Tag: Romance

Deadwood: Season 1, Episode 1

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Deadwood_arrival

HBO made SO much money off of The Sopranos, the network decided to take a chance on two lavish, intricate other series- Rome (read my review) and Deadwood.  This Western drama series starts off unlike any other (that I’ve seen)- w/ the hanging of a horse thief!  As the show’s creator David Milch explained, an “unhorsed man was akin to a dead man in the Old West.”  Before he can start his new life in Deadwood, South Dakota, Montana marshall Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant, who I first discovered and LOVED on Damages) has to administer justice.  There is a large, angry crowd outside his office, men w/ torches ready to storm in and attack the prisoner.  Milch said that Bullock (whose name means “young bull”) “hated the mob,” so he decided to swiftly take things into his own hands.   

Bullock (along w/ his pal/business partner, Sol Star) travels on a wagon to Deadwood; the two men plan to set up a hardware store.  Sol (John Hawkes) is Jewish, comes from a business family from Vienna, Austria, though he was raised in Ohio.  This is Hawkes LONG before he made a name for himself on Winter’s Bone (Jennifer Lawrence’s breakout film); he was nominated for an Oscar for his role. 

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Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), a saloon owner and defacto leader of the camp community of Deadwood, has his own share of troubles to handle after one of his prostitutes, Trixie (Paula Malcomson), kills a regular customer who had the nasty habit of hitting her when drunk.  Doc Cochran (Brad Dourif, who some of you will recognize from the LOTR series) comes to examine the wound- it will be fascinating to study the man’s skull.  I liked Dourif as the villainous Grima Wormtongue, but I quickly grew to LOVE his character on this series! 

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Wild Bill Hickok (Keith Carradine, the biggest name actor in S1) arrives at the camp w/ his loyal companions, Jane (Robin Weigert, most recently seen in Jessica Jones) and Charlie Utter.  It’s obvious that Jane (also a fan fave- including mine, along w/ Doc) is in love w/ Bill, though he has recently married another woman.  As for Charlie, he serves as a friend, counselor, and manager to Wild Bill.  On the road, Wild Bill’s entourage comes across a blonde family (w/ Norwegian accents) who are headed back home to Minnesota; Deadwood we gather was too rough and tumble for them.  We will find out exactly WHY in no time!           

Wow, did you see HOW fast Seth got some of the men organized after learning of the murder of the Norwegian family!  He may be a socially awkward man of few words, but he definitely has a STRONG sense of right and wrong.  Wild Bill (another man of action) goes along w/ Seth; he is another fan fave.  (Carradine wore blue contacts, which were quite uncomfortable, for his role as Wild Bill.)

 

Othello (Shakeapeare Theater Company)

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Though an active and talented member of Venetian society who has started to assimilate, he is never fully accepted—and it makes him all the more susceptible to the machinations of Iago, the one person he feels that he can trust. 

…Iago’s hatred of Othello stems from his own jealousy.  He resents the fact that Othello promoted Cassio over him, believes that Othello slept with his wife and cringes at the idea that a foreigner—whom he considers inferior—has the success and recognition that he has been denied.  It is a personal vendetta, and he makes the audience complicit. 

-Katherine Peterlin (STC’s Young Professionals Consortium)

As my regular readers know, Othello is my favorite Shakespeare play.  The themes of this play are relevant today (as we heard in the video above).  I saw it back in 2011 at the Folger; you can read that review here.  I went to see this new adaptation, starring Pakistani-American actor Faran Tahir, at STC on SUN, FEB 28 (7:30PM); it was just 5 days after the play opened.  I had a seat in the 3rd row (rare for me); three 20s gals sitting behind me had free tickets (how lucky)!  Sitting beside me were a middle-aged couple who also enjoyed the show a lot; the husband made some comments that proved that his wife was the Shakespeare expert, but he enjoyed it, too.  As for the desis (South Asians) in the audience, I didn’t see more than a handful (including myself).         

