Girls, I Just Love Saturn Queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                      As one queen to another, isn't she fascinating darlings?????????????

                                                     Saturn Queen is from the moon of Titan around Saturn.  She is the arch enemy of Imra Ardeen (Saturn Girl) and a choice member of the Legion Of Super Villains during the DC Silver Age of Comics.  I mean, just look at that costume.  You don't see artwork like this anymore, dolls.

                                                         Like her arch enemy, her powers are super telepathic.

                                                         There was also someone called Saturn Woman, who had Allison Hayes like hair, and the thinnest waistline; the kind all us girls would like to have.  She was from the Silver Age, too.  I don't think she was a villain, but I am not sure how she fit into the scheme of things.

                                                              But villain or not, Saturn Queen's hair and costume are just fabulous!

                                                                They may give some aspiring fashion designers some ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Happy Birthday Today To Jake Gyllenhaal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       With that perfectly wavy hair, those dazzling eyes, and that charming smile, Jake Gyllenhaal looks good at 44.  I think he will look good at any age.  Don't you agree, girls?  How many of us looked that good at 44???????????

                                          Jake is a charmer and a consummate actor.  He will be playing Iago to Denzel Washington's Othello in the coming year, on Broadway.  And those are two heavyweight roles.

                                           Which is why Jake is such a consummate actor.  He does musical theater marvelously, what with "Little Shop Of Horrors," and "Sunday In The Park With George."  The great thing about Jake is he takes risks, and does not allow his good looks to get in the way of what challenging role he may be taking on.

                                                So, a Happy Birthday to Jake Gyllenhaal.

                                                 Don't you just want to sigh, girls??????????????

It Opens Tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And We Shall See!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        The word on the street, girls, is that Chowsie, the dog, steals the show.  And let us hope our good friend, Caroline, the cow is on hand.

                         As for Audra, well, she sounds like she is trying, but that is not good enough.  I heard she is singing most of the score through her head voice.  I mean, come on!  This score is tough enough, without having to resort to tricks, and if she does that throughout, I worry about her voice holding up. They better get it right, by January 26. when I, The Raving Queen, visit the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          Still, there is a good omen in the air.  This production is relighting the renovated Majestic Theatrre.  And just 67 years ago, you know what opened there?  "The Music Man" with Robert Preston and Barbara Cook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             So, maybe this "Gypsy" has a chance!

                               I cannot wait to see the reviews tomorrow, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, I Just LOVE The Benedictine Nuns At Mary, Queen Of The Apostles, Near Kansas City, MO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               These nuns are the REAL thing, girls.  They wear habits that fully cover their heads, their hemlines are to the floor, they till the soil, raise animals, and, except when speaking to God, take a vow of silence.  And I bet their bodies are pain wracked from stone floors!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 But there is something they do beautifully.  They sing.  Yesterday, I heard them sing a bunch of traditional Christmas carols, and I was moved and impressed by the beauty of it all.

                                 I mean, girls, what are the odds of assembling a group of people, let alone nuns, who sing so well?  You would have to be a casting director for a production of "The Sound Of Music" to achieve this.

                                  Which makes me wonder, especially with all the nuns out there if, to get into this order, one has to audition?  It would not surprise me, and I am telling you, I am ready to don the habit, and sing.

                                    Except, what the hell would David and I do, in Kansas City, MO???????????

                                     These sisters are the real thing.  Sister Camille would love them, and so do I!

                                     Here they are, singing the Christmas classic, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."

                                    Simply divine, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guess What, Girls?????????????????? It Is Book Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Compare And Contrast These Selections!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   I always start with "The New York Times," which I used to think was the book list of record.  I focus on their five fiction selections, since I mostly read and study fiction.  Though, as I grow older, and hopefully wiser, I think of it less as of record, than just another list, if not still the prestigious one.

                                     I have read four of the five Times fiction selections.  So, let's start.

