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------------------------------
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blakes7-d Digest Volume 00 : Issue 42
Today's Topics:
[B7L] Re: FC: Lysator hiccup
Re: [B7L] Fwd: Re:FC:Cukt TV
[B7L] Audience ratings
[B7L] More coverage
Re: [B7L] More coverage
[B7L] Grand Opening
Re: [B7L] Travis' Gear...
[B7L] adult archive trouble
[B7L] The Strangerers
[B7L] gallery
[B7L] prize purchase
[B7L] Re: FC: Grand Opening
[B7L] Avon's Leathers
Re: [B7L] The surrender
[B7L] The repeat
[B7L] Steven Pacey sighting
[B7L] Shakespeare meet 5/2/00
Re: Re: [B7L] The surrender
------------------------------
Date: 13 Feb 2000 22:58:32 +0100
From: Calle Dybedahl <calle@lysator.liu.se>
To: freedom-city@blakes-7.org, Lysator List <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Re: FC: Lysator hiccup
Message-ID: <86d7q0epdj.fsf@tezcatlipoca.algonet.se>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>>>>> "Robert" == Robert Baskerville <Robert@Baskerville.Net> writes:
> Calle writes (from a backup mail account!):
Actually, it's the account I always send from these days, only this
time I didn't masquerade it since I wanted replies to go back there.
> If someone's wondering why the Lysator mailing list is utterly silent,
> it's because they're moving everything over to a new disk server. It
> was supposed to be finished sometime yesterday, and they keep saying
> that they'll be ready "in a few hours". It'll be back eventually.
And "eventually" turned ut to be about half an hour after I sent
Robert that note. Of course.
In theory, anything sent to the list during the downtime should be
appearing during the next handful of hours. We'll see what happens
with that.
--
Calle Dybedahl, Vasav. 82, S-177 52 Jaerfaella,SWEDEN | calle@lysator.liu.se
This posting is protected by a Whizzo Brand Fnord Filter (TM).
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 07:28:34 -0000
From: "Jakx" <Jakx@takerkane.freeserve.co.uk>
To: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Fwd: Re:FC:Cukt TV
Message-ID: <003401bf752a$c6337300$3f5b883e@default>
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
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Pardon me, but which onelist? I`d like to read that letter. I belong to
other onelist groups, so I know the routine about joining etc.
Many thanks.
Jakx
----- Original Message -----
From: Carolan <carolan7@yahoo.com>
To: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Sent: 06 February 2000 15:19
Subject: [B7L] Fwd: Re:FC:Cukt TV
> Steve Rogerson said,
>
> "Though it's sad that Paul will no longer be at Cult
> TV, I can't help thinking about what the work
> committment is for late October that he knows about
> already. Could it be he's got the green light (ie the
> money) for the B7 film?"
>
> Cukt TV....is that Klingon TV, Steve <g>
> Sorry to disappoint you,it isn't the B7 film. Paul's
> Corporate Entertainment company has got a booking. His
> letter to Cult TV is on file at their Onelist and
> available to members, so nosey old me just had to
> look.
>
> Carolan
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
> http://im.yahoo.com
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 22:55:35 -0000
From: "Una McCormack" <una@q-research.connectfree.co.uk>
To: "lysator" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Cc: "Freedom City" <freedom-city@blakes-7.org>
Subject: [B7L] Audience ratings
Message-ID: <036701bf7675$727e3c30$0d01a8c0@hedge>
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By happy chance, this week is one of the weeks where I fill in those
audience appreciation forms for BARB, so I was able to make it clear that B7
was the high point of my week and how much of an effort I'd made to watch
it.
Una
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 22:59:38 -0000
From: "Una McCormack" <una@q-research.connectfree.co.uk>
To: "lysator" <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Cc: "Freedom City" <freedom-city@blakes-7.org>
Subject: [B7L] More coverage
Message-ID: <036f01bf7676$06a999e0$0d01a8c0@hedge>
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charset="iso-8859-1"
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A gentle stroll around the Internet this evening meant I found the rather
nice write up at the Radio Times website:
http://www.radiotimes.com/servlet/controller?action=programmeDetails&pid=285
2356&cid=14
For those of you who can't be arsed to go there:
"Did you just choke? Yes, Blake's 7 is back on terrestrial TV for the first
time in at least a decade. This opening episode is a bit tough going but has
much more substance than your average science fiction show and you need to
see this to really enjoy the rest of the run. Poor sets, dreadful effects,
but such great characters, superb stories and dialogue that will make you
applaud, Blake's back."
