#they didn’t show wille revealing that part but sara is on her way to report it so

[love-and-monsters]

Wyvern Prince Pt. 4

The new position was working out surprisingly well.

You had almost immediately become more well rested and your new position was less physically strenuous than previous. The prince was mostly focused on having you counsel him on the strategies he wanted to employ and having you read books on politics. That wasn’t to say that your job had no physical activity, of course. You were still expected to clean and get the prince his meals, but at the very least, he seemed mildly concerned about your health. It was an improvement, you decided.

Still, the job was different, and not a job you were entirely certain you were very good at doing. “Sire,” you said a few weeks after he had given you the job, “why did you pick me for this?”

He looked up at you from the book he was holding in his lap. “I wished for a human perspective. Politics are not a wyvernic strong suit, after all.”

“That isn’t really what I meant, sire. I meant, why me specifically? There are politicians in the castle. You could have gone to someone with more experience. I’m just a servant.”

The prince flipped a page in his book. “I am not a political expert by any means, but I am at least aware that one should not reveal to their enemies that they are in a weak position. All of the politicians in the castle work directly for the queen. I have no guarantee that they will not report any plans I have to her.”

“You have no guarantee I won’t report back to her,” you said.

“No,” the prince smile, “but you are aware that reporting to the queen will get you fired from your position, so I at least have insurance.” He flipped another page in his book. “Regardless, I rather trust you more than any politicians here.”

“Thank you, sire,” I said. The prince gave a faint smile and went back to his book.

“By the way,” he said after a few moments, “I am about to go on a trip.”

You looked up. The prince was looking at you again. “Where are you going?”

“Down to… ah. The human settlement that invaded wyvern territory. What is it called?”

“Morrowstown.”

He nodded. “That’s it. Yes, I’m supposed to visit there in order to present the terms of the new contract. It will be a brief trip. A week at the most.”

“Do you have anything you would like me to do while you’re gone?” you asked.

“Ah. No. I want you to come with me.” The prince placed his book on the table and reached for another one. You stared at him.

“I’m going with you?” you repeated.

“You are my human interpreter.” He smiled like he thought himself clever for coming up with that. “I need you there with me.” He flipped a few pages, then tossed the book back on the table. “The queen has already been informed and has approved you to travel with me.” He looked at you, meeting your eyes levelly. “Are you okay with traveling?”

You opened your mouth slowly. “Yes. I am. When do we leave?”

“Five days.” The prince looked back down at the book. “Bring enough clothes for the trip. You will accompany me the entire time.”

“I understand, sire,” you said. The prince nodded.

“Good.” The pair of you lapsed back into silence.

The five days leading up to the trip were filled with vague, insistent anxiety. You were traveling to a faraway town with the prince of the wyverns. It was a prospect both exciting and dreadful.

All too quickly, it was the morning of the trip. You woke before the sun rose to rouse the prince and feed him before you both headed down to the courtyard.

There was a carriage waiting for you, the same fancy one the prince had arrived in. The driver let down the steps and the prince entered. You glanced around for your carriage or horse.

The prince poked his head out. “Are you coming?”

“I need a horse. Or a carriage,” you said. The prince raised an eyebrow and tapped the side of the carriage.

“There is one right here.”

You stared. “You want me in that carriage with you?”

“Yes. I told you that you would be traveling with me, yes? That included the ride. Come along.” He retreated back into the carriage. After a moment of hesitation, you followed.

The door closed behind you. It was dim in the carriage, the only light available whatever faded sunlight shone through the window. The prince sat up awkwardly straight on the padded benches. His tail made it impossible for him to sit flush with the wall and the end of it curled in his lap.

“The carriage is uncomfortable for you, isn’t it, sire?’ you asked. The prince gave a stiff nod.

“They were designed for humans, after all. But it would be far more uncomfortable to be shot down by angry humans, so ride in a carriage I shall.” The prince shifted a little in his seat. “It would be faster to fly as well. It will take days to get there like this.”

“Yes,” you murmured. Days. In a carriage with a prince. It felt like your stomach was curdling. The prince turned and looked out the window. You stared at your knees.

After a few hours, you were starting to get restless. Your legs were stiff and cramping and your butt had gone numb. The prince didn’t seem to be suffering from any similar complaints. He was still staring out the window. He hadn’t stopped for hours. “Are you uncomfortable?” he asked.

“I- How did you know?” you asked.

“You’ve been moving a lot.” The prince looked back at you. “Do you want to stop?”

“I’m all right, sire,” you said. “As long as you are okay to continue, I am as well.”

The prince rested his chin on his hand. “You are very accommodating.”

“I am a servant. It’s my job to be so.”

The prince tilted his head at you. “It’s interesting. No wyvern would be so accommodating. We can be nice, friendly, even. But rarely would we prolong our pain simply to avoid offending someone. Humans, I find, are much more willing.” His eyes glowed gently as he watched me.

“I’m not in pain,” you said. The prince smiled.

“I’d like to stop.” He turned and stuck his arm out the window. The carriage started to slow down.

According to the sun, it was midday. You had left the castle and surrounding town and were heading steadily toward the woods, though there was still a long way to go. “We’ll be in the next town by nightfall,” you said. The prince nodded.

“You should eat.” He handed you a paper package. Wrapped inside it was bread, cheese, an apple, and a small cake.

“This was meant for you,” you said, making to hand it back. The prince stopped you.

“I don’t want it. The cheese is… tolerable, but the bread is barely better than eating wood. And the fruit?” He grimaced. “It will be better for you.”

You stared down at the food. Bread and cheese wasn’t unusual for servants, but fresh fruit was a treat and cakes were something you’d only ever had on the winter solstice. It felt overly indulgent to just eat one. You wrapped it back up in the paper and started to eat the bread.

“What are you going to eat?” you asked.

“Meat,” the prince said. He strode over to one of the soldiers in front of the carriage and spoke to them for a moment. The soldier made a gesture to the sword at his waist, but the prince waved him off. He turned and trotted off into a nearby stand of trees.

You walked over to the soldier. “What did the prince want?”

“He said he wanted to go hunting,” the soldier said with a shrug. “I offered him my sword, but he said he had his own weapons.”

You glanced at the stand of trees. It was large enough, you figured, to hide the shape of a wyvern.

Ten minutes later, the prince emerged from the trees. His hair was slightly askew and he was rubbing at his mouth with a handkerchief, but he seemed otherwise unremarkable. He could have merely been going for a stroll.

“That was quick,” you said as he approached you.

“The deer here are stupid. Not used to predators.” He tucked his handkerchief back into his pocket. It was spattered with red. “Tasty, though.” He smiled and you were fairly certain he was deliberately showing off his sharp teeth.

You stepped back into the carriage with the prince and it set off again. He resumed staring out the window. You resumed staring at the ground.

Hours rolled by. A farm passed by, then another. Then a small grove of trees. Your back twinged, muscles stiff from holding the same position. You couldn’t help a grimace.

“Not comfortable for you, either?” the prince said. He didn’t turn his head away from the window, but his eyes moved to you.

