The Numbers For 2014

For the second year in a row I went 365 days without a drink.

I went on two vacations, one to Richmond, VA the other to New York City.

I saw 72 movies in the theater.

Deep Schwa had 51 shows.

Prime had 49 shows.

The Night Shift had 20 shows.

The Hague had 3 shows and was cut.

We formed Sight Unseen and had 12 shows.

I read 37 books, my favorite of which was My Real Children by Jo Walton.

I wrote 46 poems and did 5 readings.

Tisher, Tim, and I released 10 episodes of Bubble Boys compromising season 2 completing the series.

Tim and I recorded the first season of a new podcast The Hindsight Hour yet to be released.

I conceived of and co-wrote a play, Contention, which will open in the new year.

I made 1 collage.

I made 1 mix tape.

I wrote 1 song.

I moved twice.

I went to 1 audition.

I rode my motorcycle for 7 glorious months.

I went to 0 concerts.

I went to 11 plays.

I went to 2 weddings.

I went to 0 funerals.

I had the love of a beautiful and supportive woman for the entire year.

'The Immigrant' A Reivew

The Immigrant is a period melodrama about a young polish woman's immigration to the US in 1921. Ewa(Cotillard) is way laid at Ellis Island when her sister is quarantined for influenza and she is threatened with deportation due to accusations of being a "loose woman". Bruno(Phoenix) theater producer and erstwhile pimp swoops in and saves Ewa and, through manipulation and persuasion, subsumes her into his employ.

Although beautifully filmed conveying the begone era in which it's set the narrative remains inert. The immigrant-pressed-into-prostitution story is cliche and lifeless despite the best efforts of Cotillard who brings all her considerable talents to bare without result. There are tragedies, injustices, magic, theater, brutality but all meaningless, we learn nothing, we go nowhere.

The two supporting males Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner are both horribly cast and ineptly directed. Renner is committed but simply out of his element, seeming cartoonish as an eyelinered tuxedoed stage magician, he may not be cut out for period he exudes modern. Phoenix puts little to no effort into his shambling, mumbling, half-hearted, vacate performance. He only stirs himself to actually act in the climactic final scene which is, to be far, excellent.

But despite, or maybe because of, the potency of the final scene and the corresponding breathtaking final shot The Immigrant is nothing but disappointment and wasted potential.

Don't See It.

Last Double Sunday

Andy got our team photo printed on this cool wood backing to hang up at iO. Matt took this picture, he was in town from Richmond and sat in with Schwa. Matt and I spent the day together catching up and talking shop which was great, the show unfortunately wasn't so great. I was a little disappointed that Matt didn't get to play a show where things were really clicking. The audience seemed to be a little reserved and we all had relatively low energy, it felt too much like work. Not a bad show but no where near the fluidity and fun we've been having the last two months.

After Schwa was the last Prime. We've been doing the show for almost two years at this point, started off as an idea Craig had, he just wanted to introduce a show as "two Scotts, two Nelsons, and a Uhlir". When it turned out to be really fun we kept doing it. Then both the Scotts got Second City gigs, we played with Brett for a while, had some sit ins, the Scotts came back, then we added Sabine. I always found the most satisfaction in the shows where we told some kind of story usually centered around a group of brothers, friends, co-workers, or some kind of sports team. Sometimes I was tired and our speed of play would lose me, sometimes I didn't like the shows that veered towards the absurd or the disconnected, but always I enjoyed playing with my friends, always I enjoyed the unique challenge of our particular style.

We had a great house and the show was super fun. It feels good to end it on a high note. It's nice to hang it up while were all feeling good, it's the right time. I'll miss the hour or so we talked and caught up before we hit the stage the most. Right now the plan is to get another slot at a better time but who knows. Whatever happens its been a good run.

'Listen Up Philip' A Review

Listen Up Philip is an exestential relationship drama about sophomore novelist Philip. The film centers mostly on narcissistic writer Philip(Jason Schwartzman) as his relationship with his photographer girlfriend Ashley(Elisabeth Moss) erodes and his friendship with his idol, fellow novelist, Ike(Jonathan Pryce) evolves. The film diverts at two points to follow Ashley and Ike before returning to Philip.

