"The hair is 75% of my performance." - Robert Pattinson
Actually, Twilight is not a vampire story. It's a teen novel. I am reading it, for real, now. And it reads like a teen novel, so that's what it is. There's nothing wrong with that - what amuses me is how big, burly guys get all bent out of shape, raging against the twilight, protesting it's not a real vampire story.
It's not. It's not for you. It's not for me either ... but I'm readin' it.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
WHAT ARE YOU ????????
The past few days I have had the chance to talk over the script with those who will be participating in the reading. Here's the question - what attacks Aubrey Porlock in the first arc?
Not who. That is evident when you read the play. But what? It that a vampire? How does Aubrey become what he is?
This is the story of the evolution of the vampire, or how what we think of when we think of vampires came into being.
They did not use to glimmer. But then, they did not always burn to a crisp in the daylight, nor did they always become a vampire from drinking the blood of another vampire.
Once upon a time, the words witch and vampire were exchangeable. So, too, was the idea of a ghost or a revenant - an animated corpse. The rules were flexible. They were evil, unholy, they could curse you, or drink your blood. Did they need the blood to survive? Who knows. Did they like Peter Murphy? They don't say.
Like a werewolf, there were beings who walked as human during the day, but the power of the moon would change them. I believe we have a being like this in this play. The rules bend as the years progress. But it all goes back to the power of the night to scare us, and transform us into our worst nightmares.
Not who. That is evident when you read the play. But what? It that a vampire? How does Aubrey become what he is?
This is the story of the evolution of the vampire, or how what we think of when we think of vampires came into being.
They did not use to glimmer. But then, they did not always burn to a crisp in the daylight, nor did they always become a vampire from drinking the blood of another vampire.
Once upon a time, the words witch and vampire were exchangeable. So, too, was the idea of a ghost or a revenant - an animated corpse. The rules were flexible. They were evil, unholy, they could curse you, or drink your blood. Did they need the blood to survive? Who knows. Did they like Peter Murphy? They don't say.
Like a werewolf, there were beings who walked as human during the day, but the power of the moon would change them. I believe we have a being like this in this play. The rules bend as the years progress. But it all goes back to the power of the night to scare us, and transform us into our worst nightmares.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 09, 2009
Raven
A couple years ago, my wife got a book out of the library for me, written by an associate of hers in one of her writers groups. She thought I might like it, it is a collection of two stories that have to do with vampires or vampirism. But that's not why she thought I would like it.
One of the stories, The Flesh, The Blood and The Fire is a (fictional) tale about Eliot Ness's time as Safety Director in Cleveland. It - of course - has to deal with the Torso Murders. One day someone will write a compelling story about Eliot Ness in Cleveland. This may even be it, I don't know, for some reason I didn't read it.
I read the other one, Raven, a contemporary cop story with a vampire twist. A great deal of it takes place on Coventry, my old stomping grounds (did I just say that? hmn. if I have stomping grounds, I guess that's where they are ... or in Tremont - I stomped there even more ...) though a lot of places it references aren't there any more, but he did really nail them.
It lays out some fabulous new vampire rules - I was truly freaked out by what happens when a vampire is exposed to sunlight. I mean, if you are completely exposed to sunlight, you basically become what you are - a corpse, dead flesh. But what if just, you know, your hand is exposed to sunlight.
(Think about. Count to three. SHUDDER.)
We discuss rules a little in my play. There may be some confusion. This is not a bad thing. I have tried to avoid the serial villain route where things are just spelled out for you.
We're working on putting together a reading of it for the 23rd. I already have BP and CL on board to be two of the three performers. Still looking for a dashing young man. (Sorry, Brian.)
One of the stories, The Flesh, The Blood and The Fire is a (fictional) tale about Eliot Ness's time as Safety Director in Cleveland. It - of course - has to deal with the Torso Murders. One day someone will write a compelling story about Eliot Ness in Cleveland. This may even be it, I don't know, for some reason I didn't read it.
