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annoyingbelieverballoon · 8 months

Note

Hi. I have a welcome home request. Y/n is helping Barnaby with his new act, reacting and giving feedback.

Barnaby’s great acts (platonic/romantic)

(mostly platonic but you can interpret the scene however you’d like)

word count: 535

Barnaby, the funniest neighbour in Welcome Home, was always a fun, friendly puppet to be around.

Everyone loved his jokes, his skits, his whips, and his pranks, but he also took part in helping whenever he could and was a good teacher of EQ and understanding aspirations and dreams, and so on.

A fan favourite for a lot of kids growing up watching the show, and now that you’re in it well, he’s also still your favourite.

How could you not love this big blue dog and his silly antics?

Knowing Barnaby in person shed a lot of light on who he was truly; behind this persona who seemingly perfected the act of comedy was someone who had spent hours practicing lines, tones, accents, and various stunts so that he could pull them off and make the others smile, chuckle, or laugh.

And here you are in Barnaby’s blue dog house. Inside were a plethora of decorations that eluded to jokes Barnaby could make. On his walls hung multiple portraits of him and his mother. The chicken who crossed the road

"Are you still listening, little buddy?” Barnaby clapped his paws together and chuckled.

"Maybe you spent too much time with Starlet; you’ve got your head in the clouds, bud."

You chuckle sheepishly and pay full attention to Barnaby; he’s been trying to get you to laugh at the jokes for almost an hour now.

"I know you say these jokes are good, but sheesh, not a single laugh out of you yet... Tough crowd, I must say.” Barnaby scratched the back of his head.

"Maybe we skip the one-liners and start acting, yeah?

This was a cue from Barnaby that he was going to show you his next big act he had in store, or at least a variation of it. He always changes things at the last second to make them funnier and more unexpected, and to also make them fit the event better.

This act was a bit different than most; however, you don’t see Barnaby riding a unicycle, juggling six water balloons, and playing the kazoo all at once every day.

It seemed he was setting himself up for a slip and fall with all that was going on, but spectacularly, he kept on going. It was astonishing to see, and although you were worried for your big dog friend, you started cheering him on as he did his incredible act.

Once he was done, he allowed the water balloons to fall freely, drenching the both of you. You laugh heartily and watch as Barnaby gets on all fours and starts shaking his fur, getting water droplets everywhere.

"So how’d you rate it out of ten?” Barnaby gives you an expectant look, like one a husky would give after catching the ball and bringing it back successfully.

"A 10 for spectacularity; Julie would love it."

Barnaby laughed and put his hands up in a hoop.

"How about we dry off a little before continuing your acts? I feel cold," you said, shivering a little.

"Of course, buddy! I've got to be the most hydrating comedian after all."

You chuckle and follow Barnaby to get a towel and perhaps some spare clothes.

#barnaby x reader #welcome home #drabble #thanks for the ask #Please tell you understand the joke

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edettethegreat · 3 years

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review of King Lear at the New Spruce Theater

OK OK OK so on Wednesday I went and saw King Lear (I was supposed to go see it on Tuesday but it was canceled because of a storm- how ironic)- and now I shall tell you all about this production

Side Note- I waited a few days too long to write about this and chances are I forgot a bunch of stuff by now- sorry about that

Overall Opinion on the play as a whole:

-Every single actor was incredible and the stage (which was sort of non-existent) was set up/ designed really well. Acting and Stage design (I’d call it set design but there really wasn’t much of a set) gets a 10/10.

-as for the overall stage directions, they were neat most of the time but more noticeably, very unexpected. But that made it better (more on this in the more detailed section of the review). They get a 9/10

-as for what was cut/changed from the original text of the play? Yeah that gets a -3/10. Just. I’ll explain this in a sec but. Ugh. Not happy about the changes.

OK NOW FOR THE MORE DETAILED REVIEW:

(I’m gonna try to go in order of the play, but if I remember more stuff later I’ll add it in at the end)

-The actress playing Cordelia was so pretty I can’t she was gorgeous (all the lear sisters were pretty but specifically the one playing Cordelia

-ALSO Cordelia was 100% ready to punch something the whole time

-and the tone she said her lines in 100% conveyed “oh wow dad I can’t believe you’re actually doing something this stupid Wow you can’t be serious. Oh OH HECK YOU’RE SERIOUS”

-at the opposite end of the acting spectrum, the actor who played Gloucester was apparently so forgettable that I can’t picture any scenes he was in. I just don’t remember A single thing he did. I mean I know logically the story of King Lear but I just can’t picture this guy. I’m trying to remember what he looked like and I just can’t.