A bit tough on 'The Way Back', I think.
Una
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 23:41:59 +0000
From: Julia Jones <julia.lysator@jajones.demon.co.uk>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Cc: lysator <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>, Freedom City <freedom-city@blakes-7.org>
Subject: Re: [B7L] More coverage
Message-ID: <IvQBwAAHF0p4Ewze@jajones.demon.co.uk>
In message <036f01bf7676$06a999e0$0d01a8c0@hedge>, Una McCormack <una@q-
research.connectfree.co.uk> writes
Thanks for that.
>A bit tough on 'The Way Back', I think.
Oh, go on, they did mark it as one of the day's choices.
>
And the version for this morning's showing on UK Gold:
Classic 70s sci-fi adventure series. In a future in which the population
lives in a domed city presided over by the Federation, loyal citizen
Blake is branded an outlaw for venturing outside the city limits. What
he discovers there marks the start of a nightmare that contradicts
everything he knows. Aboard the spaceship Liberator, Blake and his
followers take on the might of the Federation and its ruthless leader
Servalan.
which is what was in the printed Radio Times, IIRC.
The blurb for Space Fall, which is on at 4:15, not 4:05:
Sci-fi adventure series about an outlaw whose only crime was to stumble
on the dark secret of the ruling Federation. En route for Cygnus Alpha
with a group of fellow prisoners, Blake decides he has no intention of
spending the rest of his life as a convict on a penal planet.
--
Julia Jones
"Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!"
The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 15:51:50 +0000 (GMT)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Cc: Freedom City <freedom-city@blakes-7.org>
Subject: [B7L] Grand Opening
Message-ID: <Marcel-1.46-0212155150-06cRr9i@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
The new Blake's 7 gallery has been opened today in celebration of the BBC repeat
of Blake's 7.
I'm delighted to say that we persuaded Gareth Thomas (Blake) to formally open it
for us. Come along to http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/Gallery/index.html and see
him cutting the ribbon in person.
Judith
PS. I'm still off-list, but the fingers are improving and I hope to be back
before too long.
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 - Fanzines for Blake's 7, B7 Filk songs,
pictures, news, Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth
Thomas, etc. (also non-Blake's 7 zines at http://www.nas.com/~lknight )
Redemption '01 23-25 Feb 2001 http://www.smof.com/redemption/
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 11:59:17 -0000
From: "Una McCormack" <una@q-research.connectfree.co.uk>
To: <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: Re: [B7L] Travis' Gear...
Message-ID: <031801bf7551$4148bcf0$0d01a8c0@hedge>
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
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Penny / Andy:
> > Avon is all well and fine, but what I think the world (and when I say
'the
> > world' I mean 'me') *really* wants to know is whatever became of Travis'
> > groovy gear. T-II I mean of course. The corrugated uniform. The
> > fabuloriffic boots. I certainly hope they are in good hands...
>
>
> Hmm... not good!
>
> The cosy in question got quite badly cut up during Travis' last scenes.
> First of all, there was a great big hole blown in it for the effect when
he
> is shot by Blake.
> Then poor old (young) Brian had to wear a harness underneath the skin
tight
> jumpsuit, hoisted up on wires, and spun like a wind chime (there was no
> other way, but to slash holes into the costume for the wires to come
> through, and this was done in a hurry as there was not much recording time
> left).
> If you look carefully you can see the large gapping holes as he spins.
Christ, I can hear Penny hyperventilating from here...
Una
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 12:37:09 EST
From: Tigerm1019@aol.com
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] adult archive trouble
Message-ID: <69.124ac85.25d99745@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
I talked to the archivist of "B7 Dreams," and she checked the link from the
gen story archive to the adult stories several times. Most of the time, it
was fine, but one time the server was busy and she got bumped to a different
server which *was* a commercial adult site with popups, etc. That's likely
what happened on Friday night.
