"On, Then, With The Dance, No Backward Glance, Or My Heart Will Break! Never Look Back, Never Look Back.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              Say the title "Follies," and Theater Queens will come running, like cockroaches out of the woodwork.  This current concert version, on June 20--one night only!!!!!!--will be the first in 39 years.  I was at that one, back in 1985, and what a cast--Lee Remick, Barbara Cook, George Hearn, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Burnett, Elaine Stritch, Phyllis Newman and Erie Mills.

                                                 Now compare that with the cast assembled here.  Thirty-three people, but how will the songs be divided?  Who will sing what role?  It is anyone's guess, because while there are several top tier performers gathered--Julie Benko, Len Cariou, Carolee Carmello, Christine Ebersole, Jennifer Holliday, Norm Lewis and Donna Murphy--the rest are second and even third tier.  They could not come up with a better cast?  Here are some missing people who should be included.

                                                                            

                                Josh Groban--Duh?  Why not start from the top????????????

                                                                      

                               Jessie Mueller--The greatest female voice in today's musical theater, and she is not included?   Criminal!

                                                                           

                                     Jason Danieley--Who appeared with Jessie in the Philharmonic "Carousel," back in 2013, as the hottest Mister Snow on record!  He would be so great as Ben Stone.  I can just hear him singing "Too Many Mornings."

                                                                          

                               Celia Keenan-Bolger--Dorothy Collins, the original 1971 Sally, was 45 when she played the role.  Celia is 46 and would be just perfect.  Just imagine she and Jason together.  Musical theater magic!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                       

                         Renee Fleming--Who better to sing "One More Kiss?"  And how about with Julie Benko, as Young Heidi???????????????????

                                                                        

                          Tovah Feldshuh--She can sing, dance, and act.  A true triple threat.  She would be perfect as the lead in "Who's That Woman?"  It will probably be Jennifer Holliday, but can't Tovah be fit in here, somewhere?????????????????

                                                                         

                       Patti LuPone--Who better to sing "I'm Still Here??????????????"

                        And how about--

                                                                            

  

                             Judy Kuhn--With a score like this, a voice like Judy's is needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   Neva Small--A Musical Theater Legend for a Legendary Show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                      

                                 Ann Morrison--One of Sondheim's greatest alums, from the original 'Merrily.'

                                                                                 

                                    Lonny Price--Ditto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                 

                         Lindsay Mendez--Bring the whole 'Merrily' thing full circle to "Follies!!!!!!!!!"

 

                                                                              

                                  Audra McDonald--Girls, you cannot have a Sondheim event without her!

                                                                           

                              Kelli O'Hara--Hey, she knows her Sondheim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                             

                         Ruthie Ann Miles--Wouldn't her voice just break hearts on "One More Kiss?"  Or anything in the score Miss Miles wraps her voice around?????????????????

                                                                         

                                                                          

                                      And how about Donna McKechnie?????????  Come on, now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                          I am not necessarily saying eliminate the thirty-three assembled.  But adding these top tier performers would only bring more magic to the event.  A pity I never got into casting, because my choices are better than what is on the current roster.  As for its being sold out, well.  A friend of mine, a very wise sage, said that sooner or later it will be aired on PBS.  So I look forward to seeing how the group assembled approaches "Follies."  How much better it would have been with my cast.

                            Hey, how about a separate recording feature my cast?  One cannot never have too many recordings of "Follies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                                                                   

                                                                                     

                                                                        

                                                 

OK, The Drama League Nominations Have Been Announced! But Two Of Broadway's Most Gifted Were Not Singled Out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Really, girls, is this how awards season is going to play out?  The TONY Awards are going to be on June 16, and I want to see them go to the right people and productions.

                            To omit Daniel Radcliffe from his heartbreaking, aching performance in "Merrily We Roll Along--" his costars, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez were deservedly cited, and I could not be happier for them--is criminal.  Good as Groff is, Radcliffe shines in the role of Charley Kringas, at times becoming the emotional center of the show.

