#but i feel like the theatrics and talking like a hero thing was a hobby/interest that developed into a coping mechanism as a kid

[someobscurereference]

(1/2) hng so this was a weird thing to take away from ur nsfw hcs (100/10 by the way, i love and theyre perf) but the one ab niles and the choking also made me think ab the diff ways l/n/o handle the trauma theyve been through. (in my personal hc) obvs theres overlap, but leo becomes kinda a workaholic/insomniac, niles is (as in canon)distrusting/often distant w/ def some triggers, and odin/the trio has a warped sense of priorities in regards to their own lives/injuries (listen i have a spiel ab

(2/2)how living a long period of their lives ready to die has shifted their outlooks and while they arent suicidal they have like? A very cavalier outlook on their own lives? ‘Dont do that, you could get hurt’ ‘its cool itd totally be worth it’ ‘not to US dipshit’ and im getting sidetracked and may ask u for hcs ab that later but my original ask was how do u think n/l/o reconcile/help each other w their diff types of trauma? I love ye olde comfort trope (happy holidays FYI! take ur time w this)

Firstly, I totally agree on your points about how these three handle trauma. I hadn’t thought about Leo’s methods too much, but overworking (being 8,000% over prepared for anything/needing that sense of “things are under control”) and insomnia make sense to me, as do Niles’ and Odin’s (which I may have also vaguely referred to before in other asks). (Also I’m glad you like my other hcs, lol).

In terms of how they comfort each other, I’ll start by initially referencing this ask , in which I mention that if Odin’s secret past were to come to light, he and Niles might benefit by discussing their traumas together, as actually verbalizing their experiences (rather than leaving things unsaid as Odin might with Selena and Laslow, who experienced the bad timeline firsthand) and getting fresh perspectives might help. Niles’ and Odin’s pasts aren’t the same (different settings, different monsters, etc), but they can still probably relate to each other in certain ways. (That ask, btw, sorta also references this longer, semi-related ask if you want a larger context, but that’s the gist of what it says). So in a world where Odin is able to discuss his past trauma without giving the time/dimensional travel away (or where it is an open secret), frank discussion would probably benefit him and Niles both. 

I get the feeling Niles’ past isn’t discussed with Leo a lot? In his and Niles’ support, Leo seems pretty uncomfortable hearing about Niles’ past (when Niles is describing it in unpleasant flashes, I mean) and he actually bails kinda early in their C-Support, to the point where Niles apologizes to Leo in their B-Support in case he burdened Leo in some way. (Niles also admits he doesn’t remember a lot of his time before meeting Leo anyway, so that’s something else to unpack altogether.) Leo assures Niles that isn’t true, so he definitely isn’t shutting down that kind of communication entirely. It’s not that he’s unnecessarily unwilling so much as that he’s kinda awkward, I think. He expresses interest in what Niles has to say by asking if he has any pleasant memories of his past at all, which allows Niles to continue talking without diving back into unpleasant material for both of them. Even though Leo’s uncomfortable, he’s probably a decent listener? In their exchange, Leo seems to have the lesser amount of dialogue, often offering two or three word answers. Part of that seems to be a search for words to say, however. He’s probably better when given a heads-up. He and Niles probably don’t talk the same way Odin and Niles do about their traumas though. Leo seems to discuss the present/future worries more than past ones.

That said, I feel like Leo is the type to help more through understanding/making the situation easier for the upset person. Like, if they had to cross a bridge, he might suggest they take the longer way around and would only explicitly ask “Odin, are you okay?” if they were absolutely going to cross the bridge and it was particularly intimidating. Granted, he might not even ask at all if he’s confident Odin will be fine and doesn’t want to draw attention to it. (Leo places a lot of faith in his retainers, which sometimes appears as giving them space and independence in times of stress.)

(Also, I’m not sure Odin would admit to his fear deterring him unless explicitly asked, so that’s probably another conversation altogether too.) Leo might offer slow down or do something more once the bridge had been crossed though. 

But in another example, like, if he were sitting in a room with Niles and Niles was clearly upset thinking about something (maybe the past or another trigger), if Leo asks “Do you want to talk” and Niles says “No,” Leo would sit there in silence with Niles until Niles was feeling better. 

It’s hard to explain, but while Leo is direct in his own way, I feel like if he has all the information on a situation already, he’s not direct/asking questions the same way Niles or Odin might be.

(I feel like I’ve strayed a bit from the “comfort” part of this ask, so let’s get back on track, lol.)

Niles is the first to recognize a panic attack in any of them, including himself, and when Leo has his first panic attack, he’s the one who tells Leo to put his head down and helps him breathe until it’s over and then explains what happened when Leo asks why

When Leo overworks himself, Odin and Niles both take notice and they go out of their way to do more themselves to lessen Leo’s burden. They also either remind him to slow down or try to guide him to bed when he works late into the night too. They take turns staying up with him when Leo can’t sleep; sometimes they both stay up, but one of them has to be functional in the morning, so they try to take turns.

Finding Leo asleep in the library or on top of a book or some other place that isn’t his bed isn’t unusual, but if so, either Niles or Odin usually aren’t far away

There are things Niles Doesn’t Like and places/ways he just doesn’t want to be touched (example: don’t touch his neck too much bc that activates a fight or flight response) and so Odin and Leo don’t do those things and/or back off when Niles seems to be getting oddly fidgety and give him his space when he needs it

that said Niles is pretty tactile in private, so they’re experts by now

His memories before Leo are in fragments (as said in his Supports) so any dreams/suddenly triggered memories of his past make him feel Off for a little while. He doesn’t always talk about it–– Odin and Leo alternate between listening when he wants to speak and giving him space to reminisce depending on his mood. He’ll more often speak to Odin and sit quietly with Leo. It can happen the other way around, but it’s more common the first way.

Odin tries to hide when he’s upset the most? (Niles is super guarded unless alone with Leo and eventually also Odin. Leo also hides it, and while he’s decent, he’s not the best and his retainers see right through him anyway, especially once they’ve been around Leo for a while.) 

Maybe that’s the wrong way to phrase it. That is, while Odin might say he’s not feeling well, he’s sometimes the least likely to say why, especially if it deals with pre-Nohr stuff. 

Odin has a tendency to be vague about what’s triggering or at the very least bothering him, especially since most of his trauma comes from his secret past which is… secret, obviously. The tendency to keep it quiet even if Niles and Leo have already found out about his past still persists.

The main signs that Odin is distressed is that he gets (a.) quiet and (b.) speaks normally and seems reluctant to talk. When the source is obvious (like they’re climbing a mountain and it’s the heights thing), Niles and Leo try to talk to him as a distraction, which usually helps. When the source is less obvious/talking doesn’t help, holding hands to keep Odin grounded in the moment usually works pretty well. 

Touch is pretty good for all three of them most of the time, actually.

Happy holidays to you too! I hope you’ve had a good December!

[cosplayinamerica]

Spiderman from Marvel 1602 // Cosplayer: kammospark

Tell us about Spiderman1602, I’ve seen many versions of Spiderman but  thiis is a new one to me! What led you to this concept of this version of Spiderman?

Well I've always had an appreciation for lesser know outfits of popular heroes. Looking through many wardrobes and outfits, the obscure ones always stood out to me, "Wow, I've never seen this one before!" I'd think to myself, and I figured others who know the characters well would love to see them brought to life too, or even people curious about the stories of them would enjoy seeing it. I feel everyone has a love for Spider-Man; he's such an iconic superhero and has so many suits, and even though they can be quite diverse, they still feel recognizable as one of the Web-slinger's costumes.

While I was looking at different Spiderverse characters for inspiration on a new Spider-Man cosplay, I saw Marvel 1602 and it immediately caught my attention; I thought it was such a fun looking design. Definitely away from a modern or futuristic look, it's charm won me over, and I had to put it together. And as a fan of the fantasy genre in general, thanks to many years as a GM from D&D as well as other media, I also enjoy Ren-faires and wanted something to wear to show my love for Superheroes and Renaissance.

When you wore it out to conventions, what was the response? Obviously they knew you were Spiderman because of the mask but were they confused about the rest of your outfit? What were some of their guesses?

Oh people certainly get a kick out of seeing the outfit. Some people have called Me 'Lord Spider-Man', 'Ren-Spidey', 'William Spider-Speare', a lot of creative names for it that never fail to make me smile as much as it does for them. Whenever I wear a Spider-Man cosplay, I always want to try and take pics with as many Spider-Men as I can find, and most of the time it's the other Spiderman cosplayers that recognize who the character really is. I love having people laugh and get excited over the character, it's part of that Con Magic where people just can't help but feel like a kid when they see something that fills them with joy; its my favorite part of this fun hobby, just making someone's day memorable, even for a moment.

Besides conventions , I see you wore the costume to a Renaissance Fair. What was responses there? Was it different from conventions?

Ren-faires in general are a great time! And when I started this costume, I was excited just thinking of the reactions from people and how happy they may be. I've taken 1602 to quite a few Ren-faires: Central Coast Ren Faire, NorCal Ren Faire, and Kingsburg Renaissance of Kings.

The first place I ever debuted it was as CCRF, and I was stopped by about 20 people before I could make it past the first 3 booths. It really does feel like a different environment going to faires. D

uring them, I'd be a bit more 'theatrical' and introduce myself as Peter Parquagh, and try my best to make people smile or laugh. I've gotten the opportunity to meet many wonderful people and people with stunning and gorgeous Renaissance outfits. Kids come walk by amazed that they actually got to see a Spider-Man at a Ren Faire.

One instance, a bard played the spider-man theme song on a lute as he traveled around me. At two different faires my presence was requested by the Queen, and I was escorted to her, one even knighted me! Everyone just has a blast role playing and getting caught up in the fun, the energy is so infectious and delightful! 

Take us through how the outfit was put together?

