Reading Plays.

Hey,
This is long delayed due to tech delays and the busyness of the world. Enjoy!

Reading Plays: Pitfalls and Epiphanies

As I've written before, ever since I was a high school theater geek I started reading plays. Now conventional wisdom does say that plays are meant to be seen rather than read. However I live in a place where often it's a few years before I'll get the chance to see a play. Ever since I first heard of it during it's Broadway run, I was desperate to know what Angels in America was all about. But I also knew that it was going to be a long while before I got a chance to see it. Luckily I was able to find a copy at the library. This was where I began to critically see plays as literature that can exist outside of their performance.

Playwrights such as Shakespeare, Kushner, and Stoppard write complicated plays that require careful attention. When I started this blog I read Stoppard's Utopia trilogy and it was way over my head intellectually. I can only imagine what it would be like to experience a staged production. I think my head would spin from the philosophical references alone. Without any background information or intellectual insight a Stoppard play can be pretty inaccessible. I still love them though. And as long as I know what I'm in for, I can actually enjoy it better when I do see the play performed eventually.

I bring all this up as context to my re-reading this week of the play Copenhagen by Michael Frayn. Frayn centers the plot around a mysterious meeting between physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. in Copenhagen in 1941. The primary mystery that the 3 characters in the play debate is deceptively simple: Why did Heisenberg come to Copenhagen? The three characters in the play, Heisenberg, Bohr, and Bohr's wife Margrethe speculate openly amongst each other. Frayn allows himself incredible flexibility by having them exist in past and present. Anger, resentment, and forgiveness all play out amongst these former friends. According to Frayn, Bohr and Heisenberg are separated by the scientific ethics and responsibilities regarding the atomic bomb.

Frayn is brilliant in his conception of these characters and the high stakes of their discussion. Before reading this play I had no idea who these men were. I do understand the stakes of the weaponization of atomic energy, but really that's only half the play. By reading the play I was able to delve even further into the scientific concepts of Uncertainty and Schrodinger's Cat. I'm positive that I would have been lost while watching the play performed, no matter how great the actor's ability might be. This is a prime example where I feel that "reading" the play is necessary to gaining even more appreciation for what the playwright has created.

On the other hand I also read Bash: Latter-day Plays by Neil Labute. I've been meaning to pick this up for sometime because Labute is somewhat local. He went to Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, which is very surprising. BYU is known for it's rigid conservatism and uber-religiosity. In Bash Labute discusses the effects of violence on that culture. He uses three monologues made directly to the audience to steer us towards the ugliness inherent in human nature. Of the three I was most affected by Medea Redux. In this monologue a young woman details her seduction and revenge on a high school teacher. The medea reference should give you an idea of how this story ends up. Labute brilliantly is able to capture the exuberance of love but refuses to ignore the consequences. As a writer Labute takes a lot of criticism for his focus on the ugly, but I respect the fact that he refuses to pull any punches.

Unfortunately I think that any empathy or compassion for these characters is lost on the page. His work relies on talented actors to release any sympathy that I may feel towards these characters. Bash is a play that is written to be seen. I think it loses it's power when it is read without the actors as reference. Because of this I'm going to reserve judgment on it until it's possible to see the play in my area. Unfortunately that could be awhile since the LDS don't take kindly to criticism.

In the end what is the conclusion here? It's important to realize that true understanding requires a combination of both reading & watching. If I really want to get at the author's complexities I need to take into account what performance brings to the table.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Are you ready for it? Really? Well I'm gonna give it to yeah.

Hello,
I hope you all are well. I've got a review heavy post for you today so let's get cracking! Onward!

Book Reviews
Boston Marriage
I'm reading some plays in preparation for writing on of my own. I stumbled upon this Mamet play completely by accident. I've read many Mamet works, even directed Oleanna, but I'd never heard of this one. Well I have to say that it didn't read very well. It had Mamet-esque dialogue, witty upmanship, and emotions that lie under the surface. But in the end I didn't care about any of the characters or their travails. So far as I can tell the play features 2 upper class women in the 19th century who find themselves in trouble. They are living off the artificial look of the monied, rather than having actual cash. Because of this one of the women has to bag a rich gentleman, although he's married, and keep the diamond knecklace that he has bestowed upon her. At the same time she wants to seduce his daughter (yeah you heard me!) and needs a bed to do it in. She asks her fellow not really rich friend for her house for the afternoon. Hilarity ensues. Again the subtext here is so obvious that it just makes me wish for the subtlety of Wharton. Good try Mr. Mamet but women are not your strong suit.