                              The same goes for the divine Celia Keenan-Bolger, who shines in Paula Vogel's "Mother Play."  I recently heard Paula wrote this part for Celia, and she was smart to do so, as no other actress, except possibly the young Julie Harris, could have done it justice.  Celia is an amazing actress, with dazzling technique, and I am telling you, if it was not for her, I would not have seen the play.

Omitting her is a sin.

                                I expect Radcliffe to win Best Featured Actor In A Musical for 'Merrily'.  He deserves it, and I may have a way of proving it.  As do Groff and Mendez.

                                 Celia already has a well-earned TONY, but I would not mind her winning another, especially as she is the glue that holds this play together.

                                    Why is talent passed over in favor of so much mediocrity????????????

                                    I am sorry, dears, I could not find the proof, but I tell you this--either go see 'Merrily' or listen to Radcliffe sing "Good Thing Going" on the cast recording. It will break your heart. And seeing him doing it onstage is even more heartbreaking.  This guy deserves a TONY!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     

A Beautiful, Poetic Debut Novel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       The author, Hisham Matar, is known as a poet, so I was not surprised how poetically flowing the prose was in this novel.  It started out being like "The Kite Runner," but minus the sentimentality of that earlier work.  Here we have two childhood friends who go their separate ways in adulthood.  One is a Libyan ex pat who goes to Cambridge to study English literature.  How many novels reference Samuel Richardson's "Clarissa?"  Even more, his experiences were the most interesting part of the novel.

                                          His friend stays behind and becomes a political activist, becoming more and more extremist as time goes by.  And as that extremity increases, so does the friendship fall apart.

                                          "My Friends" is a poetically insightful novel of how a once enduring friendship can just fall apart.  I applauded the Libyan ex pat; I would love to study English literature at Cambridge, myself.

                                            Even more I applaud Matar's lyrical writing.  To go from poetry to prose is not easy, but he seems to do it effortlessly.  I cannot wait for his next work.

                                              This is one not to miss, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Everything Was Beautiful At The Ballet"....NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                       Girls, I am telling you, if you thought "Black Swan" was extreme, "Abigail" goes it so further it is beyond belief.  Not that it is a good film; in simple terms it is about a group of highly despicable people who are deservedly gaslit.

                      The film begins with Abigail (supposed to be 12, but played by 15-year-old Alisha Weir, in a hilarious performance I wish Margaret O' Brien had had the chance to do back in the nineteen-forties) dancing by herself to an empty theater.  Very much like a shout out of 1977's "The Turning Point". I knew in advance she was a vampire, but I expected the entire story to take place within the world of ballet.

                      How wrong I was.  Because as Abigail leaves the theater, she is kidnapped by some group of amateur thugs who don't know each other but have orders to take her to a remote house outside the city.  That city happens to be Dublin, since the film was shot in Ireland.  And, yes, there are some nice location shots.

                       But the whole thing turns out to be some scheme concocted by Abigail and her father to acquire victims they can feed off of.  I did not care if any of them survived, so little character development is explored in the script, and I am not a prude, but I have to say the "f" word is used more times here than in David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross."  Only there it had a purpose.  

                         There is no purpose here except for Weir to steal the show by showing her fangs, and doing ballet pirouettes mixed with kung-fu moves.  Oh, that reminds me.  In the real world of dance, would a girl this young be doing pointe work?  Somehow, I don't think so.

                            Weir makes the film a campy delight; unfortunately, more screen time is devoted to her alleged captors, whom nobody cares about.

                                I have no doubt there will be a sequel.  "Abigail Goes To Juilliard?"  "Abigail Goes To ABT?"

                                 Stay tuned, and find out, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              

                                  

Girls, Join Us Tonight At 8PM, As "Svengoolie" Presents A REAL Gem--"The Wolf Man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                     This was actually a milestone film for Universal.  It was made to celebrate their tenth anniversary in the horror film field, beginning with "Dracula," back in 1931.