“It’s better than riding a horse,” you said charitably. The prince grunted.

“True enough.” He turned his eyes back toward the window. “Horses don’t like me. They can smell what I am, I think.”

You weren’t quite sure what to say to that, so you remained silent. The prince glanced at you, then looked out the window again.

You arrived in town just as the sun started to set. The carriage pulled up to an inn. “This is where we part, then,” the prince said. “I will see you in the morning.” He stepped out of the carriage and walked away with one of the soldiers. You and a few other soldiers headed to the other rooms of the inn.

The room had several beds in it in cramped quarters. You were thankful that there were separate rooms for the male and female workers. The prince, of course, had his own room.

Sitting through the day in a carriage was not conducive to sleep. No matter how long you lay still, you simply weren’t tired enough to fall asleep. After hours of trying, you finally decided to go for a walk.

It was a cool night and the stars were plentiful above you. You didn’t go very far from the inn, just outside the doorway. As small as the town was, you didn’t want to risk getting lost and delaying the journey.

“Sara?” You turned, startled, to see the prince behind you. He was in his bedclothes.

“Sire!” you yelped, startled. “I’m… not in proper clothes.”

“Nor am I,” the prince said. “We are even.” He smiled faintly. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“No,” you said.  

“I couldn’t either,” the prince murmured. “I’m not tired.”

You nodded. “I should head back inside, sire.”

The prince blinked. “You needn’t leave on my account.”

“I still should head inside. It isn’t proper for us to be out together in nothing but bedclothes,” you said. The prince frowned slightly, but waved you off, so you returned to your room. About an hour later, you managed to fall asleep.

The inn served breakfast that morning, so you didn’t need to see the prince until you were ready to get back into the carriage. He was unusually quiet when you boarded. “Are you all right, sire?” you asked. “Did you sleep well?”

“No,” the prince said. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m quite tired, I’m afraid.”

“You could try to sleep in the carriage,” you suggested.

The prince gave a very unprincely snort. “I’m afraid not.” He attempted to lean back, but apparently only succeeded in pinching his tail. “Ow. I can’t get comfortable enough.”

“I am sorry, sire,” you said. The prince waved you off.

“It is not your fault.” He twisted awkwardly, trying to contort his body into a shape that would be comfortable. Apparently it failed to work, because he shifted back into his original position a second later. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, once I managed to fall asleep,” you said. The prince nodded.

“That’s good.” He turned to stare out the window. “We should arrive at the town today.”

“Will you be all right there, sire?” you asked. The prince shifted his gaze back to you. “These humans took your land. It wouldn’t be unusual for you to be angry at them.”

“I am angry,” the prince said. “But it won’t help anything now. I am more concerned that they won’t take the treaty well.” He smoothed his hands over the fabric of his cloak. “Should they refuse the terms of the treaty, there may be trouble.”

“War?” you asked.

“Potentially. I am somewhat more concerned that they may react poorly to my presence, especially if they don’t like what I have to say.” A worried furrow appeared between the prince’s brows.

“We’ll all do whatever we can to ensure that you remain safe, sire,” you said. The furrow between the prince’s brows only deepened, but he said nothing else. He just stared out the window.

The prince seemed to slip into a doze as the journey continued. His eyes were only partially open and he seemed to be oblivious to the world around him. You sat back in your seat and simply stared around the carriage. It was boring, simply sitting there. You shifted a few times, trying to find a comfortable place to sit. One of your feet knocked against the prince’s leg. He started like he was waking up from a dream and shifted his legs.

“Sorry, sire,” you said. The prince shrugged and readjusted his cloak.

“No need to apologize.” He blinked heavily a few times, then rested his head back against the wall. He drummed his fingers against his thigh. “We’ll be in town soon.”

You glanced out the window. He was right. The road was nicer and you could see a few buildings in the distance. “That’s good. It will be nice to take a rest.”

The prince’s expression was distant. “Yes. Unfortunately I will not be able to rest as soon as we get to town.”

That was surprising. “Why not?”

“I need to visit the wyvern who owns this territory first. She’ll need to be informed of the specifics of the agreement just as the human inhabitants will be.”

“Is that safe, sire? Shouldn’t you bring the guards with you?”

“No. Absolutely not. It’s far better if I approach her on my own, in my own form. She’ll listen to me, I think.”

“You think?”

“It’s more likely she’ll listen than not. My family is respected. She knows that harming me would be a bad move for her, so unless I enrage her so greatly she forgets, then she won’t attack. Simple.”

“If you’re certain, sire,” you said, unable to keep an edge of skepticism out of your voice. The prince’s lips twitched to the edge of a smile.

“I am. I will be fine, I assure you.”

Finally, about an hour later, the carriage rolled to a stop. The prince exited. “If anyone asks after me, tell them I have business to attend to and I’ll be back as soon as I can be.” He started to walk toward the forest that edged the town.

“We could get a carriage to take you to her,” you called after him. He shook his head.

“I’ll change as soon as I get beyond the town. Wouldn’t want to start a panic.” He continued walking until he had vanished between the trees.

You waited and watched for several minutes, but he didn’t return. The rest of the parade moved on to the inn, but you remained near the edge of the woods.

Hours later, the prince emerged again. He looked worn. His hair was mussed and tangled and his steps dragged. Even his breathing was slightly labored. You rose from where you’d been sitting against a few stones. “Sire?”

He blinked, lifting his head. “Sara?”

“Are you all right?” you asked, approaching him.

“Tired. She was not amenable to the treaty at first, so it took some convincing.” He sighed. “But she did agree to it after time, so as long as the humans here agree, everything should work out.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “But what are you doing here?”

“If the negotiation went poorly, I thought you should have someone near where you were to help,” you said.

“You were worried?” the prince said. “I did say that I would be fine.”

“You said you would likely be fine, sire,” you corrected. “Regardless, part of my job as your personal servant should be to attend to you, no matter where you go. Even if I could not attend to you on this trip, I could still wait for you and ensure you returned safely.”

The prince’s mouth opened for a moment, then closed. His expression softened a little and, before you could move, he clapped a hand to your shoulder. “You are impressive, aren’t you?” His tone was honeyed with affection. You could feel your cheeks growing pink. “I understand why the queen assigned you to me now. Your dedication is admirable.”

You lowered your head and lifted your skirts in a small curtsy. “Thank you, sire.”

He smiled at you as he removed his hand from your shoulder. “We should head back to the inn.” He set off in that direction and you walked a little bit behind him.

You accompanied the prince to his room when you had returned to the inn. He all but collapsed on as bed as soon as he got to it. “You should sleep as soon as possible, sire,” you advised. “You will have to rise early to prepare for your announcement to the town.”

“I know,” he said, sitting back up. “I need no more assistance for the rest of the night. You are free to do as you wish.”

“Are you sure, sire?” you asked. The prince nodded.

“Certainly. And if I need rest, you certainly need some as well.” He smiled encouragingly. You nodded and began to head for the door, but before you could exit, the prince called to you. “Ah, hold on.” You turned back. “Tomorrow, after the announcement, you can take the rest of the day off. I won’t need you.”