                                                                            

      1.  "All Fours," by Miranda July-- Are you kidding??????????  This was a yawn of a read about --yet again--an unfulfilled suburban woman who wants to go someplace else yet ends up in a seedy hotel only half an hour from where she lives, where she has an affair with some hot guy.  Ho hum.  Hasn't this been done before?  And its graphic depictions of female actions--like inserting a tampon--does not add to the supposed literary quality Miranda July thinks she has.  The best thing I can say about "All Fours" is if I had to make a Worst list, this would not even make that. 

                                                                                 

             2.  "Good Material," by Dolly Alderton--I had heard about this one, and the cover is arresting.  Reading it, I found it to be interesting in ways I never expected.  Purporting to be about a breakup from the male viewpoint, it almost veers into "Fatal Attraction" territory, yet smartly stops just short of it.  And the female viewpoint is given too, though maybe on the basis of one percent.  But what drew me in was the protagonist is someone who is trying to make it in the world of standup comedy, and I found the depiction of that world the novel's most interesting aspect.  I intend to give this book to a friend, who is himself an actor and a comic, and his son--whom I thought of throughout--did try to make it in the comedic world.  It would not have made my list, but I really can't fault it, and it is an enjoyable read.

                                            3.  "James," by Percival Everett--Oh, come on now, really?  Critics have been going ape shit over this redo of "Huckleberry Finn," and I really don't get it.  The big reveal is absolutely preposterous and violates every tenet of Twain's work.  The sad thing is Everett is a good writer.  Thanks to this book, and the 2023 film "American Fiction," this will lead readers to discover Everett's superior novel, "Erasure."  That is a work of literary skill, and I feel this author is being honored for the wrong book.  Though I did not care for "James," "Erasure" makes me wonder where he will go from here.

                                                                               

                                         4.  "Martyr," by Kaveh Akbar--Known for his poetry, this is Akbar's first novel, and one I was not expecting to like, but loved.  The story of Cyrus Sham, his boring job, life in the bland Midwest, and loves and losses is compelling, asking the question if we are, in our own ways, all martyrs of a sort.  I am not surprised this made the list; the shocker is it is amazingly good.

                                                                              

                                         5.  "You Dreamed Of Empires," by Alvaro Enrigue--This is the one novel I have not read, but it has exciting potential--beautiful prose, a medieval Mexican setting, and plenty of bloodshed.  My local bookstore was supposed to have ordered it for me and have it by December 7; they never called, so what can I say?  When I finish what I am currently reading, this will be next, if I can get my hands on it.  I have to see what all the fuss is about--and if it is deserved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Here is "The New York Times'" list of fiction.  Now, let us look at mine for comparison and contrast.

                                                                              

                                               OK, girls, let's get REAL with MY book list.

                                               "The Raving Queen's" Five Best Fiction Works Of 2024

                                                                                   

                                     1.  "This Strange Eventful History," by Claire Messud--Oh, my God, girls, remember "The Emperor's Children?"  Well, her latest novel is its equal--a generational saga of an Algerian French family and their triumphs and travails from across the pond to America.  As I read it, something told me I had found The Book Of The Year, and it turned out I was right.  This is the one, dolls, make sure you don't miss out on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                              

                                        2.  "Long Island Compromise," by Taffy Brodesser-Akner-- This was another surprise.  When I picked it up and realized it was by the author of Fleishman Is In Trouble," which I disliked, I thought I was in for it.  This author scores with her second novel, which is kind of a Long Island "Buddenbrooks," the rise and fall of a Long Island family, spiced with regional dialogue and humor.  Being a New Yorker and having spent some time on Long Island--Once I wanted to live in Great Neck, darlings!!!!!!!-- I can say she gets it all right.  It takes a lot to make me laugh; books more so than movies and this one had me laughing.  Give it a chance, girls, you will be thoroughly enthralled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                          

  

3.  "Martyr," by Kaveh Akbar--An unexpected gem, and the ONLY book "The Times" and I agree on.  Which does not make it wrong or right, just that it makes for great reading.  See my comments above under "The New York Times'" list.