-in 1.2 when Edmund’s totally trying to hind the letter, he blatantly drops it in front of Gloucester, and then tries to pick it up and drops it again before putting it in his pocket

-OH WAIT before I forget let me mention the doublecasting! SO France and Edgar were played by the same guy, Albany and Oswald were played by the same guy, and Cordelia and Servant 2 were played by the same person. Then any random messengers or whatever were played by the same background actor. And The Gentleman was cut entirely.

-Regan and Cornwall were 100% a great ship here- every time they were together it was clear they loved each other- they were normally holding hands or something. On the other hand Goneril and Albany never stood as close together as Regan and Cornwall did.

-Kent’s insult to Oswald was delivered entirely like this and that made it 10x funnier

-AND OSWALD. Let me just say. He was the #1 best actor there. His whole thing in this performance was that he’s absolutely terrified of everyone. In his fight with Kent he has a regular sword and Kent has a small knife, and Kent just calmly walks up to him and knocks the sword out of his hand. And Oswald backs away and covers his head/face in self defense as Kent continues approaching him, and Kent just calmly hands Oswald his sword back, which he eventually takes. AND STILL LOSES THE FIGHT.

-just. Comedy.

-and in Oswald VS Edgar, Edgar was unarmed and Oswald had his sword, and Edgar just kinda grabbed the sword from him and stabbed him.

-WAIT I STILL DIDN’T MENTION THE BEST FIGHT. Edmund vs Edgar round 1 (ie the fake fight Edmund has them do for Gloucester to overhear). Edmund’s all like “draw! seem to defend yourself!” And Edgar has no idea what’s going on so he kinda motions “wait what?”. Edmund doesn’t have the patients for that so he grabs a second sword and sword fights himself while Edgar’s just standing there.

-and now let me mention The Fool

-who used his ukulele for comedic effects (idk how to phrase that, but what I mean is he’d do the ukulele equivalent of the drum’s ba dum tss whenever something funny happened)

-OH ALSO they would break the forth wall every five seconds

-best example of it was when Kent was like “I have seen better faces in my time”, he made a big show of examining the audience

-ALSO. at the end when Albany was accusing Edmund of treason and all that, Edmund went “oh yeah? You wanna see treason? I’ll show you treason!” And started making out with Goneril right in front of him. So. Good for him.

-when Cordelia was about to be lead away to prison she punched the guard in the stomach and tried to get away. So. VERY good for her.

- NOW ONTO THE STUFF I DON’T LIKE THAT THEY CHANGED

-they cut Curan

-they cut Edmund’s opening lines in act 5 (where he says something like “hey has Albany made up his mind yet about the battle plans? Because he keeps changing his mind and it’s annoying”). Yeah this is a pretty minor complaint, but I always felt like that line sort of establishes him as a person leading the war, and therefore makes the whole argument with Albany in 5.3 make more sense.

-also they changed Cornwall and Regan VS Servant 1, by having Cornwall stab servant 1, Servant 1 fake dead, Cornwall turns around to talk to Regan or something, Servant 1 gets up and grabs the knife and stabs Cornwall, they both die. Which takes away Regan’s only kill.

-and earlier in that same scene Cornwall did the whole “I’m gonna kiss you so you shut up for a bit” thing, which was fine but combined with taking away Regan’s only kill it made Regan come across as meeker than I would have liked.

-AND ONTO THE ABSOLUTE WORST CHANGE THEY MADE-

-in 5.3 when Edgar shows up to fight Edmund and before the fight they ask him “who are you”, he’s like “yeah I’m Edgar I’m here to fight Edmund, my brother.” And then they fight. And they cut all of Edmund and Edgar’s conversation afterward because it’s all irrelevant now that everyone including Edmund knew it was Edgar from the start.

Ok yeah I think that’s it (unless I come back and edit this later)

#king lear #shakespeare #king lear at the new spruce theater #Production review

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comicteaparty · 4 years

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December 30th, 2019-January 5th, 2020 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from December 30th, 2019 to January 5th, 2020. The chat focused on Reading Days by Sergio Ragno.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB START!

Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Week Long Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on Reading Days by Sergio Ragno~! (https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/)

You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Remember, though, that while we allow constructive criticism, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic. Below you will find four questions to get you started on the discussion. However, a new question will be posted and pinned everyday (between 12:01AM and 6AM PDT), so keep checking back for more! You have until January 5th to tell us all your wonderful thoughts! With that established, let’s get going on the reading and the chatting!

QUESTION 1. What has been your favorite strip in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it?

QUESTION 2. Of the ongoing strips connected by the same characters or themes, which one do you like the most and why?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 3. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor?

QUESTION 4. Which of the jokes related to literature, novels, and/or libraries caught your attention the most? What about that strip in general stuck out to you in how it was executed?

Eightfish

1. Unfortunately, even if I've heard of or read the books referenced in this comic I'm not sure I really "get" the strips. I feel like most of the punchlines are going over my head. But I liked this once: https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/comic/judging-a-book-by-its-cover-the-dragon-and-the-george/ It reminded me of me and my friends making fun of the trashy action and romance paperbacks at the free books section of the library. Those campy titles and detailed art have a lot of charm and character to them.(edited)

RebelVampire

QUESTION 5. What has been your favorite illustration in the comic so far? What specifically about it do you like?

QUESTION 6. Which of the pop culture joke strips was your favorite and why? In what ways do you think this comic succeeds in using pop culture for humor in general?

RebelVampire

1) My favorite strip so far is probably this one. https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/comic/what-science-goes-there/ Not only is it a sneaky callback to a very famous sci-fi story, but anything with science cat entertains me. I also like just the...kind of weird dramatic tone this comic has until the last panel where its flipped to deliver the comedy. 2) My fave ongoing series is definitely Science Cat's. I'm just...really biased towards cats. Plus, I really just love the combination between having something education, something comedic, and also something with hints of both science and cat behavior. I love both topics, so for me it's a match made in heaven. 3) Science Cat is my favorite character. Legit, how can you not love a science cat? 4) I actually really like the Judging a Book By its Cover series. Such as this strip for example. https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/comic/judging-a-book-by-its-cover-the-last-dark-elf/ Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of great references and such to literature that I adore (such as my fave strip), but I really like this series focusing on covers. I've personally always thought a lot of book covers, while well illustrated, and really, really weird given the title and contents of the book. So I'm really tickled pink by this series that's kind of pointing that out. Plus, it really does kind of demonstrate the impression a book cover gives us and why it's kind of important to consider the first impression book covers give. Which is why I think it works since it's based on these strange first impressions we might get.

5) My favorite illustration is definitely this strip. https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/comic/dr-science-cat-cat-scientists-tour-of-the-elements-berylium/ Besides my bias for space, I really love the lighting on this one. It really sells the location for me and gives it a nice sense of presence. Not necessarily needed, but I do love interesting lighting so I'll take it. 6) There are a lot of great pop culture jokes, but I'm gonna go with this Peanuts joke one https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/comic/every-time/ Besides the fact it's a classic, it was not the direction I expected it to go. Plus, that Lucy face just really sells it for me. Like its so horrifying in some way, which just makes it all the funnier to me. As for in general, I think this comic really just kind of knows how to balance the elements of pop culture while taking it unexpected directions like this. Where it makes sense in the universe/kind of fits in, yet exaggerates and plays on how ridiculous it could potentially be.

Tuyetnhi

1. I'm fond of the space odyssey parody like lmao. I'll post the link when I find it lol. I think it's just something as midwesterner that likes dry humor, it's a given lol.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 7. Which characters do you enjoy seeing interact the most? What about their dynamic interests you?

QUESTION 8. What was one educational thing you learned from Dr. Science Cat? Overall, what do you think we can learn from the comic in regards to combining education and comedy?

snuffysam

I find the interaction between Reginald and Gina to be really fun. I love the strips where Reginald tries his best to teach everyone meaningful life lessons (e.g. "reading is good") and then Gina comes with an attempt to loudly and completely undermine it. e.g. https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/comic/reginald-powers-in-the-root-of-all-yachts/ But, like, the interaction between them inadvertently teaches other lessons - that not everyone who shares your interests will do so in the same way. Gina and Reginald both like books, but they act on it in very different ways (like, Reginald would not likely break open a water main due to something he read on the spine of a book).

RebelVampire

QUESTION 9. What sorts of art or writing details have you noticed in the way the comic is crafted that you think deserves attention?