Bio Info: David Mamet

Catwoman: When in Rome
This book was so much fun. I could read Cat Woman/Selina Kyle running around Rome all day long. Loeb does a great job with the quippy sardonic narration. I couldn't get enough of it. Artist Tim Sale has a wonderfully retro style that is a perfect match for the tone. This is amongst Loeb & Sale's best work.

Other Reviews
IGN | Comics Bulletin | Burning Leaves

BPRD Vol. 8: Killing Ground
The adventures of the BPRD continue. This volume has a much darker tone than the others, and in the end it felt too slight. Not enough material to fit 5 issues, it probably would of worked better as 3. I still love the character of Liz Sherman and we do get more of her in this arc. Would rather have more of her story than the crazy escapades of Johan Krauss.

Past Reviews: BPRD

Lindbergh Child & Jack the Ripper from Treasury of Victorian Murder Series
The Treasury of Victorian Murder series is a wonderful tool for true crime addicts like myself. Written and Drawn by Rick Geary in each volume he covers a true story of crime. I appreciated that Geary focuses on the facts, rather than push a theory. There are a billion theories as to the identity of Jack the Ripper but Geary just wants to tell the tale. He proves that sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. I found this utterly true in regards to the story of the Lindbergh kidnapping. Really you can't make this shit up. Geary explores the crazy characters involved in a quick matter of fact way. I love Alan Moore's From Hell, but sometimes I just want to know what happened and when. Geary's series is great and I heartily recommend it.
Author Page: Rick Geary
Other Reviews
Lindbergh Child: Comic Mix, Comic Book Resources



The Reading List
Books
The Boat
Daredevil Man Without Fear

Magazines
Wizard

Comics
Green Arrow Black Canary

Checkout Count: Reaching all time lows.

Comic Pull List: Amazing Spider-Man #609, Batman Streets Of Gotham #5, Blackest Night Superman #3, Dark Wolverine #79, Spider-Woman #2, Stand Soul Survivors #1

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Fall magic.

Hello,
I hope that you are all well. I love the magical feeling of fall in the air. It's wonderful. You know what else I'm psyched about? The fall movie season. This time of year combines the two passions of my life: books & cinema. Where the Wild Things Are comes out Fri. I've been salivating to see this film since May, so it's this weekend or bust. I never would of thought that this book could be brought to life like this. I've always maintained that not every book should/could be made into a film. Personally I never want to see an adaptation of On the Road. Ever. I guess it depends on the writer and directors vision for the material. I'm also pretty excited for The Road in November.
Well enough of this...Onward!

Reviews
Arkham Asylum
I've been meaning to pick this up for some time. What have I missed? A classic examination of the psychology of the dark knight. Morrison & McKean combine their considerable insight into the dark recesses of the mind. And they don't hold back. This book is a work of art. McKean combines photography, abstract art, and dynamic layouts to frighten the bejesus out of any reader. In the plot Batman is called upon to deal with a riot at Arkham Asylum being led by The Joker. Once inside Batman's psychological journey is juxtaposed with the story of the founder Jeremiah Arkham. Morrison's use of symbolism, juxtaposition, and literary allusion elevates comic writing to high art. This is a great book. Read It.

Video Review



God of Carnage
Occasionally I like to read plays. Unfortunately where I live I probably won't see the hot Tony-winning plays performed onstage for a few years. Fortunately the plays of Yasmina Reza are about adults who are stripped down to their bare selves. These ordinary people are easy to imagine as your next door neighbor. In the play God of Carnage a set of parents get together after a violent altercation between their kids. Slowly we see each character break down and shed their artificiality. Reza takes each character down a complex road that reminded me of Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. She's more intellectual than Albee, so it's less melodramatic. However I think that this is easier to "read on the page." I do look forward to seeing it staged hopefully soon.