The archivist has contacted the host about the problem, and hopefully they
will be able to do something about it.
Tiger M
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 19:31:25 +0000 (GMT)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
cc: Freedom City <freedom-city@blakes-7.org>
Subject: [B7L] The Strangerers
Message-ID: <Marcel-1.46-0214193125-b07Rr9i@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Courtesy of a preview tape from Sky 1, we have some pictures of Gareth Thomas in
The Strangerers. There's a link from the top page of
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7
Having just watched the first episode, I have to say that it looks as though
it's going to be a love it or hate it show. It all depends on your sense of
humour. If you like the idea of aliens who have learnt all they know about
Earth from old TV shows and movies, then you're laughing.
These aliens are not just incompetent, they're totally incompetent - they aren't
used to human bodies...
It's essentially an SF sitcom, not surprising as the main person behind it is
Rob Grant of Red Dwarf fame.
The first episode airs on Sky 1 tomorrow (Tuesday). Paul Darrow isn't in the
first episode, but will be in later ones.
JUdith
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 - Fanzines for Blake's 7, B7 Filk songs,
pictures, news, Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth
Thomas, etc. (also non-Blake's 7 zines at http://www.nas.com/~lknight )
Redemption '01 23-25 Feb 2001 http://www.smof.com/redemption/
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 20:04:04 +0000 (GMT)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Cc: Freedom City <freedom-city@blakes-7.org>
Subject: [B7L] gallery
Message-ID: <Marcel-1.46-0212200404-256Rr9i@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
There are complaints coming in from the gallery staff that people keep on
entering the offices. The rooms are marked 'private'. Please respect them.
We apologise to the relatives of the gentleman who failed to return from the
sub-basement, but we must point out that we in no way accept liability for
anything that happens to our visitors.
Entry to the exhibitions is entirely at your own risk.
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 - Fanzines for Blake's 7, B7 Filk songs,
pictures, news, Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth
Thomas, etc. (also non-Blake's 7 zines at http://www.nas.com/~lknight )
Redemption '01 23-25 Feb 2001 http://www.smof.com/redemption/
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 14:35:18 +0000
From: Steve Rogerson <steve.rogerson@mcr1.poptel.org.uk>
To: Lysator <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] prize purchase
Message-ID: <38A6C0FA.8AC4A6B8@mcr1.poptel.org.uk>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
I was at a sci-fi fair in Basildon today, wondering around buying the
odd comic and video, when I spotted it, high on a shelf behind one of
the dealers tables - a Corgi Liberator still in its original packaging.
The prized item is now on the chair behind me having cost me 45 pound; I
had given up hope of ever finding one in the original packaging, or at
least at a price I could manage, so I'm now dead chuffed.
--
cheers
Steve Rogerson
http://homepages.poptel.org.uk/steve.rogerson
"In my world, there are people in chains and you can ride them like
ponies"
The alternative Willow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 19:08:46 +0000 (GMT)
From: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
To: Lysator List <Blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Re: FC: Grand Opening
Message-ID: <Marcel-1.46-0213190846-518Rr9i@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
On Sun 13 Feb, Mac4781@aol.com wrote:
> I should have been suspicious when I couldn't get into the Crew Room. Now
> that I've been in it, however, I don't think it was the early hour of my
> visit that had it closed. Someone had the door locked while they were
> swiping the Cally art!
>
> All right, fess up, who did it?
It was Travis, I'm afraid. Used his rank to get past the security. The head
curator has had a word with him and I believe the pictures are now being
restored.
>
> Judith, are you back on the list or should I be ccing this to you? Maybe I
> better cc.