QUESTION 10. In what ways do you feel this comic stands apart from other gag of the day style comedy comics? Also, how do you feel the comic succeeds in making everything feel part of one thematically connected series?

RebelVampire

7) I probably enjoy seeing Science Cat interact with anybody really. I don't really have a particular preference where this one is concerned. Though I do somewhat enjoy more science cat interacting with other scientists, cause that allows science cat to be the silly one a bit more than usual. 8) The educational thing I learned was definitely the strip on Beryllium https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/comic/dr-science-cat-cat-scientists-tour-of-the-elements-berylium/. Beryllium is just an element I never really see talked about at all, so off the top of my head I don't know much about it other than it exists. I think this comic does show that comedy and education don't have to be enemies though. The more fun you make education, the easier it is to swallow. Plus, education doesn't have to be serious and boring all the time.

9) There isn't a specific detail I appreciate so much as the overall effort in so many pop culture references. There's a huge mix of books, anime, movies, video games, and so on. Despite how much we consume on a regular basis, it's still hard to know things so in depth to make jokes about them (since most people move on and consume more, which is totally fine of course). So I just appreciate that effort to store enough knowledge that these scenarios can be created. 10) I think this comic stands apart from other gag of the style days in terms of its variety. While there are certainly gag a day style comics that can be pretty varied, I feel this one kicks it up a notch more than usually with just how much it covers. I also think it succeeds more than a lot of other comics due to the sort of thematic connection the whole comic has. Though I can't put it into words, there's a real sense of writing style that is unique and present in all the strips. So in the end it makes the entire theme feel like a really cohesive comedy comic despite only some of the series being connected by the same characters.

Tuyetnhi

8. me answering questions out of order since I think rebel kinda cemented how I feel about the comic in general and Science cat but lmao. Me too about the Beryllium strip. It's kinda funny that a lot of folks who aren't in the education field don't think it's mutually inclusive to have humor and education content together. Yet a lot of educators are calling this connection to help with memory retention. rip speaking as a future educator, it's important to have these works.

science and art, they're closely related than most people think lol.

Tuyetnhi

10. Reginald's Character design for me stands out compared to other gag comics (tbh I wouldn't expect an octopus pop up frequently so kudos for it same for science cat lol). On terms of books read in my high school days, references in pop culture, and overarching moods about reading books and lit. is done well. I think it's just reminding me of the days I'd think about when I was a school kid, and it's kinda nostalgic that way imo.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 11. What do you think are this particular comic’s strengths? What do you think makes this comic unique? Please elaborate.

QUESTION 12. Overall, what do you think we can learn from the comic in regards to comedy writing and how to take inspiration from real life? In other words, how has your perspective on comedy been changed (even if only a little)?

keii4ii

11. I agree that this comic has HUGE variety going on. It covers so much stuff. Admittedly that's a barrier to entry for me, as most of the stuff that's being referred to, I am not familiar with. But even if I don't get it, I honestly think that's admirable and unique. It's a core part of its identity, and it's quite something to see how much fun the comic/author seems to be having, exploring all these different interests!

RebelVampire

QUESTION 13. What are you most looking forward to in the comic? Also, do you have any final thoughts to share overall?

QUESTION 14. What other topics or themes are you hoping to see addressed in the comic? Why do you think it would suit the comedic style the comic is going for?

RebelVampire

11) I think, as I've said before, it's the variety plus the knowledge that's going into the jokes. Want pop culture? It's there. Want literature? It's there. Want educational science stuff? It's there. There's just so much this comic offers in general that I think it adds to the overall charm. 12) For me, as ties into above, this comic kind of reminds me that you can have successful comedy even if not every joke connects with you. I am personally not a huge fan of comedy as a genre, as most stuff just isnt too my taste. However, with comics like this, it's okay if not everything was to my taste. Because of the variety, there were still strips I really liked. So at the end, the comic as a whole did not need to connect with me to be, as an overall thing, something that succeeded as comedy for me. And I think that's a good takeaway for comedy writing in general. Comedy is probably the most divisive of all genres, so it's nice to see when that doesn't really hinder someone making it.

13) Science cat. I need more science cat in my life teaching me about elements. Cause goodness knows I haven't had a good refresher on the periodic table since high school since it isn't relevant to my life. 14) I really hope to see more of the judging book by its cover series, because there are so many great book covers to choose from. Literal interpretation is a comedic form I'm also a fan of and since this comic already has a lot of that, I think it fits right in.