Some of you may be thinking: Isn’t Othello supposed to be black (as in African-American)?  But remember that in The Bard’s time, “black” may have had a different meaning.  “Renaissance representations of the Moor were vague, varied, inconsistent, and contradictory,” as E. A. J. Honigmann, editor of The Arden Shakespeare, noted.  “The term Moor referred to darker-skinned people in general, used interchangeably with similarly ambiguous terms such as African, Somali, Ethiopian, Negro, Arab, Berber, and even Indian to designate a figure from Africa (or beyond). Various uses of the word black are insufficient evidence for any accurate racial classification; that could simply mean swarthy,” Honigmann concluded.

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Abd el-Ouahed ben Messaoud ben Mohammed Anoun, Moroccan ambassador to the court of Elizabeth I (some consider him as the model for Othello)

Original Line:  She gave me for my pains a world of… sighs.

Changed Line: She gave me for my pains a world of… kisses.

Above is one of the lines that was changed from the original (I noticed it right away); it’s more suited to the WWI setting of this play.  This is the kind of adaptation that grows on you, though I quickly noticed that the lighting was very well-done (from the 1st scene).  Iago (played by Jonno Roberts, a New Zealand native) is a very strong villain; he’s matter-of-fact, yet funny.  One of his tactics is to tightly embrace several of the individuals (Rodrigo, Othello, and Cassio) who he has ensnared in his web.  Since Roberts is tall, broad, and muscular (like a modern-day military man), this comes off as potentially scary.  I especially liked Iago and Othello’s scenes; the actors obviously have good chemistry and a great command of the text.  All the supporting actors did well, especially the two who played Desdemona and Emilia.

There were two moments in this play that I thought were particularly good.  One was Othello grabbing Iago, pulling him down, and choking him (when the villain first accused Desdemona of unfaithfulness).  The other scene was when Othello went into a fit of epilepsy, falling to the floor, and shaking for several seconds (everyone leaned forward in their seats).  I was sure that this play would get better w/ time; it has been extended through April 2.  Go check it out if you have a chance! 

2016 New African Film Festival (March 11-18)

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AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center  (8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910) will be hosting the 12th annual New African Film Festival, showcasing African films from ALL corners of the continent. Below is info re: the 2 films that I’m MOST interested in seeing.  (FYI: Opening Night films usually sell out quickly, so try to get tickets early!)  I may have to go see it SUN.

You can read my review of one of the films from last year’s festival here: https://knightleyemma.com/2015/03/22/2015-new-african-film-fest-triangle/

Lamb

Friday, March 11 – Opening Night/Reception (7:15 PM) & Sunday, March 13 (4:45 PM)

Yared Zeleke’s remarkable feature debut tells the story of young Ephraim, a half-Jewish Ethiopian boy who is sent by his father to live among distant relatives after his mother’s death. Ephraim uses his cooking skills to carve out a place among his cousins, but when his uncle decides that his beloved sheep must be sacrificed for the next religious feast, he will do anything to save the animal and return home.

The Price of Love

Saturday, March 12 (7:15 PM) & Wednesday, March 16 (7:15 PM)

A recovering addict, Teddy drives his cab across the sprawling Addis Ababa, in the hopes of making an honest living. But when Teddy picks up the beautiful prostitute Fere, just as she’s escaping an abusive john, he’s thrust back into the world of trouble he tried to escape. After an act of retribution, which leaves Teddy’s cab stolen, he joins forces with Fere in the hopes of saving both their lives. As romance blossoms between the two outsiders, they learn the hard way that love comes with a price.

http://silver.afi.com/Browsing/Movies/Details/m-0100000548

For DC Area Theater Fans

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Othello (Sidney Harman Hall: FEB 23-MAR 27)

This is my favorite Shakespeare tragedy; I love it even MORE than Hamlet!  In this production Othello will be played by a Pakistani-American actor- Faran Tahir. VERY exciting…  I’m going to be seeing it SUN, FEB 28 (7:30PM).