Still off-list. Thanks for the cc,
Judith
--
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7 - Fanzines for Blake's 7, B7 Filk songs,
pictures, news, Conventions past and present, Blake's 7 fan clubs, Gareth
Thomas, etc. (also non-Blake's 7 zines at http://www.nas.com/~lknight )
Redemption '01 23-25 Feb 2001 http://www.smof.com/redemption/
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 12:28:48 -0800
From: Pat Patera <patpatera@netzero.net>
To: B7 Lysator <blakes7@lysator.liu.se>
Subject: [B7L] Avon's Leathers
Message-ID: <38A5C280.4A057CCE@netzero.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Andy wrote:
>Bye the way, it does have a stud missing...
>First one to guess where correctly, gets to rub there hands over it... :)
(pant drool)
ok, I guess: top corner, just at the L-turn.
(I don't recall seeing any studs where I want to ru .... never mind)
>A few more interesting/boring facts about the said leather top, are that it
>is actually very dark midnight blue leather and it appears that young
>Tarrant didn't have Avon size shoulders,
Never send a boy to wear a man's leathers
>The red leathers exist, both (very tight) trousers and jacket,
(oh catch me I'm going to faint)
> Sorry if this is a bit boring...
ack! is the sea full of holes?
>I've got another seven Avon costumes here if anyone wants to know anymore
>interesting/boring facts...
Why did Avon get put in that silly silver broil-in-bag top for so many
episodes?
It was so at odds with the look and feel of the other costumes.
What was it made of? Aluminum or polyester or ?
What became of the red leather suit Cally first appeared in?
Why was she never shown in it again?
Whose ideas was it to put her in that ridiculous brightly spotted cat
coat to go skulking about in the forest to contact Sarkoff?
Why was Avon reduced to a single costume 4th season?
And the rest of the crew likewise?
Why did Avon only get black studs while the others got grey coveralls?
>I was the person who organized the Exhibition at Deliverance 98, I managed
>to get together over 85 costumes,
wow. even Servie's gowns?
(tinged green with envy)
Pat
__________________________________________
NetZero - Defenders of the Free World
Get your FREE Internet Access and Email at
http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 10:23:30 -0700
From: "Ellynne G." <rilliara@juno.com>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Re: [B7L] The surrender
Message-ID: <20000214.102354.-260845.0.Rilliara@juno.com>
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
On Fri, 11 Feb 2000 00:09:54 -0700 "Ellynne G." <rilliara@juno.com>
writes:
>
>
> On Thu, 10 Feb 2000 18:46:53 -0700 Helen Krummenacker
> <avona@jps.net>
> writes:
> > >
> > > The question came up why, in ep 1, Blake's friends peacefully
> > surrender,
> > > even though they know what's happened to other peacefully
> > surrendering
> > > types.
> > >
> > > 2) Going out with dignity
> > >
> > Interesting possibility, and just goes to show how different
> people
> > view
> > things differently. I would define dignity, or at least pride, in
> > that
> > situation, to be picking up even a pebble to try to jam a gun with
> a
> > lucky throw.
> >
> Personally, I'm inclined to going down fighting, but if they saw
> this as
> psychologically taking away something these Federation guards
> thought
> they could get from them, I could see the point.
>
I was looking that over and decided I needed to state my case a little
more strongly.
First, let me say that, if I were to make an argument, I still see trying
to help Blake as the one that makes the most sense. I also think these
people had a screaming need for lessons in how to have an underground
movement (decent lookouts and an evacuation plan would have helped).
This aside, here are some reasons they might have surrendered peacefully
even though they had good cause to expect death.
1) A strong nonviolent/religious philosophy (like the Amish or Quakers)
that held violence was never justified. This would be interesting to the
'Blake did it for revenge' argument since it means Blake was acting in
defiance of his original beliefs and the beliefs of many of his
supporters.
2) Belief that violence was not justified in certain circumstances or
from certain people (Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement,
there's also the example of people from a certain warrior oriented
culture a few centuries back who converted to Christianity. Believing
much of what they had done previously to be borderline unforgiveable,
they swore never to do violence against anyone again - and were willing
to die rather than violate that oath. OTOH, they saw this as part of
their _own_ repentance. A generation later, they made great sacrifices to
support sons of theirs who fought in a defensive war).