                     What a cast-- Lon Chaney, in what was to become his signature role, Evelyn Ankers, who went on to become the Queen Of Screamers in the 1940's, Bela Lugosi, Ralph Bellamy, Claude Rains, and the fabulous Maria Ouspenskaya, who steals the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        Girls, I am telling you, it is not to be missed.  Universal at its horror zenith, introducing a new kind of monster into the universe. Of course, "Werewolf Of London," with Henry Hull as a different looking creature, was made six years before, but I guess that film did not take.  And with Valerie Hobson, yet,  

                           This film was a hit, and the acting and the visuals make it apparent why.  Oh, the foggy mist... the anguish of Lugosi and Ouspenskaya, the terror of Evelyn Ankers--you have to see it, dears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Those not having seen it cannot afford to miss it.  If you have already, it is worth another look.

                                 It promises to be one of "Svengoolie's better evenings, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Gojira Travels, He Likes Only The Finest Accommodations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Author Note:  As long as the film title is mentioned, the star will be referred to as "Godzilla."  All other times, he will be called by his Japanese name, "Gojira."

                                  Gojira and Baby Gojira have been after me to write a post on "Godzilla Vs. Kong: The New Empire," which David and I went to see a week ago today.  The opening and closing shots are adorable, as Gojira likes to sleep in the Roman Coliseum, from which he is awakened from a slumber he would rather go back to, but has to help world peace, in dealing not only with Kong, a baby Kong, but a cameo by Mothra!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      It is key that Gojira and Mothra do not appear in the same scene.  I am pretty sure Gojira made that clear when he signed his contract to do this film, which, crudely put, he must have done for the money to help the Sisters Of Mercy, and needy children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       "Godzilla Vs. Kong: The New Empire" is all over the place, with actors like Rebecca Hall spouting verbal nonsense as if the movie had to be explained to audiences, who only came to see the creatures in the Monsterverse , particularly Gojira.  Who, I feel, gets too little screen time over the ape and his mini clone.  The latter is supposed to be sweet and cute but has a mean streak that does away with his good qualities.  Or maybe he is just in adolescence!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            As for Mothra, she has not aged well, and where are the two girls?  Even Mothra seems bored with the whole thing and makes a hasty retreat back to Infant Island!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            And Gojira?  He knows when he has had had enough.  The money is worth it, but not for him to do extra!  So, he goes back to the Roman Coliseum.  That is, until another crisis for world peace will awaken him, necessitating him to step in and help.

                                             Gojira gives the film his all.  Including turning blue and pink during his atomic breathing, which I believe is a measure of his anger.  The colors, I mean.

                                                 But enough is enough, and when he returns to his favorite accommodation, we cheer him on mightily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    Gojira, not only are you the best reason to see the movie, but you are also the only one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                      Just like Celia, in "Mother Play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                         

Celia Once Again Works Her Magic, In Paula Vogel's "Mother Play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                   When the divinity that is Celia Keenan-Bolger, enters from an audience curtain, ascends the stage to face out at the audience, stage right, at the start of "Mother Play," the American theater is instantly reclaimed!!!!!!!!!!  And when that throat catching voice, with its razor-sharp diction, begins to speak Vogel's dialogue, beauty and heartbreak are sure to follow.  And they do.

                                       What Celia brings to this play is invaluable and remarkable.  Invaluable because there isn't much else here, and remarkable, because, without her, the play would not be worth sitting through.

                                            But let me back up a minute.  Paula Vogel has assembled a sterling cast, including Jim Parsons and Jessica Lange, and gathered them all in a sort of "Glass Menagerie" update.

                                             There is nothing technically wrong with this.  I know Vogel had a hard life, and what she achieved is remarkable.  But, unlike some of her other works, the language is flat, and the poetry is missing.  I kept thinking of Tennessee Williams or William Inge during this, but the beauty of their writing is lacking here.

                                                 Celia, brilliantly, does her eternal child-woman thing, and no one does it better. Vogel was extremely lucky to get her.  And Jim Parsons, as brother Carl, amazingly keeps up with Celia's technique, going from child to man with ease and conviction.

                                                    Unfortunately, Jessica Lange, to me at least, demonstrates she is uncomfortable on the stage.  Oh, she knows her lines, and her projection is OK, but watching her act, one can see the wheels turning.  In a solo scene on stage, in a red robe, devoid of speech, she comes across as Amanda Wingfield and Blanche Du Bois.  Does she know what play she is in?  I am not sure.

