Oh hey look, I changed something. I've decided to use post numbers instead of Days. This is just something that will simplify issues for me if I decide to switch to posting every other day or if I have to because I have a job or whatever. Also, if I happen to post twice during the day I can keep them consecutively numbered. This will only happen for certain occasions like the rare meme, special announcement, or something like Banned Book Week. On with the post.
So this is about a Hollywood actress who is currently working on Broadway, is acting a fool, and manages to get herself suspected of murder. I didn't much care for that bit of the story, although it was at least more interesting and plausible than the political three-ring circus presented in Kill and Kill Again, and this certainly wrapped up a lot neater. What I did like were the brief moments we get to see Miss Ladd* performing on stage or other moments of stagecraft. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that I am in a rather unhappy place right now. In fact, I don't think I've been this unhappy since high school, which is where I became most involved in theatre.
The drama program at my high school in Mississippi was actually one of the few places I felt the most comfortable. The kids tended to be a little more open-minded, and I don't think I actually made any real friends in that school until I joined the program. I love the theatre. I love almost everything about it. I love the stage lights and the heavy curtain and the murmur of the crowd. I love sitting in the cramped seats and watching the performers in total darkness where I can feel like I alone am experiencing this wonderful event, even as I am surrounded by strangers. I love painting sets and putting together costumes and applying makeup, to myself and others. I love directing and screenwriting, and seeing a production come together and be brilliant.
Acting and otherwise being involved in theatre is just fun. There's all of this hard work that goes into the preparation for a show that only runs for a week or so, and then it's over, but for the night when you're on the stage and everything is going well, it really is like performing a miracle. When so many things can go wrong, it really borders on magic when everyone does what they're supposed to or is quick enough to cope with changes that the audience doesn't notice a slip up. I miss being part of that magic. I would dearly love to get involved in community theatre again, but given that I have no idea whether or not I'd still be in town when the show started it would be highly irresponsible of me. So I'll just have to content myself with happy memories and look forward to maybe getting involved later.
Was there anything in high school that made that time for you better?
My short review can be found on Goodreads, there just wasn't much to say about this rather unremarkable book.
LibsNote: I won this book from Forgotten Bookmarks, which is not directly affiliated with publishers, authors, etc. of the material I am reviewing.
*This is a really terrible name, and really feels like it ought to be applied to a drag queen.
My werewolf friends made a kind of role-playing game called Duel Arcane. I actually got up extra early and went into school at least a half hour before the bell rang so that we could get as much play time in as possible, not to mention playing at lunch and after school, often for hours at a time.
ReplyDeleteThe game consisted of basic "I act, then you act" battles, but there was this whole enormous universe that went along with it. There were wars and factions and all kinds of roleplaying and drama. We wrote stories over e-mail when we weren't in school. And so I got to live in my own little world with my greatest friends and didn't have to worry too much about the real one.