Well, I cannot take full credit on the cosplay. My mother was actually a large part of it. Growing up, my mom was always really involved and loved making costumes for Halloween for me and my sister. And one of her favorite aesthetics is period piece era fashion and she loves Jane Austen.

As I was looking for ideas for a new cosplay and showing her, she was drawn towards 1602 and offered to do as much as she could to help create it, and she loved helping putting it together. The suit is a handmade outfit following a 14th century cavalier pattern. The design called for detachable sleeves and very baggy slops, but we decided to have the sleeves attached and slim down the slops slightly, to give it a mix of authentic and Spider-man's sleekness.

We went looking online and found this wonderful blue velvet fabric with Fleur De Lis imprinted onto it and thought it'd really help the outfit pop! We had to make sure we kept the fabric in the same direction: it has a difference in shimmer if facing a certain way, and we wanted the Fleurs facing the same way as well, so we tried to be mindful of that. We pleated the red fabric in the front and it was quite stubborn, but we tried our best to make it look similar on both sides of the torso. The back has a spider and has legs that lead unto the front; we cut out red fabric and hand-stitch embroidered on, and was quite meticulous.

Me and my mom kept an eye out online for just the right buttons we wanted for the costume. Something antique and era appropriate but also thematic, and after a while, we stumbled across a web-designed antique gold button set. We also looked for a thick ruff rather than the costumes original thin look. The original costume look also called for the mask to have open eye holes, but I opted out of that, and felt that a traditional mask look better complemented the costume. After that I acquired socks and shoes and then it was finished! 

How did you discover cosplay?

As mentioned earlier, my mom loved making mine and my sister's costumes growing up. She's a seamstress as a hobby, and is so creative and artsy. Halloween was probably my favorite holiday growing up, and I was so happy I got to wear something made with much love from my family. Some of my favorite notable costumes growing up was a knight, an astronaut, and Pikachu.

As I got older, around high school, I still liked the idea of costumes, even bought a cheap Captain America outfit for The Avengers premiere night, but I mostly dropped off on dressing up. I grew up in a very small town, but eventually, after I moved out to the city, I heard about 'conventions' and I was interested and wanted to try and wear something to one. I decided to make a classic Punisher costume, and wore it for the con. It was a small venue, but even then it finally hit me, 'This is a thing people do. People love to dress up, go make friends, bring smiles and show their love for their Fandoms and interests. THIS is what Cosplay IS'. I finally understood what this little hobby of mine was, and I embraced it.

Have you discovered something about yourself through cosplay?

I've always thought of myself as a people pleaser. I'm someone who really only want others to be happy. I'm also someone who loves to share their interests and engage with others about things that we can share and discuss and geek out over.

When I was young, I often felt left out from social circles, due to my often eccentric personality. I found it really hard to make friends, and I am forever grateful for the friends that I have made and been with me for years.

Cosplay has opened up another avenue as far as friends and socializing. My first couple of cons I was initially intimidated, but I have to say that I'm so glad I got into this hobby, for I've met many people with interesting stories and wonderful personalities, and people I still talk to often. It's really helped me feel like I can make good friends and memories, and I'm sure that others have felt similarly and that's something I treasure.

What are your future cosplay goals?

As with most cosplayers I'm sure, I have way too many projects in my head with very little work on a lot of them. I suppose my current goal is to rework the headpiece of a cosplay I finished last year, my Bioshock Big Daddy Doll. The head was massive and too cumbersome so it needs to be redone.

As far as new projects, I would very much like to do a Prince Link cosplay, inspired by the creation of theLostSindar. Another idea would be to do more superhero variants and make a Blue Lantern Flash that 8ve been eyeing for a couple of years.

One thing I definitely want to get good at is working with foam. I am massively inexperienced with foamsmithing, and I strive to learn how to be good at it and learn how to make wonderful things with it. It's just like when I first went to cons; starting off can be a bit scary or even overwhelming before we really get it going, but that exposure to things we really desire is all we need to get hooked and make it our passion.

https://www.instagram.com/kammospark/

[kanchelsis]

I loved your villain Ion, do you have any more ideas with that? It's a really good idea!

anon i can't thank you enough,,, 💕 i simply Adore villains and i intend to make that everyone else's problem !!

i imagine his descent into becoming what he swore to destroy as slow, yet that brief time leading up to his fall would be a telling one. unless they wanted to feel the wrath of a literal god, no one dared disagree with him. i stress the macbeth comparisons here: a tyrant on a throne of bones, willingly sacrificing the lives of those who followed him but just fucking living for it yknow?

the klavigars' reactions to his newfound god persona could also be interesting. lovataar and orok were unwavering, too caught up in their own siphoned powers to give it thought. saarn, ever self-serving, knew damn well ion's hubris would be the death of him so had her own contigency plans for when shit inevitably hit the fan. as for nadox.. he saw it too, but stayed by ion til the end. was it out of brotherhood? or just the tiny glimmer of hope that he might be rational enough, kind enough to bring his ozi̮rmok back to himself?

(he wasn't.)

so ion dies. well- as close to dying as he was going to get, most likely at the hands of a certain pretty mekhanite priest with a zealot's conviction and ichor running through his veins. ion uses this period of time to further solidify his connection to yaldabaoth, using his grotesque power to gradually rebuild himself.

don't even get me STARTED on the pure fuckery that is ion on earth again. his hobbies include:

conducting Shady Dealings between the gods, typically at anyone's expense except his own

gathering allies old and new to make sure nobody gets in the way of the deathless empire's rise this time around

being devilishly handsome

periodically visiting a certain pretty mekhanite priest (who may or may not be the church of the broken god's current leader) for the sole purpose of doing that thing where the villain leans in real close to the hero's ear and purrs their evil plan in the most intimate way possible you know exactly what i'm talking about

being insufferable

dropping his crystalline wine glass in a deeply theatrical manner

starting conversations just to leave people on read when they reply

summary: descending into power-driven madness and tyranny might result in getting your ass kicked, but at least you'll come back and be sexy as hell

[bogprincess-kira]

Also, skekZok. Can't separate the bros.

SkekZok the Ritual-Master

Why I like them

RA RA RASPUTÍN, LOVER OF THE RUSSIAN QUEEN-

legitimately though, I love his design and how over-the-top Dramatic Evil™ he is. He constrasts well when you look at skekGra's even more theatrical behavior. Plus, he can play the deadpan bystander role, too! Always great for comedic scenes, especially since he's such a despicable asshole that you don't feel bad when the joke or bit falls at his expense.

Also, I just like characters who enjoy the "scary" hobbies, since it offers a little more variety than "this guy likes art, this guy likes soccer, this guy likes singing", etc... The idea of Zok's knife collection is interesting, for example.

Why I don’t

As for things that don't also pertain to the other Skeksis... The "vigor" scene. Hilarious line, perfect delivery, disturbing context. Enough said.

Favorite episode (scene if movie)

This is less because of Zok, and more because of who he's playing off of, but definitely the Unamoth-snacking scene! The Skeksis puppets are incredibly expressive, and scenes like that definitely help show it off. The Gelfling puppets, like Mayrin, still feel a little Uncanny Valley to me - possibly why so many people in the fanbase like the villainous Skeksis, rather than the Gelfling heroes? - but it works well anyway, especially with their more nuanced expressions, and the Look™ Mayrin gets. That's what I call high-tech puppetry!

Favorite season/movie

Season 1 of AoR. He was good in the movie, but didn't have much of a distinct personality, in my opinion.

Favorite line

["What's wrong with that one's face?"] "I think it's just old."

look who's talking, Lord Horseshoe-Crab Teeth

Favorite outfit

The spa scene was pretty "meh" for me - Aughra was the best in that, so the rest kinda fades to the background - but Zok's vaguely triangle-shaped robe is p funny.

Otherwise, just his regular robes - notably, the red fabric lining the inside. It contrasts well.

OTP

Again, SoVarZok is a major rarepair (... raretrio?) of mine. I feel like So needs somebody to keep him in check, with how easily he might talk down to Var; Zok would be very useful for keeping the General's spirits up, I think, even when the Emperor acts cold towards him.

... Also, Zok likes a man with a high pain tolerance. Just gonna leave that there.

Brotp

Once again, Zok has a close bond with skekSo - one that they've been building up ever since they were exiled as Urskeks. It was rough at first, and they despised each other in the beginning, but by the Second Great Conjunction and the Split, they had already pushed through and cultivated an alliance that could've withstood the test of an eternity.

... Could've.

But death doesn't care about loyalty. 

Head Canon

Zok didn't just want the throne in the movie for power's sake; he wanted it to carry on where So left off.

The dying Emperor likely made him swear upon his "free" life - as in, free from the Urru and Unity - that he would never lose sight or give up... But he would've done it with or without So telling him to. He doesn't like many people, but the few that he respects, he will give anything for.

Unpopular opinion

Not sure if this is an "unpopular opinion", but I do think he genuinely believes the teachings of his cult, and holds himself to its standards. Those aren't very good standards, true, but he's sticking to them.

... Also, I really, really dislike seeing him characterized as an aggressive creep. I know it's canon, it just makes me hella uncomfortable, so I don't """"write"""" (cough cough I haven't written fic in years cough) him the same way - still annoyingly blatant about his "interests", and it still ends up as other people's problem a lot, but not intentionally, and not maliciously. In this case, sadism takes a wildly different form for him depending on the context, and it's not nearly as brutal towards people he's attracted to. So, yeah, that's how I reconciled that

A wish

... More goofs? More goofs.

Preferably, ones that involve Gelfling, Podling and/or GRUENAK revenge

An oh-god-please-don’t-ever-happen

hey old man stop creeping

5 words to best describe them

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, Russia's Greatest Love Machine wait I already made that joke uhhhh

Intimidating / Gaudy / Sadistic / Melodramatic / Comedic

My nickname for them

Again, I mostly just call him by his name without the "skek" prefix, or by his title.

