Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Look out. I think Walsingham just shivved Sir Robert Dudley.

So, much of the family is in NYC for the aunts' annual theater trip. They and whoever else take a day trip to the city, see a couple of shows, and eat at John's or Junior's or both. Good times.

Well, Melis and Kris called me from West 44th to tell me that they had just walked out on a play. Mary Stuart. Apparently it was appallingly boring and the man next to them fell asleep 3 minutes after the curtain rose. At one point, there was a soundtrack of applause onstage and he jolted awake and began to clap, thinking it was the end of the first act. That was the most entertaining thing to happen in the Broadhurst Theater this evening.

Kris was also concerned about historical inaccuracies, including costumes such as three-piece suits for the men (keep in mind this is the 16th century) and a polka-dot dress for Queen Elizabeth. They expressed hope that things would improve in the second act for the people they left behind, but that's unlikely since my perusings online show a man in a leather jacket having a switchblade fight in Act 2. That's Act 2 of a play set in the 16th century, in case you weren't paying attention before.

For pity's sake.

I had wanted to see this play, but since I can't take the historical inaccuracies of The Tudors, a show that actually bothers to use jerkins and doublets, I doubt I could have endured this.

7 comments:

Kristen said...

For pity's sake is right. Can I also add that next to polka-dot Lizzy we had Mary and her servant dressed in attire that was actually appropriate for the 16th century? It just looked ridiculous, especially when the three-piece suit dudes came on stage.

Jimmy Jam said...

But if it is set in the 16th cent...shouldn't "dudes" be "gentlemen" or "men of honor".

Ali said...

Not in three-piece suits. Gentlemen and men of honor wear doublets. Three-piece suits will get you "dudes."

Jimmy Jam said...

Hawaiian shirts and shorts + a skate board gets you dudes. Three piece suits = gents, cool cats, mafia, made men, properly dressed.

Ali said...

Not in the 16th century. A three-piece suit is the 16th century equivalent of the Hawaiian shirt.

melissa stombaugh said...

You forgot to add that during intermission, security stopped some man in our row suspecting him of taping the show. They found nothing in his bag, but I could tell they were not convniced as they continued to search under the seats and whisper among themselves.

I felt like telling them that no one in their right mind would tape such boring material and even if they made such a mistake, would not post it on youtube but would instead immediately go home and record some CHiPs reruns over it.

Ali said...

Dude, you did not tell me that part on the phone!