                                                      That Celia and Jim can make the audience care so much speaks volumes about their performances, especially when both are off the stage.  Had "Mother Play" been done with a lesser cast, no one might have seen it at all.

                                                         I was disappointed Paula's writing did not live up to what has gone before.  But thanks to an extraordinary cast, especially Celia, theatrical magic is generated.

                                                           It is she for whom this play should be seen.  No one else!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Hayley Mills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      I look upon April as such a cruel month, because over my life I have lost a lot of people I cared about during this month.  But I overlook some of the good events in April.

                                        For instance, on April 4, "Follies" opened on Broadway, 53 years ago, at the Winter Garden Theatre.

                                         I recalled Hayley Mills' birthday as being in April, but I thought it was the ninth.  That it is today I am so happy to relate, as she is certainly worthy and more of a post on my blog.

                                            Today, Hayley Mills turns 78.  Can you believe it?  I should look so good when I reach that age.

                                              Let us all wish Hayley Mills a happy birthday, and all good wishes for the coming year.  Have a tea or a drink or two on all of us.

                                              And to commemorate this day, I will play the Hayley Mills song I used to dance to, and which always cheers me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Here is Hayley singing "Cobbler, Cobbler!!!!!!!!!!"  Happy Birthday, Hayley Mills, and enjoy this, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Francis Spufford Is The One Author Who Can Get Away With Being......Dystopian!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         If there is one word I hate, it is "dystopian," and as soon as I hear a novel being described as such, I turn away from it.  But not if the author is Francis Spufford.

                                          Spufford goes dystopian, but never lets up on character or narrative.  What he gives the reader here is a sort of Cormac McCarthy noir.   Set in a Mississippi town that resembles Harlem in the 20's, the world he creates is as believable as one can expect of plopping a section of Manhattan down into the heart of Mississippi.  Both a social critique and a murder mystery that had me stumped, "Cahokia Jazz" adds another notch to the author's gallery of quality fiction.

                                              And yet...it did not blow me away.  I kept going, but always wanted something more.  Maybe Spufford was reaching too high, for bars set by McCarthy and Colson Whitehead.

                                                 I want to see what he does next.  As good as his current novel was, it could have been better.

                                                  Tea at four, darlings???????????????

Girls, I Want To Tell You, This Film Was Such A Disappointment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             I know how much I have mentioned on here how I want to see "Curucu, Beast Of The Amazon."  I kept wishing "Svengoolie" would show it.  It has Beverly Garland in it, and the poster suggests something really terrifying.

                                Well, I saw the film finally a few weeks back.  To add insult to injury it was a black-and-white print.  But, after viewing the entire film, I can say the poster outdoes the movie.

                        Here is Curucu.  He is supposed to be a giant, walking parrot with claws, that kills people.  While color enhances him, this is the most ridiculous monster I have seen since Tabanga, in 1957's "From Hell It Came."  'Curucu' was made in 1956, so maybe the makers of "From Hell It Came" were influenced by it.  I don't know why, because, actually, "From Hell It Came" has a better story!

                          There is a big reveal, which I won't expose, that ruined the entire film for me.  But it had one thing going for it.

                                       Girls, you have got to see the scene where Beverly Garland is asleep in her tent, and awakens, staring straight into the face of Curucu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The scream is loud, but, honestly, her mouth is open so wide one can practically see her tonsils!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  As usual, Bev gives it all to whatever crap she appears in.  This brief moment elevates the entire film!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                       To think this was released in drive-ins, on a double bill with "The Mole People>"  That film should have been top billed, not 'Curucu.'  Ah, for the days of drive-ins, where one could watch trash films, get stoned on popcorn, soda, or stuff even stronger, to convince oneself  of seeing a masterpiece.  Such days of innocence, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Take it from me, girls!  Skip 'Curucu.'  It is an enormous disappointment!

                           No sequel for this one, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

What Would Scarlett Think???????????????????????