Unsurprisingly, I also sometimes call him Rasputin... And also, a few jokes at his expense that would get this post flagged immediately. I do a lot of Discord ranting.

[griffinblogsgw2]

1, 9, 15, 21, 22, 25, 29, 36, 38, 44, 47, 48, 49, and 50 for the delightfully wondrous Tora!!!

Tumblr ate my last answer so let’s try again.

This is gonna be a mile long…

1. What’s their full name? Why was that chosen? Does it mean anything?

Tora Zollun. He’s a sylvari so there’s no real lore reason for it - they just have names, they don’t choose em, ya?

I personally chose it because he was originally based on another character named Thunder Clarwin, but I was worried that if I named him that I’d feel pressured to play like that character. Bit silly I suppose. Anyway I named him Tora after a minor antagonist from Thunder’s story and mashed together a last name from a conlang I developed for that story. His name literally means Tree Blue Sun.

9. Do animals like them? Do they get on well with animals?

Yep.

15. Are they good at cooking? Do they enjoy it? What do others think of their cooking?

He’s interested in it but he’s trash at cooking and most folks learn not to let him in the kitchen. He’s a living hazard.

21. Do they have a temper? Are they patient? What are they like when they do lose their temper?

Yes and depends. Tora can be childish and impatient, but generally with people he’s usually almost too patient? He does have one hellova temper and we’ve seen a bit of this in comic.

We haven’t seen him at his worst yet but… Wait till next episode.

22. What are their favourite insults to use? What do they insult people for? Or do they prefer to bitch behind someone’s back?

He doesn’t really have favourites? He swears a lot though and usually if he’s at a point where he’s insulting someone, it’s likely personalized just for them. Bitching behind someone’s back isn’t generally his style.

If he’s gonna insult someone, it’ll be because they wronged him or his friends. He’s the kinda guy who gives back 10x what he’s given, get me?

25. What do they find funny? Do they have a good sense of humour? Are they funny themselves?

Puns, bad Dad jokes, silly bs. Yes and yes.

29. What do they do when they find out someone else’s fear? Do they tease them? Or get very over protective?

Protective. He’s a softie.

36. What are they good at? What hobbies do they like? Can they sing?

Man that’s general. Thieving, knifing, smooth talking, and fleeing? Also weapon and armor smithing. Good singer. Decent metal worker. Storyteller. He’s the theatrical artsy sort. Think that’s about it? Uh hobbies are mostly reading fiction and making art.

38. What do they admire in others? What talents do they wish they had?

Uhhhh -points to Terin- that. Basically that?

Oh and I guess -points to Baya and all the brave charming heroes in his story books- those too.

Tora is someone who wants to be like the cool adventurers he sees in stories, but he also wishes he was stronger, more reliable, and not a general fuck up.

44. What is their favourite season? Type of weather? Are they good in the cold or the heat? What weather do they complain in the most?

He’s usually pretty warm body temperature-wise so it’s the hotter climates he’ll wine about most.

47. How do they act in a formal occasion? What do they think of black tie wear? Do they enjoy fancy parties and love to chit chat or loathe the whole event?

Depends. If he feels like he has to behave to impress, he’ll be miserable, feel outta place and overall self-conscious and awful. He’s guaranteed to steal some alcohol and hide somewhere to sulk if that happens.

If there’s no pressure though, he’ll love it and will probably make whoever invited him regret it. The guests will be thrilled and amused with him at least…

Oh also suits are boring. Don’t expect him to wear anything standard to these kind of events.

48. Do they enjoy any parties? If so what kind? Do they organise the party or just turn up? How do they act? What if they didn’t want to go but were dragged along by a friend?

This might surprise you, but Tora’s introverted. He does better in small groups of friend parties - the real casual kind. And it depends on mood. If he’s got the energy for it, he’s the life of the party. If not, he’s sulking somewhere with booze.

He’s a disorganized mess, he’s usually just showing up to these things.

49. What is their most valued object? Are they sentimental? Is there something they have to take everywhere with them?

This is a tad spoilery but… There’s a series of daggers he has with metal roses on the hilts. They’ve been shown in the latest episode where Tora is packing supplies, and on this most recent page by his “corpse.” He made those. But they were made for someone else.

50. If they could only take one bag of stuff somewhere with them: what would they pack? What do they consider their essentials?

He did that honestly. Mostly took the clothes on his back, his weapons, a few rations, a notebook, an adventure book, and a few toiletries.

[anneesfolleshq]

Bonjour et bienvenue!

Paris welcomes you, our Grande Dame, Rosalie ‘Rose' Murdock! May we say, you’re the spitting image of Carla Gugino! Please make your presence known within 24 hours, and do have a look at our checklist before setting out into the city on your own.

                                                                                À bientôt!

MUN

Name/Alias: Mel

Preferred Pronouns: she/her

Age: 22

Timezone: PST, evening and early mornings mostly - unless it’s the weekend, then I could pop in any time at all. December I’ll have a lot of free time as well.

MUSE

Chosen Skeleton: The Grande Dame

Muse Name: Rosalie ‘Rose' Murdock (née Charpentier)

Muse Age: 38

Chosen FC:  Carla Gugino

Muse Occupation: fashion designer

Muse Affiliation & Frequent Haunts: Though most entertainment-seekers frequent the infamous Moulin Rouge for the thrilling talent that takes center stage there, Rose delights in the sparkling substance that supports it all. The under-appreciated background work that makes the astonishing final production the spectacle it is; the unsung heroes not responsible for belting notes or kicking up their heels to the high heavens - the wardrobe department. She utterly adores the decorative fixings that link it all together. The elaborate costumes adorning many of the more theatrical displays of talent are, by far, her favorite things. It’s that which keeps her coming back - every fibre and sequin telling a fascinating story of their wearer’s tastes and origins before a single word is even spoken, or a pirouette performed. Multiple times a week, Rose makes an effort to drop by for the duration of an new act or two. Whenever the well of her inspiration is running low, her visits to color-saturated cabaret shows are noticeably longer and more frequent in occurrence, the weight of her attentive gaze appearing far more shrewd and studious than it’s usual ponderous and dreamy state. Sometimes it’s what’s off the stage that captivates her focus just as intently. People-watching is an activity endlessly supplied within those cabaret walls, spotlit or not.

Direct from Le Petit Journal:

Most of us window shop not with the intention of ever possessing the wildly expensive imported materials perched behind the glass, but because doing so educates our eye and hones our taste, just as eating gourmet food can refine and reawaken even the the dullest of palates. A similar sort of pleasure is enabled by allowing oneself the privilege to believe themselves acquainted with Rosalie Murdock’s radiant presence. Though known to prefer a life at a distance from beneath the inspection of any magnifying glass herself, her quest toward finding the most glamourous ways to uplift the human spirit via the senses speak volumes in her creations. It is easy to feel as though one knows Rosalie well, even if all she’s presented to you is only a selected scrap of evidence - for it is always a marvelous one, always a version of her, personally crafted just for you). She can make rags feel like riches; even the most aged and weary surface deemed worthy of a fair chance to shine before being thrown away. Some say even already promising silver linings might melt into spun gold beneath her touch. Years have awarded her a reputation cloaked by a ruthlessly polished aesthetic, her refusal to participate in the repetitive and safe choices of her competitors leading to ethical and integrity-driven risks that keep paying off with flying colors. She fabricates her fantasies in the form of beautiful embellishments designed to distract and attract the curious eye, never playing into her customer’s sense of inadequacy or doubt. Instead, as if a direct extension of her own hands, each garment warmly envelopes it’s wearer. Reminding all to take unapologetic satisfaction in parading oneself saturated in every manner of hedonistic finery: clothes, jewels, and imbibement alike. With a world of vibrant color and life possible to be crafted at her fingertips, certainly it may cause certain more cynical and bitter minds to wonder… would it not get a little lonely, sitting above the rest, pulling strings and playing God?

BIOGRAPHY

Born on August 15th, in the small village near Angles-sur-l'Anglin in Western France, Rosalie Charpentier was descended from a long-established working-class French family. Her ancestors were carpenters, farmers, cobblers and milliners. Though, at first, these professions and what they entailed meant very little to her. Watching her parents sit hunched over in the same position for hours on end looked far more tortuous than it did an act of artistry and skill. Failing to develop an interest in their patient techniques until later in life, she spent most of her childhood wandering the countryside and abandoned castles built upon it. Her parents had been late to conceive, lending to Rosalie being one of the youngest of the children populating their small town. A loner by default, she was forced to befriend adults far more frequently than she encountered someone below her own age. At all times she fought to understand and keep up with the conversation happening above her head. As soon as she should talk and comprehend language, any word she didn’t understand, she would promptly demand it’s detailed definition. If she disagreed with something, there existed no filter between her brain and mouth to admit as much. Debating with others thrilled her, even if she was far out of her depth the majority of the time, she always left equipped with a new piece of information. From the beginning, Rosalie made it clear she would not be excluded for lacking anything, nor brushed off due to her appearance or status. She would figure out her shortcomings and surmount them through a rapid cycle of learning, improving herself, and participating from there. All or nothing was young Rosalie’s way.

The closer she drew to entering her teenage years, the more her purposeless exploring and solo-driven causes for adventure and argument (or ‘trouble’ as her parents liked to label it) around her rural hometown started to feel itchy against her edges. She was outgrowing the place, but couldn’t understand how or why when it was all she’d known. Her parents were happy settled there with the bare minimum, so why could she not join them in that contentment? The utter vacancy of exciting substance in her surroundings only led Rosalie to resort into more elaborate daydreams of lavishness and splendor - indulgently filling her own head with ideas that, so long as she lived in a simple village detached from the business, lights, and chaos of the city that overshadowed it, were born to die. The afternoons occasional Parisian gifts were received from extended family living closer to the capital thrilled her like nothing else, though she tried to ignore the hunger of her wanderlust, her appetite continued to steadily grow as time ticked on.