You stared at him, a little dumbfounded. “Are you sure, sire?”

He nodded. “Of course. You’ve been doing so well recently, I think you deserve a little time off.”

“If you’re sure, sire,” you said. The prince beamed at you. There was something in the combined warmth of his smile and eyes that made your stomach do a flip.

“I’m sure. Have a nice night,” he said as you left the room.

“You too, sire,” you said. The door clicked shut behind you and you took a moment to breathe slowly, calming your beating heart. It was racing quite a bit.

[ruffiorocks]

James Olsen Issues with powerful men and women (anti James, but only because i think i finally see the issue!)

OK, so after the last episode i have come to the conclusion James is and has been in need of some serious therapy since he first came to National City and even before then! I've started to see a pattern of jealously towards both powerful men and women. Essentially, people more relevant that himself.

Kelly stated that Lex has tried to kill James 8 times now.

We’ve also learned that Lex kidnapped and tortured James to get to Superman. 

That is a lot of bad s**t to happen to a guy and not have him work through it. That is guaranteed to cause some kind of issues! 

When James got to National City the first thing he did was get involved with yet another super, even though he clearly hasn't worked through the issues that being involved with the first super had caused. This was a super he could get involved with and influence, have some degree of control over.

After seeing his poor treatment of Kelly (before the end of the ep) im wondering if this is what has caused him to have issues with women telling him what to do or being his superiors. 

Hear me out (then you can tell me if you think im wrong,which is fine, each to their own).

So ever since James met Superman he has been in the shadow and the side kick of the most powerful alien on Earth. A man that James is even taller than! In addition to this James has been in the middle of a battle royale between the most powerful alien on earth and the most powerful man (Lex). James’ only role in this rivalry was to be kidnapped, tortured and basically nearly killed 8 times. James has basically been a damsel in distress. Maybe this is what led James to go and get himself a black belt. 

So, James has never been able to be on par with the men in his life while in Metropolis. Clark is Superman so no competition there, Lex is a billionaire genius, James cant compete and he worked for Perry White a powerful man in the media. Who is James here other than the guy who gets kidnapped? He isnt really relevant in the grand scheme of things and he just takes photos. (By relevant, i mean he is no different to any other civilian other than the fact he knows Superman).

Now James goes to National City, pretty much just after he has been kidnapped, tortured and been given 18 scars. The first thing he does? Gets involved with the shenanigans of yet another super and put himself in yet more dangerous situations with no way to really defend himself. By rights the guy should already have PTSD and should have been in therapy and having a looong get away somewhere quiet without super drama (pun intended).

In the very first episode after Kara meets him and says Cat doesn't like to be kept waiting, James replies with ‘whats she going to do? Fire me right after hiring me?’ His attitude towards his new female boss here is not a good start. A prelude to how he will later treat Lena as his boss? 

James also thought he was enough of a big shot to sit on the arm of the couch in Cats office while everyone else was standing up in respect and fear. One look from Cat was enough to nip that in the bud! James got a reality check here.

The first season he got annoyed that Winn knew Kara’s secret, like he was the only one that should have known it. He made a point to flirt with Kara even though he still had a girlfriend he hadnt broken up with.

When his girlfriend came after him he tried again with her while continuing his flirtation with Kara. He then got annoyed at Lucy for working at Cat Co, he broke up with her, he then got annoyed when she came back and Kara revealed herself to her. James was annoyed when Lucy said ‘and you’re back in Kara’s loft, nothings changed then’. Lucy wasnt willing to have a boyfriend who had no respect for her and outwardly flirted with other women in front of her. 

So what was James' issue with Lucy? A strong, independent woman who was career driven? Well, maybe that was exactly it. Remember how Lucy was/is a Major in the army with respect, status, is involved in alien, government, DEO business? She’s also freaking tiny and James is like 6 foot tall. he couldnt handle a small in stature girlfriend being above him in any way. James also stood up Lucy to help Kara and always put Kara first, the only one willing to put any work into that relationship was Lucy. James put Superman first, then Supergirl. Lucy Land deserved so much better than James. Lucy would later be made the head of the DEO and work with Supergirl and Alex, being relevant where James was just not. 

General Lane, even James’ girlfriends father was a man of more power , influence and relevance than James was. Out shined by both your girlfriend and her father. Even more out shined by your girlfriends sister since shes the Daily Planets top reporter. Who also happens to be the girlfriend of  his best friend and the man he will never outshine. 

Then we had Barry Allen show up and James was instantly jealous of the attention that Kara gave him. He was once again shown up (in his mind) by a man who was more powerful than he was. A man that could help Kara take down enemies that James couldn't help with. 

Winn, well Winn contributed more to helping Kara save the day than James ever did, both in season 1 and when he put on that ridiculous Guardian outfit. Winn was a smaller, none athletic nerdy guy who was 100xs smarter than James and way more useful. James in season 1 was a glorified love interest who didnt do much. 

When James did try to help in season 1 he managed to piss people off. He called Clark because he didnt believe Kara could handle Reactron because her male counter part couldnt. (proved wrong)/ He went snooping after Maxwell Lord and got kidnapped and got his ass handed to him again by a billionaire man more powerful and relevant  than himself. 

When James turned up at  the DEO he was told by Jonn to go home, he wasnt wanted there because he wasnt needed or relevant. 

Winn was asked to join the DEO and he left Cat Co to go and continue to be a valuable relevant member of the team. Winn was wanted and needed by the DEO, Jonn and Alex. 

Remember when Kara was on red K? James wanted nothing to do with her afterwards. Yes she absolutely assaulted him, but that just backs up my point of James’ experiences with someone far more powerful than himself and a woman to boot. 

When Lena turned up James was instantly suspicious, another powerful billionaire with more influence than himself. A woman he instantly judged for her family name, even though we learned last week she was kidnapped the same as him by the same guy. She was also the reason that Lex was caught. Lena did what Clark and James were incapable of doing. 

James became Guardian because he felt he had the same call to help people and he was ‘meant for this?’ No, James was watching everyone else he knew be relevant and was watching people more powerful than him have influence and was jealous. 

James demanded that Winn finish his suit because he couldn't stand being left out and watching the people whose job it was to deal with threats and were perfectly capable of dealing with them handle it.

James told Kara she had no right to decide who gets to be a hero, true, but then he thought he deserved to be one because he had a ‘call’ and he had a black belt. Go join the freaking police academy then! He couldnt stand Kara telling him no’ another powerful woman with more influence than him. Kara didnt want her human friend to get hurt, her untrained human friend. She did meet Oliver, Sara and CO, but they had years of intense physical and psychological training. They didnt get a black belt and put on a Halloween costume and think they were the s**t. Even Alex had to train for month before Jonn let her out into the field. 

Alex? Another powerful more relevant woman than James will ever be. She told James and Winn to tell Kara the truth and he didnt. 