3) Belief that nonviolence could have long term effects furthering their
goals. This could be connected to the above. It could also (especially if
any present were exFederation troopers) be based on knowing how troopers
dehumanized their enemies and justified their acts. _Belief_ that anyone
they slaughtered was just a potential enemy who would do the same to
them, given the opportunity, may have been part of this. Hence, the guard
who supported Travis' actions in Trial put it directly in context of
battle situations--although it _didn't_ happen in battle conditions!
OTOH, those who opposed what Travis had done (which included a good many
officers and civilians who presumeably supported things like the bomb on
Albion) put it in terms of his having massacred nonviolent civilians.
If this were the case (especially if any present were ex-military), they
might have chosen this because, even though they still died, they knew
how it might shake the guards doing it.
This argument works best if they saw anyone else they came in contact
with as a potential joiner of their cause. In that case, making a strong
arguement - even if they had to die doing it - might outweigh putting up
a fight for their lives.
Ellynne
________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
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Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 16:59:15 +0000
From: Julia Jones <julia.lysator@jajones.demon.co.uk>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: [B7L] The repeat
Message-ID: <CC5TrqAjFZp4EwhB@jajones.demon.co.uk>
Broadcast quality PAL, with only a little age damage to the tapes. No
ads. No cutting to make room for ads. Paradise.
Even an INTx can bounce with the right incentive. Wheee!
--
Julia Jones
"Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!"
The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 07:36:42 EST
From: Mac4781@aol.com
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se, freedom-city@blakes-7.org
Subject: [B7L] Steven Pacey sighting
Message-ID: <a8.1365b75.25d6adda@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
I was browsing the Radio 4 schedule and just found the following listed for
today:
6:15pm Heart and Soul
As Valentine's Day approaches, a revue celebrating the art of love with
Christopher Luscombe and Malcolm McKee. Also featuring Steven Pacey, Dillie
Keane and Cathy Sara.
Carol Mc
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 20:37:38 +0000
From: Julia Jones <julia.lysator@jajones.demon.co.uk>
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Cc: Judith Proctor <Judith@blakes-7.demon.co.uk>
Subject: [B7L] Shakespeare meet 5/2/00
Message-ID: <JXFBuZBSScp4EwQ8@jajones.demon.co.uk>
A longer version in two parts was originally posted to The Other List.
This one's had the more explicit drooling removed.
Five go to Edinburgh (and meet a sixth).
All in honour of Gareth playing Sir Toby Belch in Shakespeare's Twelfth
Night. This being a weekend trip, we got in some other cultural
activities as well.
First up was the National Gallery, this being a couple of hundred yards
from the main train station in Edinburgh, free, and in possession of a
free place to leave luggage, hence an excellent meeting point for
diverse and sundry Lystians. I dragged my Luggage (well, it doesn't have
hundreds of dear little legs, but in other ways behaves much like the
real life item that inspired Pterry) over, and found a nearly silent
Judith hanging over the railings outside, attempting to attract my
attention. This was somewhat difficult, given that at the moment her
version of a shout is being able to speak at something approximating
half the decibel level of a normal speaking tone. We wandered inside,
and were shortly joined by Chris-from-Middlesbrough and Janet. Edinburgh
resident Katharine also joined us, although she couldn't stay long,
being otherwise engaged for much of the weekend. Some ten minutes later,
and still no sign of Chris-from-Germany. Judith went off to look inside
the gallery, just in case, and I braved the winter winds whistling
through the door every time it was opened, and removed my jumper and
positioned myself opposite the front entrance where pretty much the
first thing anyone coming into the gallery would see was a Redemption
teeshirt. The first person to stop and examine the teeshirt was greeted
with "Are you Chris?". She was, so we found Judith, and wandered in to
admire some culture.
Judith and I had been to the gallery on our previous trip to see The
Clearing, and dragged the others over to view our favourite bronze - The
Wrestlers. Beautiful little bronze copy of Ye Ancient Piece of Marble
Sculpture. The gallery shop does not have photos of any of the bronzes
<sulk>. I noted the artist and title so that I can go on a hunt for
photos.