The path her life was headed was all but finalized when one of these relatives ended up spending a week visiting their humble abode, after many weeks spent in basking in the energetic liveliness of Paris, and boasting countless stories that  wide-eyed adolescent Rosalie couldn’t believe were true. Though she’d never personally seen the extravagant people or events described to her, she already knew she wanted to be among them. She wanted to be a someone worth telling such tales about. Her parents denied her initial pleas to visit Paris, too protective of their only daughter to let her travel so far away at such a  tender age, and unwilling to accompany her do to the many local obligations that required their attention. So Rose brought Paris to her - or, at least, how she imagined it to be based on the descriptions and few tangible tokens she possessed. Finally taking an interest in the craftsmanship of her parents, Rose began to attempt to make items that her imagined the poised version of her Paris identity might wear. Whilst her mother worked on weaving crocheted flowers into the brim of a straw hat and her father manipulated leather into neat sole-sized pieces, their incorrigibly curious daughter flexed her own creativity. In typical Rose fashion, she went above and beyond the existing standard set for her to achieve. It was no surprise that, surrounded by a miscellany of tools and fuelled by a creative bloodline, combined with an almost maddening passion to experience a life larger than her current existence, Rose easily took to the the overdue outlet needed to express the artistic streak of her own she’d spent so long letting simmer beneath the surface. Her first attempts were rough around the edges - comprised of bits of table cloth, yarn, patches of outgrown baby clothes, buttons of every color collected from the cutting room floor, etc. But in her intuitive re-purposing of these ordinary objects, Rosalie miraculously succeeded at creating beautiful trinkets out of nothing. She might not had known what she was dong completely, but she knew she thoroughly enjoyed the act of creation and the looks on people’s faces when she could proudly brag ‘I made that’. The confused stares and the endearing laughter and the eye rolls faded with time as her technique improved and the rainy day hobby evolved into something her days revolved around. She never tired of the exciting task of designing her next self-made accessory, nor did her desire ever lessen for the rewarding looks of surprise and wonder on the faces of those who received such objects as gifts. Slowly but surely, she began to receive stares for an entirely different reason.

The moment she turned eighteen, she asked again for her wish to travel to Paris to be granted, as she had been, like clockwork, on the eve of her birthday for a consecutive couple of years. It was both exhaustion and admiration toward her zealous fiery spirit that led to her parents to grant her desires this time around. With prototype products of Rosalie’s uncurbed creativity unveiled, for the first time, her parents saw her: beautiful and bold, brash and unapologetic, sarcastic and daring, a hardened shell trembling under the weight of all that she could be. They knew she likely wouldn’t return once she saw what existed beyond their small-minded community, but more than that: they knew they couldn’t get in her way.

It was a lonely first few years in Paris, Rose barely scraping by, which was both exhausting and all the more motivating to prove she could handle whatever curveballs the city had to throw at her. Forging an independent path that deviated from the main one was a task Rose would manage with patient grace and resilience, even if she had to fake it. Collecting connections with her bright-smile framed charms at every turn, after many not so savory arrangements, she eventually befriended Delphine: a retired costume designer and owner of a local boutique, who permitted Rose the use of her sewing equipment in the evenings until sunrise, in exchange for Rose’s part-time assistance throughout the day tending the shop. Many a sleepless night was spent locked away in that tiny broom closet of a studio at the back of the store, sketching gowns and pinning materials mannequins until her head spun. Left to her own devices, Rose’s naiveté and stubbornness to succeed at any cost might have seen her crashing and burning before her spark of had a chance to truly catch. Fortunately, Rose also obtained a teacher in Delphine’s companionship through the lack of filter she tended to have whenever she’d drop by to check on Rose’s in-progress designs. Rose’s over-eager and rushed sloppy stitches were ridiculed endlessly until they looked immaculate; her uneven hemlines traced and re-traced until they hung in the most flattering manner. And in depth explanations were given on how to avoid sleeves that ripped when an arm was raised too high, or how to condition broadcloth into resembling something silky rather than the clearance-rate textile it was. Rose quickly learned that she didn’t need to be a perfectionist to be taken seriously, only to appear like she knew exactly what she was doing. It was what you looked like that meant something- whether or not it matched what was layered on the inside didn’t matter. For Rose, it was a philosophy that bled into many areas of her new life. Despite the incredibly active social scene of Paris, Rose never had the time to build any solid foundations concerning genuine relationships. Nothing past the sporadic late nights of impulsive passion she had shared with others; the only wanton affection she had been open to giving and receiving- meaningless, she wholeheartedly believed. Safe. Allowing a second person to permanently perforate her everyday life would surely be nothing but distraction from the career she was on the cusp of claiming. Bitch, people had called her, in return. Selfish and rude. Self-absorbed. Unattainable. Cold. An enigma - never around for long, but too unique to depart without leaving a lasting impression. Rose had never been one to fake any type of emotion, after all. She didn’t have the patience for being inauthentic to the mercurial whims of her feelings. Most people simply didn’t interest her enough for longer than an evening. That’s all she needed to have the chance to pick and choose the parts of a person that fascinated her the most, letting each mental image merge into a patchwork of ideas that would serve as a source of muse furthermore. That’s all she needed to get by.

Which would become ironic, all things considered, when she met Malachi. Mal who, looking like something out of an artist’s dreams, managed to catch and keep her attention throughout the night with a startling amount of ease. They were so different, but so fundamentally the same. Scouring the city for the beauty left in it (even if  Rose’s quest had been a far more shallow and selfish one). A child and a marriage were never milestones Rose had ever coveted, but alongside him, she curiously embraced the experience. Or, rather, there had been no other option. Refusing to let such developments distract her as she’d feared a lingering relationship of any kind would, she instead drew inspiration from it. Any overwhelming emotion she felt was channeled into creating a work of wearable art. From heavy-handed designs of bold and clashing colors born from her anger at falling into the trappings of a life she’d once sworn wasn’t for her, to the meticulously penciled pastel colored floral patterns for the days she was blissfully happy to surrender to the moment-to-moment mystery of it all. Then there were the days she’d draw nothing but heavily beaded blouses - morning sickness rendering her too weak to desire a task much more demanding than forming dots on a page. The sketches she produced, overlooked by Delphine, didn’t stop their production for a single day of her unpredicted pregnancy. In fact, to their collective delight and satisfaction, she was more occupied than ever. Each of Rose’s finished pieces that Delphine had the idea to begin putting up in the shop to sell, were doing just that - and quickly. After several months of steady production, Rose found herself with awaiting clients eager to know what she had planned next. Her name was being praised, personal requests being sent forth with handsome deposits, even the occasional letter of interest sent from out of the country. She thrived off the chaos of everything happening all at once. Better late than never. It was not at all the neat and tidy series of events she’d originally envisioned would precursor success… it was better. After the birth of her son, Phillip, it came as a surprise how effortlessly the domesticity of it all suited her, to build a bond, to not be so alone- for once. To feel understood without trying to impress anyone. And then- though she would never openly word as much- it all came tumbling down the day her husband failed to return from the war, as if he had been nothing more than a figment of their imaginations- gone. Not dead, she would soon learn, but what difference did it make?

Rosalie was, at her core, devastated. It had been the first time she had felt such a white hot betrayal, and her fears of commitment to other people, seemingly tamed, flared back to life- a burning ache in her chest. But she had always been unnaturally gifted at appearing unaffected, at cutting off ties, blood or not, and so Rose did what she had to to get over it, to duck passed the falling debris of confusion and independent motherhood that Mal had left in his wake for her to deal with. Survival trumped the need to feel comforted. She’d be damned if she let something at trivial as heartbreak cause any damage to her livelihood. Manipulation into ensuring her own situation wouldn’t further be affected by Malachi’s absence led to her investing her earnings into bettering her quickly growing business, immediately. Upgrading every aspect of it: all new machinery, workers, and helping sell Delphine’s old cramped storefront in favor of a much larger one on a central street. The rent was intimidatingly high there, but so was the list of orders to fulfill. The decision very soon proved to be a risk worth taking, regardless. Rose continued to keep up appearances whenever she interacted with those who wanted something from her; wore her dazzling smile like it was as durable as the plethora of adornments she’d woven over the years. Whatever she needed to do in order to keep selling what she had to offer, price inflated at double - sometimes triple - their worth, internally too numbed to feel any sort of guilt in the matter. Whatever kept her occupied. Whatever filled the void that Mal had left behind, and keep Phillip educated and satisfied; asking the least amount of questions. He would never know what it felt to lack anything important, nor would he miss what he never had. She’d dress up the truth as much as possible if it meant keeping his warm and innocent heart from going cold.

POTENTIAL PLOTS/CONNECTIONS

The Zealot - Her husband. It is as simple and as complicated as that. Though estranged by eighteen years, it’s a title part of her stubbornly refuses to fully relinquish. If he had vanished without a trace, perhaps it would have been an easy act to forgive. Unfortunately, there was nothing but remembering, when almost everyday Rose looks into the eyes he left behind; the impression they both caused, yet Phillip was undeniable his father’s son. Potential plots: - any dynamic that challenges how polished and self-assured she is. She worked hard to build up her impenetrable image, and likes to believe she’s in control of everything that comes and goes from her life nowadays. However… her biggest unknown flaw definitely is in her parenting skills. Though she believes she’s done the best for her son, most of the time managing her work has taken priority and he was raised being cared for by someone else, or off on his own exploring the city. Someone who’s gotten to know him (whether a legitimate acquaintance or the owner/worker of a place Philip frequents) and heard the rough second-hand stories of how negligent and detached of a person Rose is behind closed doors… could be interesting. - any and all unlikely friendships. She’s extremely wealthy and well known around socialite circles, but it’s a very limited shallow existence. It’s all facade and show-off antics, but no-one genuinely knows Rose. Veerrry performative. The difference between the authenticity of the Rose that existed ten years ago versus the Rose of now is shocking, but she’s merely jaded and hyper-protective of her heart. I’d love for her to befriend someone the polar opposite of her who doesn’t admire her or think anything special of what she makes. Someone to ground her. She’d have to kick her ego and faux-charms and cheer to the curb and remember her own quick-tongued quick-wit origins. - she likes to pretend she’s moved on from Mal’s abandonment, but every time someone shows romantic interest she retracts. She’s very touch starved, but desires to do nothing about it due to the fears that arise of commitment and loss. It might be interesting if someone could manage to unravel her rightly spun threads to soften up those hardened edges again.

