll awake tonight?”. All topped off with the way he still tried to catch everyone’s eye, whilst blotting his lipstick, despite the room being full to bursting.

There was the insanely loud cheers during both magic tricks - the second one with cameo appearances from Ben and Alex, which brought tears to my eyes as I silently said goodbye whilst grinning, laughing and whooping.

And there was the final trip to the motel room. Where I snuck through the back door, making sure I’d see his final speech, except I didn’t quite time it right and arrived to an empty room, a split second before him. He looked me up and down and his final words to me were “You’re early”.

When he left, he parted with a simple “Until…” and a pause that lingered, heavy in the air. The tiniest touch, the perfect sobering reminder that there would be no “next time”.

[theconfessionofawhitemask-blog]

SNM Shanghai 09/01/2017 (81st visit)

Macbeth: Olly Hornsby-Sayer Lady Macbeth: Camilla Brogard Macduff: Gao Yang Lady Macduff: Hsu Hui-ting Duncan: Simon Palmer Malcolm: Daniel Nicolson Banquo: Wang Mingchao Boy Witch: Garth Johnson Bald Witch: Maya Milet Sexy Witch: Maren Fidje Bjørneseth Hecate: Fania Grigoriou Porter: Andrea Carrucciu Agnes Naismith: Xu Xinwen Danvers: Jiang Yuli Speakeasy: Chris Jäger Cunning man: John Ross Taxi: Sam Booth Bride: Lee Wen Hsin (Debby) Husband: Ben Whybrow Matron: Tang Tingting Nurse: Chen Yian James: Du Yanhao Man in Bar (Calloway) : Liu Yu Woman in Bar (Constance) : Shenni

First Loop dedicated to Maya Milet’s bald witch. The so called “new casts” have already been in McKinnon for three months now, so they should not be called as “new residents” anymore. I see a lot of improvement from Maya’s bald witch. I cannot compare her with Omagbitse Omagbemi or Fania Grigoriou but she certainly has come a long way from where she started. I am impressed with her interaction after rave.

Then, I followed Debby. Lee Wen Hsin is always consistent and even with her injury, she is amazing. I absolutely love all her solos. Her eyes after husband’s death are stunning. Thank you Debby for putting your heart and soul in your performance every time.

I ultimately ended up following Garth for a bit again. I feel I need to apologize for following him that frequently these days, but I have to see his pool table once when he is on fire.

[francesmk]

i am nadda going to recap all my shows because I’m not at that place in my life anymore, but I do have a few things I’d like to say. I will start with my concerns.

I’D LIKE TO SPEAK TO A MANAGER

BOY WITCH: as an audience member, it’s an interesting choice to actually take away fascinating dimensions of a character for the sake of a stronger primary narrative. out of all the characters, poor boy witch suffers the most because of clarification of intention and focus for other characters. from a directorial and dramaturgical standpoint, boy witch in new york presents a strong imbalance of abstract and concrete energy (for us to witness) and playable stakes (for dancers to perform) and it’s what makes him so darn watchable. but in terms of the ultimate question -- “does this serve the story?” -- the character in new york often serves himself, or us, instead. personally, i always liked that. boy witch in shanghai conforms more consistently to the kind of character you would find in a well-made play or a mainstream film. he serves the overall experience of the show rather than his own wants. that’s great for the story, but i miss the character’s wildness, and wish they had allowed him his journey. now that so many of the other characters are well-developed, i don’t think boy witch would have pulled focus in the same way he often does in NY. everyone is performing the role in its new incarnation wonderfully, but I’m team #BoyWitchNYC -- specifically team #AustinGoodwinIMissYouSadFaceUnicornHeadSyringe.

PORTER: justice for the porter. if you thought i had opinions about boy witch just you fucking wait. here is the primary problem with the porter in shanghai: he fulfills his practical function by carrying luggage, and he leaves his space. this may sound trivial to you, but you probably haven’t seen the porter loop at least 100 times, so you don’t even know what you’re talking about, becky. the porter in nyc exists exclusively in the space of the lobby until the finale, and therefore indirectly claims ownership of it. his relationship to the space becomes enormously important. the fact that he never leaves the space and also never fulfills duties that extend physically beyond the space is hugely telling. the world of the lobby is also powered by non-diagetic sound. in shanghai, the porter not only leaves the barrier of the space, but performs a functional role outside of the space, and in doing that, encounters diagetic sound. all of these go completely against what this character stands for, and honestly at this point i’m not entirely convinced felix barrett himself has seen this loop more times than i have so i hope somebody reads this and fixes it. even if the porter began as a character of convenience for resetting and transitioning props, the performers who embodied the role have made it one of the best characters in the entire show, and to backtrack on that is a travesty. sure, maybe i’m being overdramatic, but i’ve also seen this show 275 times so if you were expecting anything less then that’s your own fault. all the shanghai porters i saw were lovely little potatoes who always put rings on my fingers whenever i appeared. it happened to frequently i wondered if maybe my strawberry lotion was some kind of catnip for porters. anyway, felix, for advice on how to fix this track, please email me asap. Ps for this I am also #AustinGoodwinIMissYouSadFaceUnicornHeadSyringe

TAXIDERMIST: i find it hard to believe he needs that 20 minute period of time where he essentially does nothing but what do i know…

that’s mostly it for my complaints. now let’s talk about all the good things!

BEN WHYBROW: poor ben. it’s hard being my favourite. so many expectations. so many notes you never asked for. so many questions of “in this moment, what exactly does malcolm want from boy witch? i’d love to see more of that. make it really clear to me. and show me what’s at stake if he doesn’t receive it.” what makes a star a star? what makes a favourite a favourite? a good beard? a knack for finding me in a huge crowd? who knows, but welcome to da club. Your membership card is in the mail.

THAT NEW SCENE ON 5: it’s so amazing, but also so extra that it could be the exact moment that punchdrunk jumped the shark. but if that’s what sharkjumping means in punchdrunk land, we should all jump over them a little more often.

SNAKES: i see your symbolism and raise you a real live snake in a bathtub as a shoutout to the superior boston production?

THE NEW MALE CHARACTER’s 1:1: we’re moving closer and closer to full-on makeout sessions in these new 1:1’s and i for one appreciate it.  

CONOR DOYLE’S WARDROBE: i’ve never seen such an exciting mix of london chav meets shanghai fashion week. also, i keep wanting to call him “dad” and i don’t understand why.

PAGODA: yo matron look at you go! leaving your hut! exploring your world! slay.

SEXY WITCH & THE NEW GIRL: yes i like. 

EMILY TERNDRUP LOOKS LIKE SANSA STARK: and she a real good performer too.

THE FRAGGLE ROOM SHANGHAI: well-designed but i thought there weren’t enough rocks.

ROBO DANVERS: i think the role suffers from removing her 1:1 but I understand why they did it.

LILY OCKWELL: read some text messages from my phone from a few years ago when i flew to a different city to hang out with a guy and we were on his bed watching “twin peaks” and I finally told him I liked him and he replied “oh no”. that was great to relive live on stage in the manderley. His name was Tristen and he was actually my NYE 2017 kiss so it worked out in the end, but wow what a moment.

BLACK MASK WHO WOULDN’T LET ME LEAVE THE FINALE: rude i just want wine

BLACK MASK WHO WOULDN’T LET ME DIVE THROUGH A WINDOW AND ROLL ON THE FLOOR: smart move, i did not realize macbeth was gonna rampage at that exact moment. thanks for having my back.

CUNNING MAN SITTING ON ME WHILE I PLAYED MAHJONG: hahahahahahaha well played sir