Well, who knows? It might catch on.
Anyhow, June has come to a grinding halt and July has come in like a Lion and I'm mixing my metaphors as quickly as I am able with these two left feet.
I'm back at my desk job and "The Most Wonderful Love" has closed and I am staring at "The Shadow" and thinking on the relative merits of ways to write "The Lower River" and I'm moving in with this young woman August 1st. All of these things create a sense of happy unease.
I saw "Faith Healer" last night which is marvellously performed problem-play. Ian McDiarmid steals the show rather handily, as I hoped he would. He did not use Force Lightning, but I forgive him.
Oh, and my back and legs are soaked from the rain. My khakis are sticking to my calves. My brown shoes are getting closer to falling into complete disrepair. I'm drinking a cup of coffee from the office next to ours... the grounds come from something called "Bishop's Blend." I'm sure it's got the Holy Spirit in it.
I feel a bit "off."
I watched Superman Returns this weekend, which has its merits, but just has weird pacing for me near the end. It just slows waaaaay down. It was, though, an homage to the first Superman movie more than anything else, and that made the big fat geek in me sing sings of exhultation. Until I ran out of popcorn.
That's my thoughts to start this fine day. How are
About Me
- Freeman
- Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.
6 comments:
So I clocked on the link for the young woman you're moving in with, and saw this. I know we haven't seen each other in a while, but I wouldn't have thought you'd have changed quite that much...
Hey Matt--
FAITH HEALER, IMHO doesn't work as a play. If Friel expanded it, it would make quite a lovely novel. Only Ian MacDiarmid's monologue feels like it was written to be spoken, and the play has a great premise-- a faith healer who actually can, at times, heal but has no control over it-- and does absolutely fuck all nothing with it.
Somehow, and I can't explain it... when I learned that itwasn't a new play but rather a revival of a play that was like 10 years old, it made perfect sense to me. But the play still doesn't work. Because it isn't really a play.
Regarding Faith Healer: I'm more or less with Isaac. I would have preferred reading it to seeing it. A friend who saw it said it best: "I was impressed with every aspect of the play and was still bored stiff."
Regarding the new Superman movie: I admire your ability to objectively assess the film. Since it opened with not only John Williams' original score, but the same font for the opening credits, I was sold. Then again, the first two Superman movies has as much resonance for me as the original Star Wars films. The geek in me completely took over my ability for rational thought watching the new Bryan Singer movie.
James, I'm with you half-way. I peed my pants when the opening credit were clearly the Credits from the original movie. I was like "NO SHIT!"
I read somewhere that Superman Returns is Singer's vision of what Superman III should have been. Which I can totally see.
As for FAITH HEALER...good script or no, I just love watching good actors work hard. Man, the Emperor is good, no?
Ian MacDiarmid is a genius. Ralph Fiennes is clearly a highly skilled technitian as an actor, but I'm not sure he really sealed the deal for me... Cherry Jones... it's like watching a cannon act. There's no subtlety or nuance, but you'll still be blown away.
Really, it was like a master class taught by example. All three of them are very different performers, and I saw the strengths and weaknesses of all three approaches.
Also, did I mention that Ian MacDiarmid is a frigging genius.
Palpatine was amazing in Faith Healer, yes.
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