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB END!

Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about Reading Days this week! Please also give a special thank you to Sergio Ragno for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked Reading Days, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!

Read and Comment: https://thirteenthchild.net/readingdays/

Sergio’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SergeXIII

Sergio’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/sergexiii

Sergio’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/sergexiii

#ctparchive #comics #webcomics #indie comics #comic chat #comic discussion #book club #bookclub #comic tea party #ctp #reading days #sergio ragno #studio sergexiii

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sparda3g · 5 years

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Gintama Chapter 701 Review

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The rumor is true. This is the final chapter of Gintama. In Jump Giga. That’s right. It’s not over yet. Honestly, this is fine from a viewer’s point of view. It’s best to please the fans with the best conclusive ending you can come up with. For a Gorilla who don’t know how to end it, based on that chapter, he sure knows how to deliver a wonderful chapter before the finale arrives.

The last chapter was astounding with plenty of great moments, including the long waited reunion of Yorozuya. It’s been nearly a year since we last seen them together again and I do mean under acknowledgement; no more hiding or confusion. Now, it’s the perfect time. With that said as expected, it’s a wonderful reunion that fits perfectly with the series’ nature. Only this series could get away with its shifting tone with pleasantry remain.

The chapter begins with a short recap of the last chapter’s last scene, only with a different angle shot. Kagura loses Sadaharu’s shell as it falls down along with Gintoki. It’s like they’re about to lose two members of the family in one moment, so they jump together to save them. Thus, it begins a splendid build-up for the complete reunion. It builds with the help of many flashbacks where Kagura has traveled. All of which couldn’t help her to save Sadaharu, but all left with an advice.

If you recall the last chapter, whereas one guy told her that Sadaharu isn’t dead nor alive, this is the continuation of some sort. All of them told her that perhaps there’s a trigger to his awakening; something that he has been waiting for. Her last stop was with Inugami Priestesses. The last advice is the solution may be closer than they think. It’s not something from outside, rather something that bond them together. Something that is inseparable. The moment of Sadaharu’s awakening got me all cheery.

The shell begins to break and it’s such a gasping moment. The dialogue about a family waiting to return gets to me, let alone the sequence. At long last, Sadaharu has awakened. If this was in the theater, this would have a roaring applause; I believe it because I was cheering. It’s such a great moment. Family is key and that is what they all have been waiting for. Otae is touched by the scene, knowing Sadaharu awake for Gintoki.

Or so she thought…

In Gintama’s fashion, there’s a hilarious twist and it begins with Sadaharu biting Gintoki; like the good old days. Talk about timing because one fan questioned about the biting and how he/she missed it. Your wish has come true. Not only he bites him but he is devouring him. What just happened? What’s even funnier is how Kagura is so happy for Sadaharu, but dismiss the fact Gintoki is eaten. So priority I guess? There goes the original intention for the reunion.

It gets bizarre when two old men come out from Sadaharu’s arse. That really happened. They just casually begin playing Shogi while Gintoki remains in Sadaharu’s mouth. What is happening? Finally, he barfs out Gintoki, all in filth. At least it resume the good feel nature after whatever just happened. Rightfully so, because we get a heartwarming moment with Kagura and Shinpachi confessing their true wish.

They split apart because they have something they wanted to do. Yorozuya was designed for those who have nothing else to do and just take jobs from outsiders. Despite the purpose, Kagura and Shinpachi are deeply fond of it because they feel like a family. They are a family. It’s because of what Gintoki said made them feel like they too should move on. Reality is they found what they enjoy and want to remain as Yorozuya. Gintoki feels the similar way. His two young members have grown up. The hands grapping panel is touching, no pun intended. Laugh it out that maybe it’s Gintoki that has shrunk.

Actually, that’s exactly the case.

Hilarious how the comedy returns with that sort of unexpected twist. I was feeling so sentimental and then, Sorachi threw me off with Mini-Gin. However, what tops it is the apparent new random plot point for Gin. Those two old men are actually part of him; he’s three in one. We never saw this plot twist coming, but it was hinted all this time. Where? His name, Gin-san. It’s not a suffix, it’s a number. What?! I cannot believe we have a new development behind his character. I thought Black Clover recent chapter was a shocker, but this takes it! What’s next? He has Six Bokuto abilities to master?

