Well, dear readers, excuse me, but when did half a year go by? Last I knew, it was January and now it is June. I realize that both months begin with “J” but this is ridiculous. Six months. Sure, I directed a kids show, wrote a novel, directed a one-person show, began prepping two other one-person shows, recorded a cast album, issued a few CDs, took part in a reading of a new musical, but still – six months? Before we know it it’s going to be 2008, that’s all I’m saying. So, I would like today to last a really long time. I would like today to be a lovely long day filled with rest and relaxation, a day in which I can stop and smell the roses or the coffee or the casaba melon. Speaking of a casaba melon (and weren’t we all?), yesterday was really a casaba melon sort of day. For example, I was awakened from a hideous nightmare by a telephonic call, only to find out it was ten-thirty. I haven’t slept until ten-thirty in a ‘coon’s age. I then had to do all manner of hurrying and scurrying to make my noon rehearsal. We did two run-throughs and I did some tweaking and then that was through. I then had a brief meeting, and then I toddled off to an early dinner with Miss Adriana Patti and her mother. They invited me to a celebratory dinner for Miss Patti finishing her first semester of college. I was happy to attend, especially as it was being held at The Smoke House, one of my favorite old-fashioned restaurants – one very much like my father’s. The food was, as always, excellent. I began with a bowl of their clam chowder – it’s one of the best clam chowders ever and it did not disappoint. Of course, we had the garlic cheese bread, which is out of this world. I had a combo Louis (shrimp and crab) with lots of 1000 Island dressing). I was stuffed to the gills and also gills to the stuffed. I felt, in fact, rather like a casaba melon. I then came home and sat on my couch like so much fish. I felt like a BK Louis.
Last night, I watched one count them one motion picture on DVD, which was entitled Twisted Nerve, a Boulting Brothers film, starring Miss Hayley Mills and Mr. Hywel Bennett. I’d always wanted to see it, but somehow never had. I’d enjoyed Miss Mills and Mr. Bennett in the first film they’d done together, The Family Way. And the screenplay was by Leo Marks and one of the Boultings, and Mr. Marks had written the brilliant Michael Powell film, Peeping Tom. Sadly, it’s a very ordinary film, a thriller without many thrills, and it meanders along for far too long (almost two hours). Miss Mills and Mr. Bennett are fine, as is the supporting cast but it just doesn’t amount to much. There is a most amusing vocal disclaimer which astonishingly plays over the ratings (rated M) card and the National General logo – the voice tells us that even though it’s stated in the film they want to reiterate that mongolism does not necessarily equate with psychotic. Thank you, producers. The film does have one great thing going for it, and that is the score by Bernard Herrmann, which is excellent. It was one of his most unknown scores until Mr. Tarantino “borrowed” its main whistling theme for his film Kill Bill. The soundtrack album (it occupies one side of an LP – the other side is devoted to another score by another composer) is one of the rarest soundtrack LPs ever – I’m happy to say I still have an absolutely primo copy. The transfer on this new region 2 DVD has a nice image but is unfortunately an open matte transfer, which is shameful. The film should be either 1:66 or 1:85 and they obviously had good source material, so why they would do this is anyone’s guess.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because this whole section is starting to feel like a casaba melon.
A Casaba Melon – that’s the title of my next novel. Or perhaps it should be the title of a new musical – then it could precede A Chorus Line in the ABCs of the New York Times.
Today, as stated, is mine all mine. I shall do whatever I please. Perhaps I’ll take a drive. Perhaps I’ll do some window-shopping, although I don’t really need any windows right now. Perhaps I’ll go hither and thither and perhaps even yon. Whatever I do, it won’t involve work.
Tomorrow, however, is another story. Sunday would normally be a day of rest, but I’ll be up and at the Avalon at nine, prepping for our two shows. I won’t get home until around five-thirty, so it’s a long, long day. And, of course, tomorrow night is our Annual haineshisway.com Tony Awards Do, and all I can say is that you won’t want to miss one minute of it. I may actually try to take Monday off – I have a lunch scheduled but that’s about it.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, relax, and perhaps watch three or four DVDs and eat some exotic foodstuffs. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite card games, both adult and child? I’ll start – gin and poker. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we all contemplate our collective casaba melons.