v
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Begging to Differ
Mark at Magpie BJournal may feel that only orange cats or Jake look good in the sun, but I think that Lily, here, looks pretty darned fine.
v
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
Grand Opening!
At the risk of overwhelming my mini-audience of faithful with posts today, I thought I'd make mention that I have actually started the blogging process, as opposed to just building the template, at my new period food blog: http://www.dagdascauldron.blogspot.com/
It's far more labour intensive, I'm discovering, because it's a "public" blog. And I'd like to seem a little less like a flake, so every 'random thought' also has to be accompanied by some back up info, some references, some framework that explains why I'm touching on my topics of discussion.
It's actually a bit scary. I spent a couple of hours today (or it felt like that) just trying to find lucid words to describe what the heck I was about to experiment with. And then, realized I should postpone the description of the experiment to a next post, or I'd have invented an instant cure for insomnia!
I'm sure I may relax my anal standards before I go too far, or I may only end up with six posts a year! (All of a sudden, 'opinion pieces' seem a great idea!) I'm far more of a stream-of-consciousness writer anyway. I could never write a paper to save my life. (Well, the fact that my BA was in theatre, and more especially in acting, was a stroke of luck. The papers I did have to write were supposed to be subjective!)
Anyway, the goal was somewhere to talk about historic food, so rather than bottle it all up, it's bound to come out sooner or later...
Anyway, pop on by. Have a read. Suggest ideas. Food, and historic food, is something that fascinates me. I may need the nudges to actually get on with the experimentation, so feel free.
anti-v
It's far more labour intensive, I'm discovering, because it's a "public" blog. And I'd like to seem a little less like a flake, so every 'random thought' also has to be accompanied by some back up info, some references, some framework that explains why I'm touching on my topics of discussion.
It's actually a bit scary. I spent a couple of hours today (or it felt like that) just trying to find lucid words to describe what the heck I was about to experiment with. And then, realized I should postpone the description of the experiment to a next post, or I'd have invented an instant cure for insomnia!
I'm sure I may relax my anal standards before I go too far, or I may only end up with six posts a year! (All of a sudden, 'opinion pieces' seem a great idea!) I'm far more of a stream-of-consciousness writer anyway. I could never write a paper to save my life. (Well, the fact that my BA was in theatre, and more especially in acting, was a stroke of luck. The papers I did have to write were supposed to be subjective!)
Anyway, the goal was somewhere to talk about historic food, so rather than bottle it all up, it's bound to come out sooner or later...
Anyway, pop on by. Have a read. Suggest ideas. Food, and historic food, is something that fascinates me. I may need the nudges to actually get on with the experimentation, so feel free.
anti-v
The Rumours Are True!
He's leaving me.
The rat-bastard has got himself invited to an iron symposium in DENMARK! of all places, and yes, he's going.
(Not that I fault him for this.) And he did ask if I wanted to come along. But leading the financially-challenged, though creatively- [occasionally] rewarding life as a very occasional costume designer and props maker for a little theatre, does not translate into tripping to Denmark.
Sigh.
I did tell him he'd have to bring me a nice gift...
v
The rat-bastard has got himself invited to an iron symposium in DENMARK! of all places, and yes, he's going.
(Not that I fault him for this.) And he did ask if I wanted to come along. But leading the financially-challenged, though creatively- [occasionally] rewarding life as a very occasional costume designer and props maker for a little theatre, does not translate into tripping to Denmark.
Sigh.
I did tell him he'd have to bring me a nice gift...
v
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
At last....
From the Orangeville Banner, a little slow to be written and posted to their online edition:
George Masswohl and Sharron Matthews shine in Rope's End.
Hope, humour key to play's success
Tuesday February 19 2008
BY Ashley Goodfellow
ROPE'S END
THEATRE ORANGEVILLE
As I exited Rope's End, Theatre Orangeville's current production, I overheard one person objecting to the "unrealistic" nature of the play, and how this particular story would never unfold in real life as it did on stage.
Perhaps that's true; however, these grievances were the exact reasons I peg it a success -- it's a story that drops its guard and moves blindly on hope: romantic hope, desperate hope, and even neurotic hope.
Writer Douglas Bowie navigates the "you never know" factor with charm, comedy and a loveable lead character -- Toby Boone (played by George Masswohl).
Toby, a middle-aged film critic, is the kind of guy who can't catch a break. He's lonely, forlorn and contemplating what life has left to offer when he discovers a photo of his first love, Marisa.
For 31 years he's been cursed with his memories of this teenage love affair -- and with nothing else to lose, he sets out to see her.
What Toby isn't prepared for is the emotional upheaval when reality and fantasy overlap.
Toby is easy to like; he has an awkward charm about him. He's desperate, uncomfortable and lacking in social skills. (He often turns to quotes and catch phrases from films to express himself.) But you can see glimpses of a lovesick optimist beneath his sometimes-gloomy demeanor -- and this is what keeps you rooting for him.
Masswohl (who appeared in Theatre Orangeville's production of One Moment) embodies Toby with ease, lumbering and bumbling on stage, maintaining a permanent air of defeat about him. He's a pleasure to watch -- and he's remarkable at delivering the lyrical, stream of consciousness type script he's been given.