The acting from the three leads is superb. Schwartzman gives his most understated nuanced performance to date as this self-loathing yet contemptuous ego-maniac, finally cashing in on the promise he showed in his debut Rushmore, he walks a tightrope act, we don't like him but we care about him. Moss puts in an incredibly versatile emotional turn, in one instance a brief shot conveying a slue of thoughts and feelings. Pryce relegated to that guy who was in that thing for years finally has a role of substance he throws himself into. The supporting cast, including narrator Eric Bogosian, all work perfectly to create a palpable reality.

The narration, the changes in perspective, the flashbacks, and the burnt handheld Super 8 style of cinematography create a gritty immersive narrative which delves into the push and pull of relationships and the nature of the artist.

See It.

Memorization

Scene Breakdown

The first preview for Contention, the play I've been working on, is less than a week away. It's just Sarah and I in it so there's a lot of dialogue to memorize. I haven't had to commit a substantial script to memory since 2008 when I did Murder Center Stage in Rockford. Even then my role was supporting and I didn't have a ton of lines.

I use to pride my self on my recall. I could memorize scripts over night, recollect the specific details of a 30 minute improv show weeks after, could recite almost verbatim conversations with friends. At a certain point I think I reached full capacity and everything started to spill out. I couldn't hold on to details and minutia as long or as easily. Maybe it's simply a function of getting older.

That is all to say memorizing this script has been a real bear. Gratifying but work. Its been a struggle and I'm not totally comfortable or totally confident. The past couple months I've wanted to do something different, something outside my comfort zone, something with a little more risk. This certainly fits that description. I'm stressed and excited in equal parts.

Top 10 Chicago Shows of 2014

In the spirit of the end of the year and end of year lists, here are my top ten shows of the year.

Best Actor In Town. A playful and original sketch show with the conceit of competition for the title of best actor in town and an unidentified industry position. Both heartfelt and winking it struck the perfect balance of meta-theater and straight comedy.

Life Is Not A Show. An interactive performance outside the confines of a theater by Shar and Jeff where the audience followed Jeff from his apartment on a neighborhood excursion as he struggled with his love life. Totally fresh, totally unique, totally energizing.

Seance: An Exploration of the Metaphysical. A period set seance from Libby and Harrison. Immersive, novel, and truly frightening.

Holy Fuck Comedy Hour. The weekly experimental sketch showcase at The Annoyance. Each week the cast, with rotating guests, put up an evening of all new sketch material. From edgy to obvious, high brow to blue, over-complicated to un-prepared this weekly show offers courageous(if not always successful) comedy.

Spitballin' at Quenchers Saloon. A weekly variety show hosted by Thomas, Brunlieb, and Scott. Each week a new and varied line up of readings, solo performance, improv, sketch, stand-up, storytelling, poetry etc. open for the best improv group in Chicago- Sand.

Closing Night: A Fine Actor Says Farewell To A Theater. Scott's farewell show conceived for and a dedication to the closing of the Upstairs Gallery. Famous actor S. Charles Nelson returns to the theater that gave him his start to reprise some of his most beloved roles. The perfect balance of mocking theater while doing great theater.

Sand at Jangleheart. The best improv set I saw all year. Perverse, committed, character driven improvisation.

It's Christmas Goddammit! A dysfunctional, combative, judgmental family gets together for the holiday. All the familial ugliness we're all familiar with was on display and milked for laughs that come from that sweet spot of commiseration. There's enough resolution and message to convey the message of Christmas but with none of the typical cheese.

Slice Of Life. The tale of J-Ball Pizza Face written by Tisher and John starring, alternately, Scott and Brunlieb. A bizarre and absurd unfolding of a world where a man marries a pizza. Dark, funny, and surprisingly affecting.