                                                                               

                       

                           4.  "Lucky," by Jane Smiley--Darlings, is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?  From "A Thousand Acres," to her family saga, "The Last Hundred Years Trilogy," this woman never ceases to amaze me with the richness of her prose, characterization and insight.  And now she has done it again with "Lucky," following a Stevie Nicks type singer trying to make it in the world of rock music.  Not only does she get that world right, for Baby Boomers, she references every youthful influence of that generation--Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, and others.  I was captivated by "Lucky," and as the title suggests, anyone who chooses to read it will be, too.

                                                                     

                                       5.  "Horror Movie," by Paul Tremblay--I think this is the first time I have had a book from the horror genre on my list.  But this one was just too unique and outstanding; it earned its place.  Though it does recall Marisha Pessl's earlier "Night Film," its premise is daring, and its structure is unique.  I don't think it was a coincidence that Tremblay published this during the 25th anniversary of the film "The Blair Witch Project" which set the gold standard for "Found Footage Films."   The novel's title refers to a film a group of students were making around 1993.  Only one filmmaker on that project survived, and he is being coerced by Hollywood into participating in a commercial remake of the film, of which only three scenes actually exist.  Along with all this, Tremblay includes portions of the screenplay, so one gets an idea of the true nature of the project. The big surprise is truly shocking, and I gasped when I read it.  I am not sure I will read Tremblay again, but this novel caught my attention in a way few novels of this genre do anymore.  It is too good to miss.  Read it.

                                       So, that is MY list versus "The New York Times."  See which you dislike or prefer, darlings; we all agree to disagree.  Meanwhile, happy reading.  I am going to focus more on Audra and "Gypsy," and me playing the role of Sylvia Fowler in "The Women."   Bet I nail it as good as Roz Russell.  Better than Annette Bening, I can tell you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        Have yourselves a bookish holiday, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                      

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                             

                                                                          

                                           

                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                      

Oh, And I Also Saw "& Juliet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                             This show was never on my radar, darlings, but when opportunity comes, I grab it.  This was never on my birthday agenda, but I had to confess to a curiosity about it, and it is, after all, a musical.  How bad could it be?

                                                Pretty bad, and I will get to that.  But, to think back that I once wanted, as a career to be a theater/film critic.  After the taste of it I had during my birthday week, all I can say is I would have had an exhausting life.  And the professionals have to sit through crap far worse than what I saw, so I take my hats off to all of them.

                                                  As to "& Juliet."  This also came to Broadway by way of London. I used to think--foolish me--that London theater was more highbrow than American (although it used to be) and that for something to be brought over here, it had to be exceptional.  The best example was the recent Broadway iteration of Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along."  As opposed to this season with "The Hills Of California," "Tammy Faye," and now "& Juliet."

                                                     Let me explain.  I know pop music, but not the era this show uses.  Though there were melodies I recognized, the score did nothing for me.  I mean, I know who Taylor Swift is, I have heard her sing, yet I cannot name a single song.  But then, dolls, I know who Pola Negri was, and how many people can say that?

                                                         Knowing Pola Negri won't help with "& Juliet."  It is loud, colorful, and the female costumes reminded me of "SIX," which I thought was a better musical, since it had an original score.  Also, it had structure, something this show lacks.  Sure, its premise is what if Juliet had not died, and it might have been fine, had they just stuck to that.  But then bringing in Shakespeare, portraying him as a sexist husband, and his wife Anne Hathaway (the name gets a laugh every time it is said; I wonder if the actress has seen this show) as an unfulfilled, unrecognized talent, and then resurrecting Romeo, who comes off as such a doofus are just too many plot threads for one musical, and, frankly, who cares?  It's not like Shakespeare has never been a source for musical theater, often resulting in some of the best works of the genre--"The Boys From Syracuse," "Kiss Me, Kate," "West Side Story," even "A Little Night Music."   But these had original scores, not a hodge podge of songs the creators happened to like and then fashion a musical based on them.  A musical starts with a book, and this book is overwritten and contrived.

