#like it’s about the production the artistry the costumes!!

[fridayiminlovemp3]

i’m so tired of hearing men’s opinions like what do you mean smells like teen spirit is the best music video of all time?? have you not seen california girls by katy perry? what about telephone by lady gaga and beyoncé?? kurt cobain doesn’t even have ONE costume change

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

hiii I would like headcanons for the bedroom leaders (if there are many, then only riddle, azul, vil and malleus) reacting to the interpretation of their darling singing and acting the solo of noel's lament from the ride cyclone because for a long time mc wanted to interpret it and did her best~ (I'm obsessed with this musical especially with this solo aaa) thank you and have a good day <33

Rendition of Noel’s Lament | Yandere Twisted Wonderland

The situation has to be very very very specific for you to be able to pull this off. Maybe a talent show or the film club’s go at show production; either way they need you to perform. Of course you’re admirers are more than happy to hear what you’d like to sing even if you can’t sing at all. But they certainly weren’t expecting this:

Riddle Rosehearts

“I-I never-! W-what are they doing w-with their hips!?”

He’s horrified and turned on

Before he’s skeptical of the ballad likeness with vulgar lyrics

Taken off guard once you get to the chorus

But at least he got to witness it

When he finally becomes aware he’ll surely start collaring all those watching as well

If anyone’s going to reprimand your naughty behavior it will be him and only him

“I’ll have to see that performance again, I need to see that again! For punishment obviously!” 

Azul Ashengrotto

“Oh my–!”

He’s mostly just enamored with this sexy bizarre light that he’s taken you in

That or he already imagined this is exactly what you’d do when given the opportunity

But perhaps he can monetize this 

And secure more private showings

Tone down the performance a bit

And we’re in business

“Perhaps you’d be willing to sign your legs open and voice to me?”

Vil Schoenheit

“Of course they’re a performer…”

He’s torn between being entertained and upset

On one hand he’s just pleased your so much as gracing the stage

On the other he’s mad he’s not the only on to witness this

Without an obvious sign that you are his

No matter he can fix that easily 

As he makes himself your costume designer, makeup artist, and future husband stylist 

Dedicated to making sure the eyes of those rotten potatoes are well aware of his ownership

“Don’t I have my work cut out for me.”

Malleus Draconia

“Finally, a performance from my dearest!” 

He for one doesn’t find a problem with the lyrics because he doesn’t know what they mean+ 

To him its a story that is probably beautiful artistry from your world

Though he will not allow anyone but him to watch

It is his treasure to see you dance and sing your heart out 

As he fantasizes about your definite future

If the onlookers have a problem leaving he doesn’t mind giving them a taste of the prickly briars in their loathsome eyes

“Yes my jewel, keep dancing!”

[zombii-ships]

SDJ BOYS: KINK HEADCANNONS

sorry if these are ooc i was just brainstorming and bein a horny nerd

Jack

-World’s biggest breeding kink. Dude’s absolutely got a huge thing for claiming his partner, and he loves to watch his cum spill back out of them.

-Praise. PRAISE HIM. PLEASE. Tell him how good he makes you feel and he’s over the fucking moon. He’s so motivated by praise, the simplest “you’re making me feel so good” is gonna flip such a switch in his head.

-Makeup/Body Paint. Whether it’s seeing his partner in clown paint, painting their body and feeling them up, his own makeup smearing on them, or theirs running on their face, he loves it. Jack’s immediately down for round two if he catches a glimpse of his partner’s liner/lipstick on his chest.

-Foodplay. You thought whipped cream was just for the pancakes? Surprise surprise!

Joseph

-Size Difference. Loves feeling big compared to his partner, whether he’s topping or bottoming, he loves the difference. Loves seeing his partner in his clothes, especially his jackets and pajama pants. Put on something of his and its gonna ignite something in him.

-Voice Kink. He LOVES getting to hear his partner, if they make a noise while they stretch? He’s horny. Moan? Horny. Whisper in his ear? Horny. So so easily stirred if he’s the one who gets you to make noise for him, too~

-Hickies. MARK. HIM. UP. PLEASE. Dude absolutely loves getting to show off what his partner did to him, he wears them like badges of honor.

-Bonus, I know he’s an absolute FIEND for giving head and he loves just knowing that he’s pleasuring his partner. Dude’s a total pleasure top.

Shaun

-A nut for roleplay. Pet/Owner, Slasher/Final Survivor, Vampire/Prey, whatever, dude LOVES playing a little horny pretend with his partner.

-Masks. Ghostface, leatherface, pyramid head, gas masks, he loves the mystery there and he finds it really hot. Goes along with his roleplay kink, but either way, he’s super into it.

-Exhibitionism. Give him the go to make porn of yall and he’s gonna go nuts. Something about filming the deed or just you getting off turns him tf ON. Plus if he can go back and show you the footage?? “Look how pretty you looked here. Fuck- lemme rewind so I can hear that sound again~”

-Monster/Abnormal Toys. What’s a horror junkie without some monster dildos??

Nick

-Begging. Beg HIM. Beg him for whatever, doesn’t even have to be sexual, he just loves it. He just wants to hear you pleading with him, asking for his permission.

-Shibari. Let him make your body into art. The more intricate the better. Whether it’s simple ties or a whole full body production, it’s the artistry and the restraint that really gets him, plus seeing you wrapped up for the taking isn’t half bad either. Bonus points if he gets to do pretty harnesses and collars ✨

- Waxplay/Temperature Play. You or him, but mainly you I think. You’re the canvas and he’s the painter, and he’s obsessed with how you let him paint you. Whether it be pretty dark colored wax, gently touching you with ice, or just warm hands against your skin, he loves your reactions, watching you squirm between the different sensations.

-Oral Fixation. Don’t suck on his fingers unless you wanna rile his ass up

Ian

-Cosplay/Costumes. IF YOU LET HIM DRESS YOU UP he’s going to go absolutely feral. Ian’s a fashion fan, so seeing you in something he specifically coordinated to look good on you and to his personal tastes would have him going over the deep end. He’s literally obsessed.