Weird COPcept ALbum Video Release Party. One of the last shows at the Upstairs Gallery Shar and Malarky released the videos, in character, for their passion project a rap album by two cops with samples from Weird Al. A stronger sense of appreciation and celebration I haven't felt at a show.

Honorable Mentions: The Raven and The Messenger, Becker, Oklahoma!: The Life and Times of West Reems and Two Lights

Xmas 2014

It was a pretty low key Christmas in the Nelson house hold this year. Last year we hosted three of my college-age cousins and Tisher, this year it was just the nuclear family and the extended family didn't get together. We did have an early dinner with my Aunt Anne, grandma, and cousin Alyssa which was great but the whole clan wasn't in attendance. It was nice and relaxing. No rushing around, little stress, and almost no last minute wrapping.

At this point in my life I can, or try to, savor the holidays and the time spent with family. Everyone's lives are so busy and have so much going on it's good to slow down and appreciate each others company, to lounge around, chat, catch up, and watch movies. I woke up with a bit of a cold yesterday and have been trying to shake off the corresponding grumpiness. I realize I'm getting older because I can't just power through being sick the way I use to.

The past couple years I've had a bit more money in my pocket and more time on my hands so I've tried to be more generous and more deliberate in my gift giving. It's nice to splurge once a year on your loved ones, to try to let them know how much they mean to you by the thoughtfulness of a gift or two. I think this year was relatively successful and my families reactions to certain gifts always gives me ideas for others.

As the years go by it gets harder and harder to make a list or to give my family suggestions of what to get me. I have everything I want, my life as it is feels relatively complete, for the most part I am happy. I love my family deeply, we've been through a lot, small swells to raging storms, and come through intact. And on Christmas we come together and connect, despite small irritants, despite my stupid headcold- blood calls to blood.

'The Babadook' A Review

The Babadook is an Australian psychological horror movie about an overwhelmed widow and her troubled son. Amelia(Essie Davis) is the exhausted mother of Sam(Noah Wiseman) her aggressive monster obsessed child. The specter of Sam's father who died in a car accident the night he was born hangs over the both of them and the film as a whole. Because of Sam's pathological fear of monsters both he and Amelia suffer from insomnia. One night Sam chooses a book for Amelia to read that she doesn't recognize called "Mister Babadook" about a boogieman that haunts a house and threatens the boy that lives there. After reading the book a presence starts to infiltrate their lives.

The majority of the film Davis and Wiseman are the only ones onscreen. They both give incredible performances, Davis is emotional, subtle, vulnerable, and volatile. Wiseman goes places we rarely see children go on film- he is unlikable borderline disturbing. The relationship, though strained and clearly unhealthy, is effective, we know they love each other in their own distorted ways, we are drawn in.

The Babadook serves not only as a literal supernatural terror but also as a metaphor for Amelia's unresolved grief and her resentment towards her son. On it's own the sequences with the Babadook are frightening, with almost none of the gore or jump-out scares that dominate modern horror but with an eerie insect like score, slow deliberate suspense, and shadowy disturbing imagery. The psychological issues plaguing Amelia and Sam also create an impending sense of doom. The audience, like the characters, feel emotionally exhausted and smothered.

The film is beautifully and elegantly shot, the first horror film in resent memory to shoot a monster in a  truly real and visceral way. There is almost no music in the score it is all atonal insectine scratches, rasps and groans which utterly and completely pull us in. The technical elements of the film harmonize to make us feel as trapped and hopeless as Amelia is.

Easily the best horror movie of the 21st century, genuinely terrifying, not for the faint of heart.

See It.

Penultimate Prime

Here's a gif courtesy of Tim Lyons from our second to last Prime. I referenced The Babadook around one hundred times.

One final Prime, for a while at least, this Sunday the 28th at 1030pm at iO.

FOMO

what to do
decisions- rued

who is where
too much to bare

why/why not
which spot is hot

regret piles up
the present forgot.

