The Medusa Fora

There was an April Fool story in The Observer on Sunday which claimed Tony Bliar was going to be appearing at the Old Vic in The Crucible, by invitation of Kevin Spacey.

Sadly it was rather convincing, as you could imagine Bliar thinking he could make a career in the theatre – and making his stage debut as a heavy-duty god botherer.

Kicking A Dead Horse by Sam Shepard, Abbey Theatre Dublin [Peacock stage]

A desert. A hole. A dead horse.

Sam Shepard's first play for the Irish National Theatre Society owes more than a little to Sam Beckett who, of course, never submitted one. In an interview in "The Irish Times" a few weeks ago, Shepard acknowledged that, while watching Fiona Shaw in Happy Days at London's National, his debt suddenly became blindingly obvious to him. And yes, you can easily imagine Prairie Beckett, Desert Beckett, Motel Beckett.....

Stephen Rea, in what is all but a one-man 70-minute performance, is a New York Art Dealer in a moment of existential crisis. He swaps 5th Avenue for a quest for Authenticity in the American wilderness. Just a man, his horse, his tent, some cans of beans and, just for the hell of it, his dental floss. But the horse has died and as the lights come up, the man has been digging a hole for it, giving it a decent burial. But the deceased horse proves as stubborn in death as in life and the only things that make it into the grave are the bridle, saddle and spurs, along with the man's Cowboy hat. Oh, and the man himself. Possibly.

Perhaps the USA is still too raw after the Bush-Cheney years to hear a new play in which the protagonist enquires of himself: "We closed the frontier in 1890-something, didn't we? Didn't we already accomplish that? The Iron Horse - coast to coast. Blasted all the buffalo out of here. An ocean of bones from sea to shining sea. Chased the heathen Redman down to Florida . . . Whupped the Chinese and strung them up with their own damn pony tails. Decapitated the Mexicans . . . Dammed up all the rivers and flooded the valleys for recreational purposes. Run off the small farmers. Destroyed education. Turned our children into criminals. Demolished art. Invaded sovereign nations. What else can we possibly do?" Maybe such a play can only premiere in a country where the Bush Wars are already decisively filed amongst the great disasters of history. If so, it is time America stopped listening to Ann Coulter and started noticing her artists again. Sam Shepard has written an elegy for Manifest Destiny [a concept created by an Irish-American journalist in 1845 - no, not Bill O'Reilly] that is poignant, bullish, wise and vital. As Arthur Miller once wrote, Attention Must Be Paid.

Damn. I want to see the Sam Shepard. Wonder if I can get over for a weekend. Do you know how long it's on for, Philip? And thank you for the review.

Mr. Shepard is beautiful.
Not to objectify him, but god damn!
Just thought I'd share.

http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/the ... epard.html

Frances wrote:Mr. Shepard is beautiful.
Not to objectify him, but god damn!
Just thought I'd share.

http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/the ... epard.html

Cool site! Thanks for the link, Frances.

Shaz wrote:Damn. I want to see the Sam Shepard. Wonder if I can get over for a weekend. Do you know how long it's on for, Philip? And thank you for the review.

It closes next Saturday.

http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whatson/deadhorse.html

philipchevron wrote:

Shaz wrote:Damn. I want to see the Sam Shepard. Wonder if I can get over for a weekend. Do you know how long it's on for, Philip? And thank you for the review.

It closes next Saturday.

http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whatson/deadhorse.html

Drat, shan't make it over in time. Thanks for the link, Philip. I try to organise trips to Dublin round what's on at the Abbey Theatre, so will hope for better luck later in the year.

Timon was tip top, retreading much of the Lear story with Apemantus (in this case Apemanta, a woman) stepping into the shoes of the Fool; this production set in superbitchy 1930s Hollywood. About 30 of us there which was pretty good for a pub theatre.

