"I know not whether the day was fair or foul..." ~ Jane Eyre

Last night, thanks to my sister Robin, I had the fortunate opportunity to see Patrick Stewart playing a Shakespearean role live for the second time in my life. Yesterday evening he played the most foul Macbeth, and I was no more than twenty feet away from him experiencing the hubris of his character and demise of his character’s life. The director set the play in a Stalin-esque backdrop, and the interpretation of the witches is one that made me draw my breath in. Of course I know the play inside and out after teaching it for six years, and I thought this production a great take on the great Bard’s work. I was not a fan of the Lady – she was too dramatic and intense too soon. Lady Macbeth must start out calm, cool, and collected, or we never see her stark and intense change by the end of the play; the actress played her intense since the first moment, which did not work well.

What always works well is anything Patrick Stewart performs. I admit to not being a Trekkie, but I always admire his work. I saw him over 12 years ago as Prospero: his best Shakespearean role in my opinion. He drew me in last night, but as Prospero he drew me in and had me at his commanding mercy. Sadly, I never saw his one man show of A Christmas Carol. I hope that he comes back to BAM more to perform Shakespeare. I would love to see him as Caesar; that is a dream role I envision him in next. He is truly a Shakespearean actor, something hard to come by these days, and I admit feeling jealousy for each cast member getting to share the stage with him last night. I admit: I have a "thing" for Patrick Stewart...

I hope you take the time to look at the review of the performance...and to check out wonderful photos from the production that capture its essence.

http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/theater/reviews/15macb.html?scp=1&sq=macbeth%20patrick%20stewart&st=cse

"Fell in love with..." ~ Jane Eyre

If he and I were to be characterized in terms of a piece of art, it would probably be one of my most loved: The Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. I fell in love with this other piece of art yesterday, a song, the moment I heard it when I was lying next to him. http://youtube.com/watch?v=SQO7IUrqXqY
Yesterday evening I ran into the very coffee shop where, in essence, this commenced over three months ago. I was grabbing two espressos for us before dinner and glanced at the table we sat at, smiling to myself as I ordered from the barrista. There is something about love in a coffee shop that is cliche, but you have to figure that there is not much else two people do but converse without distraction, sipping warm goodness with an opportunity to share conversation for hours. If you are fortunate, the person warms you more than what you are sipping at your lips warms you. I remember almost a week later after that meeting, which was never meant to be a date, we were back there sipping coffee and reading the Times on a date. Except we didnt read the Times. We just kept talking, and the conversation has not ceased. It has been a path of continual conversing that grows richer with each word in passing. As the lyrics go to the song, I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down/I want to come too.

I suppose what this blog needs is me spending time in a coffee shop with a red eye, infusing some more writing here lately and continuing a path I have made for over two years. Honestly, I am not myself lately, but I am happy not to be myself, for these recent moments in coffeeshops and elsewhere, have rendered me speechless.

And for the first time in my life...I love being speechless.

"A change had taken place..." ~ Jane Eyre

Mute Mondays: Change

*CHANGING ROOMS*

"My whim is gratified..." ~ Jane Eyre

As a child, I read plenty of fantasy fiction, from Tolkien to Lewis to Juster. One of my favorite movies was The Last Unicorn, which, ironically, I just learned that Christopher Lee was the voice of King Haggard (whom I recall in animation looked a lot like Mr. Burns from The Simpsons). To this day, I remember the lyrics to the song; I had watched the film dozens of times and am still disappointed to know that the rumors of a remake are false; they started back in 2005 and nothing has come to fruition.

Once I became a teenager, I pretty much abandoned fantasy fiction, and during college was pretentious and became all about the canon. I don't even really recall reading current fiction during my college years; it was strictly the classics until I started teaching. The most recent return to fantasy fiction was, of course, thanks to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Still, they are the only characters I have read about in fantasy fiction as an adult until recently...

One of the first things my boyfriend and I started sharing when we began dating are books. We are both avid readers, though our taste in fiction differs, which makes sharing books all the more exciting. He is a fantasy fiction reader, and when he told me about a particular series last Sunday, I asked if I could borrow them.

On Tuesday night, I came home after a long day of recruiting to two books with a note from him that meant the world to me. The books that were left to borrow are by Naomi Novik who writes the Temeraire series. http://www.temeraire.org/ I am already halfway through His Majesty's Dragon and am so glad there are three more books after this one, because I am devouring it. I highly recommend the book to fellow bloggers. This is the first time in a long time that I am reading fantasy fiction, and I am enjoying it on so many levels, one being that I am experiencing books that he enjoys so very much. I feel that a passion I had as a child is renewed once again thanks to him.

"'Oh, dear papa..." ~ Jane Eyre

Papa and I would like to invite you over for a cocktail this evening:
www.epicureanescapades.blogspot.com

"At any time safely communicate..." ~ Jane Eyre
Mute Monday: Communication