The play is a two-hander, and Masswohl's real life spouse, Sharron Matthews, takes on the opposite role of Marisa. Matthews is creative and resourceful as Marisa, and she carries herself expertly through the demanding aspects of the role.
An exciting feature of the set for Rope's End is the use of a projection screen -- it facilitates the plot by effectively setting up Toby's fantasies and memories.
Despite the sometimes-serious nature of the story, there are several laugh-out-loud moments and a twist or two that will take the audience by surprise. And while the final outcome may be a tad neat and tidy, I think it reinforces the moral of the story: a shred of hope goes a long way, when you're at the end of your rope.
Rope's End runs at Theatre Orangeville until March 2. For tickets, call Theatre Orangeville at 519-942-3423.
George Masswohl and Sharron Matthews shine in Rope's End.
Hope, humour key to play's success
Tuesday February 19 2008
BY Ashley Goodfellow
ROPE'S END
THEATRE ORANGEVILLE
As I exited Rope's End, Theatre Orangeville's current production, I overheard one person objecting to the "unrealistic" nature of the play, and how this particular story would never unfold in real life as it did on stage.
Perhaps that's true; however, these grievances were the exact reasons I peg it a success -- it's a story that drops its guard and moves blindly on hope: romantic hope, desperate hope, and even neurotic hope.
Writer Douglas Bowie navigates the "you never know" factor with charm, comedy and a loveable lead character -- Toby Boone (played by George Masswohl).
Toby, a middle-aged film critic, is the kind of guy who can't catch a break. He's lonely, forlorn and contemplating what life has left to offer when he discovers a photo of his first love, Marisa.
For 31 years he's been cursed with his memories of this teenage love affair -- and with nothing else to lose, he sets out to see her.
What Toby isn't prepared for is the emotional upheaval when reality and fantasy overlap.
Toby is easy to like; he has an awkward charm about him. He's desperate, uncomfortable and lacking in social skills. (He often turns to quotes and catch phrases from films to express himself.) But you can see glimpses of a lovesick optimist beneath his sometimes-gloomy demeanor -- and this is what keeps you rooting for him.
Masswohl (who appeared in Theatre Orangeville's production of One Moment) embodies Toby with ease, lumbering and bumbling on stage, maintaining a permanent air of defeat about him. He's a pleasure to watch -- and he's remarkable at delivering the lyrical, stream of consciousness type script he's been given.
The play is a two-hander, and Masswohl's real life spouse, Sharron Matthews, takes on the opposite role of Marisa. Matthews is creative and resourceful as Marisa, and she carries herself expertly through the demanding aspects of the role.
An exciting feature of the set for Rope's End is the use of a projection screen -- it facilitates the plot by effectively setting up Toby's fantasies and memories.
Despite the sometimes-serious nature of the story, there are several laugh-out-loud moments and a twist or two that will take the audience by surprise. And while the final outcome may be a tad neat and tidy, I think it reinforces the moral of the story: a shred of hope goes a long way, when you're at the end of your rope.
Rope's End runs at Theatre Orangeville until March 2. For tickets, call Theatre Orangeville at 519-942-3423.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.
(Or maybe it's the power of the heat from the sun....)
I was actually looking for some kind of quote from Revelations for this, since people who know these cats, know that Lily and Bear do not get close to each other, let alone Lily pillowing her cheek on his back!
But maybe it's not apocalyptic at all, maybe it is just a renewed warmth. Hope, hope, hope....
v
(Or maybe it's the power of the heat from the sun....)
I was actually looking for some kind of quote from Revelations for this, since people who know these cats, know that Lily and Bear do not get close to each other, let alone Lily pillowing her cheek on his back!
But maybe it's not apocalyptic at all, maybe it is just a renewed warmth. Hope, hope, hope....
v
Friday, February 15, 2008
Tonight's the night!
Yup, it's Opening Night tonight.
The culmination of another whirlwind trip at Theatre Orangeville.
I think it's a delightful show, and the pair of actors, George Masswohl and Sharron Matthews, have been a hoot to work with.
But it all goes by so fast, and at such breakneck speed. There's no time to think during the process. And then after, the brain is really used up.
But maybe I'll manage a post or two, now that I'm almost 'at leisure' again.
v
The culmination of another whirlwind trip at Theatre Orangeville.
I think it's a delightful show, and the pair of actors, George Masswohl and Sharron Matthews, have been a hoot to work with.
But it all goes by so fast, and at such breakneck speed. There's no time to think during the process. And then after, the brain is really used up.
But maybe I'll manage a post or two, now that I'm almost 'at leisure' again.
v
Friday, February 08, 2008
Rope's End
stolen from the Orangeville Banner.
George Masswohl, David Nairn and Sharron Matthews take a break from preparations for Theatre Orangeville's upcoming production Rope's End at the theatre's rehearsal space in Zehr's plaza.