                             On Sunday, April 7, which marked the seventeenth anniversary of this blog, David and I went to celebrate another anniversary--the eighty-fifth anniversary of the release of "Gone With The Wind."  I can't quite recall the number of times I have viewed it, but I would guess somewhere in the forties.

                              As I stated previously, this film has the greatest wardrobe of all time.  But I came out of this particular viewing with some very specific questions, which I will try to answer.

                              What would Scarlett, were she here today, think of the South as it is?

                                Scarlett, I can tell you, is all about adaptability.  She had no use for fools who would not help themselves, nor did she suffer fools gladly.  She was one to move forward, and never look back, and that is why I think she would turn her back on today's South.  Marjorie Taylor Greene and that MAGA crowd go against everything Scarlett stood for.  A shrewd entrepreneur in her time, in ours she would glom on to social media, if it meant making a profit.  Scarlett, in her own way, might have become, and probably would, as successful as ANNA WINTOUR. Who by the way, called Scarlett "the most fashionable woman in literature."  Hail to you, ANNA!

                                 What would have happened, had Bonnie lived????????????

                                  Well, for a time, things might have improved with Scarlett and Rhett.  But children do grow up, and once Bonnie hit puberty, my guess is she would start showing some of her mother's good and bad traits.  Which would hurt Rhett to see, as he doted on her in childhood.  This might even drive a wedge between she and Rhett.  Though sad, it was probably inevitable that Bonnie died; by the time she reached young womanhood, Scarlett and Rhett would not have a child to live for.  Which would drive an emotional wedge between them now, and Rhett ultimately would have left Scarlett.

                                  What about Ashley???????????????????????????????

                                   After the war, Ashley was clearly a broken man.  Today it might be said he suffered from PTSD.  Melanie was his rock, and when he lost that, he lost everything.  But Scarlett promised Melanie she would look after Ashley, and his son, Beau, and if it is one thing Scarlett did, it was to keep her promises.  Beau would grow up with all the things Melanie would have wanted for him, thanks to Scarlett, and Ashley might, in time, mend, free of Scarlett's maddening infatuation, and start focusing on himself.   The world Ashley loved is gone forever, but Scarlett would slowly help him emerge into the world that is.

                                   And, in response, to the question most often asked--

                                  No, she never got Rhett back.  Two such strong personalities could not exist under one roof.  But all having gone before would allow Scarlett some time to think.  As she aged, she most likely mellowed, with Beau compensating for what she was unable to give Bonnie, and while still pursuing wealth with all the zeal and success of before, a sense of empathy and caring might emerge in her later years.

                                       To paraphrase Dickens, these are the shadows of what I see.  You are welcome to agree or disagree.

                                        Still, this story has one of the greatest narratives of all time, which makes one wonder about the characters, after the story has ended.

                                          "After all, tomorrow is another day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Cigarette Holder, She Kisses, Over Your Shoulder......................"

 

                                    And don't we all want to look like this, darlings?????????????????????

                                    Of course, were it I, I would opt for a Gene Tierney shoulder back flip, and my cigarette holder would contain something non-smokable.  But the effect is just dazzling, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Imagine walking into a room like this!

                                     Of course, cigarette holder girls do have questionable reputations.

                                     Here is where many hang out.

                                     That's right, girls! The "Satin Dolls" club in New Jersey.  Where they all are "out cattin'".  I may even know someone who works there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         If this be your choice, girls, have fun on the town!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today Is The Feast Day Of St. Bernadette!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        That's right, darlings!  Not Jennifer Jones, but the real thing--Bernadette Soubirous.

                                        Today is the day she died, at age 35, back in 1879.  When she was canonized a saint, on December 8, 1933 (The Feast Of The Immaculate Conception, no less!) here death date was established as her Feast day.

                                           However you choose to celebrate--watching the movie, visiting a church, or just reflecting on what Bernadette did for us, and how she suffered--recognize this special day in your hearts..

                                             St. Bernadette has inspired me for nearly 60 years, since first seeing the movie at age 13.  And she continues to inspire me.

                                               Happy Feast Day, St. Bernadette!  We who pray to you need your help!