-Blindfolds. Now I know he’s scared of being left alone, but I think he’d enjoy the rush of giving up control to you like that, letting you touch and trail over his body without knowing what’s next would have him super sensitive and needy in seconds. Plus if you let him blindly roam his hands over you?? He’s about to get SO handsy.

-Also a roleplay guy. He’s an actor, let him get into a role! Not only is he excited to make the bit convincing, but he might slip pretty deep into it, local man gets horny from improv.

-Body Writing. Write all your favorite things about him on his body, and let him put his signature on you?? Dude would be over the moon going about his day with your words of praise written on his chest, tummy and hips.

[jabbage]

Remembering that time I asked for low budget, total beginner makeup advice *for a costume* on here and people were terrifying about it.

I muted the post so for all I know people are still out there somewhere spouting makeup technobabble at me, linking to £200 worth of products, being very patronising and frankly coming across like they're desperately needing to justify their own habits to me.

Before that I was kind of neutral about makeup, but it made me realise that cosmetics companies have really stitched people (and specifically women) up by calling the same powders and gels a bunch of different names to incentivise buying them, and creating this social pressure where someone who doesn't wear it and doesn't want to is treated with a delightful cocktail of emotions ranging from disgust to pity.

I still admire the artistry of what some people can do with makeup but gosh... That experience just cemented my desire not to get into it.

[comicsinthecorner]

ok so wicked is trending and the film is actually fucking incredible, i did not expect to like it so much but it was one of the best cinema experiences i've had in a long time

and bc i know someone who worked on the production behind the scenes i stayed to see his name in the credits

did anyone else sit through the wicked credits? they are long. huge lists of technicians and prop makers and costume designers and machinists and carpenters and scenic painters and everyone else who worked behind the scenes

and that huge list of people is what made the film so good. all the stunning visuals, the colours and costumes and details in the background of every scene, each individual cog was made by someone with so much talent and skill and passion

and obviously this is an 'AI could never' post bc fuck AI but even more than that its about appreciating the artistry and work of the people behind the scenes bc films and shows like wicked couldn't exist without them

[margridarnauds]

I think part of the problem with anything that tries to make a broad, sweeping statement about the State of Filmmaking is that it kind of inherently has to limit itself to Films and Shows That They See on Tumblr/Their Favorite Costuber Talks about. Which is fair, but it also means that there are a lot of films, including period films, that don't get attention because they're in the wrong genre. (And also, for people who are NOT experts in this, often hinges on "this outfit isn't as sparkly.")

Like, The Northman (dir. Robert Eggers, 2022):

(Simple designs, but intricate and accurate to the style of the period as I know it, cloth looks to be high quality from a layman's pov.)

The VVitch (dir. Robert Eggers, 2015):

(Costumes look like they've been lived in, silhouettes accurate, all women wearing visible undergarments.)

Midsommar (dir. Ari Aster, 2019)

(Every member of the cult has individually stitched costumes matching their personality while also giving them a look of uniformity. Manages to be both creepy and beautiful.)

The Green Knight (dir. David Lowery, 2021):

(I fucking hate this film with every fibre of my being, but even I'll admit that, while the costumes are inaccurate and I hate the aesthetic they were going for, it was very clearly deliberate and the costumes themselves had a lot of effort put into them.)

And, sure, these are all A24 films, which is instantly a separate genre from, say, Reign (2015), but I also think that it's more accurate to say that, in the age of streaming services treating productions like an assembly line, there are fewer film studios that are willing to fund high quality costumes (even though there were *also* poor costumes made in the past and a lot of nostalgia for costumes from the 1990s-2000s comes down to survivorship bias), rather than to generally act like we've seen The Death of Good Costuming in the last ~10-15 years, and if we *also* gave horror films credit for the artistry that does go into them.

[ballet-symphonie]

In defence of tsiskaridze… he came to the school in 2015, which means he’s been rector for the whole time Koshkarova, Valiullina, Kuprina, Karamysheva, Gritsina, Barinova, Zakota, Solomina, Kishnova, Efimova and others were in the first grade. And they are beautiful dancers, like I think we are overestimating the changes happening. In addition to this, the class that Tsiskaridze took over was a “weak class” (I swear these are his own words from an video with Ilya), and they look good in the exam, even though it’s not pure vaganova. However we don’t know they’re day to day classes. We don’t know if during class they do plain vaganova pure exercises, and then tried something new and a bit bonkers just for the exam. I wouldn’t be surprised, and it would explain why the exam isn’t super clean, maybe they don’t do these crazy exercises every day, just they put on a show for their exam, which is objectively more fun to watch, and maybe it’s more fun for them to execute, like the little variation breaks? Bonkers, but fun! We can’t forget how passionate the Russians are about the art of ballet, they are so passionate and they are risk takers!

I'm not inclined to give Tsiskaridze undeserved credit. Of the four you named who are now relevant rising soloists, they all graduated under the guidance of Ludmila Kovaleva, the same woman who is responsible for Olga Smirnova, Kristina Shapran, Diana Vishneva, Maria Khoreva and Ekaterina Borchenko among other prominent dancers. Kovaleva has been producing world-class ballerinas for over 40 years, her teaching prowess and clear ability to transform students into ballerinas was well-known before Tsiskaridze ever stepped into his role at VBA.

I think Tsiskaridze's main abilities lie in coaching and administration. The way he developed Angelina Vorotsova as well as Denis Rodkin is proof of this. Furthermore, the way he's been able to raise the production quality of the VBA performances in terms of the staging, costuming and venue is remarkable, I'm not sure where he suddenly found the funds but he made it happen. In my opinion, based on the quality of his students, I don't think he's nearly as good a teacher- many great dancers aren't.

As someone who graduated from a prominent ballet academy and is now working professionally in a major theater, I can tell you that they absolutely spend significant amounts of their time in class practicing what they did during the exam. You can't suddenly do a full ballet class nonstop if it hasn't been practiced and rehearsed extensively. If they just suddenly decided to do a whole class of crazy combination sporadically or just for the exam, it would be a complete mess.