A pleasant hour or two spent in the gallery, affording Judith and I the
opportunity to look at some of the rooms we'd missed on the first time
around. Some stunning art, but my favourites this time were a pair of
paintings depicting the quarrel between Oberon and Titania, and their
reconciliation, from A Midsummer Night's Dream. One of those works where
the more you look at it, the more you see, little tiny pictures within
pictures within pictures. I bought a print of one of them the next day.
Off to the station to catch the train to Musselburgh - or in Chris and
Janet's case, wave to it as it left the station. Musselburgh station
does not have a taxi rank. It does have an information board that
includes a contact number for taxis. It does not have a public
telephone. I have a company-issue mobile phone, which I had brought with
me just in case - thank god.
We got there in time to have a quick chat with Gareth before the show.
He told us a bit more about the play he's doing in Salisbury next month
- Equus. Sounds well worthwhile, and I'll be going if I get the
opportunity.
And on to the play itself. Quick plot summary - twins Viola and
Sebastian are shipwrecked, coming to shore some distant apart and each
believing the other to be dead. Viola disguises herself as a man for
protection, and takes service in the household of the Duke, Orsino.
Orsino is smitten with love for Olivia, who is in mourning for her
brother, and will consider no suit from any man. Orsino sends his new
manservant to plead on his behalf. Complications ensue when Olivia falls
in love with "Cesario", who in turn is in love with the Duke...
Olivia is also the object of love from both her steward Malvolio, and
the knight Sir Andrew. Her drunken uncle Sir Toby Belch (played by
Gareth) has his own reasons for meddling in these affairs of the heart.
Life gets even more complicated when Sebastian turns up in town, as he
and Viola are identical in appearance, and various people mistake them
for each other. Amongst other things, he sees no reason to run away when
some wealthy lady sweeps him up and insists on marrying him:-)
It mostly gets sorted out in the end, but there are some dark undertones
for all that it's one of the comedies.
It's been put into a modern setting, placing it in a fashion house owned
by Olivia. This works extremely well, apart from one tiny hiccup at the
end. Amongst other things, it allows a modern audience to instantly
identify the personalities, the status people have, and the power
structures, something that the audience in Shakespeare's time would have
been able to do from what was to them contemporary clothing. This starts
with the very first scene, when Orsino enters by climbing out of his
private swimming pool and going over to lie on his sun lounger, clad in
nothing but swimming trunks. Nicely done, using a ladder in
the orchestra pit, and lighting to make it look like a pool. It's quite
obvious that this is a wealthy man of leisure. The place of the
musician(s) playing in the background in the original setting is now
taken by a ghetto-blaster by the sun lounger, the first of several
wonderful touches in translating into a modern setting without losing
any of the meaning.
Orsino's main costume is a white teeshirt with a band of studs running
diagonally across the front, and a pair of black leather trousers. Very
tight black leather trousers. Expensive clothing giving the impression
of a wealthy man.
The play is very much an ensemble piece, with most of the roles having a
fair amount of stage time. Most of the acting was excellent, my personal
favourite (besides Gareth, of course) being Maria, Olivia's chambermaid.
She is superb, and the actress (Vicki Lidelle) manages to make a
Scottish accent sound right in the role. The only slight disappointments
were Sebastian, who was a little weak compared with the others (the
actor is still at drama acadamy, and fairly inexperienced, so didn't do
too badly considering), and the initial scenes with Orsino.
Unfortunately a Scottish accent was not quite the right thing for that
role - it plays merry hell with the cadences of the poetry.
The language has changed, of course, and a lot of the jokes were
unintelligible to a modern audience not equipped with a study guide.
This was partly made up for by the use of sight gags, such as Sir Toby
pissing in the flowerpot. With his back to the audience, ladies, so
settle down. The best one of these for me was the scene where a forged
love letter is left in the garden for Malvolio to find. In the original,
Toby, Sir Andrew and Fabian hide in the boxtree to watch. In this
version, they hide behind a rack of clothing from the design rooms.
Malvolio strolls about the stage while reading his letter, blissfully
oblivious to the fact that the clothes rail has sprouted three pairs of
eyes and is following him about the stage. The three conspirators duck
behind the rail every time Malvolio turns around, then peer over again.