James couldn't deal with Mon El, ‘I had to deal with the civilians’ ‘Mon El cares about you and himself!’ He didn't believe Mon El could be a hero and didnt want to give him a chance. What was his issue with Mon El? Another man more powerful than him, replaced him as a love interest and was welcomed at the DEO to be part of the team.  

Cat leaves James in charge of Cat Co, a job he has zero experience in. But he finally gets to be a man of influence, this shows in later seasons, especially with the COL story line. James has become a man that now has some influence and is more relevant, his words now mean something. But then Lena buys Cat Co and James just thinks he’s going to keep his position and he’ll continue to run things the way he has been and will give her weekly updates. Well she soon nipped that in the bud didnt she? He even said they didnt have an office for her. Well technically his office was still Cat’s and since Lena bought it it becomes her office. He was even rude to her when she asked where Kara was running off to and he got annoyed that Lena held a meeting without him. Sure she probably should have told him, but dont forget this is a man who had no love for Lena and she had no reason to like him, so maybe she wanted to meet the staff without James’ influence, so she knew what she was dealing with. 

This was clear example of yet another powerful, influential billionaire being more relevant and one upping James. To add to it she’s another woman who can now tell James what to do. 

James realized Lena was staying? Well he’ll just get romantically involved with his boss, that will keep his position and influence in tact.

James looked beyond annoyed when he touched Lena’s bare shoulder and she squirmed (yes squirmed) out of his grasp.

James was approached by the COL who saw something in him and wanted to work with him. James was so flattered by this he got involved with them without even thinking about it, leading to of course disaster!! 

Lena told James as his boss not to go and meet with the COL because she had booked him to debate with Ben Lockwood on TV, something that would have made more sense. But James told her she wasn't allowed an opinion on what he does because its work. He told this to his BOSS! She then had to pull rank on him and he couldn't stand the fact that a woman could tell him what to do. He ignored her and sent an inexperienced rookie reporter to do it instead.

James even got pissed at Lena because she saved him from going to prison for a long time for coming out as Guardian. Instead of thanking her he got mad and rejected her love. Another/same woman able to do something that he himself would never have been able to do. He was once again saved by a woman and someone more powerful than he was. A woman who supported his stupid decision to come out as Guardian in the first place. 

James gets dumped and decides he may have to look into the lead he tried to squash on his girlfriend. Take down the woman who dumped you? Your boss? Using her resources? 

James gets shot and his sister authorizes the use of a drug to save his life. He wakes up and is instantly disrespectful to her and tells her she just wants to tell him what to do and she should go home! 

OK so, i conclude from this that James’ traumas in Metropolis has given him serious issues. He is always being kidnapped by male billionaires and beaten up. He cannot stand that there are both alien and human women that are more powerful, relevant and influential than he is and have authority over him. He cannot stand being on the outside looking in, he has to get involved in whats going on even when he’s told not to and people dont want him to. His romantic interests always consist of women who have more power and influence than he ever will, whose thoughts, opinions and decisions actually matter in the situations the gang find themselves in. When those women tell him ‘no’ or pull rank on him, he even dumps them, tells them they cant tell him what to do or he makes them feel like they are in the wrong. 

He cannot stand that there are humans out there more relevant and useful than him (Winn) or aliens (Mon El).

James needs therapy, all of this trauma has turned him into this man that doesn't like female authority, cant stand men of more influence than him and has left him with a desperate need to be in the thick of the fight when in fact he has no business being out on the battle field at all. James’ time as the ‘dude/damsel in distress’ when he was with Superman has left him feeling weak and vulnerable and his masculinity has taken a huge hit. 

General Lane said ‘You surround yourself with special people, but that doesn't make you special’. Probably the truest words ever spoken to James. James is/was special in his own way, he should have stuck to being a photographer. Like a few episodes back when he got back into that again. All of the above is just James trying to be something he will never be.

Either that, or poor writing. You decide.

[annashipper]

Megapost Nr. 3 - June 23rd 2018

London Anon:  Hello, Anna, London Anon's here! Did you saw the latest tweet from James R.? He's in London now and tweeted about" breakfast in pal's house, vegan (! ) breakfast and how pal's small children wanted to hear some piano music 😂. No names. It could be just a friend. But is it a tiny shoutout to Ben and "his imaginary kids" ? James wants to play some PR or what? Sorry, i can't do screencaps. I was browsing Twitter, saw" vegan friend with kids and piano" and nearly choked on my coffee. 

Anna:  Hi London Anon and welcome in our midst!  :D

I’m sure James’ tweet was referring to Ben.  The question is why they don’t realise baity tweets don’t work on any of the Skeptics anymore.  On the plus side, at least James is a great friend who’s willing to go the extra mile for Ben.  

*

Nonny Nr. 1:   hahahhaha yeah, its gonna take more than that to convince me these kids are real. like, i dunno, seeing them. alive. once. in their life

Anna:  But... we’ve already gotten a pap walk in HD from NYC for Pilo, and Weirdo was even smiling for the paparazzo who was taking the pics Nonny.  What more do you need to be convinced?  :P

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Nonny Nr. 2:  oh man, they really are painting a very specific family image. its the exact image i expected of ben and sophie. totally unreal and unbelievable, but totally predictable. these people are disgusting, and i include james the liar in that pile of disgusting as well. 

Anna:  Sorry Nonny, but I don’t agree with you.  I would (and have actually done it in the past) lie for my friends.  I actually think James’ tweet would have been a great touch in furthering the narrative Ben’s trying to push, had it only come at least 2 years earlier...

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Nonny Nr. 3:   they really need to get someone who lives on the street to talk about the kids, proving that they are seen in the area, since there is no evidence that they've ever been spotted in the nabe in years

Anna:  Nonny, do “hardcore skeptics” who just happen to live very close to Ben’s new property and have seen Ben with his family around the neighbourhood multiple times count?

Cause I get such anonymous asks almost on a weekly basis, and the anonymous people who send them to me are VERY skeptical of Ben’s private life, even though they know for a fact the children are definitely real and they always report that Ben gazes at Weirdo tenderly during their strolls.  None of them take pictures of the adorable family of course, because they respect Ben’s privacy too much for that, but they do see them out and about almost on a daily basis.  And they are hardcore skeptics of course.  They invariably tell me that on every single such ask I get.  

Of course I never understood what they’re skeptical about given what they have witnessed with their own two eyes... but I believe them.  And so should you!  

*

Nonny Nr. 4:   they should all go for a post breakkie stroll. im sure the neighbours are wondering where all the kids are

Anna:  I'm sure I’ll get reports from at least 4 different very skeptical anons tomorrow about it Nonny  :P

*

Nonny Nr. 5:   hey PR? can we get a move on? we all know you have this story written, and this is all a narrative that is going to be controlled and released, lots of little stupid things like this, to wrap it up in an end w no blame. can we move it along? getting bens friends to lie like this is annoying. i know you have to but lets pick up the pace.

Anna:  Now, THAT would be lovely Nonny.  Intern, let’s skip all of the unnecessary baitiness and speed the whole thing up after Weirdo’s Wimbledon photo ops, shall we?  