                                                           Sure, the performers are talented, energetic, with Luke Shepard's direction and Jennifer Weber's choreography moving things along, if only in a generic routine manner. Oh, and if one suffers from motion sickness or epilepsy, Howard Hudson's lighting design is sure to drive one crazy!

                                                              Still, I did learn one life lesson from "& Juliet."  One way of solving life's problems is to stick the problem person in a convent.

                                                                 Were I not married to David, I might have been taking my vows right now, if not proselytizing on the floor before the cross of Christ, in the shape of that cross. And on a stone floor!!!!!!!!!!!  Like Gladys Cooper!

                                                                    But really, who wants to join a convent, except that run by the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence?

                                                                    I am telling you, girls, skip this show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Birthday Chronicles Came To An End On Saturday November 23, With The Opportunity To See "Tammy Faye--A New Broadway Musical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

                                        Well, not for long, darlings, because the show is closing this afternoon.

                                       You know, girls, flops can be interesting.  Some are unrecognized classics, like "Henry, Sweet Henry," "Merrily We Roll Along," and "RAGS."  Others are just plain boring, like "A Doll's Life," even though it may have Harold Prince's direction.

                                         But then, there is "Tammy Faye."

                                         Interestingly enough, because of traffic, we were late for the show, arriving a half hour in.  You know, it did not make a damn bit of difference; in fact, had we missed the entire first act, it still would not have mattered

                                           No one really wants to watch a train wreck but watching a musical fall apart before one's eyes can be fascinating, especially to Theater Queens.  This.was the show's only virtue.

                                            Elton John may be a renowned songwriter, but he strikes out here.  Only one number, "If You Came To See Me Cry," sung with great passion by Katie Brayben, who plays Tammy, demonstrates what the show could have been, but it is too little, too late.  I felt really sorry for Miss Brayben, who was brought over here from London on a tidal wave of awards. She was probably sold a bill of goods that this show would do for her what "Evita" had done for Patti LuPone.  I could tell by all the lavishness of the sets and costumes, and opening the Palace Theatre after years, that this was exactly what the producers had in mind.  Except they had no score to back it up.  So, I have no idea what Brayben's future will be after this musical.  I am not worried about Christian Borle and Michael Cerveris, who are Broadway favorites and will soon find other gigs, which will soon make them forget about this one.  Rupert Goold, who directed Rene Zellweger in the film "Judy" fails again with another biographical product.  This show makes Tammy Faye into a saint, and she wasn't.  "Evita" had the guts to show the flaws of its titular character, but this show sanitizes and glosses over all the terrible things the Bakers did, so when the fall deservedly comes, those who don't remember this moment in history may be confused.  Like the recent news story about the cake for Eric Adams falling apart, this show does right before its audience's eyes.

                                            Yet it is not boring, because the astute theatergoer will keep analytically wondering what went wrong, or what could have been done to make this show better.  It had the talent, it had the drive, but there is no fire to this show, and Brayben, who does not even look like Tammy Faye hasn't the spark or charismatic presence that the real Tammy had.  Imagine a "Gypsy" with a bad Momma Rose.  Well, we got that with Bernadette Peters, back in 2003.  The results are the same here, except "Gypsy" still retained its great score.

                                               I feel sorry for those involved who worked so hard on this show.  I really do.

                                                Christian Evangelism, on television, whether you agree with it or not, does have a kind of theatrical magic.  That is what is sorely missing here.  Perhaps the show needed some evangelical consultants, because the show does not get it right.

                                                   The real thing knows how to hide the smoke and mirrors.  This show does not, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   After today, it will be forgotten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!