[putschki1969]

All about Hikaru’s Otaku Activities Vol.1

The first edition of Hikaru’s monthly webseries has just been published! Be sure to check it out!

In this column Kalafina’s Hikaru talks about all the things she likes in a geeky fashion and with lots of passion. The first edition contains a self-introduction and Hikaru explains the reasons for her “Otaku Activities”

To all newcomers and everyone who knows me from the past, my first column has finally been published, I would really like you to read it casually without any pressure! Waahh….even while I am saying this I will have to admit that I am the one who feels most pressured at the moment *laughs* After all, it’s the first time in my entire life that I am writing a column…! When I first heard I would get to do this column, I was told, “we want you to make this a place where you can talk casually about the things you love, no formalities or anything.” I accepted the offer without hesitation so now I would like to try my very best to share the things I love. Please don’t be too hard on me!

Since this is the very first feature I think a self-introduction is in order. I am a singer and this year I have celebrated my 10th Anniversary as part of a vocal unit called Kalafina. I passed an audition to sing the theme songs for all seven movies of the theatrical version of “Kara no Kyoukai”. After that we got to sing many more theme songs for various anime works as well as for the NHK TV program “Rekishi Hiwa Historia”. Up until now I got to sing so many different songs, I got to meet many great people, our encounter with SPICE was also very exciting. They wrote amazing live reports for us, they followed us backstage and got to experience a side of us which we had never shown before, we got the chance to take part in “Songful Days”, an event sponsored by SPICE. With that kind of warm and comfortable relationship I feel like I can freely write this column.

Since all of my readers might end up being confused about certain things in the future I think it’s best to also share some private information about myself… *laughs*

I was born on July 2nd 1987 in Toyama Prefecture, back in 2009 I moved to Tokyo together with my family in order to pursue my activities as part of Kalafina. In my life I am supported by my hard working mother and my younger sister who shares my hobbies. My hobbies are reading, watching TV and films, doing puzzles and sleeping. I am an indoor person all the way.

The first manga I ever owned was a monthly shōjo manga magazine (hereinafter referred to as monthly magazine) called “Nakayoshi”. Then I also got the monthly magazine “RIBON”, during my earlier years of primary school I also got to read the monthly magazine “Ciao” at my friend’s house. Then from my higher grades of primary school onwards I started to buy separate volumes and these days nothing gives me more happiness than to feel the weight of a paperbag filled with dozens of new manga volumes.

The first animes I really liked in my childhood days were “My Neighbor Totoro” – I had completely worn out my video tape – and an English learning show by Disney called “Minnie Mouse is singing the ABC song for us ♪” I have been a big fan of anime ever since the old days but my love became stronger ever since I moved to Toyko and these days I tend to watch around 40 works every season.

The first gaming console I ever used was the “Super Nintendo”. I also played games on the Play Station, Gameboy and the Nintendo DS, I currently have more than 10 gaming apps on my mobile phone. In recent years I have also been going to a lot of collab cafés and stage plays of my favourite works.

I only just started to write and already it’s all about my otaku activities *laughs*. On that note I would like to mention that when it comes to books I am not just a fan of manga but of all kinds of literature such as short novels. When it comes to TV and films I am not just into anime, I also like variety shows, love stories, action, suspense and lots of western tv shows (mostly procedural crime dramas).

In the past I have often been asked, “among all those things, why is it that you feel the strongest emotional impact when it comes to manga and anime?” In short my reply is always, “it is my way of escaping from reality so I am able to actually face reality.”

Manga, anime, games, for me they provide a fantasy world filled with ideals and dreams. Step by step they will take you to another world. In there you will find brightly sparkling elements, a warm and fluffy sense of healing, before you know it you will have tears running down your cheeks and once in a while you will feel great emotional pain deep within your heart *bitter smile*.

This way I have been able to experience many different things. I am living quite the ordinary life so I get to experience things the real me wouldn’t do…for example, there’s a world where I am actually doing sports! Since it is all a fantasy I can use magic and psychic powers, it is possible to talk with all kinds of animals. In these works there are worlds where you can see sceneries which you could have never imagined in the real world.

Also, the characters living in these worlds carry so many ideals and dreams, their words and actions are powerful and provide hope, they give me the strength to face the struggles of the real world. By experiencing a wonderful piece of work you can get inspired and find the strength to face all your challenges. They help me revalidate the things I want to do, what needs to be done in order to achieve those things, they give me the motivation to reach my goals. Through these works I want to experience the best as well as the worst things. I feel like this is the most important thing. In this column I would like to talk about the things that are important to me.

This is a bit sudden but did you know that during this anime season you can enjoy a lot of nostalgic works on TV? “Lupin the Third Part 5“, “Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Die Neue These “, “GeGeGe no Kitarō Vol.6”, “Captain Tsubasa”, “Card Captor Sakura Clear Card Arc”, “Soul Hunter” and many more.

When you watch them you can fully experience the charms of these works which so many people have been enamored with in the past. To feel the warmth and excitement from the early days again, it is great. That feeling of being fully immersed also seems to come back. I wonder if the power and beauty of these works will touch my heart again. While once again experiencing the sparkle of these works which I had enjoyed back in the day, I feel like I am falling in love with them all over again. Also, I feel like many people are getting to know these nostalgic works for the very first time, there seems to be a growing interest in works from the past.

As a big CLAMP lover I have been watching “Card Captor Sakura Clear Card Arc” ever since the last season when it first started to air, simultaneously I have been reading the manga. “Card Captor Sakura” is a story about a girl that comes across magical cards and receives magical powers. The main character Sakura Kinomoto-chan (hereinafter referred to as Sakura-chan) encounters magical cards during her fourth grade of primary school. All in all there are 53 cards such as “water”, “fire”, “wind”, “thunder”, “ground”, “light” and “darkness”. Sakura-chan struggles to bring them to life and consequently control them. She is a very cute, kind-hearted and courageous girl! She has to face various difficulties. Through her words and actions I feel incredibly empowered. I don’t even know how many times I have been comforted by her encouraging words, “it’s gonna be absolutely fine!”

And then there are all these inspiring quotes by Sakura-chan’s best friend Tomoyo Daidouji (hereinafter referred to as Tomoyo-chan). “Seeing a beloved person being happy gives me utmost happiness”, “Whatever good thoughts may be hidden within your heart, if you don't put them into words, none of it will ever be acknowledged by others.” These are the quotes I always keep in mind during important times. Tomoyo-chan may have a gentle nature but she is a very though girl with a strong will. She is my favourite character!

This is the story of Sakura-chan & Co. Time has passed and they are all junior high school students now. The cards which need to be collected have turned transparent, many new things are happening. There are new cards. Lots of mysterious characters. I will continue to loyally watch Sakura-chan’s adventures!

That’s it for today. Thank you for sticking around till the very end. I’d be happy if you checked out my next edition.

Well, until next time!

Hikaru

[theatredirectors]

Jake Beckhard

Hometown?

Vienna, VA - outside of Washington, DC. Bureaucrat country.

Where are you now? 

New York City - specifically, Harlem.

What's your current project?

The playwright Jack Gilbert and I are developing Severance - a sci-fi thriller about a team of astronauts trapped on a space station after the end of the world. It's got some Sunshine in it and some Alien and some Moon but mostly it's got Jack's big beautiful brain.

Why and how did you get into theatre?

When I was a kid, road trips meant the Les Miserables 1987 OBC recording. I knew every note by the time I was ten, which was around the time we went to see a touring production at the National Theatre in DC. This is not a new story, you've heard it a million times. I got involved in middle and high school theatre, but it was always a hobby more than a passion. And then, completing the flat circle of time, I was hired to join the Teen Ensemble (very chic) of a touring Les Miserables. I spoke to some of the equity actors in the tour and they encouraged me to audition for schools, which I did, and to take an acceptance to a conservatory as a sign that there might be room for me in the industry. Terrible advice. I wasn't a director until I realized at acting school that I had started to hate acting. Thank God, when I made the switch the people in my program gave me a few low-stakes directing opportunities to learn what it was I cared about. 

What is your directing dream project? 

I am currently in the throes of a passionate love affair with Greek tragedy. I spent the summer directing an Ajax adaptation and am nursing some really exciting other projects, including a Women of Trachis performed in an antiquities museum. But my current burning desire is to stage an adaptation of Hippoytus, the Phaedra myth, set in 2005 or so at the sort of dawn of the iTunes Era in suburban America. I've gotten fixated on this image of lovesick Phaedra hunched at a desktop and the song "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak with 600 or so plays on iTunes. Hippolytus' Myspace page, a thick, weird Web 2.0 aesthetic in projections and remix/glitching in sound design to dig into desire and its relationship to The Internet & digital media. How we drive ourselves crazy by falling in love through a screen. I've got the rapper/digital artist LNZ on board (check out her visual album) and playwright Sofya Levitsky-Weitz is interested in writing the adaptation. So: if you're a weirdo who wants to see the Greeks filtered through an Internet Explorer browser, and you've got a venue, well, I'm here.

What kind of theatre excites you? 