*

Nonny Nr. 6:   “ The uninstalling of PrBatch won't happen...” I’m sorry honey nonny, you may take it in wrong order, when BTCC decides to take back his own life the shownance ends and the PRBatch uninstalls, not the other way.

Anna:  Nonny, I couldn’t possibly agree more.

*

Nonny Nr. 7:   I didn't view the TCA thing as a snub tbh, miniseries actors aren't commonly in the individual category. There's no rule against it or anything, maybe the critics feel TV is more shows? Over the last 25 years, only two miniseries actors have ever between nominated (Pacino for Angels in America and Giamotti for John Adams; no actresses at all). That's out of over 100 nominees.

Anna:  Actually Nonny, Sara Paulson received the award two years ago for her performance on The People VS OJ Simpson.

*

Izzy:   "To be perfectly honest, this is the first time I ever even heard of the TCAAs."- it's not new at all but from what I understand the ceremony is a private event. So I think it not being televised makes it forgetable lol

Anna:  I’m sure that has A LOT to do with it Izzy  :o)

*

@i-luv-benny-c:  Wow, that part where BC lectures the magazine interviewer who dares to ask about his family.  He should have stopped after “Sorry but I don’t talk about my private life”.  And then he goes on to talk about his private life!  His OTT defensiveness (both verbal and non-verbal) reminds me of his saying 2 years ago that people think his wife and child are PR stunts.  And his statement, “This is a touchy issue for me” convinces me even more that his family is fake.

BC’s response to the interviewer reveals how the showmance has taken its toll on him, aging him well past his years. He lashes out like a trapped animal.  He’s painted himself into a corner and the walls are closing in.  This is so sad.

Anna:  @i-luv-benny-c, you know how I usually don’t agree with you on anything?  Well, today is not one of those days   ;o)

*

Izzy:   "I love that Ben has realised his shortcomings when it comes to providing convincing anecdotes about the pillows, so he seems to have taken a steep turn towards skipping discussing them altogether.  Wise move!"- 

Except hes already talked about his private life enough that its weird to suddenly act defensive that someone mentions it. He interrupts the interviewer to say he doesn't talk about his private life as they refer to something he had already said about it.  Then he goes on to say they travel with him, which sure sounds like talking about something private to me. It would be one thing if he was responding to a particularly prying question but he seemed to get defensive at the mention of them. If he's going to get snippy now when people bring up the kids The Grinch promo is gonna be hella awkward.

Anna:  He’s not gonna get snippy about people bringing up the pillows during The Grinch promo Izzy.  In fact, I expect the pillows to be one of the selling points he’ll be using for the pitch.  I’m sure they’ll be just like the bank notes during The Imitation Game promo   ;o)

*

Mom Anon:  See? I’m not online for the afternoon and something happens! Well, judging by the comments, the Skeptics are taking it with a grain of salt. Could indeed be anyone but it indeed reads like James means Ben. Ah well, the nans will love it!

Anna:  I don’t know if it was you or me being offline for the day Mom Anon, but I’m tempted to go offline for an entire month for no particular reason to just see what’ll happen  :P

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #135 - Race to Witch Mountain

Spoilers below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: Yes.

Was it a movie I saw since August 22nd, 2009: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) This film, in a lot of ways, is a quintessential movie for me. I've discussed in the past (specifically on my Back to the Future post and Chicago post) how March 2009 was a very definitive time for me. Well this movie falls into that category. I was in Arizona with my parents and brother visiting my aunt, uncle, and grandma and the adults (save for grandma) went to see something like The Reader or some other adult movie. So my grandmother took my brother and I to see Race to Witch Mountain on opening day at like the Alamo theater or something like that. I have very clear/vivid memories about seeing this with them and the movie holds a special place in my heart because of that (even if it isn’t necessarily the BEST film ever made).

2) From the opening credits there is no question as to what is going on in this movie: it’s aliens. The opening features bits about space travel and Roswell and UFOs, etc. There is no doubt that this film is about aliens.

3) Ciaran Hinds in the film just gives off an aura of threat and villainy from his very first appearance. I love it!

You get a nice understanding of him as the film goes along. A part of Henry Burke (Hinds’ character) is his desire to protect his planet, but its more he’s greedy. He wants a win, he wants credit for a win, and he’s not willing to let any little thing like common sense or decency jeopardize that. A nice villain for the film.

4) As soon as we meet Dwayne (must not say “The Rock”) Johnson’s Jack Bruno we are given a lot of his character.

We see him look longingly at this nice red car, establishing a goal he is trying to accomplish. We see his impatience and distaste for the storm troopers in his backseat, giving off his rough and jaded character. But we also see his chemistry with Carla Gugino’s Alex which shows a kindness to him that he likes to hide as well as a bit of fun. And when we see him in his motel home at night, we understand that Jack is someone largely dissatisfied with where he is at the moment. Johnson and the writing are able to portray these things clearly and set up Jack’s journey through the rest of the film.

5) Meredith Salenger plays a reported named Natalie Gann in this movie. She also played the titular character in Disney’s The Journey of Natty Gann back in 1985.

I remember years ago watching a bonus feature on the blu-ray where the director said he really liked The Journey of Natty Gann as a kid and wanted this little wink at the film both for himself and other Disney geeks who may get it.

6) This line was very memorable for me as a 13 year old kid.

Mr. Wolf’s Goon: “You got a death wish?”

Jack: “I drive a cab in Vegas.”

7) AnnaSophia Robb as Sarah and Alexander Ludwig as Seth.

In contrast with the original theatrical Witch Mountain films, there is no attempt to establish these two characters as normal human children. We still end up relating to them on an emotional level, but from their syntax and lack of familiarity with certain Earth ways you can very easily tell that they’re aliens. The pair of young actors play the siblings well. Like the stars of the original film - Ike Eisenmann and Kim Richards - they are able to portray a true relationship through small moments of trust and understanding. They’re really siblings. They care for each other, they have each other’s backs, and that chemistry is packed down. They’re also able to give each character their own personality, with Sarah being the optimistic understanding one and Seth as the more aggressive stubborn of the two. They do a good job in the movie and play well with Johnson’s Jack, making for an interesting character dynamic to support the film.

8) Man, they really just wanted you to hate Burke didn’t they?

Burke [about Seth & Sarah]: “And no matter what they appear to look like, gentlemen, these are not children.”

Except they are, dude. They really are. How about you go club a baby seal too since apparently if it’s not a HUMAN child it’s not a child at all.

9) I always found the intro of Seth’s powers to be a powerful and memorable moment.

10) I always found the design on the Siphon alien very sleek and cool. It is reminiscent of Predator a little to me.

11) My biggest issue with the film that - while it is only 98 minutes - it’s a little muddled and messy. The dual antagonists of the Siphon and Burke both lead for some interesting scenes, but as a whole create pacing issues and never truly mesh together as cohesively as maybe I’d like them too. An example of this is after Jack and the kids escape the Siphon the first time it chases down their cab, but they seem to escape its grasp, only for it to come after them again almost randomly in the same scene. That cab chase definitely has some nice moments and tension to it, but as a whole is a bit messy.

