Well, dear readers, we had a nice cleanup rehearsal yesterday – very easygoing. We started at eleven and I broke the cast at four. We did intensive work on a couple of numbers, ran a bunch of light cues, and got the sound working better than it’s been. We have today off, and then Monday we do a run-through in the afternoon (Susanne is back with us, and we’ll get her and the cast back into the swing of things) and then Monday night we have our first group of people in to see the show. Today I shall be relaxing, maybe seeing a film, but basically not doing much of anything at all. I really haven’t had a proper day off in over four weeks – I’ve spent other days off writing for the show, planning for the show, and helping out with other aspects of the production. Now it all boils down to this week. We’ll need lots of the good old-fashioned hainsies/kimlets excellent vibes and xylophones directed directly to the Hudson Theater Main Stage in the Wood of Holly. If you’re in LA and haven’t booked your tickets yet, do so immediately or be in danger of being bitch-slapped from here to eternity and hell and back.
Last night I ate a marvelously marvelous dinner at Musso and Frank – it felt so good to be eating a good meal and something other than a sandwich. Then I watched the first half of a new DVD entitled The Counterfeit Traitor starring Mr. William Holden. I really like the film a lot and I’ll have more to say about the DVD when I’ve finished viewing it. Meanwhile, I finally finished Dead Ringer, starring Miss Bette Davis. It’s really not very good – and it was/is totally mis-sold as a thriller. It’s really more of a soap opera, save for one scene of a dog attack on Peter Lawford (who is so smarmy you can’t wait for him to get it). The transfer is very nice as is the mono sound. I love the Andre Previn score and it’s the best thing about the film. The real problem lies in the lame script and the even lamer direction of Paul Henried. There is a commentary track with Charles Busch and some author of a book on Bette Davis, but I had to turn it off after ten minutes – one of those infuriating commentaries that a) act as if the film were a great work of art, and b) are just all over the map and totally uninteresting. Only for die-hard fans I’m afraid. I’m going to try to catch up on some other DVDs that have been sitting on the shelf for the last four weeks, including some region 2 Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger films, including Ill Met By Moonlight and The Small Back Room.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below so I can begin to enjoy my day off.
Ah, I am enjoying my day off. My day off is enjoying me. And it’s just beginning, too. I will decide momentarily whether I want to subject myself to a screening at the DGA of the new The Manchurian Candidate. It’s hard to get motivated about it, but I shall try.
Don’t forget, tonight is our Unseemly Live Chat at six o’clock Pacific Mean Daylight Savings Time and I shall be there with bells on or, at the very least, with snare drums on. I shall have plenty to chat about and I do mean plenty.
Now wait just a darned minute – I do believe we’d better put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, I do believe we’d better break out the cheese slices and ham chunks, I do believe we’d better dance the Hora or the Swim, because today is the birthday of our very own dear reader Der Brucer. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to Der Brucer. On the count of three: One, two, three – HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DER BRUCER!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must enjoy My Day Off, I must lounge about in my lounging pyjamas and smoking jacket. I must have a pinch of snuff and eat an egg in a cup. I must be urbane and charming and witty to anyone who passes by. I must watch a DVD or two and perhaps try to be motivated to see The Manchurian Candidate. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to choose the topics and we all get to post about them all the livelong day and night. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I enjoy My Day Off.