Furthermore, exams are not for fun, their purpose is not to entertain an audience. If you want to be entertained, go buy a ticket for a performance. The purpose of exams is to demonstrate the student's progress and assess their mastery of technique. It’s about highlighting consistent and structured training that builds discipline, strength, precision, and artistry over time. If the whole class is dancing better in 'normal classes' than in an exam, what does that say about their preparation for high-pressure moments when working for a ballet company. It suggests their foundation might not be as solid as it should be.

Especially in Russia, passing the state exam determines your grades, your diploma, and your ability to work in a state theater. I personally think it's harder to accurately assess the skill of each individual dancer when the exams are overly choreographed with complex formations that showcase some students and hide others. When exams are so critical to a dancer's future cannot simply be viewed as a showcase for "fun" or "flashiness"—they are fundamentally about the demonstration of technical mastery and readiness to join the professional world.

[blackmoonlightexpress]

Shui Long Yin 《水龙吟》 - What we know so far about this massive project

By now many of you have heard about Shui Long Yin 《水龙吟》, Luo Yunxi's upcoming and third project with the studio behind Till the End of the Moon. Here's my read on the announcement earlier.

1. Good news - It's going to be largely the same creative team behind TTEOTM. 

You have Wang Yirong as Lead Producer & Artistic Director, Huang Wei as Costume Designer, Wang Haiqi as Action Director, Tsang Mingfai as Makeup Director, Huatian for World Concept (also known for Ashes of Love and the Untamed). Basically, we'll see the return of the brilliant minds behind the Dunhuang-inspired costumes and hour-long epic fight sequences.

It's a good sign they're holding most of the team together. A lot of great directors, like Christopher Nolan, Tim Burton, David Cronenberg, work with the same creative talent over and over again. There's certainly an argument that you produce better work when you collaborate with people you trust and know well.

2. Up and coming Director Chen Zhoufei will make up some of the deficiencies of TTEOTM in the cinematography and lighting departments.

Chen Zhoufei started out as a cinematographer in films with the likes of Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou. More recently he directed The Forbidden Flower (2023) and Double Tap (2021), which, if nothing else, is beautifully and stylistically shot.

It's interesting they've moved away from the old school Hong Kong directors they used in Immortality and TTEOTM. Directors from the TVB system are known to be more experienced, scrappy, and reliable when it comes to working within budget (which is why they're favored for big xianxia productions), but they've also been criticized for falling behind on technical execution and artistry.

It is as the industry article I shared predicted - Otters Studio is a relatively inexperienced player, but they can quickly close their gaps by bringing new blood to the team.

3. They're bringing a new Art Director, Zheng Chen from Lost You Forever.

This isn't all that surprising given that Luan Hexin, TTEOTM's Art Director, is with Huanyu, Bai Lu's management company. (In fact there was a bit of real life drama when Yu Zheng, Bai Lu's boss, publicly called out TTEOTM's producer for not refuting false rumors that Bai Lu was only cast because the production wanted Luan Hexin, arguably Huanyu's biggest asset, as part of her "dowry".) Now it's sad to see award-winning Luan go, but he is best for authentic period sets and IMO not the most suited for xianxias.

Instead, they've tapped Zheng Chen, who most recently worked on Lost You Forever, which I have yet to watch. With that said, some of the sets look great to me, with bold use of colors, and I can already see this pairing well with Chen Zhoufei's aesthetics.

4. This time they're not working with screenwriter He Fang, instead going with Lin Conghe (unofficial)

He Fang is the lead screenwriter behind TTEOTM and Immortality (everyone who's read Immortality's screenplay will know it's all but a guaranteed hit) and in my opinion one of Otter's greatest assets. She's brilliant at staying loyal to the spiritual core of source novels, while weaving convoluted plot points through a more robust background story and logic.

It's a slight disappointment that she won't be back, but it's also not entirely surprising. TTEOTM and Immortality are both big, female-oriented fantasy romance IPs. Meanwhile Shui Long Yin's IP is quite dated, lesser known, and incomplete, so I'd expect that the drama will only be loosely based on the original. While we don't know much about Lin Conghe, he did recently work on the Blood of Youth sequel, where he was the lead screenwriter alongside author Zhou Munan, so he might actually be a better choice for this genre (xuanhuan wuxia).

5. The way HunanTV & Mango announced the drama is unusually high profile, indicating that this is one of the platform's biggest projects.

It's rare to have one of China's biggest hosts announce a new drama that hasn't even started shooting or released any details yet live on prime time TV. (Usually a drama's official announcement comes out on the day of its booting ceremony, if not during its production or at its wrap ceremony.) It's even rarer for a costume drama to announce a TV platform at this stage. These days it's quite difficult for costume fantasies to get a coveted TV airing slot given genre restrictions and additional censorship requirements. Typically you do not find out officially whether it will air on TV until literally right before it airs.

Before the official announcement, rumors have already been circulating that there's a bidding war behind the scenes for this project, with Mango and its parent HunanTV outbidding Youku in the end. Mango/HunanTV is already the market leader in variety shows, but is behind the other three platforms in scripted content. Apparently, they've recently received an injection of funding to shore up their drama department and now investing in tentpole projects that can help them gain share. Clearly they saw what TTEOTM did for Youku.

6. There's another interesting player in the mix: China Mobile and its subsidiary Migu. 

It appears that China Mobile (one of the most valuable companies in China and a state-owned enterprise) has invested in the drama, which will be made available on its online video platforms. Apparently, the last time China Mobile invested in a drama, they sent text messages to every user to publicize it when it aired. Now not sure if this will happen (it's not patriotic drama after all), but they've already been promoting the drama through their gazillion affiliate social media accounts. Either way, it should be a good thing for the drama's distribution to have such an influential backer given Mango's lower daily active user.

7. They're making it super clear that Luo Yunxi is going to be the dominant male lead in this drama

In the first Weibo post, they only announced the title, Luo Yunxi, and the airing platforms. In the second Weibo post, where they announced the rest of the creative team, they still did not announce the other actors! Of course, this is likely because Luo Yunxi's company (which is really just him) bought the source novel's IP and is credited as a co-producer. (They don’t have any production capabilities at all, so Otter will likely be quarterbacking this.)