Street Talk 21

Waiting at the bus stop

Old Dude: You know what? I saw a new dog breed today!
Me: Um...yeah?
OD: It was the dardenst thing. It was just the darndest thing. A Pomeranian and a, and a, guess...?
Me: Eh
OD: And a...HUSKIE! (laughs) You know Pomeranian is a small dog, I don't usually like those small dogs, always jumping around and talking. But the Huskie, it had those Huskie different colored eyes and that soft, thick, brown fur, just lovely. Called it a, called it a, guess...?
Me: Um
OD: A POMSKIE! (laughs) Can you believe it? Not an official breed yet...but maybe soon!
Me: Uh sure, yeah.
OD: This neighborhood its like everyone has a dog! Not a cat man me, like dogs but medium size ones, or big ones. You know there's a dog breed that can take care of children? Komondor, use them for childcare in Romania.
Me: Ok
OD: You know these big white fluffy dogs they don't like anyone getting too excitable, they PREVENT anyone from getting too excitable, kids never hurt themselves with them around, know what I mean?
Me: Sure
OD: Damn fine breed. Hmm, when's this bus coming I wonder.
Me: Hopefully soon.

College Friends

Caitlin is in town from LA for the holidays, Chloe and I met her at Pick Me Up or an early dinner. Caitlin is doing great in LA, working on her sitcom and enjoying the beautiful weather. Chloe and I are pursuing our respective passions with more directness and results than we have in previous years. All three of us are happily romantically involved to varying degrees of seriousness. It's been 12 years since we met freshman year of college.

I didn't have the most idyllic or happy college experience. I learned a lot, grew a lot, tried out a lot of things but it wasn't easy and it wasn't terribly fun. I made three real friends in college(Caitlin and Chloe being two of them) and I've stayed in touch with them all. The majority of my lasting memories from that time are with Caitlin and Chloe- parties they threw, seances we performed, bands we saw, making special trips Chicago to visit them, or just hanging out at their apartment chatting or watching movies.

We're not as close as we were then, our lives more complicated, our time more precious, our passions more and more divergent. But we're still connected, we never lost touch. Through various changes in occupation, geography, interest, and romantic partners we've held on to our friendship.

Maybe it's the holidays or I'm just feeling particularly sappy. Regardless, I couldn't feel more lucky to count two of the smartest, kindest, most creative women I know as friends. I'm grateful that the bond formed by three excitable, dramatic, adventurous teens has weathered the tests of time.

Graffiti 147

"Oppression that is clearly inexorable and invincible does not give rise to revolt but to submission." -Simone Weil

"The disappearance of a sense of responsibility is the most far-reaching consequence of submission to authority." -Stanley Milgram

"Many children are natural fantasists, I think, perhaps because their imaginations have yet to be clobbered into submission by experience." -David Mitchell

"I don't conquer, I submit." -Giacomo Casanova

'The Theory Of Everything' A Review

The Theory Of Everything is a romantic biopic about the lives of Jane and Stephen Hawking. The film opens on the night of their meeting at a party. Their courtship coincides not only with Stephen's Ph.D. thesis at Cambridge but also his diagnosis with Lou Gehrig's. As time passes Stephen wrestles with his work as a physicist and his worsening condition as Jane attempts to take care of him, their burgeoning family, and find some degree of normalcy and happiness.

The love story is relatively rote and Stephen's scientific theories(the reason he is famous and the story worth telling) are only briefly touched on, never really explained or explored. The leads give good performances however there doesn't appear to be much of a story to tell. They both struggle, they both sacrifice, they both find some measure of success and balance but it isn't enough. It hints at larger ideas of science, the universe, love, and commitment but never actually address them. The focus is spread so broadly many themes are touched on but none are developed.

The film feels too much like real life to be fairly described as cinema. Ultimately there is no message save perhaps- life is difficult.

No doubt the life and love of the Hawkings' is compelling however The Theory of Everything offers only sadness with little solace.

Don't See It.

MBSing

Monday I had the pleasure of being a guest on Mary Beth's podcast MBSing. We talked about movies, inspiration, writing, and I spoke about my love of poetry. I also read some of my favorite poems and a couple of my own. It was a real fun time, click below to listen.