Rope's End a story of second chances
Friday February 8 2008
ERIC SPARLING
Otto is the official greeter at Theatre Orangeville's rehearsal space. The drama company is practicing for the upcoming production of Rope's End, which opens Feb. 14. (There are charity shows the day before, too.) Otto, an elderly standard schnauzer and the real-life companion of the husband-wife acting duo cast in the show, offers a quiet but energetic welcome, considering his advanced age.
The atmosphere may be casual, but the talent is serious. George Masswohl, who plays lead Toby Boone -- it's a two-person show -- has performed for the Neptune Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, the Stratford Festival and, upcoming, the Shaw Festival. His partner, Sharron Matthews, performed in Les Miserables in Toronto and as part of the North American tour; has appeared in films such as Cinderella Man, Mean Girls, Take the Lead and, most recently, Hairspray; and she has a one-woman cabaret show, Sharron's Party, that's been warmly received by the National Post, the Globe and Mail and Now.
Toby Boone is a down-on-his-luck film critic who's recently lost his job because the only movie he likes is Citizen Kane. Masswohl says his character is bright but just not good at much. He's contemplating suicide, noose in hand, when he sees a photo of Marisa (played by Matthews). She was his first love, back at summer camp, when Toby was just 13. His current path in life having dead-ended, he decides to embark on a quest to contact Marisa and discover what-might-have-been.
David Nairn, the director, wanted to run the show last year but, for various reasons, it didn't come together -- fitting, perhaps, for a show "about second chances." According to Masswohl, Toby "hides out in a fake world -- he lives vicariously [through movies.]" The performers and director seem to concur that the idealistic world of film -- the onscreen fantasy -- plays a role in Toby's development, as well as the journey the play follows.
Matthews wanted to challenge herself by starring in a two-person, full-length production, with the added obstacle of having to play three characters: Marisa as an adult, at 45, Marisa as a 13-year-old, and Marisa's 25-year-old daughter Zoe. The actor thought playing a youngster would be a bigger challenge than it's been, but she's discovered that the perspective of youth is "so close to the surface" that tapping into it has been relatively easy. Of the script, Matthews says, "I really, really enjoy how heartfelt it is."
Masswohl says the play is about a man's search for authenticity. The finale fits that thesis. When Matthews says it's a happy ending, but not a "perfect" one, Nairn agrees and adds to the point, saying the resolution is positive but "real."
Rope's End opens Feb. 14 and runs until March 2. Tickets can be purchased at the Theatre Orangeville box office, on Broadway, or by calling 519-942-9321
George Masswohl, David Nairn and Sharron Matthews take a break from preparations for Theatre Orangeville's upcoming production Rope's End at the theatre's rehearsal space in Zehr's plaza.
Rope's End a story of second chances
Friday February 8 2008
ERIC SPARLING
Otto is the official greeter at Theatre Orangeville's rehearsal space. The drama company is practicing for the upcoming production of Rope's End, which opens Feb. 14. (There are charity shows the day before, too.) Otto, an elderly standard schnauzer and the real-life companion of the husband-wife acting duo cast in the show, offers a quiet but energetic welcome, considering his advanced age.
The atmosphere may be casual, but the talent is serious. George Masswohl, who plays lead Toby Boone -- it's a two-person show -- has performed for the Neptune Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, the Stratford Festival and, upcoming, the Shaw Festival. His partner, Sharron Matthews, performed in Les Miserables in Toronto and as part of the North American tour; has appeared in films such as Cinderella Man, Mean Girls, Take the Lead and, most recently, Hairspray; and she has a one-woman cabaret show, Sharron's Party, that's been warmly received by the National Post, the Globe and Mail and Now.
Toby Boone is a down-on-his-luck film critic who's recently lost his job because the only movie he likes is Citizen Kane. Masswohl says his character is bright but just not good at much. He's contemplating suicide, noose in hand, when he sees a photo of Marisa (played by Matthews). She was his first love, back at summer camp, when Toby was just 13. His current path in life having dead-ended, he decides to embark on a quest to contact Marisa and discover what-might-have-been.
David Nairn, the director, wanted to run the show last year but, for various reasons, it didn't come together -- fitting, perhaps, for a show "about second chances." According to Masswohl, Toby "hides out in a fake world -- he lives vicariously [through movies.]" The performers and director seem to concur that the idealistic world of film -- the onscreen fantasy -- plays a role in Toby's development, as well as the journey the play follows.
Matthews wanted to challenge herself by starring in a two-person, full-length production, with the added obstacle of having to play three characters: Marisa as an adult, at 45, Marisa as a 13-year-old, and Marisa's 25-year-old daughter Zoe. The actor thought playing a youngster would be a bigger challenge than it's been, but she's discovered that the perspective of youth is "so close to the surface" that tapping into it has been relatively easy. Of the script, Matthews says, "I really, really enjoy how heartfelt it is."
Masswohl says the play is about a man's search for authenticity. The finale fits that thesis. When Matthews says it's a happy ending, but not a "perfect" one, Nairn agrees and adds to the point, saying the resolution is positive but "real."
Rope's End opens Feb. 14 and runs until March 2. Tickets can be purchased at the Theatre Orangeville box office, on Broadway, or by calling 519-942-9321
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