This suggests, like many who have read the novel already know, that Luo Yunxi will have by far the biggest part. The other roles, including the female lead role, will likely be smaller and revolve around the main character.

8. Shui Long Yin is already generating a lot of hype.

To date its Weibo announcement racked up >1M likes (more than double that of TTEOTM). There's already a very active Douban group debating all the rumors, most importantly whether Luo Yunxi will use a wig or his real hair (a highly divisive topic). The new drama has even been reported by China Daily, China's state media facing the international community, which is again exceedingly rare. China Daily doesn't usually report on entertainment news, and most hit shows don't get mentioned even after airing.

There's always a big risk with productions with this much anticipation so early in the process, from fan wars and disruptive stalking on set to accusations propagated by competitors that can invite more state scrutiny. Fingers crossed that the team knows what they're doing and can weather all the storms that will undoubtedly come its way.

9. Finally, I remain cautiously excited.

Production quality will likely be great, with such a strong creative team and financial backers with deep wallets. My main worry is that it'll be beautiful, but boring. For this genre (xuanhuan wuxia or basically wuxia with high fantasy elements), it's really important that the story moves fast and the underdog hero keeps outsmarting or outfighting everyone else in a way that gives viewers a sense of exhilaration. It'd be all too easy for the story to get bogged down by a large cast of unmemorable characters and a meandering plot. Otters Studio is usually great at delivering fast-paced high drama (just based on TTEOTM and the screenplay of Immortality), but they're working with a different screenwriter this time and it's not easy to be a consistent hit maker. Let's hope they stick to their intuition and continue to present stories and characters that excite viewers.

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Main Story: Part 4 - Act 14: DREAM CATCHER - Episode 7: Reviews With A Slight Burn

Yuki: I’ve made a clean copy.

Hatou: Thank you. You’re a big help. You can go for today.

Yuki: Thank you for todaaay.

Coro: Woof, woof!

Yuki: You just went for a walk, didn’t you?

Hatou: Coro, Rurikawa-kun’s done for the day, so he can’t play with you anymore. He’ll be here again tomorrow.

Hatou: Ah, that reminds me… I’ve been approached to design costumes for a certain play, but I don’t have the manpower for it…

Hatou: I know you’ve got some experience with creating stage costumes, so could I ask for your help?

Hatou: I can’t disclose any details yet, but have you heard of Kataoka Aiko-san? She has created outfits for Hollywood movies, amongst others–

Yuki: – I’ve heard of her.

Hatou: Figured so. Everyone who works in costume design knows about her.

Hatou: Kataoka-san will also be involved in this, so how about it?

Yuki: I do want to participate… But I’m pretty busy with my theater troupe.

Hatou: Right. It’s an important period for you guys.

Hatou: Well, there’s probably going to be more opportunities like this, so I’ll keep you informed. Good work today.

Yuki: …

-

Passerby A: Yua Troupe’s performance was so fun and refreshing~!

Passerby B: Honestly, I thought they were just goofing about making a theater company, but they invited some serious names into the production team, it was such a pleasant surprise!

Passerby A: The content was stable and befitting of Yua Troupe, and they had a full house of people who were already fans, they’re really strong.

Passerby B: Gotta write a review on En.com!

Yuki: (Oh, En.com… I’ll need to check it out if I want to do research on other troupes.)

Yuki: …

Yuki: (That Yua Troupe they mentioned is chosen as a featured troupe. They also ranked high in the pre-voting…)

Review: “The costumes were so cool! They didn’t really feel like stage costumes, but Yua Troupe’s got a great sense of style.”

Yuki: …

Yuki: (There’s also reviews of MANKAI Company… I’m a little hesitant to check those out, but, I guess I should have a look…)

Review: “The Spring Troupe’s performance was the best! I wasn’t expecting them to do a sequel, but I was moved to tears, seeing how much they’ve grown!”

Review: “I can’t wait for the Summer Troupe~ If they continue this way, they’ll also do a sequel to their debut performance, right?”

Yuki: (It’s mostly good comments…)

Review: “The costumes are as solid as ever. But maybe because Yuki Rurikawa’s artistry has been established, they sorta lack some element of surprise or change?”

Review: “It might be more noticeable because I watched it after Yua Troupe. But I guess it’s inevitable when all costumes have the same designer~”

Yuki: ——

-

Troupe member: Thank you for your hard work today, Ikaruga-kun. There are only a few performances left, we’ll be counting on you then too.

Misumi: Okaaay! Thanks for your hard work~

Misumi: (Standing on a stage with a troupe other than MANKAI Company was a little strange at first, but it got really fun after I got used to it~)

Misumi: (There are all kinds of actors, and the scripts and direction are all completely different, it’s really interesting~)

Syu: … Good work.

Misumi: Oh~? Why are you here~?

Syu: Sorry. I don’t have your contact info, so I was waiting for you here.

Misumi: You came to see the play?

Syu: Yeah. Someone I know happened to be playing here, so I came to watch. Didn’t think you’d be here too.

Syu: Figured it’d be a good chance to have a drink with you.

Misumi: Okay~ Let’s exchange LIME info later~

-

Syu: Have ya been guest starring in all sorts of plays lately? You didn’t strike me as the type.

Misumi: People like Director-san and Tenma kept recommending it to me. It was fun when I tried it out!

Syu: That so. Well, with acting skills as good as yours, you’re bound to be in high demand.

Misumi: Also, if I gain experience by acting on various stages, I can grow~!

Misumi: I have to do more than my best for the Fleur Award.

Syu: Woah, you put lots of thought into this.

Syu: Was it Hakkaku-san that taught you how to act?

Misumi: Nuh-uh. He showed me footage of the old MANKAI Company’s performances~

Syu: I see. Well, knowing Hakkaku-san, he probably wasn’t the type of guy to hold his grandson’s hand the whole way.

Misumi: How did it feel standing on stage and acting out Grandpa’s scripts?

Syu: Let’s see… Well, in simple terms, it was exciting.

Syu: I loved Hakkaku-san’s scripts, and I was happy to be the first to read them before the world saw them.

Syu: Hakkaku-san’s scripts weren’t just interesting, they were also kind on the actors.

Syu: They made sure every single role shone on stage.