MBSing with Steve Nelson- Poetry

The Tree

Nicole put the tree up a day or two after Thanksgiving. It seemed a bit overzealous to me because my family has always been very last-minute regarding every aspect of Christmas. But, as always, the tree always brightens up the house, brings on the giving spirit. We've each wrapped a couple gifts and they just look right under the tree.

The past couple months Nicole and I have been making our apartment home. It's been a gradual process, figuring out where everything goes, procuring different odds and ends, simply putting the live time in. Making it comfortable and ours.

The tree, the presents, and our first co-habitational Christmas made me realized how settled we've become in our apartment. How comfortable and easy and fulfilling it is. It may be the coming holiday but right now I'm sitting in a lot of gratitude for my beautiful and loving girlfriend and my life at large.

The Four Agreements

A counselor gave me a print out with this on it a couple years ago. I have a copy posted at work and in my bedroom. Good ideas to consider when you need some guidance or are frustrated. Especially during the holidays when everyone is busy and stress is prevalent.

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

1. Be Impeccable with your Word.

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the Word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your Word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally.

Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions.

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best.

 Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

Restraint

If you see something say something
may not apply
to friends.

Secrets, are often best kept
stories not-told
words unsaid.

Gossip can be acidic
I discovered
when relating seeing a fellow on a tandem bike.

She replied "I wish I did not know."
Shock hit me
like a gut-punch
and regret, the constant teacher, whispered:

Ignorance can mean contentment, consideration- silence.

It's A Wonderful Life

The annual It's A Wonderful Life viewing hosted by the Scotts was tonight. This year was the first time I attended, Nicole rushed over from a show and made it right before the movie started, it was truly wonderful.

Peter and Jo reserved half the theater, about 350 seats, and I knew about half those people. Lots of friends and acquaintances. It was a pretty vocal crowd which made the whole viewing a lot more energetic. I only talked to a couple people before and after but there was a very real and gratifying sense of sharing the experience with everyone. Of being there in the moment and celebrating and coming together.

It was only the second time I had seen the film, it still ends the same way.

Schwa In Wheaton

One of Jeff's old students opened an improv theater in Wheaton, West Side Improv, and asked Schwa to come do a set for opening night. Karisa picked Danny, Jeannie, and I up in the loop after work and we headed out to the suburbs. The traffic was pretty dreadful but it was nice to spend an hour in the car together telling stories, catching up, and gossiping. It's not something we usually have the time or opportunity to do so the car ride in and of itself was a real treat.

We met Brett and Jeff in downtown Wheaton and had a bite before the show. The theater is in a converted basement, pretty intimate, probably sat fifty or so reminded me a little of the old iO cabaret. The six of us walked in, it was a packed crowd, and got a certain amount of attention. It was cool and weird. We'll get some kind of recognition at iO but this was a little more focused, a little more energized. It felt like the expectations were pretty high, us being billed as the veteran Chicago team, a reputation Schwa has certainly earned.

We closed out the night and the show went great. The crowd was reacting a lot from the get go, seemed like they were really hungry for it, really wanting to laugh, seemed very fresh. The intimacy of the theater itself helped us to create a good energetic groove. The set was a little longer than we're use to but we didn't run out of steam, we hit a couple peaks and a couple valleys and ended on an upswing. Jeff and Jeannie have been gone the past two Sundays so it was nice to have them back for this fun one-off.

It was refreshing to get out of the city with the team, bond a little, and do a fun show for a very receptive audience. It's good every now and again to break your routine and do something different, adjust your perspective, shake things loose.

Old Habits 2

Yesterday I accidentally over slept and was late for work. No particular reason aside from snoozing my alarm one to many times and burning the candle at both ends a bit. It's the kind of thing I use to do when I was drinking- chronic tardiness.

It's odd how some of those old habits come creeping back. Even without the booze, the despair, the deceit I still have a problem with punctuality. An issue work places don't overlook. It's certainly no where near what it use to be but it's still a bit discouraging to have these unproductive old modes of operation that are still lingering.

