I've only been on here sporatically lately, and had hoped to be on the last couple weeks.  Unfortunately, health issues have prevented that. (So much for the episodes I watched and took notes on to try and catch up with watching project.  .) Haven't read any posts in ages, and won't have time to read any tonight.  In a little over three hours I'm to be at the hospital for major surgery. (Before anyone gets worried, it's major, but not uncommon: an abdominal hysterectomy due to fibroids which are massive to the point of the dr wanting everything removed ASAP.)

Bottom line is between the surgery and hospital stay itself, plus the drugs I'll be on plus post surgery exhaustion, I can't predict when I'll be up to reading and posting (this is me: I won't be able to read without wanting to post about SOMETHING <G>).

I'll be back as soon as I have the energy and brain cells (people can make up their own minds whether that's a promise or a threat!)

Jeannie

I just got this news from a multifandom list.  I don't know offhand what DS sites and or DS Fanfiction sites may or may not use geocities.  However given the sites we nearly lost lately when AOL closed their webhosting, I  thought people would want to know about this.  Whoever uses them for webhosting might want to start looking around for a new home now, as they've given no definite date for the closure.  That would also give the readers amongst us time to save any favorite works from websites which are endangered.

Here's a link to a news article:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8016211.stm

A poster on the same fanfiction oriented multifandom list indicated that a group called The Organization for Transformative Work, is offering help and assistance to people looking for new homes for their fanfiction/fanfiction archives.  Here's a link with more information:  http://transformativeworks.org/news/geocities-closing

Jeannie

As I've said elsewhere on the boards, I attended the final performance of The Heavens are Hung in Black. I just got home from Washington last night. Since I return to work tomorrow, I know I won't have a completed piece on the trip ready for my website any time soon.  So, I did a really short account of the last performance and am posting it here in the interest of timeliness.

From  the moment I decided to go see The Heavens are Hung in Black,  I knew that if I could work it out, I wanted to attend the final performance.  Final performances always have something special.  Knowing it IS the last time they will play those roles, actors across the board want to knock it out of the park, so even an outstanding play and performances will hit an even higher level.

This final performance was all I expected it to be. From the opening notes of music, the lights going up to reveal a Lincoln in tears over his dead son, Willie, to the final line, a quote from the Emancipation Proclamation, the cast created true stage magic.  They knew the play, and knew where the reactions would be, and was adjusting their timing accordingly to cover laughs and other audience reactions. Each and every actor in this production, from the lead down to the kids, played reactions, gestures, tone, volume and other stage “business” slightly differently for every performance -- as true professionals do.  The script is of course the same, and the marks the actors must hit the same, but the differences in actions triggering different reactions is what makes live theater so interesting.

Selby, as before, has filled Lincoln’s “socks – size extra extra long” (as his secretary, Hay, describes a gift to Lincoln) to absolute perfection.  No holes, no seams, no darning – just a perfect fit.  Clearly a lot of hard work and research had to have gone into achieving this perfect fit, but none of that shows on stage.  There is only a man named Lincoln reacting naturally to the circumstances he is experiencing.

The audience, too, were eagerly collaborating in that special interaction between actors and audience that makes a play unique.  Applause, laugher, rapt interest were all there as the audience eagerly went along with the cast on their journey.  There was complete silence in the theater with the exception of the events on stage.

“…now and forever, FREE.”  A moment of silence as the stage went dark, and the audience burst into applause.  The applause continued, then the first set of actors came out for their bows.  The second set came out, and people started standing as they applauded.  Then Dr. Selby came out, and the applause became louder and louder, and those not yet standing stood to give him a standing ovation.  Everyone bowed and bowed again, Selby gestured to acknowledge his cast mates, and as the applause went on and on he blew kisses to the crowd and kept mouthing thank you.  He was visibly very touched by the tribute, and looked as if he was crying.  I had wondered beforehand whether anyone would make a speech after the play,but no.  And I doubt that Selby could have spoken anyway at that point.

Though the audience kept clapping for some time, the actors never returned for another curtaincall (another difference between this and the previews, where there had been two curtaincalls at both performances I attended.)