I love a theatrical experience that allows you, the individual in the audience, to experience your own enormity. I think it's one thing that's really fabulous about musical theatre, is that it's fundamentally an endorsement of the enormity of your emotional experience and of the things that happen to you and the things you happen to other people. Greek theatre is this too - plays that are full expressions of the consequence of actions. Joy and tragedy both. The same thing that excites me about Orestes is what excites me about Come From Away - people reckoning at the very edge of themselves with the profundity of their actions and consequences. I think when you see that, you get a little access to your own enormity. That's what gets me talking about the play and not the production - that feeling that I'm too full of what I've seen to keep from talking about it nonstop with whoever's nearest.

What do you want to change about theatre today? 

Okay, a few things:

1) I think we could do a lot more to strengthen the intra-national pipeline to production. There are some theatres rising to the challenge of joining the ranks of regional new play incubators. The Ashland New Plays Festival in the Northwest, Flying V in the DC area. There's more opportunity for cross-pollination than there's ever been - I think we should be looking to formalize the relationships that allow that cross-pollination to graduate to more premiere productions for playwrights rather than the first-past-the-post trickle-down system that we see with regionals sparring to regionally premiere popular New York premieres. Regional theatres can lean more on these national aggregates of new plays, and those aggregators can access the thriving community theatre movement in this country to make regional pipelines truly regional and truly grassroots. 2) I'd like to see theatres plug back into becoming community centers. I wonder what a theatre looks like that deemphasizes the season as part of their season - what else can an institutional program in addition to or even separate from its season that serves its community? This is what church is - the backbone of a church is Sunday services but churches are full of people in need every day of the week. Those programs aren't designed to get more people in the pews on Sunday - they're designed to provide a service to the community that the community requires from a trusted institution. Institutional theaters can take a note. Program to support your community, not your season, and the season will see more good faith commitment from the community as well.

3) There is a huge vacuum in the american theatre scene for director-driven work. I dare an off-broadway company to program and promote a season around directors. Commission directors to lead a season of new works - including new plays by playwrights if you want! Or what if an artistic director programmed a classical theatre season in conjunction with the directors they wanted to hire! There is so much untapped dramaturgical skill and inspiration in the directing community. And it's not even necessarily an avant-garde strategy! Director-driven work can be hella accessible. Some theatre sometime soon is going to be bold enough to put the freelance director at the center of their work. What is your opinion on getting a directing MFA? 

So my spiel on this is: when I got a fine arts degree in acting, by the time I was done I hated acting. I think it has to do with my relationship to authority in an academic context, or maybe with the idea that your journey is being copiloted as long as you're in a program like that. And my trouble is, I love being a director so much. It's given me a sense of focus and perspective I never knew I needed. It's shaped my life. And if going to an MFA program puts that at risk, it's not something I'm interested in. But obviously that's not a diagnosis I'd make for anyone but me. That having been said, I love teaching and I'd like to be able to do it in universities down the line - so if I can get an MFA online, or like, from University of Phoenix? I could be down for that.

Who are your theatrical heroes? 

Robert Wilson. August Wilson. Molly Smith, who bought literal dozens of seats from a foreclosed porn theater and drove them from California to Alaska to found the Perseverance. And also Zelda Fitchandler, for everything she did. Wallace Shawn, who is an American prophet. Maria Goyanes. Lear DeBessonet. People who said "I am the canon now. I am not asking for permission." 

Any advice for directors just starting out? 

One thing I wish I'd known when I was getting started assisting is how much you can get out of meeting and working for young directors who are doing things that excite you, rather than applying for every single institutional fellowship where you're assigned to directors who don't know you or mentored by directors who are several generations ahead of you. There's value in those programs and some of my favorite people I know I know because of those cross-generational relationships, but there is absolutely no comparison when it comes to working on material you love, being allowed actual artistic opportunities as an assistant director in a rehearsal process, and ultimately being recommended for jobs you might actually get. Assist young directors, because you will be eligible for the jobs they outgrow.

Plugs!

Severance isn't on sale yet, but we've got a workshop production at the Tank from Jan 23-26. Mark it in your calendars!I'm also directing Lily Houghton's blockbuster Serial Coconut Oil Solves All My Problems at the Flea this December. Lily and I have taken it from pilot to finale and it's sort of caught fire, which I'm really grateful for. That's the first two weekends in December at the Flea downtown.

And I'm directing for West of 10th's weird little Mad Libs Festival on Thursday Dec. 6th! So come out to support a great new-plays theatre company and see some really terrific artists making quick-turnaround theatre.

[fantroll-purgatory]

Kilius Koplan

I’ve been saving this boy up.

@ancientvacation usual disclaimer that I don’t have a lot to say besides oooh and ahhhh

Alternian OC

Name:Kilius Koplan - Kilius comes from Achilleus, also known as Achilles, one of the great Greek heroes. It also sounds close to ‘Kleos’, a Greek concept of glory. Koplan is from Adam Copeland, the real name of the wrestler Edge, who’s finishing move is The Spear, the same characteristic weapon of Achilleus.

Also indicates he might have a soft spot somewhere…

Strife Specibus:

grapplekind/2xspearkind - The spear is a common weapon for ancient Greek heroes to use. Furthermore, The Spear was the name of Adam ‘Edge’ Copeland’s finisher. He uses two as to be like a pair of beetle pincers. He mainly uses grapplekind as it’s what he’s trained the most in, but aspires to finally use his ancestor’s spears passed down to him, so he always keeps the card on him as a little bit of motivation.

Fetch Modus:Apronmodus - Kilius stows and fetches things from underneath a curtain-like structure, much like how foreign objects are taken from under a wrestling ring. This means that he can use the underside of his kilt as a kind of hammerspace. It’s very silly.

hlkgjkaerhwr yeah it is! I love it so much.

Blood color:He’s an Indigoblood. The hex I use for his text is #0021bc whereas his blood, symbol and blood-coloured garments are a darker shade. I kinda run with the HC that there are set colours for each blood caste, but individual trolls type darker or lighter than those colours as a personal thing.

I think that tracks especially given that Equius used a markedly different text color than his blood color.

Symbol and meaning:Kilius’ symbol has gone through an evolution. The symbol I used for the longest time was the Hercules constellation, mainly because of it being a heroic figure and tying to him nicely. After the EZ came out, I redesigned a lot of aspects of my trolls, most importantly their symbols. As such, I recreated the Hercules symbol using the sign language of the Indigo caste. If I had to give it a name, I’d use Hercinius. The symbol also resembles a Greek pillar, which is neat.

Oh man yeah I love that.

Trolltag: perfectPankrator - A pankrator is just to describe someone who takes part in pankration, a gladiatorial style of combat where physical attacks with the use of punches and kicks are emphasised. Perfect is just to show Kilius’ ego and ‘better than you’ attitude. Instead of the negative words often found in trolltags, Kilius uses a positive one to stand as some kind of paragon to other trolls, fulfilling more ego-wankery.

Quirk:He replaces [hH] with ’]~[’ as to represent his symbol. Kilius’ ego would certainly lend him to shoehorn his symbol in wherever possible. As for his tone of voice he’s actually pretty verbose, but doesn’t use large words all that much. His kind of verbose is just being able to talk for ages and ages. He has a kind of mental rhythm when he speaks and isn’t averse to using spur of the moment rhymes. This is mainly to evoke the kind of promos popular in pro wrestling as well as thematically fit with the poems of the ancient world.

Design:I wanted to get a good fusion of Ancient Greek aesthetics along with modern professional wrestling outfits. So he wears a singlet, elbow and kneepads, and ring boots to represent the former, and over his singlet, a kilt commonly worn by ancient warriors, and atop his head rests his headband. His hair is meant to be a kind of unkempt curly mass, and his missing tooth is a reference to Chris Benoit, who I recommend not googling because it’s a nice day. The face plaster is mainly meant to exhibit a kind of roughboy demeanour.

“Don’t google it” you say, to a person who definitely googled it and now wishes they didn’t and has to pass the warning on to others. (note: it’s not just a minor thing it’s a major thing and will probably take you to a dark place)

Special Abilities (if any):Winning Smile. (Joking.)

Lusus: A rare lusus, the Bipedal Musclebeetle, named Beeteokles. His species have strong fatherly instincts, and Beeteokles in particular is doing his best to teach Kilius in the ways of the Palaestria, combat, and traditions. Which is impressive considering he has no mouth or discernible way of communication other than Beetle skrees and rhythmic flexing. His picture is a little inaccurate, as he should have the head of a Hercules beetle instead. His relationship to Kilius is meant to evoke the strong presence fathers played in Ancient Greek epics, as mentors and goals for their sons.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. I fucking love this and I have an addition because I’m still playing with the idea that indigobloods have hooved lusii so consider keeping everything the same except to change his lower half to a minotaur bottom. Oh my god I love this beetleman holy shit

Personality: Kilius is a pretty great guy to be honest. He doesn’t hold himself to modern-day hemorelations, instead finding solace in working off the ancient values taught to him by his lusus, more or less. He’s open and friendly to most, if not a little much to digest all at once. He often invites people back to his hive, all even before learning their name or where they came from. This is supposed to tie into the Ancient Greek value of ‘Xenia’, where a person is expected to be a good host to visitors, most of all strangers, and for visitors to behave properly when in a host’s home. This also ties into my interpretation of Kilius as a Knight ‘serving’ others in a sense by being such a good host.

However, Kilius may be friendly but he certainly isn’t a pushover. He’s up for a scrap or brawl often, and getting into arguments with him often results in the other party just letting things slide with how bizarre arguing with Kilius can get. He’s a very physical person, often acting on a whim, with enough cunning and battle training to be able to formulate plans under pressure. He’s also kind of a glory-hound, his acting on a whim for some more prestige often bites him in the ass, not that it dissuades him from trying some more.