Syu: I felt like he trusted in my skills as an actor, and that fired me up.

Misumi: I see~ I wish I could’ve had a role in Grandpa’s plays before he passed away~

Syu: Did you start acting when you joined the company?

Misumi: Yup.

Syu: I see how it is…

Syu: Your acting is brilliant, but it lacks depth. That’s something you oughta pay attention to in the future.

Misumi: Depth…?

Syu: Can’t do anything about your life experience, but on stage you should be able to experience the lives of many different roles.

Syu: The more you act, the more depth your acting will have.

Syu: In that sense, guest starring in even more plays is a good idea.

Syu: You’ve probably got your hands full with the Fleur Award right now, but you can always contact me if you’re interested. If it’s you, I’ll give you a grand welcome.

Misumi: Okay, got it~

previous episode | masterpost | next episode

[sweepseven]

Top 5 favorite cirque shows? 🎪

5. Alegría - The original. IANL is fantastaic because this one was fantastic first. The White Singer was such an icon of my earliest Cirque fandom years and finally seeing her live felt like a dream came true. Now every year I adore it all the more for it's place in CdS history. What a daring production, and what a snapshot of its era. Though it's not my ultimate forever favorite, I do think Alegría is the pinnacle of classic, true Cirque du Soleil.

4. Varekai - What a lush and splendid show. After the structure and relative severity of Alegría and Quidam, out bursts Varekai with a completely different world, completely different take on costumes, and completely different energy. It's an interesting one too because on the scale of "shit's just happening" to "actual plot," Varekai leans more towards plot in a specific balance I don't think we've seen from Cirque before or since. There are plenty of things in this show that just are, but because the world is so beautifully fleshed out it doesn't distract us from the uncommonly specific plot: boy falls into a forest, he loses his wings and can't walk, he falls in love, his love is kidnapped, his love returns transformed, and he heals and gets married. That's a lot of detail compared to an O, Mystere, or La Nouba, considerably less compared to a Volta, Corteo, or Ka, yet it leaves room for an inexplicable underwater number. And it all still makes sense! Now that's worldbuilding, baby.

3. Kà - SPEAKING OF WORLDBUILDING. I have enumerated on my love for this show for thousands upon thousands of words so I won't spend too long on it now. But something I don't mention often is that I saw Ka because I kind of felt like I had to, not because I specifically wanted to. I was in Vegas for the first time, could only pick two shows, and went with the classic O/Ka spectacle split of artistry vs. technology. There was nothing else to the decision. And since then I haven't stopped thinking about Ka - nor stopped writing about it - for over seven years straight. This is the best plot-driven CdS show in company history by leagues. From setting to music to spectacle to characters Ka is a ten out of ten. It has given me more as a person and writer than I can go into here, and I'm endlessly grateful to it. For fun here is the first post I made shortly after seeing it:

I knew myself well enough to know he'd be a problem but not well enough to think I'd still be on my bullshit for eight years. God damn. What Ka does to me. And I'll thank it every time 🥹

2. Kooza - Everything I say about Kooza makes it sound like it was my very first show, but the real one was La Nouba lol. This is another one I've gone on and on and on about to bear repeating now, but every time I say Kooza changed my life, I mean it. It inspired me to try flying trapeze, and in 2024 I crossed my fifteenth year of training without even noticing. It has become such an ingrained part of my life, all because I saw one trapeze act in one circus show at a pivotal time in my life. So much of my late teens is tied up in Kooza emotions, obsession, and just straight up magic. There have been more complex and effective shows in Cirque history, and this was truest around when I saw it for the first time. But since then I have had the immense pleasure of watching a show grow into exactly what it's been to me since the very start. It's like a real first love. I just feel like the luckiest girl in the world for having met this show.

1. Quidam - Quidam is categorically the best Cirque show of all time. It's that simple. I genuinely think anyone that disagrees just doesn't have an informed enough opinion to weigh in appropriately. It might not be everyone's active favorite, but it is the objective best. The depth and soul of this show is unmatched. There is symbolism with tangible weight - not just motifs, not just weird for weird's sake, but real repeated and deliberate decisions that firmly say something about the characters, world, and plot in a way that even O and Alegría cannot match. This is peak Franco Dragone, this is peak Benoit Jutras, this is peak everything about golden era Cirque du Soleil wrapped up in a setting so sharp and melancholic that whether you are, were, or have never even been a lonely young girl, you now know exactly what it feels like. I have threatened to write so much meta and I really need to sit down and just get it done. I can't think about this show without looking like that poetic cinema meme. Quidam is my top favorite, and it's also everyone's top best whether they know it or not.

Ask me my top 5 anything!

[winter-tospring]

wish i did not care at all to even listen to her albums at this point. maybe i'm too gay for this?? feels like her growth has stopped, she shifted at folklore, maybe that was the last one, and then goodbye, creative musings. we're stuck in a loop of diary entries that could be on a blog. i feel so disappointed and upset; it's been brewing a lot, what with the previous midnights mid failure, but dear reader still gave me a speck of hope. if not through her personal posts, at least i thought i'd still have her artistry connecting to my feelings, but it's so disconnected, like paths have diverted, and i wish i didn't want anything from her. it's just sad to part so bitter after years of holding her in my pocket through all the steps in my life, defending her and believing the stories she told. many are saying it's her trying to make us see her as human. maybe. she seems so lost in herself it's like she needs the reminder that she's more than a product she's been working two decades to sell. maybe she should escape. do an eat pray love and come back grounded, speaking up when she's screaming inside instead of bottling it up for a not half decent spoken album where she says she's not feeling well and that's all. say the things that are bothering you instead of complaining that life's hard for a billionaire when you haven't even shown you care about the horizon beyond yourself. say it!! fucking free yourself of your dad and your team and the cages you let stifle you! you have power and you act like you don't, like it wouldn't matter, like money's not what you want when you're selling 4 different vinyls then release a second full album after most of your fans already bought into your stuff. if you think about other things than yourself, it's not showing. if you want compassion, show it in return.

i'm tired of the product too. you think your silence makes you transcend time, legendarizes you into a figure that'll last. and maybe you'll be looked back on later, but whose hearts do you want to receive kindness from? it's not too late to come down, come out, be a companion, not a persona, if that's even what she wants anymore. she wants to stay a god but begs for pity. you take yourself there every time you so elaborately choose to conform to the cage you say you want to break out of. just pick something different. i though she'd had a glimpse of freedom but every aesthetic is a costume that doesn't really fit, every theme is a phase without commitment, everywhere we can't tell when it's real or green screen. she got lost in between, even in private, it's like even she doesn't know what to believe

[glassprism]

What goes into the decision behind running a replica vs. non-replica POTO? Does it boil down to costs or contracts or is it related to artistic license? And even when they run non-replica, it still says ALW's Phantom, so how much still has to run true to his original?