I Want A LEGO Tara!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Now, I am sure it is possible to build a LEGO Tara, and while this sort of replicates it, is not exact in detail.  And a Liddle Kiddles version of Scarlett and Rhett in front?  Unacceptable!  Better two stand up paper dolls of Scarlett and Rhett!!!!!!!!!!  Only, which dress to choose for Scarlett?

                            I know Tara can be built to exactitude--and I do not mean size, I mean detail.  Here is what it should look like--

                       And with lots of white LEGOS, black or brownish trim for the roof and green shutters, and door and window paneling, I know it can be done.

                       Imagine owning your own personal Tara, darlings!  True, one could not live in it, but what a conversation piece it would make at parties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, I Simply Have To Do My Spring Shopping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           My clothes closet needs an overhaul, girls, and what better place to shop than Balenciaga on East 59th Street.  I need some new shirts, pants, maybe a jacket or two.  If you for a minute think I am going to let Blake Lively outdo me, you are wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            And after I am finished here, I shall go to a custom-made place and have some of my favorite Schiaparelli dresses made, especially anything in red.

                             Spring is here, and time for a wardrobe sprucing.

                               Because once those May flowers have sprung, I have GOT to be seen.

Girls, Join Us, Tonight At 8, As "Svengoolie" Presents "Island Of Terror!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                           I have vaguely heard of this film but have never seen it.  Since it stars Peter Cushing, I presume it is a Hammer film, made in 1966.  The highlight of this film, from what I have seen will be the creature or creatures featured.  It looks like a cross between the Crawling Eye, and those globular blobs with strawberry jam inside, from "Fiend Without A Face."  Wait till you see one.

                               After last week's "The Time Travelers," almost anything would be an improvement. Though it had some strong visuals.  And such foreshadowing--"The Time Tunnel," and "Lost In Space."

                               But no Billy Mumy, and especially Angela Cartwright!  Not to mention June Lockhart.

                                I think we will be OK with this one, darlings.  It could be a hoot!

                            Just take a look at this, girls!  It should be a barrel of laughs!

                            See you tonight at eight, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today Is A Day For Celebrating, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                       Seventeen years ago today, girls, this blog was created.  Originally, it was going to have creative writing and short stories, but it evolved into a series of think or puff pieces on just about anything that came into my mind.

                         Covid affected some changes.  I stopped writing "Bitch Of The Week," and though I have returned to book reviews, I am ambivalent about them.  But maybe, the more I write...........

                             And true crime seems to have vanished in the wake of fashion and ANNA.  I think this is due to Covid, because, in the wake of it, I want to offer humor and hope, rather than morbid depictions of parents murdering their child.  There already is too much of that in the world.

                            It is my pleasure and privilege to have been doing this for seventeen years, bringing some humor and hope to you.  My wish for all of us is another seventeen years.

                               Because I will be right there recording it, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Happy Anniversary, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Ibsen's Ghost" Is Hilariously Entertaining, But Leaves One Wanting More!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                When David or I see the name Charles Busch listed as presenting one of his plays, we run to it.  "Ibsen's Ghost" was no exception.  The play, which we saw last Sunday--Easter, can you imagine it, darlings??????????--turned out to be both more and less than what I expected.

                                   The cleverness of the title led me to expect a literal spoof of the Ibsen play, "Ghosts."  What one gets is the tale of Ibsen's widow who wants to cling to and benefit from her husband's fame.

                                       The set is so period, I was expecting an Ibsen play.  And when Busch comes on, like Tallulah Bankhead on crack, I kept thinking how interesting it would be for Busch to play Regina Giddens as written in a literal production of "The Little Foxes."

                                         Though the play ran two hours, with a 15-minute intermission, it seemed longer. Good as Busch was, he was helped enormously by Judy Kaye as a kind of Vera Charles type, and a scene stealing turn by Jen Cody, as handicapped maid, Gerta.  Carl Andress directed with his usual competent sure hand.

                                            Which is the problem.  The production is simply competent, not exceptional.  Is Busch losing his touch?  Because the idea has potential.  Or has he lost touch with what his audiences really want?????????????  Perhaps he should take a look at Cole Escola and "Oh, Mary!"  Now, there is some originality.