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Some of you will recognize him from the first Iron Man movie and the J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot films.

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Link to 2014 podcast interview with Faran Tahir

Link to play website

Use promo code OTHELLO20 for 20% off price.

Disgraced (Arena Stage: APR 22-MAY 29)

I’m VERY excited to go see this play; one of my gal pals and I got tickets as part of a package!  Actor-turned novelist and playwright, Ayad Akthar (who I blogged about before) won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for this play, which was also his first. 

This play is being produced in 40 different theaters in the 2015-2016 season- WOW!  In some ways, it looks to be a simple domestic play, as it has only one set and five actors.  The play is set in the Upper West Side Manhattan apartment of South Asian American corporate lawyer, Amir, and his artist wife, Emily.  They hold a small dinner party w/ Amir’s work friend Johri, an African-American woman, and her secular Jewish husband, Isaac.  As the night goes on, more and more alcohol is consumed, the conversation gets  heated- the mood of the play turns serious.  Amir, who seems to have totally separated himself from his Pakistani and Muslim identities, is revealed as a complex and troubled man.

I read this play less than 2 years ago, after seeing clips about the Lincoln Center production (which starred The Daily Show’s Aasif Mandvi).  One of my acquaintances saw it when it premiered on Broadway; Hari Dhillon (an Indian-American of Sikh heritage) played the lead role. The PBS Newshour piece (see video below) features Dhillon and How I Met Your Mother actor Josh Radnor (who played Isaac). 

Akthar said that he wrote this play “for the global Muslim audience” (many of whom will never see it, given restrictions on freedom of speech) and the “typical (mostly white) theatergoing audience here in the U.S.”  Something important to keep in mind- the major influences for Disgraced were Othello and Death of A Salesman by Arthur Miller. 

Link to play website

The Who & The What (Round House Theatre – Bethesda: MAY 25 -JUNE 16)

“The Who & the What” (the title of Zarina’s novel)… explores intergenerational and interfaith conflicts with fluid eloquence and intelligence. Mr. Akhtar writes dialogue that, while often funny and always natural, crackles with ideas and continually reveals undercurrents of tension that ratchet up the emotional stakes.  -Charles Isherwood (NYT) re: 2014 Lincoln Center production

I read this play soon after Disgraced.  It focuses on an upper-class Pakistani-American family in Atlanta, which includes the father, a widower and religious Muslim- Afzal (who runs successful donut shops) and his two daughters- complicated and intellectual Zarina and the more simple and beautiful Mahwish.  Since his younger daughter is almost done w/ grad school and unofficially engaged to her  (father-approved, Pakistani-American) beau, Afzal is eager to find a husband for Zarina, who is around 30 at the start of the story.  (It may remind you a bit of The Taming of the Shrew.)  Like MANY people, Afzal turns to an online platform for Muslim singles; he meets a smart and caring man who is a white convert.  Eli, who grew up in Detroit with liberal parents and many Muslim friends, is the imam of a small and humble masjid.  Zarina decides to give Eli a chance, but her main focus is a book on the life and times of Prophet Muhammad.  The topic of this book is VERY controversial- it could jeopardize her closest relationships!

Link to play website

PWYC: WED, MAY 25 (7:30 PM) & SAT, MAY 28 (2 PM)

Related Videos

Ayad Akthar’s TED Talk

 

 

 

Deadwood: Introduction, Language, & Characters

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Introduction

Deadwood_S1_DVD_cover

Yale grad/recovering drug addict/ex-con- David Milch (Hill Street Blues; NYPD Blue)- created, wrote, and served as executive producer of Deadwood- a show about a place with no laws at all.  The story (w/ real historical characters and character composites) starts in 1876, when Deadwood is an illegal community, the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory having been ceded to the Sioux in the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty. The gold discovered by Custer during an 1874 expedition has drawn thousands to the area (for each 200 men, there is 1 woman).  However, this series has four very strong, yet unique, women in its cast. 