For the decision-making, it just depends on the production! There are some versions that could probably afford to do the replica production, but choose not to because they want to explore other interpretations or because they have always done non-replicas. For example, musicals in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Finland have traditionally always done non-replicas, so when they put Phantom on, it's no different. Within this category too are other reasons - for example, several of these productions are also in repertoire theaters, meaning they have multiple different shows cycling in the same theater across the year, so it's also about using the space wisely.

For other productions, yes, cost is a big reason. This is more the case in countries where musical theater is not as established, such as Italy, Norway, or Greece; here, it's easier to not have to pay the licensing costs or production to put on the replica and just make a version that is cheaper and likely to recoup the money back. But that doesn't mean artistry or creative license is not a factor, and creators of productions on a lower budget have still talked about how they wanted the opportunity to reinterpret the material.

As for the second question, the show has to use the same music, story, and lyrics (with some leeway for translations) as the replica, but the sets, costumes, choreography, and blocking can change. If you look at any non-replica of ALW's, they are still playing the same music, singing the same songs, and following the same general story; it's just the visuals and the blocking that changes, and even the latter has to stay within the boundaries of the story (no Christine going back to the Phantom at the end, for example). If everything changes, then you're not a non-replica, you're just a totally different version, e.g. the Ken Hill version, the Yeston/Kopit version.

Not that that's stopped some high school productions from trying to insert their new and improved lines.

[jazzypizzaz]

DRAGONCON 2023... in which I wax romantic about what amounts to a whole lot of silliness

My husband and I have been going to Dragoncon since the very first summer we got together, and every year our approach is a little different - a mix of fun traditions + trying new things - and every year we get a little better at actively contributing to the collective fun. This year held several "firsts"!

interviewed by DCTV in character as our Ferengi cosplay

were also a key element of the Star Trek scavenger hunt, as the only Ferengi around that day, which made us quite popular for like two hours

later, as a Klingon got a laugh on stage during Miss Star Trek Universe contest (part of an opening skit, not a competitor... yet)

handed out badge ribbons in costume and collected them from others; a great way to interact with strangers.

For the first time actually sang a song at Klingon karaoke! Well, "sang" might be too strong a word -- more like completely butchered ONJ's "Physical" while doing Klingon battle aerobics, but hey it was fun.

reused clothes/props from our hobbit wedding for "A Night In Bree"

Another difference this year was how the SAG strike made celebrity panels weirder than usual (they can't talk about any of their shows, but hey now I know Jewel Staite makes a mean lasagna). However this con has always been first & foremost about the fans, the energy we bring with us, & what we create here together - it's not about mindless consumption of corporate product, but active fan participation in remixing, retelling, remaking it our own. It's not celebrity worship, but celebration of artistry and storytelling. We lose ourselves in extraordinary fantasy/scifi worlds in order to better connect with ourselves & others in this one... Because Dragoncon at its heart is a celebration of the innate human need for stories and the power they hold for us.

[n4stasia]

True Otaku

Okay, True Otaku documentary is easily the best assigned material in relation to exploring the otaku culture. Singlehandedly the most eye-opening and truly representative film about fandom communities and their gatherings, as the name True Otaku suggests. I seriously think this documentary should be in place of Genshiken, as it breaks down the stigma instead of creating more stereotypes.

pt. 1 : who is an otaku?

I finally got some answers, instead of more questions. Great! The first part of the docu-series explores a very important aspect. Who exactly is an otaku? Turns out, it's not a term to describe hardcore anime fans. It's a term describing a hardcore fan of anything. And as some interviewees have mentioned, this word has somewhat a negative reputation in Japan due to historical and cultural context. Some fans associate themselves with the term, while some don't. Nonetheless, otaku's are people deeply passionate in their area of interest, including anime of course. Often stereotyped as socially awkward or obsessive, the documentary challenges these preconceptions, presenting a diverse range of people united by their love for Japanese popular culture. From casual fans to dedicated collectors, the film demonstrates that otaku are not a homogenous group but a vibrant community with many hobbies and lifestyles.

pt. 2 : fan productivity

I won't stop mentioning how well the documentary covers everything we touched upon in our Otaku module. And the second part of the series perfectly shows what exactly is fan productivity and the way it manifests during conventions. Beyond consuming anime, manga, and video games, otaku are actively engaged in creating and sharing their passion. The documentary highlights the creativity and dedication of fans who produce fan art, write fanfiction, and create cosplay costumes. These activities go beyond mere consumption; they represent a form of self-expression and community building. True Otaku showcases how fans are not passive recipients of content but active participants in shaping the cultural economy, or, in other words: how fan productivity allows fans to possess fiction.

pt. 3 : cosplay universe

A significant portion of True Otaku is dedicated to the world of cosplay. The documentary explores the artistry and craftsmanship involved in creating elaborate costumes, as well as the transformative power of it. I like how it was emphasized that you can't just put on a costume, you have to have acting skills so that the transformation is successful. By embodying beloved characters, cosplayers not only express their admiration but also build connections with fellow fans, like a Lolita fashion community. The film captures the joy and camaraderie of cosplay events, demonstrating how these gatherings serve as a safe and inclusive space for people to celebrate their shared interests. As mentioned in part 3 of the documentary, otaku/anime conventions is a zero judgment zone, apart from panel cosplay contest judges, of course. And these contests allow creators to prove their skills and gain recognition for their hard work, which often goes unnoticed by people not involved into the fandoms.

my (dad's) experience

Yeah, I personally have never been to the anime convention, however now, I'm quite interested. And as you may have noticed by the name of the paragraph, I have a story to share about my dad's experience with true, hardcore, otaku conventions in Japan. To give some context, he has been to Japan eight times (so jealous) to take part in Japanese martial art Kyokushin Karate World Cups (and subsequently, became a champion). During his visits in early 2000's he accidentally ran into otaku's conventions and cosplayers, who were dying to take a picture with him for some reason, or at least that's what he told us lol. After he returned home he would tell us the stories about Japan, otaku culture, and as a little girl it seemed like he went to a parallel universe. Honestly, I still find it fascinating to this day.

upd: photo found! with my dad to the far right.