                                                 "Ibsen's Ghost" not only is not one of Busch's best., but it does also not reach the potential to which it seems to be aspiring.

                                                    Busch needs to return to the campiness of something like "The Divine Sister."

                                                      Theater Queens should see it, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The Coworker" Was Absorbing Enough To Make Me Want To Read More Frieda McFadden! But The Ending Was Unsatisfying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             After polishing off a Mammoth like "Shantaram," I like to ease my palate with a quick read thriller.  The title intrigued me; after all, we all have had coworker experiences, haven't we, darlings?????????????

                                               The first part of the book starts out with intrigue.  A spinster outsider named Dawn comes to work for a drug company.  Her coworker, Natalie, is the top salesperson--Dawn is the accountant--and Miss Popularity.  

                                                   But then Dawn goes missing, and Natalie finds she is being gaslit.  Why?  And by whom?

                                                   Darlings, in the second part, we learn it turns out to be a high school revenge story.  The revenge is rather justified, considering the reason for it, but when the book ends, neither Dawn nor Natalie gets justice.  In fact, there is no heroine at all, as both women, in their unique ways, turn out to be utterly despicable.

                                                       Will Natalie and Dawn return in another book?  I would love to see what each comes up with next!

                                                           McFadden does fuel the reader to go on, which is the best thing one can say about an author in this genre.

                                                               I just bought her newest book, "The Teacher."

                                                               I cannot wait to see how she skewers the American educational system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, You Simply Have To Read "Shantaram!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                     This was the book I used to participate in the March Of The Mammoths, where, during the year's third month, one is supposed to read a book with a length of eight hundred or more pages.  "Shantaram" clocks in at 933, and I would not sacrifice any of them.

                                       The novel first came out in 2003, and for years I have been telling myself I must read it.  Thanks to the owner of the Bay Ridge Bookstore, who picked this for my Mammoth book, I finally had the chance to read it.

                                          I did it in eighteen days, which is not bad, but since I began it on March 15, I did not finish till April 2.  Had I begun it on March first, I might have finished around the 19th.

                                          "Shantaram" starts out as a "Count Of Monte Cristo" type story, with a Britisher named Lin, a convict and heroin addict, escaping from an Australian prison.  He winds up in Bombay and has a series of thrilling adventures with a mysterious woman named Karla, my favorite character, Madame Zhou, (I pictured Gale Sondergaard right away!) and a brilliant depiction of the social upheaval after the murder of Indira Ghandi.  And this is just for starters.

                                                 It is epic historical fiction at its best, the kind not written any more, but sadly missed by me.   I was absorbed with "Shantaram," and readers on here will be, too.  Much of the book is fictionalized autobiography, so the author has lived quite a life.

                                                  Twelve years later, in 2015, Gregory David Roberts wrote a sequel to this novel, entitled "The Mountain Shadow."  It clocks in at nine hundred thirty- six pages.

                                                   Maybe that will be my March Mammoth for next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, Hons, "American Horror Story, Delicate, Part 2" Refutes Everything I Said About "Feud--Capote Vs. The Swans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                         From the sublime to crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        I really feel sorry for Emma Robets.  It is bad enough she has to work with Kim Kardashian, and cope with those child star dolls--is Summer Day, the name of her juvenile character, or the TV show? --but I wish she would return to her inner bitch.  I get the sense from her performance that she would like to, as well.

                            But there is hope, because, girls, I know Siobhan is the head of whatever is going on to sabotage Anna, (Emma) and when this comes to the fore, as it inevitably will, I think Emma will return for the moment to the bitch we all know and love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Kim is simply her transparent self.  But the one who steals the show is Chrissy Metz, as the Italian fat lady, who looks as if she has been zombified, and transferred to the AHS universe, from the set of Fellini's "8 1/2."  Saraghina, perhaps???????????

                             Really, it was all a waste of time.  I would love to see Anna's child past explored, and how she came to be, like Rosemary in a better story, selected for the role she is playing in this devil baby story.

                               If things do not improve, and I have no reason to expect they will, the AHS universe will come crashing down on Ryan Murphy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Good Riddance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!