The show asks some big questions: How do people govern themselves, left to their own devices? How do institutions form? How does a social contract develop without any established laws?

Language

If you are easily offended by foul language, this is NOT the show for you (as w/ several other HBO dramas)!  But unlike in the modern world (where lower classes aren’t given many words to vocalize their thoughts, esp. in mainstream media), Milch wanted the opposite for characters in Deadwood.  As a result, you hear a LOT of profanity and vulgarity, BUT w/ an unique almost-Shakespearean formulation.  Characters even have monologues at times!  It does take 2-3 eps to get used to this type of language, though if you LOVE words (like me), then check it out.  Deadwood is the thinking person’s Western- quite different from the classic, straight-forward Westerns of our parents’ and grandparents’ generation.  

Main Characters (Beginning of Season 1)

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Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant): A former Montana sheriff (grew up in Ontario, Canada); seeks his fortune by setting up a hardware store w/ his business partner/friend, Sol; a man of few words; doesn’t want to go back to the life of a lawman; works hard to control his hot temper.

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Deadwood (Season 1): Timothy Olyphant and John Hawkes at The Gem

Sol Star (John Hawkes):  A first generation American (born in Vienna, Austria and raised in Ohio); Jewish; has a background in business (unlike Seth); laid-back and congenial (also unlike Seth).

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Al Swearengen (Ian McShane): The owner of The Gem Saloon (yet so much more); brutal; evil (perhaps?); cunning; has a complicated relationship w/ one of his prostitutes, Trixie; of English heritage (unlike the historical figure, thanks to the actor’s slight accent); considered one of the most compelling/multi-faceted villains in TV history (comparable to Shakespeare’s villains).

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E.B. Farnum (William Sanderson): The owner/manager of the town’s hotel; a composite of different historical figures; reminiscent of someone from Dickens (sniveling, conniving behind the scenes, and wearing a moth-eaten suit).

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Brom Garret (Timothy Omundson): An upper-class “dude” (newbie to this environment) from NYC who is staying in the hotel w/ his wife, Alma; was curious to find out about the Wild West; bought a gold claim in Deadwood.

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Alma Garret (Molly Parker): Brom’s wife; most likely the only respectable woman in the camp; takes laudanum; charming (having lived in high society); smarter than she appears at first glance.

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Trixie (Paula Malcomson): One of the pros working for Al (though she is on a higher status than the other girls, having shared Al’s bed and some of his secrets); a mix of vulnerability and strength; she has depth and secrets, too- slowly revealed over time.

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DEADWOOD: Brad Dourif photo: Doug Hyun/HBO

Doc Cochran (Brad Dourif): A doctor who was in the Civil Way (Union side, notice his uniform in some scenes); intense; raspy voiced; knows that he is not the “hero” type; one of my fave characters (so far) on the show.

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Wild Bill Hickok (Keith Carradine): Based on a real celeb of that time period; very good w/ a gun; forms a friendship w/ Seth; loves to gamble (poker); seems tired and disillusioned w/ life.

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Calamity Jane (Robin Wiegert): She travels w/ Wild Bill; can curse and drink (like a man); has had a hard childhood (like many others in this show); her character is slowly revealed as a caring person over time; one of my faves, too.

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Reverend H. W. Smith (Ray McKinnon): Works as a security guard for Seth and Sol’s hardware tent (when they first come to camp); becomes friends w/ them; carries his Bible  everywhere (having “heard the word of God” several years ago); performs funerals; works two jobs to bring his family from the Midwest.

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A.W. Merrick (Jeffrey Jones): Tall, burly, and very verbose (being the only journalist in town); quite proud of his humble paper; likes company and generally being in the know.

…even with such a large ensemble, each character is incredibly layered, and painfully, complexly human: the noblest individuals have moments of selfishness and rage, and the most contemptible figures have instances of vulnerability and grace. There are no stock characters…  -The Unaffiated Critic