Enjoyed THE WIFE with Glen Close. It seemed familiar to me though. I may just have read the novel but kept wondering if that same premise hadn't been used before.
Reading Sarah Weinman's book THE REAL LOLITA. Once again, I read the Sally Horner story in some magazine (THE NEW YORKER?) but Weinman has a lot more to say about Nabokov especially.
Finished up OZARK and it finished pretty strong. The women are certainly the dominant characters. Good for Jason Batement for stepping back and letting them take center stage so much.
I could love September so much more if what comes next didn't hover over it like the angel of death.
How about you?
16 comments:
I haven't seen The Wife yet, Patti. I've heard it's good, though, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
One thing stands out: MY FAIR LADY.
We last saw it with you and Phil in Niagara-on-the-Lake seven years ago (Wow! - can't believe it was that long), but also saw the 1976 Broadway revival with Ian Richardson and Christine Andreas. This is simply a classic musical and I can't remember the last time I enjoyed one as much, probably the same Lincoln Center Theater's SOUTH PACIFIC in (can it really be 10 years?) 2008. Both have a series of one wonderful song after another, and the Lincoln Center's insistence on the full orchestra makes a tremendous difference. And both casts were wonderful. For those who (like me) still associate Lauren Ambrose with SIX FEET UNDER (she was 23 when it started), this performance, and in particular her singing voice, will be a revelation. (But not for long. She's leaving October 21 for a television role. Shame.)
The production made me think about ages too. There is no reason Higgins needs to be much older than Eliza. I'm guessing they've taken the original as the template when casting future productions. Here are the approximate ages of Higgins (first) and Eliza in several productions (and the movie):
1956 original: Rex Harrison 48, Julie Andrews 20 (!)
1964 movie: Harrison 55, Audrey Hepburn 34
1976 revival: Ian Richardson 42, Christine Andreas 25
London 2001: Jonathan Pryce 47, Martine McCutcheon 25
2018 Broadway: Harry Hadden-Paton 37, Lauren Ambrose (wait for it), 40!
Yes, it makes a difference, especially making a much more vulnerable Higgins at the end. Incidentally, Ambrose's announced replacement is Tony winner Laura Benanti (for GYPSY), 39.
If you get a chance, do see it.
/end commercial interruption
And in other news: we spent a week (well, 6+ days) in St. Petersburg and the Tampa area at Bouchercon, returning on Tuesday. We had a generally good time, despite incredibly oppressive humidity (what did people do there before air conditioning?), hung out with the few of our friends who made it, and got to spend quality time with Bill Crider's daughter Angela and her husband Tom. Angela was kind enough to give me an ARC of Bill's final Sheriff Rhodes book, THAT OLD SCOUNDREL DEATH, coming in February. She also presented the first Bill Crider Memorial Award for Best Series Entry at the Anthonys, it going (appropriately, under the circumstances) to Sue Grafton for her final book.
We did some shopping and driving around, and basically confirmed that the West Coast of Florida is not for us. We just prefer Palm Beach County.
Last big news: today is Jackie's birthday (a big number I won't mention).
I am stunned that LA is 40. I would have guessed 30.
Happy Birthday, Jackie. If I can make it to the other side, so can you.
Life is pretty good on this end, as I hope it is on yours, Patti.
We went to the beach yesterday and were greeted by a dolphin.
Jack is now six years old and an amazing kid: sweet, active, often unthinking -- a typical six-year-old boy. He is really into Hugh Jackman in THE GREATEST SHOWMAN and spent almost half an hour singing and dancing to that movie, jumping on chairs and the sofa, sliding across the living room floor on his knees, and generally just mugging it up as the overly active, enthusiastic kid that he is. At the beach yesterday he took to the Gulf of Mexico water like the dolphin that greeted us. While everyone else was in the water, I was in a beach chair about to take off my shoes to join them. Stupidly I leaned back to do this and the rear legs of the chair began to sink in the sand. The chair went over and so did I, still seated albeit now horizontally -- actually, a pretty good position for taking off my shoes and socks. Jack looked toward the beach and informed the others that I had tipped over and they all came running although I needed no help. Jack proudly informed the other that he knew it was me "because Pop wears white socks," the socks being the only part of me visible from the water.