He can be irritating to be around, as he can seem like he’s not taking things too seriously or genuinely. If met with someone who actively dislikes him and lets him know, Kilius will take it as an opportunity to gussy it up and make some long poetic speech about the fire of their rivalry or such. Going from his poeticism, that’s also a big part of Kilius. He has a flair for the dramatic, developed from both instincts and the theatrical nature of wrestling. He’s very well-read, so long as they’re either ancient epics or professional wrestling annuals.

Any other ideas or such would be appreciated!

I…I actually have one because you went and named him after goddamn Achilles. This dude could be a classical wrestler by day…and a heel by night! He could especially play up being the big, bad indigoblood beating up on the poor, defenseless lowbloods. He’s got the extra strength at hsi advantage and he plays dirty??? How dare he??? It’s a fun little contrast to his at-home personality and may get him some shit even when he’s out of the ring!

Interests: Wrestling, surprisingly. It’s his main hobby, passion and potential career in the fleet if he works hard enough. His passion for the classical world, which I’m not even gonna begin to try and explain for Alternia, is another major interest of his, specifically heroes and their glorious adventures.

Other than his two core themes, Kilius doesn’t really go for much else. Fitness is important to him, though that’s mainly to get better at wrestling, and epic poetry is more of the classical stuff. Some ideas would be helpful, as whilst his themes are strong and handy, I don’t want him to just be the wrestling and classics troll lol.

Hm.

I mean modern wrestling is commonly called “soap opera for men,” (whether the folks who watch wrestling like that comparison varies lol) and to tie back to both the classical version and the modern one how about he’s into nice-smelling soaps, classical opera, and soap operas? Gives him a little more dimension, and gives him something to do around the house besides watch wrestling.

Title: Remember, different verbiage and +/- skews. I have Kilius as a Knight of Hope, in that he passively serves others Hope. This kinda ties into how I see pro-wrestling, but I feel it works for Kilius even in the mindscape that Knights actively exploit.

This is kinda where I’m struggling honestly, to properly put into words why he’s a Knight of Hope. I’ll give it a shot, but I’d like to keep the classpect. That being said, I’m open for insight or suggestions/modifications to help him better fit this title or another similar one.

Kilius is kinda caught in an interesting quandary with his classpect. On the one hand, he has very strong beliefs that he has complete commitment to and uses them as a positive force in his life. On the other hand, as a Knight he’s being disingenuous in some form thanks to the mask he adopts for others. In the weirdest sense, Kilius’ mask is himself, that is, the idealised version of himself that he aspires to be, and presents himself as through his speech (the third person thing is a sort of showing of this, a trait that would be dropped as he goes through the revelations and lessons of his character.)

His main struggle is that he’s not living up to the idealised vision he’s made for himself. His mask is like a professional wrestling gimmick, Kilius the brave and bold, flexgrappler champion and future immortalised in epic tales of valour and etc etc. Some larger than life figure that he keeps stoking. He’s essentially made his mask some kind of Platonic form, the ultimate greatest version of him. This is why that he seems like he has it made from outside perspectives as he’s friendly, has conviction, goals, a sweet hive, etc etc.

Ugh, I’m really struggling with this honestly. So long I’ve mainly focused on the abilities part of his classpect, which is stuff like ‘serving’ others his faith in pro-wrestling conventions that he forces them to obey to them. I have a whole post on that which I’ll link here. Sorry if this kinda meanders, but Kilius is an older character of mine, and also one very close and dear to me, so I love the bugger.

Honestly I feel like the powers you gave him would work well regardless of whether he’s a Knight or Page? There’s a pretty fine line between the two.

I feel like maybe the “heel” storyline drives that home even further? Because now that conflict rears its head in multiple ways, both with his “Kilius the brave and strong” persona and the “Kilius the evil indigoblood” one. They’re both these really hamfisted attempts to shoehorn himself into a role that maybe doesn’t fit him all that well. And with the added interests I mentioned above, maybe those are things he keeps really private because they don’t mesh with either of those personas.

And I think I can make the argument even under the Knight verbiage CD and I use because this is a case where he’s so immersed in a profession that’s Hope personified that he’s feeling choked! It’s difficult to grow when you spend so much time doing something that requires you to suspend disbelief so much.

Land:Back when he was a Rage player, ‘The Land of Quakes and Kayfabe’, but since he’s Hope, I think I had ‘Rings’ as one of his words. The idea being that there were Hope-y wrestling rings around the planet, and upon entering them some shit happens. I’m not sure on this lol.

Hmmm. What about Land of Faces and Rings? Obviously referring to faces in wrestling, but the aesthetic could be that of Majora’s Mask-style makss that grant the wearer the abilities related to them upon donning one.

That’s the consort mythology, of course; it’s not actually real. Until Kilius believes it is.

Lots and lots of tournaments, with the promise that upon completing the necessary fights he will be able to reach his denizen. But that’s nonsense! Wrestling goes on forever and plotlines rarely have a conclusion! Kilius needs to will himself to the denizen if he wants to reach them.

Dream Planet:I think Prospit may be a given. Despite his struggles with his heroic fantasies, he IS very get-go and take-charge generally.

D/Ancestor: Kilius’ dancestor is Turnus Koplan. Whilst Kilius represents the Greek ideal of a hero, cunning, individual, glory-seeking, Turnus represents the Roman ideal a little more, in that he’s direct, professional and looks to the group more. That boy is here. Kilius’ ancestor was a great hero, aptly titled as 'The ]~[eroic’ (I love quirk-y ancestor titles). Upon a fall from grace, and enslavement into the gladiatorial rings, he quickly became known under a new name, 'The Crippler’, another reference to Chris Benoit.

Love this dude.

All in all, Kilius is a very special and sentimental fantroll for me, and one that despite working on a lot of stuff for him, hasn’t had much in the way of deeper personality or narrative arc developed. He’s mainly been used for roleplay, which doesn’t exactly support SBURB arcs. Plus I’m a very improvisational person in those types of settings, meaning I can often just roll with random info or ideas for Kilius without thinking about it. Hope you enjoy this boy!

i did! And tbh I think he’s basically good to go? I can’t even think of any redesign suggestions for him.

Thanks for sending him in. I hope the few extra details I provided can help!

TR

[dccomicsnews]

Welcome to the latest edition of DCN Cosplay Spotlight, where we talk to people in the wonderful world of cosplay.  This month we had the pleasure of talking with a member of the DC Cosplayers East and the Philadelphia Avengers, the Dark Knight of PA!

Check out our interview below:

DC COMICS NEWS: Batman is arguably one of the most popular, well-known superheroes to ever exist.  What is it about this character, for you, in particular that made you want to create a cosplay?

DARK KNIGHT OF PA: Batman has always been a part of my life. The first comics I remember seeing when I was a child were Batman comics. The 60’s Batman series and the old Filmation Batman (and other DC characters) were also on TV every day. I was drawn to the character for many reasons; the costume, the absence of superpowers, the gadgets, the Batmobile, etc.

DCN: With Batman being such an iconic character to so many people, do you find there to be a lot of pressure to portray the Dark Knight in a certain way?

DK: I don’t really worry about that. I think everyone has their own vision of what Batman should be. I just show my vision. I have several variations of the Batsuit, and none of them are 100% comics or movie accurate, and that is intentional. Personally, I always prefer the oval emblem over the plain bat on the chest. I also prefer an all black or gray and black suit. Even though the first version of Batman I ever saw was gray and blue, the blue never made sense to me. Have you ever seen a blue bat?

DCN: How long have you been cosplaying?  What was your first ever project?

DK: I was cosplaying before cosplay was a word! My first custom Batsuit was back when I was about 5 years old… many decades ago. My grandfather put it together for me. Back then, Halloween costumes were the old Ben Cooper things. A plastic face mask with a rubber string, and basically a plastic poncho that had an image of the character on it. My grandfather took an old Ideal Batman “helmet”, which was a hard plastic version of the bat cowl that covered my whole head. He painted it black, because even at 5 years old, I insisted that blue had no place on a Batsuit. He made a black bat cape for me by cutting scallops in a large black sheet. He modified black rubber boots to look the Batman boots, and added scallops to black leather cowboy gloves. The bodysuit was dark gray flannel pajamas with an oval bat emblem attached (made from cardboard and glued on). He also got black trunks for me, and somehow made a yellow utility belt from a leather belt and pouches scavenged from somewhere. I wish I still had pictures, but the Polaroids were lost many years ago. Years later, in 1989, I bought all the Morris pieces licensed for the Batman movie, and started customizing. So, I have been constantly modifying Batsuits since 1989 and wearing them for parties, cons, and other events.

DCN: What has been your favorite cosplay project so far?

DK: Costume wise, probably my Batman Inc suits. I really loved that costume in the comics and I wish they kept using it. But, the “New 52” ruined that (among other things). Group project wise, working with DC Cosplayers East to do a Justice League International group for a con and meeting the creators of JLI. We also did a fun photo shoot and got to recreate the “one punch” scene. Most of my favorite pictures are recreations of comic book panels.

DCN: How long did it take you to create this cosplay?

DK: It’s a constant work in progress. Every Batsuit I wear is the result of everything I’ve learned since 1989. I am currently working on some modifications to the newest suit that will probably take a month or two. As soon as that is done, I’ll probably come up with other things I want to change and the process will continue.

DCN: What is it about cosplay that calls to you?

DK: I love bringing comics to life. I remember being in first grade and the teacher asked us what we want to be when we grow up. My answer was “Batman”. Now, being around other people wearing superhero costumes is like living a childhood dream and at the same time bringing a smile to others, especially the children who believe they really are meeting Batman.

DCN: Do you have a favorite memory or story while cosplaying?

DK: I can’t pick just one. So many people (both children and adults) have been so excited to get a picture with me, talk to me, or just shake my hand. Seeing the joy in their faces makes all the time and money spent on Batsuits well worth it. I frequently do events at Ontario Street Comics in Philadelphia (the best comic shop in the world, and the comic shop that a scene from ‘Unbreakable’ was filmed in) and there are several families that show up every time I am there. I can look back at pictures from the past few years and see the kids growing up. When I talk to these people each time I see them, they make me feel like I am part of their family.