In paper last week: Stratford Upon Avon. Goneril got pissed at lunch time (2 bottles of wine) and fell off her bicycle thereby missing Press Night. Ms Barbar now needs knee surgery. Also in 2008 or ?09 Sam Mendes will direct Simon Russell Beale at Old Vic in Winters Tale and Tempest.

Also, after complaints the RSC have, um, erected posters advising sensitive theatregoes that Mr McKellen will be dropping his trousers.

...What is it with celebrity genitals at the moment? Harry Potter is getting his cock out on London stage and Gandalf is waving his about in Stratford; it seems a famous penis is latest must-have for showstopping play

Philip / Shaz - have you seen Edward III? Any good?

CM wrote:Timon was tip top, retreading much of the Lear story with Apemantus (in this case Apemanta, a woman) stepping into the shoes of the Fool; this production set in superbitchy 1930s Hollywood. About 30 of us there which was pretty good for a pub theatre.

In paper last week: Stratford Upon Avon. Goneril got pissed at lunch time (2 bottles of wine) and fell off her bicycle thereby missing Press Night. Ms Barbar now needs knee surgery. Also in 2008 or ?09 Sam Mendes will direct Simon Russell Beale at Old Vic in Winters Tale and Tempest.

Also, after complaints the RSC have, um, erected posters advising sensitive theatregoes that Mr McKellen will be dropping his trousers.

What is it with celebrity genitals at the moment? Harry Potter is getting his cock out on the London stage and Gandalf is waving his about in Stratford; it seems a famous penis is the latest must-have for showstopping play :lol

Philip or Shaz - either of your seen Edward III?

I saw Edward III when the RSC did it a few years ago. I wasn't persuaded that very much of it was written by Shakespeare and indeed, it does not yet appear to have been admitted into the canon.

Thanks Philip, I know it's in new edition of Oxford Complete Works (with caveats) but none others I think.

CM wrote:Timon was tip top, retreading much of the Lear story with Apemantus (in this case Apemanta, a woman) stepping into the shoes of the Fool; this production set in superbitchy 1930s Hollywood. About 30 of us there which was pretty good for a pub theatre.

In paper last week: Stratford Upon Avon. Goneril got pissed at lunch time (2 bottles of wine) and fell off her bicycle thereby missing Press Night. Ms Barbar now needs knee surgery. Also in 2008 or ?09 Sam Mendes will direct Simon Russell Beale at Old Vic in Winters Tale and Tempest.

Philip / Shaz - have you seen Edward III? Any good?

Glad you enjoyed Timon, CM! The updating sounds interesting.

I've not seen Edward III on stage, but have read it, and was of the same view of Philip -- I'm not convinced there's much of Shakespeare's fine Italian hand in it.

There was a story in one of the Sundays about the sudden call on understudies with various Stratford and West End stars getting crocked. In one or two cases the press night had been postponed, which a few people said was harsh on the understudy, as often on these occasions they get noticed.

I suppose it's a bit frustrating if you pay for a ticket and specifically want to see Joe or Josephine Bloggs playing a star role. I can't say I'm fussed -- I've seen some good performances by understudies in the past!

The Cavalcaders by Billy Roche (Abbey Theatre, Dublin)
The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams (Olivier Theatre, London)

last summer I saw Monty Pythons Spamelot on Broadway in NYC
HILARIOUS

The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht (Cottesloe Theatre, London)

"What I love about Brecht's plays is that there's no knowing where they'll go. Just when you think you've tapped into the plot, mastered the theory, he defies you. A born chancer, a true liar, it's no wonder that he loved politics." So says Frank McGuinness, whose translation this is.

It's also easy to forget just how funny Brecht is, an element richly acknowledged in this imaginative version. Freewheeling but disciplined, cynical yet profoundly humane.

Philip, do you know anything about Declan Hughes? According to the press release I have with his latest book THE COLOUR OF BLOOD, he's a Dublin playwright and director.

The book's the second in the series featuring a Dublin private investigator. I had mixed feelings about the first one, but the sequel is much tighter, albeit a clear pastiche of Chandler et al.