Old Movie, New Musical
Old Movie, New Musical
(Plus modest bitchiness about a certain quotable blogger, etc.)
In this week’s round of Theatrical Mad Libs, we learn that Bear McCreary (he scored the TV smash “Battlestar Galactica”) is working with Zoe Sarnak (of Empire Records and Galileo) and no less a titan than David Henry Hwang (Yellowface, M. Butterfly) on … a Broadway-aimed adaptation of a decade-old documentary about particle physics?
Which, you know, I’d have thought was a fascinating project even if I hadn’t reviewed the film for NPR back in the day:
The lede on that review, if you don’t feel like clicking through: “All you really need to know about Particle Fever is that it includes footage of physicists rapping. About physics. Wearing giant Einstein masks.”
It’s a tremendous feel-good story, full of stress and worry and wonder, and I can see it being a serious hit if the creative stars align. Can’t wait to see what director Leah Silverman (Suffs) makes of the material.
And I hereby nominate Jessica Vosk to play Fabiola Gianotti.
Meanwhile, you can stream the film on AppleTV, Prime Video and elsewhere. And seriously, it’s terrific.
Look, I keep seeing y’all post links from the Follies of God page over on the bookface, usually with tasty quotes and fun stories about culture vultures of all stripes — Brando! Gielgud! Minnelli! Bogdanovich!
It’s often irresistible reading, I’ll grant you. But I can’t help but think, every time, of this New Yorker inquiry from the invaluable Helen Shaw:
It’s fair-minded, even-handed, deeply reported — and decidedly dubious by the time it gets to the bottom line. Among Shaw’s choice lines: “Did twenty-year-old James Grissom ever meet Tennessee Williams at all? John Guare, who delights in ambiguity, thinks he might have (though he said that, given the amount of material, they must have talked ‘on that park bench for fourteen years’).”
So, you know, enjoy those anecdotes. But consider the source.
Finally, the bird site remains a cesspit. Stumbled across this thread again recently, though, and remembered briefly why we loved it once:
As with cats, YMMV with dog anecdotes. But if nothing else, I hope we can all agree on the “Yikes, Wikipedia” entry at No. 14:
No, read it again.
Think about it.
I can help how, now?
Thanks for reading — and for subscribing, whether you’re inclined to contribute or not. Be good, y’all.