There is also effective use of body language to convey some of what is
going on. Most of the cast use this, but the actor playing Malvolio
(Kern Falconer) is superb. He only had to look down his nose at Toby and
Andrew to have the audience collapsed in hysterics.
Gareth's first appearance is early, in the third scene. Sir Toby Belch,
uncle to Olivia, is a drunkard with an occasionally nasty sense of
humour, and a talent for using people. He is currently using Sir Andrew
as a source of finance for his drinking binges, which is why he is
encouraging Sir Andrew's pursuit of Olivia. He frequently appears on
stage with a bottle of red wine clutched in his hand, the level of which
drops during the course of the play. Gareth is apparently getting rather
fed up with the taste of Ribena, after 2 pints a night:-) It's an
excellent performance, with a darker edge running under the buffoonery.
Sir Toby is played as the sort of drunk who can seem charming and then
turn nasty in a split second, then flip back to being charming. Gareth's
size and presence add to the effect.
One interesting variation in this version was the way the relationship
between Sebastian and Antonio is played. I thought it must be just my
filthy imagination, but Judith assured me at the interval that it
wasn't. Antonio is the sea-captain who rescues Sebastian after the
shipwreck, and there are some fairly passionate speeches about his love
for Sebastian. In their first scene, they are sitting on the edge of a
bed, both putting their boots on. It's not explicit, but the body
language reinforces the impression that they have not just been
sleeping. Later, Antonio is arrested by the Duke's men, and marched away
in handcuffs, in the belief that Sebastian has denied knowing him. Dark,
sullen hunk in handcuffs, betrayed by his lover, and for some reason I
thought of Sarah:^) Near the end of the play he gets to stand handcuffed
and held by guards, watching as a woman claims to have married his lover
- who is now denying both that _and_ knowing Antonio. The one minor
problem with the A/S slant put on the performance is that when all is
sorted out, and the fact that both Sebastian and Viola survived the
shipwreck has explained the various goings on, Antonio then seems to be
quite happy to watch as his boyfriend is carried off by Olivia.
Other things:
I liked the set design. Neat mechanism for indicating scene changes,
using a sliding platform on each side to roll out a selection of
furniture when required.
It's now getting to be a game of "spot the actors we've seen on stage
with Gareth before". Two of the other actors had also been in The
Clearing, and we think one was in the pantomime at Dundee a couple of
years ago, although I can't find my programme to check.
It's an excellent production, and a lot of fun. I'd recommend that
anyone who has the chance go to see it. Sadly, it's not going on tour -
a waste, in my opinion.
--
Julia Jones
"Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!"
The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 16:50:07 EST
From: KKrause658@aol.com
To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se
Subject: Re: Re: [B7L] The surrender
Message-ID: <e4.18d8f65.25d9d28f@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Ellynne wrote 4 good reasons why they did not fight::
<1) A strong nonviolent/religious philosophy (like the Amish or Quakers)
that held violence was never justified. 2) Belief that violence was not
justified in certain circumstances or from certain people. 3) Belief that
nonviolence could have long term effects furthering their
goals. 4) OTOH, those who opposed what Travis had done (which included a
good many officers and civilians who presumeably supported things like the
bomb on Albion) put it in terms of his having massacred nonviolent civilians.
If this were the case (especially if any present were ex-military), they
might have chosen this because, even though they still died, they knew
how it might shake the guards doing it. >
I'm glad you also acknowledged they had a <screaming need for lessons in how
to have an underground movement (decent lookouts and an evacuation plan would
have helped).>
As I said at the beginning, these are very good reasons why they may not have
tried to fight. But I keep thinking "Is this any way to run a rebellion?"
I'm inclined to buy that they might be trying to help Blake, but this also
seems weak. While nonviolence rebellions have succeeded, against something
as ruthless as the Federation/Administration I can't see it. But then, maybe
it's me.* In that situation, I can't see the reason to give up meekly and
die without fighting.
One reason why I like this list, there are so many people that seem much
nicer than me. Gives me hope for the future.
--Karen
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End of blakes7-d Digest V00 Issue #42
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