12) I really like some of Jack’s lines in this film.

Jack [after the kids try to tell him they’re aliens]: “You can’t just drop the, ‘We’re aliens!’ bomb on someone like that!”

13) Hey, Cheech Marin is in this movie!

14) At one point in the film, the trio has to visit Stony Creek for a while. Stony Creek was the town just outside of Witch Mountain on Tia’s map in the original film. So it is only fitting that the stars of the original Escape to Witch Mountain make cameos during this scene. Kim Richards - who played Tia in the original - plays a waitress also named Tia in this movie. While Ike Eisenmann - who played Tia’s brother, Tony - plays Sheriff Anthony (which Tony is short for).

And - in reference to their heroic characters - both parts played by Richards and Eisenmann work to help the protagonists of this film escape from Burke in some pretty helpful ways.

15) I love the fact that Sarah stops the car for her new dog, Junkyard!

I really like dogs.

16) Alex’s conflict is spelled out very clearly when we meet her at the convention: she’s not taken seriously. She does a lot of work towards researching the legitimate possibility of life outside of earth and no one treats it as legitimate. But she is positive and optimistic and Carla Gugino plays the part very well (although I’ve yet to see a Carla Gugino performance I dislike).

17)

Sara [about her planet]: “Millennia of neglect have made the atmosphere unlivable.”

18) WHO THE HELL IS THIS WHITLEY GUY THAT ALEX SAYS, “Not now!” TOO AT THE UFO CONFERENCE!!!! IT HAS BUGGED ME FOR YEARS!!!

(Does a quick google.)

Okay, so Whitely Strieber is an American author best known for his horror novels and  and for Communion, a non-fiction account of his alleged experiences with non-human entities. Apparently his wife is somewhere in the film too.

19) Hey, it’s Garry Marshall!

Garry Marshall appears in a small yet memorable supporting role, giving the protagonists the information about Witch Mountain. Which, interestingly enough, has been changed from a community of alien refugees to a secret government base. Huh.

20) If you look very closely during the UFO conference scenes, you can see a cosplayer dressed like Tron.

21) In a nice wink to the original film, in the final act the heroes ditch the cab for a winnebago (which is the vehicle used to reach Witch Mountain in the 1975 film).

22) There is a nice character moment between Alex and Jack in the car where they both relate to their pasts and their dreams. It is small but appreciated, as it gives the characters just that extra layer they need.

23) So to sneak into the mountain after Sarah and Seth are kidnapped, Jack and Alex climb down this pipe which ends up being a furnace that nearly burns them alive. Except...it serves no practical purpose whatsoever. Like why does their furnace need to be so ridiculously elaborate and also have an entrance to the outside?

24) Also at one point in the film Jack and Alex dress in hazmat suits to free the kids, and I can’t help but wonder...why would they have a hazmat suit in Jack’s (aka: The Rock’s) size when there’s no one working there that big?

25) I live for jokes like this.

Seth [after Jack asks if they can fly a spaceship]: “How do you think we got here?”

Jack: “Well you crashed. Remember?”

26) The first time I saw the climactic battle between Jack and the Siphon on the flying saucer, when the Siphon’s mask came off and they were waiting to reveal its face to us, for some reason I thought that the Siphon would look like Dwayne Johnson.

Now that I’m older I realize this would’ve been a horrible choice as it doesn’t play into Jack’s struggles or the themes of the film AT ALL but I figured these are aliens that look human so why not have the Siphon look like Jack? In hindsight, I’m glad they went with this instead:

27) The goodbye the kids have with Jack is actually really heartfelt and feels more earned than you might initially think. They formed a real trust with this guy, he risked his life countless times to make sure they made it through alright. I really appreciate that.

As I said at the start, Race to Witch Mountain has a lot of personal significance for me. It’s hard for me to be objective about the film. I see what’s wrong with it, but I really enjoy it. It strikes a chord with me and therefore I’m going to recommend it to you. Even though it’s not necessarily as up to snuff as the more recent live action efforts from Disney, it is still a very entertaining (and not too long) film with some nice humor and good acting. I don’t think it’s a waste of your time, I think it’s quite enjoyable. But again, I can’t be objective really. Just know I recommend it nonetheless.

[laweizhu]

Walk The Line

1/? Cross posted on AO3 but I don’t know how to link in mobile so have fun searching!

Sara Lance just landed a job in Central City Police Department as their newest cop, after a 3 year stint abroad. She didn’t expect to walk the line with the morally ambiguous criminal Leonard Snart, but when he lends a helping hand, she can’t seem to walk away from him.

–

She had only been on the job for 4 months and already her life was going to shit. Sara Lance, newest recruit to Central City Police Department; graduated top of her class and spent 3 years of combat training abroad to get away from her life in Star City. The 5'6" blonde was a force to be reckoned with and she had no qualms about taking down men three times her size.

Her first few weeks in Central were spent reconnecting with her mother, finding an apartment, and making sure she didn’t get on anyone’s bad side at the precinct. Her father always told her that she was not one to shy away from danger, which tended to land her in many pots of hot water over the years, but she wasn’t here to stir up anything, just do her job and catch the bad guys.

The boys at the shop respected her enough, especially with her years of combat training, but she had yet to prove to be one of them. She was closer to Detective West’s daughter than she was with some of her colleagues. She was on her way up though, at least, until she landed her last assignment.

Drugs were not such a commodity in Central like they were in her hometown. More robberies and arson than anything related to an underground drug ring, but here she was, playing arm candy to one of the pushers. Marc Mancini was a thug, through and through, but he knew what he wanted, and that was drugs on the street and beautiful women on his arms.

Sara, though she loathe to admit it in this situation, was just his type, with her head full of blonde and the truest of blue eyes. Her small frame gave her the advantage of looking vulnerable, but she knew she was anything but, especially with the heat she was packing in her small black dress.

There was a deal going though, and Sara had the next to best seat in the house, right next to Mancini himself. She spent weeks sidelining at the strip club Mancini frequented (Thank God for all those years of dance and gymnastics) and finally got a fill in when he wanted some beautiful women to show off.

Sara, as much as she hated playing the simpering damsel, batted her eyes and nudged her way into his crowd. She luckily didn’t have to put out for him, yet, anyways, as she suspects he’ll want something after giving her a show of his power.

“Well gentlemen, are we ready to get started? I’ve got the real deal in these crates and all I’m asking is for a couple mil. Any callers?” Mancini called the attention of the crowd that was in the warehouse. Sara was the only one on assignment that was actually able to pull a legitimate invite to the selling, and she couldn’t risk contacting anyone else on the team, being in such close quarters with Mancini.

The blonde cop spotted quite a few big names in the crowd, some she recognized the faces of in reports she’s read and some that looked a little to green to be buying this high up. She spotted one man in the far back of the warehouse, his fur hood up so his face was shadowed, but tall enough to still catch her eye. He suddenly looked up at her and was internally startled by how piercing his eyes were. Her attention was pulled back when Mancini pulled her with him to start the bidding.