Bio Info: Yasmina Reza

Battlefields: Night Witches
I read this in issues as it was coming out but I decided to pick up the trade paperback. It's still a great series. Comics writer Garth Ennis started a series of 3 issue arcs featuring different stories from WWII. In each arc he's shown a spotlight on some not so well known groups in the military. Night Witches features a group of female Russian pilots who are recruited to do dangerous bombing missions in Germany. Of course the women are treated like crap by the male military, so they rely on each other. Like Preacher, Ennis is not afraid to show the horrors of war. But he also does a great job at characterization and makes sure all the women have unique personalities. This is Ennis's best work since Preacher ended. It's a great series.

Bio Info: Adventures in Feministory: The Night Witches
Other Reviews: Comic Book Resources

The Reading List
Books
Daredevil: The Man Without Fear
Boston Marriage

Mags
Four Four Two

Comic
Daredevil #900

Comic Pull List: Action Comics #882, Adventure Comics #3, Batgirl #3, Batman #691, Blackest Night Batman #3, Bprd 1947 #4, Deadpool #900, Fables #89, Green Arrow Black Canary #25, Red Robin #5, Secret Six #14

Check Out Count: Steady.

Have a great week! Book Slave

O Will!

Hello,
Yes today is William Shakespeare's B-Day. My first experience with Shakespeare was actually completely by conduit. Of course I had heard of the Bard before then-I lived in a very literate household. My dad had a Complete Works that was large, old, and wonderfully illustrated. Luckily I still have it. It's the best gift he ever left me. But I didn't feel old enough to crack it open until the summer of 1989. At 10 year's old I got my mom to take me to see Dead Poet's Society. One of the key sections of that movie involves scenes and speeches from A Midsummer Night's Dream. One of the main characters Neil Perry plays the character of Puck in a stage production. We really only see him in one scene from the play which is Puck's farewell speech. This quickly became one of my favorite pieces of Shakespeare.

So after seeing the movie I decided that I would find out what this play A Midsummer Night's Dream was all about. Thus began my first experience with this silly, delightful fun comedy. I think it's still my favorite of these, although I also love Much Ado About Nothing. I guess we'll consider it a tie. Consequently when I was in high school I was a huge drama geek. I actually played supporting parts in both plays, always bringing on the funny. The next summer in 1990, a production of Midsummer was going on up at Sundance in an outside amphitheater. My parents took me to it for my birthday that very summer. It was my first Shakespeare play in it's entirety and I remember enjoying it immensely. I've seen a couple of versions of it since then, even played in one, but nothing matches that first time. I didn't know that the jokes were coming. When Bottom and his players perform in Act 5 it was entirely new and hilarious.

That same summer my mother and I went and saw a movie version of Hamlet. This was the Mel Gibson version and with hindsight it's not very good in my opinion. The best I've ever seen is Kenneth Branagh's epic 4 hour film which I love entirely. At the time though it was my first experience with Shakespearean tragedy. At the age of 11 I didn't get it. All I could understand was that in the end everyone dies so what's the point. I figured that I was missing something, so I picked up an ancient copy of Shakespeare's 4 Tragedies. This contained Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar and Richard the Third. I remember trying to read Hamlet and Julius Caesar, but not being able to finish it. Of course later in high school I grew enjoy both these plays but at age 11 it was still over my head. Perhaps I get an A for Effort.

This brings me to my favorite history play. I've always had a rough time with the histories. Sometimes they read like dramatic reenactments that are more aimed at appeasing those who were in power. Rather than show history as full of human beings Shakespeare uses many paint-by-number archetypes. I'll cut Will some slack, it's hard to make Henry VI interesting. So I was filled with trepidation when I learned that we would be seeing Henry IV Part One at the Shakespeare Festival in 1995. I went with a school group and there wasn't much choice because of the schedule. So we went and shockingly this became my favorite Shakespeare play. Henry IV P1 is a great heroes journey tale. In the play we see party boy Prince Hal become the soldier king Henry V. Along the way he has to shed/reject his old friends which include the wonderful John Falstaff. There's comedy, fighting, and internal struggling all in one play. If you haven't read/seen it you really should.