There were no repercussions but my supervisor did reference this other guy who use to work at my company, this guy who I think had a drinking problem, he made a very loose comparison to this guy because he said he was a bit worried. This guy once didn't show up for a couple hours because he had been jumped the night before. Of course with me I was only delayed about fifteen minutes but the comparison kind of brought me up short.

I'm almost two and a half years sober at this point but I'm constantly reminded that its a process not a switch that gets flipped. I'm never going to be cured. Sobriety and a sober life is something you work at every day, one day at a time. There are successes and failures and you keep moving forward doing the best you can utilizing the tools you have and by reaching out to people.

I may never completely shake some of my more ingrained negative habits but I can now recognize them and take productive actions to try to rectify them. No one is perfect, we're all works in progress.

The Best Actor In Town

Tonight Nicole and I went to see The Best Actor In Town at The Annoyance, a sketch revue/murder mystery from Jo, Jeff, Brian, and Devin featuring Phil and Felske.

It was a great show. This and the Saturday holiday show It's Christmas Goddamnit! have been two of my favorite shows of the year.

The Best Actor In Town rides the fine line of mocking straight while simultaneously engaging in grounded committed performance. The sketches were great and playful, some melodramatic, some over-the-top gross, all wonderful. My favorite was this weird stylized dramatic family scene where they were playing with this unspoken, strict, formality which if anyone violated it they got slapped.

Jo, Jeff, Brian, and Devin played a variety of different types of characters, some of which I hadn't seen them do before. It was surprising and, for me at least, resonated so much. Brave, experimental, go-for-broke comedy that I found so engaging.

It's always fun to see talented friends perform, it's inspiring to watch creative people do something new and exciting, something ambitious and a bit dangerous. Really great work by some really great folks.

Graffiti 146

"There's no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap." -Kevin James

"I love pizza; you can't really go wrong with pizza." -Nick Jonas

"I think of dieting, then I eat pizza." -Lara Stone

"And I don't cook, either. Not as long as they still deliver pizza." -Tiger Woods

"Everybody likes pizza!" -Buddy Valastro

Failure

I read something at Quenchers tonight and it didn't go particularly well. It's the first time I've read one of my written pieces where it wasn't well received or I didn't feel good about it.

Afterward I kept replaying it in my head and attempting to diagnose the potential pitfalls.

-The piece itself wasn't strong. I could have edited more, refined it, focused it, been more clear about the ultimate point of it.
-The content wasn't palatable. I intentionally wrote something a bit gross, a bit naughty. Maybe it went too far and simply turned people off.
-It was a bad crowd. It was kind of raining and miserable tonight so not a ton of people showed up. Four people that did show up, friends of someone I assume, seemed not to be having it at all. Quenchers is an experimental evening with a specific feel, I don't know what these four folks were expecting but they were none too pleased with any performance that evening. Their sullen judgement was distracting and made me a bit anxious. I'm still mystified why they didn't just leave.
-I bailed on the piece. I could feel, or thought I felt it certainly could have been all in my own mind, the disinterest of the audience as I was reading. I started to get nervous and just started to speed through the thing, wanted to get it done. If I'm not invested of course the crowd wouldn't be.

Ultimately it doesn't matter. Performance, especially outside the context of repeated scripted territory, is ethereal. Why something goes well or doesn't go well, feels good or feels bad, is mostly unquantifiable.

I've been fortunate both with opportunities and with consistency. I don't have bad shows very often, most written piece I've performed have been received positively, met my expectations for them. When something doesn't go well it's more surprising and unsettling than it use to be because it's no longer the norm. But failure is an integral part of performing. It provides an opportunity for reflection and is a clear instigator of growth.

Tipping Point

Tonight we cancelled Prime for the first time due to lack of audience. We've been struggling to find a crowd since TJ & Dave starting performing at the same time a couple months back. Late Sunday night in general, especially given iO's new location, is tough.