[denimbex1986]

'What would “Ripley” be without its transfixing style, from the palpable isolation of a squalid New York apartment to the shadowy charms of ancient Italian streets?

Writer-director Steven Zaillian’s acclaimed eight-hour Netflix series isn’t merely a new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s enduring thriller about an American tourist in coastal southern Italy embracing deceit and murder: It’s a coolly gorgeous black-and-white pleasure bath of sights, shades and textures. Beauty with darkness. Modern touches in ancient spaces. Art for con artist’s sake.

To achieve his vision of a 1960s Italy that would sweep viewers away right along with Andrew Scott’s dangerously impressionable protagonist, Zaillian assembled a murderer’s row (ahem) of design collaborators: Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Elswit, who’d worked with the director on the miniseries “The Night Of”; production designer David Gropman, an alum of Zaillian’s 1993 film “Searching for Bobby Fischer”; and Italian costume designers Maurizio Millenotti and Gianni Casalnuovo.

Elswit makes no bones about how important everyone’s set contributions were to the look and feel of “Ripley.” “It was such a clear ensemble of decisions based on Steve’s original ideas that we pursued for the whole [show],” he says. “We wanted to underlie the drama, be part of the storytelling, part of the emotional life of it.”

The production design

“A dream job” is how Gropman describes working on “Ripley,” starting with what Zaillian’s 400 dialogue-sparse script pages evoked, and ending with myriad locations across New York, Italy and at Rome’s fabled Cinecitta studios.

Early research led Gropman to the kinds of images that called out to be re-created. “When you’re doing Tom on the train from Cherbourg to Naples, and you pull up David Seymour’s photograph of Ingrid Bergman going from Naples to Cannes on the Orient Express, you know exactly what that train car looks like in black and white.” Another inspiring source was Piergiorgio Branzi, revered for his naturalistic postwar pictures of life in Italy. “Any photograph of his would fill a moment in [‘Ripley’].”

Months of scouting the Amalfi coast for the sleepy town holding Dickie Greenleaf’s villa led Gropman to quiet but picturesque Atrani. Three elements cinched it: The views from the road above were stunning, the piazza charmed, and what would become something of a location star for rapt viewers, “the incredible network of stairs, alleys and passageways.” The actual villa, however, was discovered in Capri, and completely outfitted in midcentury furniture and assorted antiques and artwork.

You can get to 200 locations and sets easily when a character is constantly on the move, and the norm is to crib from many places to suggest one. “For the Excelsior hotel in Rome,” says Gropman, “the exterior was the Hassler, the lobby was the Plaza, and two suites were an amazing 16th century palazzo in the middle of Rome.” And where exterior period authenticity couldn’t be counted on, CGI filled out plenty of backgrounds. “Train platforms, views out windows, and ferry docks were all big visual effects set extensions,” Gropman says.

As for what was built at Cinecitta, two favorite sets for Gropman were Tom’s New York hovel and his well-appointed, furnished Rome apartment. For every set, though, walls were never moved for the camera’s sake, “so you’re true to the claustrophobia,” says Gropman, and in the case of the dingy New York SRO, “the meanness of that space.”

Props were nearly as important, and Zaillian spent two days looking at demos. One story item, however — a Murano glass ashtray whose importance won’t be spoiled here — had already been chosen. “The ashtray is on one of Steve’s side tables at home in California,” says Gropman, laughing. “That will tell you a lot about Steve, and his ‘Ripley.’”

The cinematography

“Steve is the most meticulous, focused, precise director you could ever work with,” says Elswit of his “Ripley” writer-director. “He had a very clear concept of shooting in black and white, making a designed movie formally organized around tonal structure and graphic images.”

Elswit, who’s previously worked in black and white (“Good Night and Good Luck”), explains why cinematographers love the monochrome palette. “You can exploit the extremes between the brightest white and the blackest black. You exaggerate the contrast in their faces. You can feel it. Sense it. You really do create tension and anxiety through lighting. It’s been done since the beginning of movies.”

It’s even baked into Zaillian’s script. Ripley’s fascination with Caravaggio allowed the Italian master’s famed tenebrism — intense darkness and pockets of equally intense light — to also become a guiding aesthetic for Elswit. Caravaggio “was also obsessed with quality of light, its direction and the reality of it. Like a spotlight on what was interesting.”

Elswit says Italy’s very physicality lends itself to such extremes of light and shadow. “There’s so much texture when you’re looking at walls, streets, the surfaces of buildings, the cobblestones, stairways. It’s granite, plaster, rock, marble, whatever it is, and in black and white, it emphasizes the texture.”

Caravaggio and his era’s peers influenced the show’s look in another way. Elswit and Zaillian gave themselves an unusual rule in framing, to keep Renaissance and Baroque art’s straight-ahead perspective and avoid converging vertical lines, as would happen if a camera tilted up or down. It’s why so much of “Ripley” is a crisply edited procession of static shots, with only humans providing movement.

“That was built into every setup, indoors and out,” Elswit says. “We were going to have the picture plane parallel to the walls of structures we were shooting, always. The buildings couldn’t have converging lines. Steven wanted that formal graphic design.”

Zaillian also preferred overcast days, to avoid any sun-kissed hint of romance and warmth. But Elswit made great portentous use of a hot sky for when Ripley first encounters Dickie and Marge, lying on the gravel beach. “We had a high shot where we had Tom walk by them, and his shadow goes over them,” Elswit says. “I was thrilled. I’m not sure if Steve was at the time, but he ended up being happy with it. That was a wonderful advantage to a sunlit day!”