I read the other one, Raven, a contemporary cop story with a vampire twist. A great deal of it takes place on Coventry, my old stomping grounds (did I just say that? hmn. if I have stomping grounds, I guess that's where they are ... or in Tremont - I stomped there even more ...) though a lot of places it references aren't there any more, but he did really nail them.
It lays out some fabulous new vampire rules - I was truly freaked out by what happens when a vampire is exposed to sunlight. I mean, if you are completely exposed to sunlight, you basically become what you are - a corpse, dead flesh. But what if just, you know, your hand is exposed to sunlight.
(Think about. Count to three. SHUDDER.)
We discuss rules a little in my play. There may be some confusion. This is not a bad thing. I have tried to avoid the serial villain route where things are just spelled out for you.
We're working on putting together a reading of it for the 23rd. I already have BP and CL on board to be two of the three performers. Still looking for a dashing young man. (Sorry, Brian.)
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Dusk
Okay, here's some nice Twilight cakes.
"It's cute." That's the first thing SG said when we reached the end. I think I deserved that.
The fourth arc was read by the Unit today. The overall reaction was positive, I received a few comments, primarily from SG, regarding the piece as a whole.
The comments that surfaced last session, after we read The Interview, were reinforced this time. Why does the contemporary stuff work better, feel more original, are simply more enjoyable? The answer may - be because they are contemporary, accessible.
Maybe I need to make the language of the earlier pieces more modern ... but the point is to share the flavor of literature at that time. Maybe the later pieces should be less original, more like their source material ...
Another observation was on how much commenting is done in the second two pieces, there is little or no commentary in the earlier ones (this cannot be true, The Count has its tongue firmly in cheek.)
The Narrator, whose agenda is a secret until the end, may need to be more obviously contemporary, from the beginning, for this to fly.
Regarding the final arc, The Dusk ... First off, SG noted that Eddie's revelation that he is a vampire has no mystery, it comes too quickly and easily.
I have to check the book again. I think it comes pretty quickly and easily there, too. Right? I mean, he doesn't try and kill Bella, she doesn't catch him feeding off an antelope ... she figures it out, confronts him, he admits it. Am I missing something? I mean, I am agreeing with SG here, there is no mystery - it's TWILIGHT.
DM was tipped off as to who Lucy is by her last name, but most missed it. So I'm sticking with it.
FS thinks North Pole, Alaska is a silly sounding location. I think she's right.
"It's cute." That's the first thing SG said when we reached the end. I think I deserved that.
The fourth arc was read by the Unit today. The overall reaction was positive, I received a few comments, primarily from SG, regarding the piece as a whole.
The comments that surfaced last session, after we read The Interview, were reinforced this time. Why does the contemporary stuff work better, feel more original, are simply more enjoyable? The answer may - be because they are contemporary, accessible.
Maybe I need to make the language of the earlier pieces more modern ... but the point is to share the flavor of literature at that time. Maybe the later pieces should be less original, more like their source material ...
Another observation was on how much commenting is done in the second two pieces, there is little or no commentary in the earlier ones (this cannot be true, The Count has its tongue firmly in cheek.)
The Narrator, whose agenda is a secret until the end, may need to be more obviously contemporary, from the beginning, for this to fly.
Regarding the final arc, The Dusk ... First off, SG noted that Eddie's revelation that he is a vampire has no mystery, it comes too quickly and easily.
I have to check the book again. I think it comes pretty quickly and easily there, too. Right? I mean, he doesn't try and kill Bella, she doesn't catch him feeding off an antelope ... she figures it out, confronts him, he admits it. Am I missing something? I mean, I am agreeing with SG here, there is no mystery - it's TWILIGHT.
DM was tipped off as to who Lucy is by her last name, but most missed it. So I'm sticking with it.
FS thinks North Pole, Alaska is a silly sounding location. I think she's right.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Seattle Snark
For a snarky Daily Show rip-off ... this is pretty fun.
LATER: And okay, yeah, even CAKE WRECKS gets in on the action. Hating on TWILIGHT is just too damn easy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
