A Quiet, Lazy, Rain-filled Day

[ceebeegee]

I stayed up kinda late last night and didn't get called in to work today. Slept late, meant to try to go to church, didn't make it. Did a bunch of little things around the apartment like hand-washing lingerie and watering plants. Tonight I'm going to send out the second batch of postcards to CDs and agents, letting them know about Trojan Women.

Speaking of which, Lettie Ferrer came to see the show Sunday night. I said hello to her before the show but forgot completely that she was there afterward so never got to hear what she thought. But she sent me an email this morning, basically saying I'd done a good job on a very difficult play. But she said she thought the heels were too anachronistic. And then apologized if I felt she was out of line. I've been iffy on the heels myself, although I didn't think they were that anachronistic--it's a little difficult to act in such high heels. But I want some height--I will admit I'm a little self-conscious playing Helen when I'm so small, and I worry that a review is going to comment on that. Although clearly what I should worry about is a reviewer not connecting at all with what I'm doing. That depresses me--I really don't see Helen as that unsympathetic, and honestly thought I was telling her story. And, sorry to say, I do not agree with his take on Julie's performance (or, needless to say, Nora's).

Ah well. At least Tom and Tracy got good notices. Good for them.

Comments

[foulpost.livejournal.com]

His review doesn't seem to say anything at all about your performance as Helen, rather he just gives some expos about the character of Helen. I agree with everything else he said except for his commendation of Nora who I just don't think was all that believable or connected.

I thought your performance was excellent. Not to mention I couldn't take my eyes off you. Please do more roles where we get to see your belly.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

I just feel I wasn't doing my job if he thinks Helen is that worthless, and Hecuba that much more convincing, especially when she STILL doesn't know her lines. I mean, Hecuba "prevents Helen from rewriting history"? Hello? Everything I say is the absolute truth (as the Trojans and Greeks believed it, that is). Helen really was Aphrodite's prize for the Judgement of Paris. And even Hecuba concedes that I did try to escape. And the "vain and shallow" thing just escapes me--every critic of The Trojan Women (the play) I've ever read talks about how eloquent Helen's defense is. And when you've been the prize of Aphrodite, I think it's acceptable (and not vain) to refer to yourself as "lovely."

*Sniff.* Thank you. I will tell Julie from now on, all her shows have to show my belly somehow. Even if it's Agnes of God.

[dje2004.livejournal.com]

Don't be discouraged. Helen has always been a pretty ambiguous figure - there's always been some question about whether she went with Paris willingly or not, and whose "side" she was really on. Even her defense in the play is kind of sketchy. Instead of just saying "I was forced," she says "you left me all alone," which, to me, feels like she's saying "it's your fault that I left you." Anyway, the point is that I think no matter how sympathetically you play the part, you can only do so much, because she's meant to be ambiguous. What's more, because she's ambiguous, everyone is going to see her differently. I don't think it's that you played her unsympathetically so much as it is that some people just won't see the character in a sympathetic light.

Having thought about it though, I will say that I thought that your Helen came off as more sympathetic than Hecuba, who I didn't really feel much sympathy for. It's not that I felt that Hecuba was deserving of her misery, so much as I just wasn't all that moved by her plight. I think that may have something to do with Nora's performance. In contrast, I did feel some sympathy for Helen, even though I wasn't necessarily convinced that she deserved it.

I too, say yes to more belly.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

she says "you left me all alone,"

I try to play that as "you know how much I hate being alone with your men in the house--they don't leave me alone." I really tried to imbue my performance with a sense of her backstory, of how difficult her life has been in some ways (kidnapped/raped by Theseus, constantly stared at and commented on, literally a prize for Paris).

The people have spoken. More belly it is.

[dje2004.livejournal.com]

Helen was kidnapped and raped by Theseus? Huh. I don't remember that, or maybe I never knew that. I thought I knew all the myths about Theseus too. Then again, I've forgotten a lot of that stuff.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

Yes, he took her virginity (I think he kidnapped her around age 12 and held onto her for a couple of years). He'd made a bet with some other guy--they both wanted to have sex with a daughter of Zeus. I think she might've had a kid by Theseus, too.

[dje2004.livejournal.com]

Well, there you go. Theseus was my favorite of the Greek heroes too. Then again, it's pretty hard to find a Greek hero who wasn't also a scumbag at some point.