Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much stuffed fish due to a great birthday dinner at one of my favorite jernts, Genghis Cohen, courtesy of Cousins Dee Dee and Alan. We were joined by Cousin Mickey Rapkin and his ever-lovin’ hubby Jason. Of course, there was mountains of food, all but a tiny bit was consumed. I mostly had the orange chicken (extra crispy), Schezuan green beans, both white and fried rice, won ton soup, and small bites of Peking Duck and Schezuan shrimp and orange beef. The jernt was jumpin’, I must say, and was the entire time we were there. Conversation was sparkling and I had a grand time. Mickey’s birthday is Tuesday, so it was a dual celebration. I’d met Dee Dee and Alan at their house, and they drove. I gave her her five copies of Kritzer World, too. We came back to the Valley right after that and I was home by nine. The Darling Daughter’s friend Skye had already asked if she could bring Sophie the dog tonight instead and I said that was fine, so dog sitting begins this very evening. I then watched some revival thing of Stop the World – I Want to Get Off that Anthony Newley did in 1989. I found it way too odd for my taste, but I’m a Stop the World purist. Gone was Sean Kenny’s wonderful circus tent and bleachers set, replaced by one of the ugliest things ever, gone was Newley’s signature costume, replaced by something that was just as ugly as the set, and there were new lines throughout and cut lines, a slightly rearranged ending, a new opening where Littlechap sings What Kind of Fool Am I as a full circle kind of thing, but I thought that was not so hot. It was over choreographed, and the new orchestrations were horrible. I don’t know where or why it was filmed – might have been a tour. Anyway, I found it not so enjoyable. And whilst typing this here paragraph, the Internet has been going in and out but now seems back to being stable. Let’s hope that remains.
Yesterday was okay. I got nine hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails, was happy to see dear reader Jrand’s lovely review of Kritzer World on Amazon, and then I just relaxed for most of the afternoon and did a few little things on the Internet. Then I shaved and showered and got ready for the birthday dinner. The rest you know and here we are, not even one page in typing these here notes, but we’ll barrel through them until they’re done and posted, since they should have been up seven minutes ago.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll do a little Gelson’s run and get some food and Diet Coke, I may have another birthday dinner thing but we’re playing that by ear, and then Skye will bring over Sophie for her ten-day stay. Then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow night, I’m seeing a reading of a new play, then Thursday night we have a brush-up rehearsal and hopefully the two cast members who’ve been under the weather for the week-and-a-half we’ve been off, will be better because I would love to go out with three great shows. It looks like Friday and Saturday will be pretty full and Sunday is completely sold out. I’ll continue with the look back at 2023 in tomorrow’s notes.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the rumba, for today is the birthday of dear reader Ginny. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader Ginny: On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER GINNY!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, do a Gelson’s run, maybe have a dinner and if not eat something here, have a dog delivery, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What revivals have you liked better than the original productions? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a lovely trip to Genghis Cohen.