It was essentially a waiting game at this point. She couldn’t make a move because as good a fighter as she was, she wasn’t able to take on the amount of men here. She had to memorize who bid on what, and follow those leads to get the best amount of these criminals off the streets as she could. She wasn’t usually a patient person, but patient she would be.

At least until everything went to hell in a hand basket. The tall hooded man finally made his presence known when he shot his gun in the air and fired out what she saw as a ray of ice.

“What the hell is this?!” Mancini pulled away from Sara and approached the crowd, “who the hell are you to come fucking up my business meeting?!” Sara had read the reports and files before arriving in Central, Leonard Snart was a household name in the criminal underground, and his newly acquired cold gun was no joke. At least, according to sources at S.T.A.R. Labs and the news outlets.

“I go away for a few months and this is what happens to my city?” Snart pulls his fur hood down and waves his gun disapprovingly at Mancini. He slowly walks his way through the crowd, the people parting away like Moses parting the red seas.

“We don’t do drugs here, Mancini , I thought I made that clear when you first moved in.” Snart stepped up to the platform Sara and Mancini were standing on. She pulled her shrug tighter around her to conceal grabbing her gun. Snart side eyes her for a second before returning to stare Mancini down.

At this point, some of the crowd begin slowly leaving, not willing to come in between Leonard Snart and his rule in town. Mancini, himself, was getting flustered and trying to convince Snart that drugs would bring more money into Central.

“C'mon now man, you’re about the money right? More drugs means more buyers, which means more money in our pockets. Don’t ya see the appeal Snart?” Captain Cold gave a smirk as icy as you could get,

“No, drugs mean competition, it means people moving in my city that I don’t want here. It means that the real money makers are gonna leave Central high and dry if they start sniffing the drugs. So, you get these crates outta my city by tomorrow or you can see why they call me Cold.”

The tall man spun around and looked straight at Sara. He gave her a once over that sent shivers down her spine, and approached her as if he hadn’t just threatened to ice someone.

“Birdie, you staying or going?” Sara wasn’t about to become on the receiving end of Mancini’s anger for the deal going south, so she took the arm that was bring offered to her and kept playing her part, at least until she could get away.

—

They had been walking for a few minutes, and no ride or getaway in sight. Sara knew, at least with one person, she had a better chance of escaping but she didn’t get the sense that he was going to harm her.

“So, what’s an armed bird like you, doing on the arms of that idiot Mancini?” He begins to make conversation without any hitch in his stroll. He pulls her along when she pauses to look at him, and she doesn’t respond for a minute to process what he said.

She deflected instead, “Why? Should I be on your arm instead Mr. Snart?”

He chuckled, pulled her close and whispered in her ear, “Well, as nice as you are on my arm, I like to keep my distance from a cop.” Sara froze as he said those words, never having been caught in a situation like this before. She didn’t quite feel threatened by his response, but she wasn’t exactly excited to have her cover blown.

He pulled away from her, and she noticed that they had stopped by the edge of the harbor. She was only wearing her revealing black dress, one that where the hem just teased at the muscle in her leg and showed off an ample amount of cleavage. The thin shaw she wore did nothing to stop the breeze that came from across the water. She had enough self control to stop herself from shivering, but was unable to stop the goosebumps that rose across her arms and legs. She wasn’t quite sure if they were from the air or from the man standing in front of her.

Sara stayed silent, while Snart made his way around her, as if sizing a piece of meat, or in his case, a rare, beautiful, and expensive piece of jewelry.

“Well then, Miss Cop? No answer, is there?” The man in the blue parka came to a stop in front of her and made a move grab a stand of loosened hair. What he wasn’t expecting was the sudden movement from the woman in front of him. She had suddenly grabbed his arm, twisting it inwards to cause a shock of pain while using her other hand to hold the small throwing knife she had concealed in her garter up to his neck.

“Well then, this little bird has some claws does she?” Leonard showed surprise on his face, but only slightly. He gave a smirk towards her, and if she were in any other situation than this one, she might have even found it attractive.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t have you cuffed and brought down to the station.” Sara gripped the arm he brought to hold her hair tighter, and only put a minimal amount of pressure on the knife close to his throat.

“Look, I’m not usually in the line of work to collaborate with the cops, but we both have the same objective here.” Leonard slowly began to hold up his arm that wasn’t held in her grip in the air.

“I want these drugs off the street as much as you, and actually have some evidence to help get rid of it. But you have to make a deal not to take me in. What do ya say, Birdie?”

Sara gave him a hard stare, and maybe in other circumstances, the harbor, the moonlight, it might even be romantic. But what she saw was only truthfulness in his eyes, maybe a hint of something darker, but she didn’t want to think about what it was ot the implications of it.

“Fine,” she whispered. “But you have to tell me what this evidence is first before I remove my knife.”

“Okay, sure. In my back pocket is a thumb drive I grabbed just before leaving the building. It has a video and audio recording of Mancini auctioning off the drugs as well as a nice shot of all the faces in the crowd. How’s that for evidence?” Sara had to admit, that was a hefty sum of evidence for her to get Mancini and even a couple others convicted and jailed.

She bit her lip as she considered her options, not realizing Leonard’s gaze drifted down to her mouth as she did it.

“How can I trust you?” She stared back at him, her heels making her eye-level with his nose, so she still had to glance up slightly.

“You can’t. But if someone is going to ruin this city, it’s because I’ve robbed it blind, not through dirty drugs that only drag people down.” Leonard spoke with passion on this topic and she had no other choice to believe him.

“Fine. But no sudden movements. Your hands stay up in the air and I grab the drive from your pocket.” Sara slowly released his right hand and he brought it up to join his left that was now resting on top of his shaved head.

“It’s in my right back pocket.” Sara nodded her head and reached her left hand around his frame to dig into his pants. The movement caused her to step closer to him than she anticipated and she couldn’t ignore the tension in both their bodies that had nothing to do with the knife that was held to his throat.

She looked straight into his eyes as her hand slowly drifted into his back pocket to grab the thumb drive. She really shouldn’t have, but her fingers caressed his lower back as she brought it back out, his eyes only narrowing and the hint of a dangerous smile sitting on his lips.

Sara pocketed the drive right in the cleavage of her dress, but Leonard made no other movements with his eyes except to keep staring into hers. She didn’t know why she was taking so many chances, but she slowly released the knife from against his neck but trailed her fingers down his collarbone and chest before stepping back from him.

She took a few steps back from him to regain a level head, but he continued to stare straight into her, even as he brought his hands slowly down to his side. He made no move for his cold gun, and she made no move for her concealed gun.

He only began to walk back towards the warehouse, still looking at her, before saying, “Catch you on the flip side, Birdie.”

He spun around and walked briskly back in the direction they came from before pausing when she said, “The name’s Sara, not Birdie.”

He looked back at her, with her arms held around her, looking like an angel of death in the moonlight. “Well then, Sara , hope to see you around sometime.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, before giving him the first hint of a smile he had seen all night that wasn’t fake. As he walked away, all Sara could think was that she was in deep shit.

