6-OCT-23 First Friday

[DiveMilw]

Today is the first Friday of October.  That means tomorrow is First Saturday and many of the museums in Dallas won't be charging admission.  Perhaps I will drive into town and see some art.  

I am also trying to decide if I should see the two movies "Here We Are" are based on before I see the show next weekend.  Part of me wants to go in completely cold.  Another part of me thinks it might be a good idea to have some clue what the story might be.  (or stories?  I've purposely kept myself in the dark.)  Any opinions?

[scenicdesign71]

I am also trying to decide if I should see the two movies "Here We Are" are based on before I see the show next weekend.  Part of me wants to go in completely cold.  Another part of me thinks it might be a good idea to have some clue what the story might be.  (or stories?  I've purposely kept myself in the dark.)  Any opinions?

I've been mulling the same question (somewhat lazily so far, since my tickets aren't for several more weeks).

Others have too, on BWW and FB; and at least one response I read, from someone who had apparently seen both films as well as the musical (and liked all three, if I remember correctly), suggested that it's unlikely to make a whole lot of difference either way.  Basically this theory holds that, beyond the basic thumbnail premises (people unable to find a place to eat, and then, once they finally do, inexplicably unable to leave), the story details are so surreal and nonsensical that one could easily emerge from a marathon viewing of the films, the musical, and Thomas Adès's opera for good measure, and still not have much of a "clue what the story might be".

As well as obviating any need for preparation, that might also seem to make the show spoiler-proof, at least on the level of plot; but I'm still leaning in the direction of going in completely cold.  On the other hand, I may be at an advantage geographically, since I'm guessing it might be somewhat easier for me [than it would be for you] to go back and see the show again later in its 15-week run (always assuming that tickets remain available, and that I can scrape together the cash for another visit).  But if it turns out to be worth seeing twice, that would enable one to sort of have it both ways: go in cold the first time, then study both films for a bit; and then return for a second viewing, this time armed with experience of both the show and its sources.

I don't know, though... what do you think?
(Gillyflowers, I'd say...)

For what it's worth in this context, I've also read that, while Here We Are isn't slavishly faithful to Buñuel and Carrière's screenplays, it's still legitimately "based on" them, reasonably closely (as opposed to, e.g., the more loosey-goosey "inspired by" and similar credits used for some adapted works).  The setting and character types have been updated to 21st-century NYC, and smushed together for continuity between the two acts; and there may be a few new plot surprises for those well-versed in the source films.  But overall, if what I've read is correct, the stories' original outlines apparently remain fairly well intact in Ives's adaptation.

[scenicdesign71]

Apropos of nothing, earlier today I received an email blast from Washington, DC's Shakespeare Theatre Company which included this logo for their current production of Evita.  I could ramble about it, but I'll spare you and just say that in its clever meshing of several individually unremarkable (indeed, rather well-worn) graphic concepts, this logo manages something fresh enough to provoke a tiny pang of admiration and envy.

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I'd like to imagine that the production itself (a co-pro with American Repertory Theatre) somehow manages to make the show as elegantly compelling as its graphic design, but that's an awfully tall order -- not because the graphic is all that, but because the show itself, unless they've substantially rewritten it... just isn't (imo).   Reviews for this production have been enthusiastic, and scenographic elegance, at least, doesn't seem to be lacking -- but it is still Evita.  (Reviewing a 2019 iteration at City Center -- I'm surprised it's taken me this long to notice the logo -- Jesse Green apparently agreed, though his appears to have been the minority opinion).