Christmas 2009

We managed 7 fish stew for Christmas Eve, and Ms. S's granny's grits for Christmas Day. There were presidents, and a screening of White Christmas, of course.

Holiday photos here.

Solstice

Patti Smith was the honorary goddess guide for Solstice 2009.

Holiday photos here.

Josh at FFC

Did my first session with Josh at Fitness Formula. One of the best things I've done.... Power Balance, baby!

Candlelight tour at Glessner House

We went for the Christmas candlelight tour at Glessner House with Ms. N as one of the guides.

Remembering Rose Friedman

A work Saturday. A memorial event for Rose Friedman.

The Mystery of Irma Vep

A romp and a good time at Court.

From the Time Out Review:

"The Mystery of Irma Vep, which debuted in 1984, is perhaps the archetypal camp play. Camp, per Susan Sontag, privileges artifice over beauty, style over content—which holds largely true of Ludlam’s lovingly ridiculous spoof of horror movies and Gothic novels. The twist that sets Irma Vep apart from, say, the Annoyance’s lineup is a quick-change structure that enables two actors to play the myriad denizens of Mandacrest, the English manor bedeviled by all manner of monsters. The play becomes as much about the challenges it tosses to its performers as the dark secrets that Lord Edgar Hillcrest (Hellman) conceals from his new wife, Enid (Sullivan).

Those challenges are brilliantly met by this dynamic Laurel-and-Hardy pair. Sullivan, whose massive frame gives Lady Enid an almost architectural grandeur, gets the finest tour de force: He engages in a seemingly impossible back-and-forth between Enid and his other major character, the one-legged servant Nicodemus. Hellman wields a mean hatchet as the murderous maid Jane and, as pith-helmeted Lord Edgar, intrepidly plumbs the depths of Egyptology. While the first act could run at an even more manic clip, Graney directs with a steady hand. In the second act, at moments such as Enid and Jane’s strangely potent dulcimer duet, this Irma Vep achieves a sublime fascination, conveying Ludlam’s affection for his misbegotten sources. And Graney’s audacious closing move adds yet another layer of meaning to this daffily compelling play."

MFI Founder's Circle event

A work event to promote the creation of the Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics. A spectacular setting at the Morningstar offices.

Holiday Party at the Dean's

Another snowy night, but a wonderful evening at the Dean's for his annual party for staff. Yummy food, good company.

Mr. M in for a visit

Mr. M. was in for a visit before he went downtown for a work conference.

Mr. J in town

Ms. S's father came to town for a visit. We had dinner at Chilam Balam, went to the AIC, went to hear jazz (the big Hammond B3) at the Green Mill, went to Hyde Park and had Korean, at Indian and...whew...went to the Jazz Showcase.

More photos here.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Great casting, great acting. Timothy Edward Kane, always a favorite, well paired with Sean Fortunato. Clever stage design.













From the Time Out review:

"Stoppard’s 1967 breakout play, a backdoor inversion of Hamlet by way of Waiting for Godot, remains an ingenious enterprise. Rosencrantz (Fortunato) and Guildenstern (Kane)—or is it the other way around?—are mere pawns on the fringes of Elsinore, used and abused by Claudius and Hamlet (not to mention Big Willie) as means to an end to which the poor schmucks are never privy.

Halberstam’s handsome production nicely emphasizes Stoppard’s conceptual trickery. Collette Pollard’s smart scenic design suggests a metaphysical backstage; the play’s Hamlet cast cleverly plays its scenes upstage, to a backdrop of a sprawling auditorium several times the size of Writers’ intimate space, while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern ruminate in the foreground. The cast is pitch-perfect: Longtime associates Kane and Fortunato have the kind of easy comic rapport that’s earned, not faked, on top of a remarkable facility with Stoppard’s quicksilver wordplay and intellectual rhythms. Gilmore radiates energy as the grandiose and mildly sinister leader of the tragedians. The only questionable step is Halberstam and sound designer Andrew Hansen’s use of new wave rock songs like “Burning Down the House” and “Once in a Lifetime” as act bumpers. After all, Stoppard’s play seems to illustrate that even the least among us are more than talking heads.

Thanksgiving: It's a Football Party

We hosted a bunch of Ms. S's workmates for Thanksgiving. We thought it was going to be low key and spread out because we were watching football, but there is that critical moment when the turkey comes out of the oven. It all worked. Fun.

Photo album here.

Richard III

A strong production at Chicago Shakes. Some reviews said there was a disconnect in acting styles between Richard (old school high theatrics) and the rest of the cast (Chicago naturalism) but things had tempered by the time we saw it. A great show for women actors. And an amazing, amazing fight scene at the end.

All the Fame of Lofty Deeds

From Chris Jones's Tribune review: "But I think House Theatre has the best show here since "The Sparrow." No question. The House has got its groove back."














It was a fun benefit evening, with Jon Langford, cult music star on whose music the show is based, played a nice preshow set. Nate strapped on a guitar and a cowboy hat and was Nate.

A good time was had by all.

Boulder

A trip to Boulder to continue to clean out the house. Did a lot of archiving of posters and old theatre stuff.