[newyorktheater]

What stage show could compete with the drama of the Ford/Kavanaugh hearings?

I’m a theater critic and I’ve never been so drained by a drama.

— Charles McNulty (@CharlesMcNulty) September 27, 2018

From the basement of The Louvre, a lesser-known Caravaggio, “The Temptation of The Flake.”

Get thee behind me, Mitch. pic.twitter.com/veioRA5Og3

— David Simon (@AoDespair) September 29, 2018

Below: What theaters are doing for the midterm elections; Fringe NYC preview; October openings; September quiz; Kinky Boots announces closing; Birbiglia on Broadway. Spielberg has found his Tony for West Side Story.

https://www.americantheatre.org/2018/09/28/4-ways-theatres-are-getting-out-the-vote-for-the-midterms/

Fringe Begins

Bremner Duthie in ’33 Kabaret

Rebecca Pronsky in Hillary Clinton’s Song Cycle: Witness

las: sitas (a movement exploration of the divine feminine) Nora Kennedy, Kris Sidberry, Sara Kohler, Claire Ganshert, Harmony Stempel, Flora McGill, Sara Kohler

The Last Jimmy Brady Hill Dancer, Dice Raw (Karl Jenkins) center. Jimmy, the last black man arrested in the world, is on trial for committing past, present, and future crimes.

Lisa Danielle Buch in Simple Math: Solving for the Neurobiology of Assault. An aspiring actress filled with chutzpah faces a confounding calculation when her trusted mentor is revealed to be a sexual predator.

Striking Out Jordan Wilson, Parker Callahan, George Elrod, Damon Royster, Reilly Willson, Kyle Ryan The story of the first straight baseball player in a world dominated exclusively by gay athletes.

After a year’s hiatus, the New York International Fringe Festival has returned for it 21st year, much changed. It now take place in October (not August), offers 100 shows (not 200), and has split into two  and spread to three boroughs; in Manhattan, the shows are all presented in the West Village (not the East Village.) For details, see my preview on TDF Stages, What’s New at the Revamped Fringe

  October Openings

  September Theater Quiz

  Week in NY Theater Reviews and Previews

Girl From The North Country

Using 20 songs that Bob Dylan composed over half a century, playwright Conor McPherson has fashioned a slow, sad, elliptical and occasionally exquisite theater piece set in a run-down boarding house in Duluth, Minnesota, Dylan’s hometown, in 1934, seven years before Dylan was born. The stories in “Girl From The North Country,” are not about Dylan. They focus on the desperate family that runs the boarding house, and the many struggling people around them

The Nap

How, one wondered, would British playwright Richard Bean, whose hilarious farce One Man, Two Guvnors made a star out of James Corden, create something as funny for Americans out of the British game of snooker? He hasn’t, as it turns out…For every joke that lands, two don’t – because they’re too silly, or unfathomable, or hackneyed or offensive

Bernhardt/Hamlet

Bernhardt/Hamlet, a new play on Broadway by Theresa Rebeck about Sarah Bernhardt deciding to perform as Hamlet, is being given a first-rate production, with a winning cast led by Janet McTeer as Bernhardt, lively direction by Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Hand to God) , and a sumptuous design, especially the grand rotating set by Beowulf Boritt and the glorious costumes by Toni-Leslie James. But we don’t leave the American Airlines Theater with any clearer understanding than when we entered of whether or not Hamlet is (as one character says) “the greatest part ever written” or Sarah Bernhardt “the greatest actress ever born” – and if so, what makes them so.

Because I Could Not Stop: An Encounter With Emily Dickinson

The latest odd hybrid by the Ensemble for the Romantic Century, combining a one-woman show about the poetry and life of Emily Dickinson with a chamber music concert of composer Amy Beach,  is self-consciously tasteful and inadvertently tacky.

Intractable Woman

Journalist Anna Politkovskaya was murdered on Vladimir Putin’s birthday in 2006, as if the assassins were giving him a present for getting rid of this woman deemed an “enemy” of the state — the 13th journalist to have been murdered in Russia since Putin had come to power. Her story is now being told in “Intractable Woman: A Theatrical Memo on Anna Politkovskaya,” an unconventional drama that marks the New York debut of Italian playwright Stefano Massini

Playing to the Gods

Sarah Bernhardt remains the most famous stage actress of all time, the subject of the play Bernhardt/Hamlet on Broadway. But during her lifetime she had a rival, Eleanora Duse. The two didn’t just compete; they represented opposing views of what acting, and the theater, should be, according to “Playing to the Gods: Sarah Bernhardt, Eleonora Duse, and the Rivalry that Changed Acting Forever” (Simon and Schuster, 277 pages) by Peter Rader.

The author makes much of the two divas’ contrasting acting styles, Bernhardt with her extravagant flourishes, Eleanora spare and still, willing to turn her back to the audience, and have moments of silence.  Or as Rader at one point succinctly describes the difference: Sarah posed. Eleanora paused.

Week in NY Theater News

Billy Porter as Lola

Kinky Boots, which opened in April 4, 2013, will close on April 7, 2019, after 2,507 performances. I admit I didn’t think it would last this long Here’s waiting for @cyndilauper’s next musical

            Mike Birbiglia’s The New One is transferring to Broadway’s Cort Theater, Oct 25, 2018 to January 20, 2019

Ansel Elgort has been cast as Tony in Steven Spielberg’s new film of West Side Story.

Follies at Astoria Performing Arts Center

2018 NYIT Award Winners– Off-Off Broadway’s Finest

Tony Goldwyn and Frank Wood join Brian Cranston and Tatiana Maslany in “Network”, opening December 8 in Broadway’s Belasco Theater.

Almost Famous, a new musical adapted from Cameron Crowe’s movie, is in the works. The musical will feature a book by Crowe , music by Tom Kitt, and lyrics by Tom Kitt and Cameron Crowe

https://variety.com/gallery/2018-broadway-impact-report/

For the third year in a row, “The Dead, 1904, based on James Joyce’s short story, will return to the same location at 991 Fifth Avenue, New York, where it will run November 17–January 13, 2019.

Women in opera: The Met has asked Missy Mazzoli to write an opera based on George Saunders’s ghostly novel “Lincoln in the Bardo,” and is planning to stage Jeanine Tesori’s opera “Grounded.” The two are the first female composers to be commissioned by the Met since its founding in 1883.

Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder) and actress Jada Pinkett Smith have joined the producing team of American Son, starring Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Eugene Lee and Jeremy Jordan., which is scheduled to open at Broadway’s Booth Theater on November 4th.

R.I.P.

Merle Debuskey, 95, a longtime theater press agent and one of the most significant players in providing free Shakespeare in the Park.

Joe Masteroff, 98, librettist for Cabaret and She Loves Me; Tony winner 

Kavanaugh Hearings as Theater. Welcome to the New Fringe. Ansel Elgort is Tony. The Week in NY Theater What stage show could compete with the drama of the Ford/Kavanaugh hearings? I'm a theater critic and I've never been so drained by a drama.