Well, dear readers, we had our second performance last night, although I’m still treating this entire weekend as a learning experience and may still adjust some things based on what I’m hearing and seeing. We had quite a few critics last night. Act One was better than opening night and I think we really had them. Then, Act Two got off to a bad start when one of my actors changed the way we’ve been doing the opening bit and it really impacted the rest of the evening. They still enjoyed it, it seems, but that faux pas coupled with the fact that we had a speaker out was just a bit lethal. But maybe I’m overreacting – my prediction is that they’ll give us mixed reviews for last night – I think they’ll say that some things worked splendidly and that Act Two was a let-down. On opening night, Act Two was just as good as Act One. It’s why I tell actors to “lock” things when they work, and when I see them change things for no reason I just see red. Hopefully, we’ll be back on track tomorrow night. I’m quite overtired and I’m getting easily bugged by silly things, but I’m hoping for a good night’s sleep tonight.
I finished watching the DVD of The Bad Seed. I’ve never really loved the film, but it does preserve just about all of the original Broadway cast. Mervyn LeRoy, at this stage of his career, just wasn’t a very interesting director and Bad Seed is just flat, directorially. Patty McCormick is terrific, but poor Nancy Kelly is really bad – she’s just not a film actress, and by the end of the film there is no scenery left that she hasn’t torn into full-throttle. Henry Jones is fun as LeRoy, and Eileen Heckart is good in her two scenes, although, that said, she’s not really a terrific screen actress, either. The film has a good score by Alex North. The transfer is fine. It’s full-frame, which I don’t really understand, since most major-studio films of that era were projected 1:85. There’s a commentary track with Charles Busch and Patty McCormick and a “Conversation With Patty McCormick” featurette. If you enjoy the film or find it campy fun, you’ll probably be pleased with the DVD. Now on to Kill Bill Volume 2.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’m so overtired I might fall asleep right this very minute and then we won’t have the second half of these here notes.
I’m ready for another good meal but I must say this cast is not one for going out after the show – or at least they don’t care to go out with me. That’s what I’m used to doing, at least that’s what I was used to doing in the old days when I did this sort of thing. Well, maybe I’ll know someone in the audience tomorrow night and we’ll go out after the show.
Have I mentioned that I am overtired? Give me those shoes, LeRoy. That was from The Bad Seed, you know. Here is a bit of trivia: In The Bad Seed there is a scene where they’re listening to a radio newscast – the voice of the newscaster is clearly Henry Jones – unmistakable cadences in his voice. Henry plays the janitor LeRoy. I’m overtired, I think. I’m so overtired that I simply must end this here paragraph and wrap these notes up.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must relax, try to sleep in, if that doesn’t work, try to sleep out, I must do a few errands and then I must go to the theater for our Saturday evening show. It’s a good-sized house tonight, just as it was last night. Sunday’s a bit thin right now, but this is the only Sunday we’re playing. Today’s topic of discussion: What is the most gala event you’ve ever been to – what did you wear, whom did you meet – tell us everything about everything. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we?