By sheer serendipity I didn’t leave the theater right away, but made a stop in the ladies then sat on a bench right outside. I needed a moment to decompress and come out of the reality of the play, especially since I was planning to go from there to the Pentagon Memorial.  I hadn’t sat more than a few moments when I suddenly saw, from the corner of my eye,  a frockcoat approaching me from the hallway.  Dr. Selby, still in costume, leant down, took my hand and thanked me for coming, then continued on to talk to others who had gathered in the lobby to wait for him.  He took me completely by surprise, so I was just thankful I didn’t slip and call him Mr. Lincoln – and that my grandmother ingrained my manners well enough that I complimented him on the performance without needing to think about it.


Jeannie

Thought this might be the best place to announce that I have updated my DS Festpictures site with some Burbank pictures.

This is only a first installment; the bulk of my pics were taken with my roomie's digital,as  hers had a FAR better zoom than my point and shoot digital, and the old SLR with megazoom is getting harder and harder for me to use with my injuries. So, my apologies in advance that some of the shots are not what they should be.  However,I do have decent shots of Mr.Frid, and a lot of Robert Cobert which came out well. When I get the disk with the rest of the shots, I will be posting an update notice.

FYI at the same URL you will find pictures from Fests dating back to2003,as well as avaliable light shots of many of the plays such as Return to Collinwood and The House. I also posted after play photos and a review of Lara Parker in Mrs. Scrooge in NYC this past December.

The url for that site is: http://mediafanfiction.tripod.com/dsfestpics/index.html

I also do a fansite dedicated to reviews of David Selby's various works. I'm a bit behind on that at the moment, but the review of Lincoln's Better Angel is up. I hope that this will shortly be followed by completed versions of some of the reviews currently in progress.  The home page is at: http://mediafanfiction.tripod.com/jeanniesdavidselbysite/

Not sure if I am unnecessarily duplicating here,but both the URLs are both in my signature below. (Sorry, but although I've had the sites for a while, I'm new to advertising them this way.)

Jeannie

1897 is always named as one of the most popular storylines. So, what is it about 1897 that connects with so many people? 

For me, it's the way everything gels.  Admittedly there's scads of period goofs big enough to drive the Deathstar through -- but the tone and FEEL of the period overall is spot on.  At least most of the time, the characters' attitudes are too. You BELIEVE these characters,weird and supernatural as their experiences may be, as a wealthy family of the late Gilded Age along with those who moved within their circle.

Most of the characters are extremely well detailed and interesting (though that falls apart a bit near the end),as well as being a nudge nudge wink wink to stock characters in classic Victorian melodrama: The stuffy, humorless and not too bright elder brother, the bright and competant old maid sister, victimized by a charlatan in the end, the charming Byronic wastel and rapscallion who ends up collecting the wages of his sins, and the eccentric brother underestimated by all -- and in the end, mourned by none. Outside of the family you have the innocent young governess,menaced by the evil priest in name only, the gypsy grifters who are more than they seem, and the obligatory mad wife in the attic. Finally, there's the aristocratic lady's maid (though they didn't always show it in her range of duties, they seem to be acknowledging that a ladies maid was normally an educated woman from a good family who had lost their money, forcing her into needing to work),who, against her better instincts fell in love with the rapscallion,and who had to die in the end as "punishment" for sleeping with him outside wedlock.

Of course, that's just the cliff notes version. As we all know, the writers  and actors  ran with the stock characters and turned them into someone unique to the storyline and the show. Another was intelligent writing.  They didn't talk down to the audience, but ASSUMED  that people had enough of a solid basic education (I call it that because I have to think hard to think of any novel they stole from that wasn't required reading in Elementary School, Jr.High or High School) to know of the works, and understand when they were being tweaked.

They also took risks,such as the Petofi bodyswap storyline, trusting again that their audience would "get it".  (Though those who weren't familiar with written science fiction or shows like Twilight Zone and Outer Limits might have found it a stretch.

Then there's the lynchpin character,Quentin, himself. Most people I know who like the storyline are those who -- perhaps "like" is the wrong word, as he can be very unlikeable at certain points in the story --  but enjoy the character and watching his progression, his "hero's journey" so to speak.  But, do you HAVE to like him to enjoy the storyline? I'd like to get some opinions on that.