DCN: You were recently nominated as the “Favorite Philly Celebrity” in an “A-List” competition.  Tell us a little about this experience, how it came about, and what it has meant to you.

DK: That’s a bit of a surprise. It started with Ontario Street Comics, which has been voted the #1 Comic Shop on the list for the past 5 years. I was nominated late in the competition. I think voting began on October 16th and I was nominated a month later. I really didn’t expect to get many votes, but within a week, I was in the lead! Results are hidden now, so I have no idea who will win. I don’t expect to win, I don’t consider myself a celebrity, but it was nice to see so much support from so many people in such a short time. I really appreciate it, and it has encouraged me to get out and do more events.

DCN: Outside of cosplay do you have any other interest/hobbies?

DK: JUSTICE! And also comics, movies, pretty much all things geeky.

DCN: How do your friends and family feel about you cosplaying?  Are they supportive?

DK: Most are supportive, even if they don’t understand it. My youngest daughter has been Batgirl at many parties and conventions with me. She really does a much better job than I do. She is amazing with kids, and always puts a smile on their faces. She’s a natural!

DCN: Do you have a pet peeve when it comes to cosplay?

DK:  1.) I’ve only seen this once or twice, but it really burns me up. If you are in cosplay, and a child wants a picture with you, say YES! I don’t care what else is going on, what panel or photo shoot you are on the way to, take a moment and give that child their wish. You are representing a hero, act like one. Yes, I know this can lead to another child and another pic, and slow you down more, but it’s worth it.

2.) Nitpickers – if someone has the courage to get out in public in a home made, or store bought costume, don’t bring them down. Not everyone has the time, patience, skill, or money to make a “perfect” cosplay. Some people are just starting out and don’t have the experience… encourage them, don’t put them down.

DCN: Do you have any cosplays you will never do? And if so, why?

DK: Never say never, but I doubt I will ever do a cosplay that includes guns. I know there are many characters where guns are a part of the character (Punisher, Deadpool, Deadshot, etc) and I respect those characters and the cosplayers that choose them as a character, but it’s just not for me.

DCN: Why do you think cosplay has become so popular in the last few years?

DK: I think all the comic movies and TV shows that have been so popular for the past several years have called attention to the characters. Social media, and the internet in general have given people easy access to pictures of people cosplaying these characters, online tutorials on how to create cosplays, and access to buy costumes year round. There was a time before the internet when you could only find costumes and supplies in September and October, unless you lived near a costume/theatrical supply store. Before social media, there were message boards where people could exchange ideas and buy/sell/trade costume items. This made things easier, but you still had to know what you were looking for to find the boards, cosplay wasn’t a term at that time.

DCN: Which DC character, if any, may we see next from you?

DK: Flashpoint Batman (without guns)? Yellow or Green Lantern Batman? Or maybe Green Arrow… since he is the CW’s Batman. 🙂 I also keep kicking around a couple Marvel characters (Moon Knight and Captain America) so maybe somewhere down the line I will do those, but they just don’t call to me like the bat does.

I’d like to give a special thanks to the Dark Knight of PA for taking the time to talk with us.  I’d also like to thank Ontario Street Comics for helping make this interview happen.

Be sure to check out Dark Knight of PA’s Facebook page as well as Ontario Street Comics!

DCN Cosplay Spotlight: Dark Knight of PA Welcome to the latest edition of DCN Cosplay Spotlight, where we talk to people in the wonderful world of cosplay. 

[vileart]

Brexit - The Dramaturgy: Chris Bryant @ Edfringe 2017

Strong & Stable Productions presents:

Brexit - The Musical® 

WORLD PREMIERE

EU lawyer Chris Bryant finds the solution to Brexit in a satirical musical comedy featuring BoJo and (possibly) a Plan.

Written by Chris Bryant  

Directed by Bronagh Lagan

C Venues, C1, 2 – 28 Aug 2017 (not 15th), 18:55 (20.05)

A brand new all-singing, U-turning musical extravaganza, this political satire follows the omnishambles of Brexit from the early days of power grabbing following the EU referendum, through to our triggers, snaps and Junckers of the present day. What was the inspiration for this performance? Unsurprisingly, given the subject matter, the fallout from the Brexit referendum inspired this show.  So much that happened in the first few weeks gave rise to comic potential, from Jeremy Corbyn having to cancel his trip to Glastonbury and Andrea Leadsom’s hapless entry into front-line politics through to the tinfoil hat UKIP conspiracies that MI5 was going to have a team of spies erasing their leave votes if they just used pencils!  Also, in a therapeutic way, writing the show was a good way to use comedy and song to address some of the more serious and frustrating points – the endless lies, the lack of a plan.   The initial concept of the show came very quickly – there is a plan for Brexit after all and our characters have to go on a mission to find it.  This arose from a combination of things: the fact there clearly was no plan in real life, the disappearance of many of the key players from the coalface, the UKIP conspiracies on social media and message boards that it was all part of some great big conspiracy to keep us in Europe.  From this I came up with the idea – what if I could write a show in which there is this great big conspiracy and we see all the comings and goings behind the scenes.  From that, the plot took shape very quickly and the songs followed almost immediately.   Brexit took over my life in so many ways in the last 2 years (by day, I’m an EU lawyer advising clients on it) and very quickly writing the musical became a form of therapy for dealing with what was happening! Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas?  Absolutely, and the more novel the performance the better way of generating public discussion.  For example, our aim is that a jaunty “11 o’clock number” like “Lies, Lies, Lies” in our show should get people reflecting on the repeated lies that politicians told during the referendum campaign far more effectively than a serious blog (of which there have been many) could.   Using catchy rhyming couplets to highlight some of the points that were repeated as facts (it went way beyond the numbers on the bus!) will hopefully make those points more memorable and get people talking about them.  If we achieve that, we’ve been successful! How did you become interested in making performance? I was brought up to love musicals and for the last few years have turned to writing them, more as a hobby than anything serious.  By day, I’m an EU lawyer and have spent the last couple of years advising almost non-stop on Brexit.  A flippant comment from a friend immediately after the referendum that I should write Brexit the Musical put the seed of the idea into my head and it spiralled from there.  Within weeks, the show was taking shape, the first songs were written and I’d applied for a trademark for the name! Is there any particular approach to the making of the show? It was important for me that this was a full book musical with a plot and characters that the audience can care about, rather than simply a revue full of skits with obvious caricatures.  I mapped out the book of the musical very carefully.   From there the songs essentially fell into place and almost wrote themselves.  Given the topicality of the subject matter, time was of the essence, so I had to use every possible moment to write – often setting myself tasks of writing the first draft of a verse to a particular song on my phone during tube journeys!  The characterization was really important too.   I was fascinated by the idea of having Boris Johnson seek his redemption for what he did in the referendum campaign, and centred the plot around this quest, tying it in with his search for the plan.  It gives him and the show much more depth than simply being the standard almost cartoon-like buffoon.   Does the show fit with your usual productions? Yes, although this is the first that I’ve actually put out there.  In a musical, I think it’s essential to care about the key characters and this show is no different.   What do you hope that the audience will experience? Most of all, fun!  They should laugh, smile and come out of the show feeling positive and upbeat, even if only temporarily before they remember it’s fiction!  The show also has a heart – the audience should really feel for Boris and get behind him on his quest! What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience? The audience will be immediately drawn into Boris’ quest to find the plan and share every step of the journey with him.  From an early point, the audience knows what they’re in for with the show.  Will he find the plan?  If he does, what is it?  Everything in the show takes us along this journey.   For the political geeks out there, there are alternative explanations all the way through for why certain events occurred.  Where was George Osborne when he disappeared from the public eye for days after the referendum?  Why did Boris decide not to stand for Prime Minister?  Why did the government appeal Gina Miller’s case to the Supreme Court when they were so clearly going to lose?   Writer Chris Bryant is a lawyer advising clients on the potential fallout of Brexit. Now he’s written a musical about it. Brexit – The Musical® lifts the lid on the (potentially) real story of what’s been going behind the scenes in Westminster since the EU referendum. Somewhere out there, there’s a plan for Brexit. There’s just one small hitch – its writer has amnesia and no-one else knows where it is. But there’s a copy out there and it’s up to our hero, Boris Johnson, to find it.       Devastated by his monumental cock-up of actually winning the referendum, finding the plan is the only way for Boris to gain redemption and save the nation from Brexit. Ably assisted by his sidekick, Govey, our hero’s mission brings him into contact with many colourful characters – recently retired Dave and Sam, ambitious Andrea, depressed Jeremy and the strong & stable wannabe dictator, Theresa.  Can they find the plan before it’s too late?  With original songs and book by Chris Bryant, and featuring a full professional cast and live band, Brexit –   The Musical takes C Venues on a quest to find out what Brexit really means.  Chris Bryant said, “Everyone reacted to the Brexit referendum in different ways.  For me, the most obvious response was to write a musical about it.  As a lawyer specialising in this area, Brexit has been a huge part of my life over the last 2 years. There was something quite therapeutic about then being able to turn it into song!  With everything that’s happened, it was just screaming out for a bit of musical theatre treatment!” Lawyer & (now) musical theatre writer Chris Bryant is a partner in the Antitrust & Competition team based in Berwin Leighton Paisner’s London and Brussels offices. He specialises in EU law and has been advising extensively on Brexit ever since the prospect of a referendum was first raised. For his full legal biography, please visit: http://ift.tt/2sk0mEY; @brexitmusical | #BrexitMusical | http://ift.tt/2rKGzBB Running Time: 70 minutes | Suitable for ages 12+ Company Information Written by Chris Bryant Directed by Bronagh Lagan  General Management by Theatrical Management Solutions from the vileblog http://ift.tt/2sjRwXI