The costumes

Italy in the ‘60s may have been a fashion mecca, but that wasn’t how Millenotti and Casalnuovo saw the job Zaillian set out for them. “There was a focus on subtlety,” Casalnuovo wrote via email, speaking for the duo. “The costumes shouldn’t be flashy or distracting. Steve’s vision emphasized creating a sense of character and story through the clothing.”

Casting a wide net in their research — with a little over four months of pre-production time — the pair pored over photo books, archives, even vintage albums found in street markets, “searching for a nuanced understanding of the period,” Casalnuovo says. Their rummaging unearthed one socked-away trove containing unpublished pictures of everyday life in the story’s key cities. “This provided invaluable insight into the social fabric and atmosphere. This allowed us to create costumes steeped in authenticity and narrative depth.”

That meant capturing a moment when the world was turning away from formality, while areas like southern Italy still reflected class divisions. Lighter fabrics such as linen and cotton are presenting themselves, and yet the privilege Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) represents hasn’t gone away. “Dickie’s wardrobe would be more tailored and polished. In contrast, characters of lower social standing would wear simpler, more practical clothing.”

With a black-and-white palette, however, certain scenes needed extra consideration, as when Tom Ripley’s swimsuit needed to set him apart at the beach. Highsmith wrote about a garish yellow/black checkered pair of trunks, but, says Casalnuovo, “a color contrast wouldn’t translate.” (As the final decision ultimately showed, an eye-opening fit and pattern humorously did the trick.)

Of course, when it came to Ripley overall, charting his sartorial trajectory, not surprisingly, was the designers’ most enjoyable project. “Ripley’s wardrobe is a chameleon’s act. Initially, his casual American style clashes with Dickie’s European flair. He subtly incorporates elements like polo shirts and loafers, mirroring Dickie to gain acceptance.” Getting from high-priced mimicry to Tom’s own personal style toward the end was a particular challenge, but the kind costume designers live for. “It was a process that demanded focus and a deep understanding of the character, but seeing it all come together was incredibly rewarding.”'

[thephantomofanastasia]

The Lion King Tour Review

I finally saw the Lion King National Tour on the 20th of May this year, which was a terrific show. Solid 8/10. 

The Good:

The acting, singing, powerhouse performances, puppetry, costumes, and music were phenomenal. Every performer was at the top of their game in the show tonight. Lion King is not my favorite Disney story, but watching it unfold uniquely was beautiful in front of my eyes. It was very breathtaking and emotional. I prefer the stage version to the animated movie. I loved that the actors got to walk down the aisles in the house before stepping onto the stage. I’ve only seen middle school plays and musical productions do that. 

Set Design, Lighting, and Set Changes: 

The set initially threw me off because it was very barebones and primarily used the curtain, lighting, and huge set pieces. Also, whenever a set change happened, the curtain always closed. That was distracting for me. Even though I would have liked more of a set design initially, I liked the artistry and its simplicity. The set design was a specific artistic direction, and the production relied on lighting to convey the scenes’ emotions. And I feel like the director’s decision helped stylize the show that makes sense for the version of the Lion King they were telling. I’m not a fan of strobe lighting, but it was used sparingly and effectively in the proper moments. The staging of the stampede was incredible: the use of projections and the puppetry in the upper and lower stages was so well blocked. Same with the scene where Timone falls into the waterfall. Same set design as the stampede, but they projected Mufasa dying and had Simba frozen with red lighting on him. That was a visually brilliant way to showcase Simba’s trauma without having to say anything out loud. The fighting on Pride Rock was also well done. The design of when Mufasa’s face is seen in the stars is so emotional and breathtaking! The set design isn’t rich with visual detail. It gives you just enough to know the setting, and your imagination can do the rest—one of the many things I love about theatre. I’m torn about wanting more set designs and liking what they gave us.

Adaptation and Culture: 

This piece works well as an adaptation. The creative team knew there was nothing to “fix” in the story because the one in the animated film was so good. But by adding songs from Mufasa, Samba, and Nala gave those characters more depth. And I loved how we got longer scenes between Simba and his father. 

This adaptation also works because they did something neither the animated nor “live-action” film did. They leaned into the African culture. Everything from the costumes, dance choreography, and fight choreography is from the African culture (I presume because I am not of that culture). I loved how even certain songs and dialogue are in an African dialect. It makes so much sense, and seeing another culture fully on display in a significant Disney musical is beautiful. Everything from the costumes, hairstyles, and makeup was also very stylized to fit this story’s telling. I don’t know much about African culture, but I’m pretty sure the way all the actors moved from walking, prancing, fighting, and puppetry was faithful to the culture. Everything in this show feels like it’s meant to be representational and stylized to resemble a Disney version of an African fairy-tale re-telling of Hamlet. It feels like a cultural piece that doesn’t create or reflect harmful stereotypes; instead, it promotes a different form of storytelling from a Disney musical most people know. It’s so beautiful.

The Bad: 

I hated that Scar wanted to make grown-up Nala his queen. That’s disgusting. It was only in one scene and wasn’t brought up again. That could’ve easily been cut from the show. I understand that he is the villain, but it’s gross. All of the character’s makeup had the same color pallet as their costumes and puppets. But for some reason, they dressed Timone in green and had him wear green makeup. They made absolutely no sense, and it was very distracting. It felt out of place from the rest of the show. I understand that he was representing the jungle, and I understand what they might have been going for, but that did not land for me. This is carried over from the animated film: I don’t like Timone and Pumba and Zazu as characters. I can’t forward scenes when I’m watching a live stage show. I had a negative audience experience that was incredibly disrespectful and distracting. I was sitting in row B of the orchestra, and this family behind me would not stop talking about the entire freaking show. It kept taking me out of it. So that tainted my experience a bit. I paid a lot of money to watch a performance, not to listen to someone complain about how dehydrated they were.

My Overall Thoughts: 

It’s not my favorite Disney musical of all time, but I am so happy that I was able to experience it. And I am happy about all of the adaptational changes. I wish I had a better experience as an audience member.