Craig has been talking for a while about ending the run. With a consistently light crowd there's not much incentive, for Craig because it's time away from his wife, for the rest of us because it means starting each work week tired. It's great to see everyone each week, check in and hang out a bit but without a decent audience to entertain the weekly grind of it has seemed a bit hollow, a bit futile.

None of us are at the point any more where we're starving for stage time, we're at a pretty comfortable place where our time is relatively valuable and we can be a bit discerning how we relegate it. It's always a joy to get on stage and perform but I think we've all been a bit frustrated with our lack of traction when it comes to people coming to actually watch.

Craig gave us a ride home and made the call we would end the run at the end of the month. I, and I think Scott and Sabine too, felt some relief. End it before it gets to be a chore and we come to resent it, end it while the shows are still fun and quality. We talked about trying to get another slot at iO sometime in the future, something that might work better with our schedules and be more conducive to building an audience. It could work out, it could not. We'll see.

For now there's three more chances to see Prime. Sundays at iO 1030pm till 2015.

A Biting Wind

Cold creeps toward marrow
and frowns pull at cheeks.

Feet frost, fingers freeze,
bitter joints pop and creak.

The mind stutters, ambitions seize
Winter's teeth sink slow and deep.

'Antarctica: A Year On Ice' A Review

Antarctica: A Year On Ice is a documentary about life on Antarctica. Over the course of a year Anthony Powell uses time lapse photography and personal interviews to convey the feeling of that cold and remote continent.

The film is intriguing in that it delves into detail about the relatively unexplored subject however some of the mechanisms that are used are relatively distracting. The constant and unrelenting time lapse shots of nature are at first interesting but then quickly become unsatisfying. Powell presumably uses them to convey the energy of the Antarctic but when not a single shot is still it is almost impossible to take anything in. The desolate beauty of the landscape cannot be appreciated because it is always in constant motion, it is unclear what to look at, there is no focus, no pause in which to digest what he is trying to show us.

The score also seems out of place. Cliche triumphant orchestra crash in at times when we are meant to appreciate the majesty and solitude of nature. It seems as if Powell doesn't trust the images in and of themselves, he wields his intention like a club, the sickly sweet accompaniment pounds at us leaving no room for interpretation or subtlety.

The characters that inhabit the film are curious and engaging, the landscape beautiful, but discordant elements in post production leave the film simply serviceable. More appropriate for TLC or the Discovery Channel rather than the movie theater.

Rent It.

Releasing Pressure

Yesterday I was feeling a little off, cranky, out-of-sorts. Not for any particular reason, just tired and a bit worn out I suspect. Sitting at home after work I couldn't relax, I was restless, had some negative energy without a convient outlet.

I went to Thunderdome later in the evening and just going out and seeing folks was a bit of a relief. I was in the first group that played and that's when I really started to feel better. The set itself was good not great, very dark and blue. Most of my characters were mean and I brought up a lot of perverse subject matter(like the book Flowers In The Attic). After it was over I felt empty, I purged all the negativity I had been feeling.

In classes I had a couple teachers who would deride "improv as therapy" and I think there is certainly some substance to that. The goal is to have fun and make people laugh, you don't want someone unloading all their personal woes on an audience, it's inappropriate and seldom humorous. But you can use personal experience as inspiration. You can use it to relieve stress. When the pressure builds up take it to the stage.

Temptation 2

an offer

via text
in the morning-night

an old friend
solicitous
inferring illicit desire

the allure
of carnal play
with an unknown figure

the thought
then guilt
for mulling sensual betrayal

a man alone
accustomed to deceit
weights the price of a sickly sultry treat

Contention: A Love/Hate Story

Beanpole put this together for my upcoming play at The Annoyance. We have two previews January 2nd and 9th then an eight week run. It's still a ways away, they don't have the info up on the website yet, and we have a lot of work to do.

Very excited to keep working, hone this thing, and put it up. Coming soon!

The Hanging Tree

One of the highlights of Mockingjay Part 1 is Lawrence's acappella song which they use a couple different times. Reminds me a bit of the T Bone Burnett produced soundtracks for Cold Mountain and O' Brother Where Art Thou?