Today was a simply marvelous day! It was also a rainy, dreary, cold day, but that just set the mood perfectly. Here in Florida we've had a few chilly days (relatively, I mean, the rest of the country has been frozen, so I'm not complaining), but this cold, rainy day, felt like a little kiss from London.
So, with this winter rain drumming on the roof, I got my happy ass up at 8am, readied myself, gassed the car, and drove across the state, voyaging east. Central Florida is where I grew up and it still feels like home to see the open pastures, the palmettos, the occasional pine and oak trees. I drove through the city where my granny used to live. I hadn't passed that way since her funeral and still felt a sadness at seeing the turn-off to her condo.
But I continued on, long, mostly empty roads, rain spattering the windshield at just the perfect irregular rate that no setting on the windshield wipers seemed to match. I listened to some wonderful music and let my mind daydream (to no one's surprise, my inner landscapes were Hobbit themed.)
Songs of the day - Seven Devils - Florence + the Machine,
Dead in the Water - Ellie Goulding, Sleep Alone - Bat for Lashes,
Heavy Cross - Gossip, The Noble Art of Letting Go - Rebekka Karijord,
To Build a Home, Pt. II - Skylar Grey.
So, with this winter rain drumming on the roof, I got my happy ass up at 8am, readied myself, gassed the car, and drove across the state, voyaging east. Central Florida is where I grew up and it still feels like home to see the open pastures, the palmettos, the occasional pine and oak trees. I drove through the city where my granny used to live. I hadn't passed that way since her funeral and still felt a sadness at seeing the turn-off to her condo.
But I continued on, long, mostly empty roads, rain spattering the windshield at just the perfect irregular rate that no setting on the windshield wipers seemed to match. I listened to some wonderful music and let my mind daydream (to no one's surprise, my inner landscapes were Hobbit themed.)
Songs of the day - Seven Devils - Florence + the Machine,
Dead in the Water - Ellie Goulding, Sleep Alone - Bat for Lashes,
Heavy Cross - Gossip, The Noble Art of Letting Go - Rebekka Karijord,
To Build a Home, Pt. II - Skylar Grey.
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Two hours, 120 miles and one stop to pee later, I arrived in Vero Beach and, more specifically, at the Majestic 11 Theatre. This theatre happens to be the only theatre in the state that was receiving the National Theatre LIVE broadcast of Coriolanus from the Donmar Warehouse. I arrived about 2 hours early, grabbed my ticket, then treated myself to some sushi for lunch. It was tasty, I highly recommend sushi for any meal.
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Then it was time. I had to wait for the theatre to clear from the movie that played before the broadcast (it was August: Osage County). The slightly older crowd that sees movies at noon on Thursdays filed out and the slightly younger, 98% female crowd made their way in. I made friends (all centered around Tom Hiddleston; not even gonna pretend on this one, I very much enjoy Shakespeare, but he is the catalyzing agent for the gathering around this particular production.) One of them had been to London and seen the play, TWICE! And even met the lovely gent himself. She's lovely and here's her twitter, follow for some Hiddleston celebration, plus other geeky and awesome stuff!
Seated behind me were fellow geeks, where I overhead such discussions as Blackadder, Benedict Cumberbatch and Doctor Who. THESE WERE MY PEOPLE.
THEN, AND THEN, a fellow geek who had also overheard their discussions leaned over and said to them "I like your shoelaces." They looked at her a little askew and confused. I, however, almost shot out of my chair and (in not at all the casual air with which you are supposed to reply) excitedly said "Thanks, I stole them from the President!"
THIS, THIS EXCHANGE, YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS PLEASED ME!!!! Here's the Urban Dictionary explanation. Basically, it's like a Tumblr secret handshake. It's a way to find fellow tumblerites out in the real world, and IT FRICKEN MADE MY DAY! While there are dark recesses of Tumblr, it is also full of very cool people gathering to celebrate fandoms, add to (head)canon, draw awesome art, bring down the patriarchy, honor Tom Hiddleston as our Crown Prince and just generally be awesome together.
But, back to the matter at hand. We were all settled in, excited to see the show and it was finally time.
Seated behind me were fellow geeks, where I overhead such discussions as Blackadder, Benedict Cumberbatch and Doctor Who. THESE WERE MY PEOPLE.
THEN, AND THEN, a fellow geek who had also overheard their discussions leaned over and said to them "I like your shoelaces." They looked at her a little askew and confused. I, however, almost shot out of my chair and (in not at all the casual air with which you are supposed to reply) excitedly said "Thanks, I stole them from the President!"
THIS, THIS EXCHANGE, YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS PLEASED ME!!!! Here's the Urban Dictionary explanation. Basically, it's like a Tumblr secret handshake. It's a way to find fellow tumblerites out in the real world, and IT FRICKEN MADE MY DAY! While there are dark recesses of Tumblr, it is also full of very cool people gathering to celebrate fandoms, add to (head)canon, draw awesome art, bring down the patriarchy, honor Tom Hiddleston as our Crown Prince and just generally be awesome together.
But, back to the matter at hand. We were all settled in, excited to see the show and it was finally time.
What an excellent performance. I must now see a show at the Donmar at some point in my life (I'm looking at you, 2015.) Coriolanus is an interesting play. I had read some of it, and knowing it was a tragedy I kind of knew how it was going to end. Though, for being a tragedy, there were far fewer deaths than I expected. The acting was superb - Volumnia (Caius Martius' (Corolianus) mother), played by Deborah Findlay, stole every scene she was in. Mark Gatiss as Menenius was absolutely brilliant, probably my favorite character in the play. Of course Mr. Hiddleston himself was masterful in form and emotion. His was the thru-line, his was the journey. It is always amazing and wondrous to watch someone fall away to become their character so that the person they portray is the only one standing upon the stage. Even with all of the media hubbub and general excitement surrounding him, there were times that I looked and saw only Coriolanus trying honestly to navigate his turmoil.
The managing of the material in such an intimate space was masterful. I laughed, I hated a few characters, I teared up - I felt (the feels!) and it was good. I walked out jazzed and ready to create something of my own.
However, I had a 2+ hour drive back in the dark, in the rain, so I just grabbed some Sonny's BBQ for dinner (always tasty), enjoyed my music, and let my imagination soar enough to keep me smiling all the way home.
I hope you had an awesome day as well. Thank you for reading along on my little adventure. Time to step away and be more.
"Would you have me
False to my nature? Rather say I play
The man I am." (3.2.14)
The managing of the material in such an intimate space was masterful. I laughed, I hated a few characters, I teared up - I felt (the feels!) and it was good. I walked out jazzed and ready to create something of my own.
However, I had a 2+ hour drive back in the dark, in the rain, so I just grabbed some Sonny's BBQ for dinner (always tasty), enjoyed my music, and let my imagination soar enough to keep me smiling all the way home.
I hope you had an awesome day as well. Thank you for reading along on my little adventure. Time to step away and be more.
"Would you have me
False to my nature? Rather say I play
The man I am." (3.2.14)
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