(BTW if you've seen Branagh's film version of Henry V he lifts scene's from Henry IV P1 for the flashback scenes. Also parts of the movie My Own Private Idaho are loosely based on the first half of Henry IV P1. Again note that I said "loosely.")

Anyway Happy B-Day Will Shakespeare! You are the gift that keeps on giving, Book Slave.

Poetry and Plays

Hello,
It's been an interesting week. Unfortunately I've spent a lot of it down with a headache, but I'm better now. Still I've got many books to read in the next two weeks. We'll see how that goes. Ships Ahoy Gentleman & Ladies!

Reviews
Complete Poems of Robert Graves, as Chosen by Himself
I've actually known the work of Robert Graves for some time. In high school I fell in love with I, Claudius having seen the TV series, I read the book. However this was the first time I've picked up his poetry. In his work I saw a man full of contradictions. In several works he expands and comments on mythography. Graves writes unconventional interpretations of classical stories like Leda and the Swan, still using traditional forms. There are also poems that are full of modernesque flourishes. His personal life was messy and some of his poems reflect that. In some works he is angry, scared, and full of passion. These non-traditional poems are in direct contrast to his "mythological" subject manner. This collection is packed, largely due to the fact that Graves works are very short. Since he picked the works in this collection I'm not sure whether it's arranged chronologically or by subject matter. I will say that it is a bit exhausting. I almost wish he had picked less works to include, making the one's he did pick stand out more. Either way you definitely get your money's worth. Worth checking out if you are a fan.

Biographical Info: Robert Graves

Doubt: A Parable
I read this after I had seen the movie adaptation, however I had heard of the play back in 2005 when it debuted. I've wanted to see it performed before I read it on the page. (To read more about this, check this out here.) This play is very spare. There are only four characters on stage, usually two people to a scene. Very much an actor's showcase, it is meant to divide the audience. Who is right? Who is wrong? Nothing about the conflict between these character's is black and white. I've come to the belief that Sister Aloysius, as much as I dislike her, is the hero of this play. She is relentless even though as she states "In the pursuit of wrongdoing, one steps away from God...Of course, there's a price." She is risking her soul to protect the kids in her school. She has no actual physical proof but even the possibility of a threat and she is on the case. I also loved the relationship between Sister James and Sister Aloysius. Sister James is the perfect depiction of a young innocent who so desperately needs the older sister's approval. She wants to be loved by her students but she also wants their respect. Unfortunately you can't always have both, she will have to find a way to have both. Shanley is amazing for creating such drama out of so little.

Performance Reviews
New York Times | CurtainUp

The Reading List
Books
Ronin
Looks

Comics
Trinity #38

Magazines
Newsweek

Comic Pull List: Buffy The Vampire Slayer #23, Daredevil #116, Deadpool #8, Goon #32, Secret Six #7, Terry Moores Echo #10, Trinity #40

Check Out Count: Holding Steady.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Those Crazy Romantics.

Hello world,
I hope y'all had a great week. Mine was pretty hectic and with Sundance coming up next week things are likely to get crazy. I'll try not to forget about you all.

Tonight I went and saw a play at one of our local theatrical societies. The play was an original work called The Yellow Leaf written by Charles Morey. I'm usually leery of original works written/presented by the director of the company. However this play had an interesting premise so I thought I'd give it a shot. The play was a speculative fiction about how in the rainy summer of 1816 Percy Shelley, his lover Mary Godwin (later wife), and Lord Byron, hung out on Lake Geneva. Being stuck inside by the weather Byron proposed a writing contest which led to the creation of the novel "Frankenstein." This is a situation that's wrought with drama, both intellectual and sensual.

As I've written before I like poetry. Actually, after the American modernists, when it comes to classic poetry I love the romantics. Specifically I enjoy the works of Samuel Coleridge and William Wordsworth, who started the romantic movement. Byron, Shelley, and John Keats made up the latter half of that movement although they deviated into the metaphysical. Byron and Shelley had messy, sloppy lives that ended far too soon. It's likely that The Yellow Leaf contrived where it was convenient. Morey was definitely aping Stoppard, this particularly reminded me of his Coast of Utopia trilogy. Whereas Stoppard would feel no need to exposit any historical background on his characters, Morey was intent on making sure we understood exactly what he was getting at. The characterizations were fairly stereotypical. Shelley is the fun-loving fixer and Byron is the self-loathing cynic. Mary and her sister Claire compete in a case of sibling rivalry over who will land herself a poet.