For all that Quentin is dismissed as a self absorbed, one dimentional drunk and a consciousless womanizer,the character also shows a great deal of depth  and complexity in many scenes. One that comes to mind is when cynical,doesn't care about anyone or anything but himself Quentin has a scene with Edward where he tells Edward he has just come from his son's grave, and confronts Edward (seeming at one point on the verge of tears.These can't  be blamed on drunkenness, as he is clearly cold sober.) desperately asking Edward WHY he considered Quentin so far beyond the pale that he didn't even deserve to know he had children. Edmonds and Selby just shone in that scene, one of the two that permanenly hooked me on the show.

So,I've babbled on long enough on this overlong post. Who else has an opinion to share?

Jeannie

Thought those looking to fill holes in their dvd collection would want to know about this.  Barnes and Noble is having a buy one get one free sale on their TV boxed sets.
http://video.barnesandnoble.com/boutique_cds2.asp?PID=14189&z=y&cds2Pid=1681&linkid=836486

 They have a few, but not all of the DS sets included in the sale.  As of right now the site shows these sets avaliable: 10,  18, 20,  21, 23, 24, 25,26
With the buy one get one free, and free shipping, in addition to the additional discount you get if you're in their club, my dvds cost about $27 per set.  Only catch is no matter how many sets you buy only ONE comes free.

I got mine in three days or so, so delivery is pretty quick.  Site doesnt say how long sale will be, just the normal disclaimer on "while quantities last".

Hope this helps people fill holes at a good price.

One thing that's always struck me with the period timelines in DS is the costuming.  I've been involved with costuming fandom, have recreated both historic and movie costumes, and their costuming never fails to impress me with its accuracy, especially given the tight budget the production ran on.

In 1795, Naomi's costumes were spectacular.  And the other characters, too wore dresses and other clothing which might not have been, if torn apart, 100% period, but they without exception gave the right feel for the period in which they were used. (Needless to say we close our eyes to the visible zippers in the back of all the period dresses -- that's necessary on stage too, for changes that don't take a period accurate amount of time to make!)

1897 - again, with the possible exception of Magda (and after all, who DOES know what the well dressed gypsy was wearing in Maine in those days ), the costumes were just so right.  Even the hair, most of the time, was spot on (though you do wonder when Beth the sleepless marvel found the TIME to do that elaborate hairstyle on herself.  Maybe the one thing she refused to give up from her previous life before she had to become a servant?)

Even 1840, headache causing though it is for continuity, got the period right, as did 1841 right down to Julia's OOGLY beyond OOGLY striped dress.

My only gripe, in total, was the men didn't wear hats "outdoors" near as much as they should have been.

So, anyone interested in discussing the costuming or their favorite costumes?

Have you ever been watching DS and you realize that in the storyline you're watching, there is something that is set up, you know the scene HAD to have happened within the reality of the show, but it's never shown or even referred to?  AngeliqueWins/Judy and I compare notes on these a lot, what with our various stories; hers set in 1840 and mine in 1897.  I thought it would be interesting to compare notes and see how many people here have had the same experience.

Here's a couple of mine, both from 1897:

1) After Quentin finds out about his children.  He mentions in the later scene with Edward that he has just come from his son's grave.  Whether it was Magda, or, more likely Beth that took him there , I can't see him not piecing it together and realizing Beth knew and didn't tell him (For all Quentins myriad faults, he's VERY quick on the uptake -- the Lilachead he mutated into in of summer of 70 not withstanding.)  There had to be one seriously ugly scene between them, maybe even at the baby's grave itself.  And I am wracking my brain on this, but, without going back to the eps to confirm this, I believe that we didn't see her for a good while after that.  And that  sometime in here is when Amanda Harris first turned up.  Such a scene might even explain Beth's going from a strong and interesting character to one who cried all the time.  Guilt can do some really funky things to people.

2) We know that Jamison told Q he hated him after the Beth and Angelique business, and that he wasn't able to make things right before the Petofi takeover.  Can't see Petofi bothering.  So, can you just IMAGINE the scene between Jamison and Quentin after the boy is told of Beth's death? (If Trask knew she was dead when he saw her ghost, apparently the whole family knew somehow from someone that she had died.)

OK, there's some of mine to start the ball rolling.  Anyone else want to play?