Jessie is scheduled for her operation at the end of the week. Another step forward in beating this damned cancer thing.
The weather has been blazing hot so we're thankful for a cool house, although looking out the window at the uncontrollable jungle the our back yard has become is a tad off-putting.
Still very thankful for good books, good shows (usually British television mysteries), and good blogging friends. The cat has taken to throwing up on a daily basis, however, and we continue to forgive her on a daily basis
Take care.
Diane and I watched the movie version of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Wonderful cast!
July weather oppressed Western NY over the weekend. Hot and humid weather. Yuck!
The Buffalo Bills lost their second game. The L.A. Chargers stomped the Bills 31-20 in the Home Opener. Rookie QB Josh Allen did okay, but this is shaping up to be a looooooooooong season for Bills fans.
Oh, TV. We've finished up all the series we were watching (other than WEST WING; still in season one) so decided to try a few new ones rather than going on to season two of the series we've already watched (frustrating for me, as I want to see what happens in the Aussie series GLITCH and WANTED, and Jackie wants DICTE - Danish - and FAUDA - Israeli). So far we've started Harlan Coben's SAFE - it is jarring seeing Michael C. Hall using a British accent - and MINDHUNTER. I read the latter book, which was fascinating, as well as a couple of his fictional followups, but for whatever reason I was not expecting much from the series, so Ive been pleasantly surprised so far. Jackie likes the relationship with the girlfriend. I think the guy who plays Ed Kemper (Cameron Britton, who deservedly got an Emmy nomination), the first serial killer he interviews, is great.
Netflix blows the networks out of the water, hands down.
Some good books. Read The Real Lolita and enjoyed it.Also a P.I. novel The Long Silence by Gerard O'Donovan. It takes place in 1922 Hollywood at the time of the murder of William Desmond Taylor. Just started a moderately long SF novel Salvation by Peter Hamilton.
Didn't see any movies this week. Will probably see White Boy Rick. And the Sisters Brothers which opens Friday I believe.
Been watching Mr. Mercedes on disc. I'm a big fan of Brendan Gleeson. Also liked Ozark giving so much time to the women characters. Besides Laura Linney I also loved the cartel lawyer and Mrs. Sneed.
Lions o-2. Detroit sports is going thru a particularly bad patch right now.
Saw Yo Lo Tengo Friday night. They put on a pretty good show.Elvis Costello coming up next month.
Previous post should not have been Anonymous. Sorry.
Also should have mentioned the new Paul McCartney album. Best thing he has done since the 70's.
Steve-we have to get together for coffee sometime soon.
George-did Diane think the movie left out a lot of the history or did I remember it incorrectly.
You paint quite a picture, Jerry.
Sounds good.
Diane and her Book Club read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society years ago. The movie version focused more on the love stories than the history of the Nazi occupation. I haven't read the book, but I enjoyed the movie especially Lily James!
Not happy. Very bad day. See my blog. Many tears.
The classical station played a Strauss waltz on my way home from the vet. The sun is out. I'm trying. If I can concentrate, I'm reading Horowitz' MAGPIE MURDERS.
Makes me smile to read another theater fan raving about the latest MY FAIR LADY at Lincoln Center. I saw the show back in April, one week after opening night. It was splendid. Lauren Ambrose's beautiful soprano voice was astonishing to hear and she was just lovely in the role. But I thought Norbert Leo Butz as her father stole the show. Speaking of ages -- he's only 11 years older than her! Interesting that Benanti will replace Ambrose. I heard all sorts of dishy gossip about how she thought she deserved the part more. She may have the voice, but I don't think she has character acting ability. We shall she.
That last sentence of yours Patti, gave me the chills. I do hope all is well with you and Phil.
We've seen Butz several times before - including one of his Tony-winning performances (DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS). For some reason, I had the impression he didn't get great reviews in this, but clearly that was wrong because he really made the role his own.
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