Is any of this true? Who knows? No one. This is why Morey can exploit this historical literary situation for drama. The major difference between Stoppard and Morey is that Stoppard doesn't feel a need to impose drama onto his real life characters. In Coast of Utopia it is Bakunin, Belinsky, and Herzen talking amongst themselves about the state of the world. There is no french farce/soap opera bits about who is sleeping with whom. Nothing seems forced or contrived, unlike Yellow Leaf.

Don't get me wrong. I did enjoy the play. It was funny and the acting/production was stellar. However I kept thinking that you could transpose this plot into Gossip Girl and it wouldn't seem all that different. Byron and Shelley were large enough figures that Morey should have let them just be themselves.

Have a great week! Book Slave.

It's far too late to be posting...

Hello out there!
Having a good week? I hope so. Me? oh thanks for asking. I'm doing swell. I should be sleeping more but there's too much to read!

Reviews
Coast of Utopia Vol. 3
This is the end of Stoppard's epic trilogy about the development of philosophy in 19th century Russia. Let's just repeat it: This is not for everyone. It's dense and talky. The main characters, except for Marx and Turgenev, are little known outside of philosophy circles. It's Stoppard's ability to mix the high-brow intellectual ideas with real human ability that makes him one of the best playwrights writing today. I became wrapped up in the strange love square that became Herzen/Ogarev/Natalie/Mary. The fact that these men are so passionate and messy emotionally makes these characters incredibly human. I dream of seeing these plays performed live. (Are you listening SLAC?)

Green Lantern #29
I'm not a fan of Green Lantern. In fact I don't know anything about Hal Jordan's story. Last summer I heard a lot of praise for the Green Lantern Sinestro War comic series, so I plan on picking that up once the library gets their copy. In preparation I decided to pick up this Origin story issue and I really loved it. The writing was wonderful, as we learn about his family history. Although his story fits the classic heroes journey mold, I didn't find it predictable. I found myself emotionally caught up, especially in the birthday scene, and the conflict between Hal and his brother Jack. Also the art was amazing. The splash pages were drop dead gorgeous.

What's In My Bag
Graphic Novel
The Invisibles Vol. 1

Books
Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Magazine
Wizard

Comic
Countdown to Final Crisis #5

Check Out Count: Getting Better!

Have a great week! Book Slave.

Chilly like some warrior mice...

Hello Blogizens,
How are you? Good I hope. Unfortunately here in SLC it got horribly chilly. I guess we need to be reminded that this is a cold desert. Anyway on with the today's post:

Reviews

Coast of Utopia Vol. 2: Shipwreck
If you check back in January I read/reviewed Vol. 1 of this epic play. Again this play is not for those who are seeking a "little comedy and a dog." I did find myself lost in a lot of the philosophical talk. However I found Part 2 compelling mainly because the play shifts with the failure of the 1848 revolution-the political becomes personal. I found myself emotionally connecting with the relationship between Natalie and Natasha, as well as Herzen and Belinsky. The final scenes were very Our Town-esque. I yearn for the day when I can see it performed live. Not for the weak, Stoppard continues to challenge audiences/readers with highly intellectual works.

Mouseguard: Winter 1152 #3
It's been forever since a new issue of this great series came out. I was squeeing for joy when I finally was able to crack it open and find out the fate of these warrior mice. This issue was great. I'm really enjoying the character of The Black Axe. This Obi-Wan-esque character has a wonderful sense of humor. I particularly liked a scene between him and Young Mouse Guard Lieam as they discuss keeping secrets. Also the scenes with the bats were great and creepy. Pick up this title, now!

What's In My Bag (formerly Reading List)

Books
Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
The Somnabulist

Comic
Countdown to Final Crisis #9

Magazine
Comics Now!

Check Out Count: 56 (all time high!)

It has been a tough week professionally, so losing myself in some great books sounds pretty awesome. See ya later, Book Slave.