As hilariously charming the reunion has been, it does end on a fantastic note. The enemy crew makes their way to attack Yorozuya, while all three Gin (I suppose) are devoured by Sadaharu. Kagura’s logic is to assemble Gin’s parts to bring him back, and that includes his attire. That’s a clever way to make him return in his old form. Sadaharu shoots out Gintoki from his arse and holy crap, no pun intended for God’s sake, that’s seriously awesome. Yorozuya is officially back. You got to love that callback line from chapter 1. This feels like the final chapter. It has the ingredients, but we are not going to end until complete satisfaction.

It has a delighting tie-in reunion with the rest of the cast. It’s pretty neat to see Katsura and Kondo working together. Amazing how one was a Prime Minister and the other was a groom to a Gorilla. What a story to tell. Despite their positions, everyone is back together again. What a wonderful cast of characters. Speaking of characters, we were missing a few notable ones and what timing, because those guys go through a wall with Prince Hata’s car. Madao makes his heroic return in his heroic design. But he is done.

He arrives to help out Yorozuya to reach to the top after they fell a couple of floors down. He thought about how much of a development he had from being a homeless to a famous hero. Never mind that anymore, because he is simply Madao; end of story. He proves to be a great supporting character that doesn’t need to be incredible in offense. His inspiring speech is enough to show how well he can contribute to others. Nothing has changed, but perhaps there are some for the better, hint Prince Hata. It’s a nice development cycle.

The next couple of pages can be used for a presentation on why Gintama is a gem for the fans. Not only you have tons of characters kicking asses, but you also have the comradery, the wackiness, and a sight that display a swell family. In short, it’s the idiotic sight that makes the series as a whole. For these characters, it’s what they wanted to see again. I’m really going to miss this series.

There’s a short scene with Takasugi slowly walking forward and Otae sees him. He throws Gintoki’s Bokuto right by her as to say, “Give it back to him. I have to finish one last job.” I realized earlier, Gintoki was using a lance or something, not Bokuto. That’s nice of Takasugi to return it back. The question remains though: what is his fate? It’s still worrisome. To add more worries, it’s time for the return of Utsuro.

There’s actually a lot to worry about. First, Takasugi’s condition suggest his time is very near. Second, there’s an impending doom for Edo as Altana is going out of control. If it explodes, well, dark ending here we come. Lastly, Utsuro is returning. The chilling tension build-up for the awakening got to me. It’s like witnessing the devil coming to life as the world is ending. Tendoshu is preaching to his lord, hoping that he has fulfilled his destiny. Utsuro’s body has grown up as well, which means the possibility of a fight is high. Finally, he has returned. His credibility as a villain is strong, so this gave me chills.

Katsura and Hitsugi have a fight and it’s really good. It’s short but sweet with a literal heart on the line. I like how one move could decide the victor, which is why it’s gripping to see them dodging and blocking. It’s settled with a blast. Katsura hangs on the edge, while Hitsugi has the advantage, even with a sword thrusted through his gut. The heart falls off of Katsura’s pocket and Hitsugi aims to kill Katsura with the spear. Thank God for Hijikata and Sougo to stop him. Or so they thought.

Throughout the combat, Katsura wanted to stop him from retrieving the heart, believing he wanted to revive Utsuro. The twist is Hitsugi wants to destroy the heart and so, the staff aimed for the heart, not Katsura. That’s actually neat. I like how they both shared the same idea, albeit if Katsura has changed his mind after his last discussion. The fact is both of them were fighting under a similar solution. Not to mention, the last time Hitsugi was around, Takasugi was involved, who didn’t want to destroy it. This adds up really nicely.

Utsuro is now revived and he’s there to reclaim his final boss position. Tendoshu is the victim of a believer that only asked for trouble and rightfully so. He preaches on if he has fulfilled his wish, but Utsuro let him know that he only has one: to erase himself. He knocks his head off and before you would think he will come back, the Altana blast his body off, essentially killing him. Of course, we can’t have a naked final villain, so fortunately for him, he grabs a cape to hide it. Still look badass till this day.

The cliffhanger ends with Takasugi confronting him. It’s time to find out if this is the chance to save Sensei. One thing that is left unanswered is whether this Utsuro is Shouyo or not. There’s a good chance that it is him, seeing how he isn’t as sadist as before, but it left us wondering on purpose for the next chapter. It’s an interesting contrast between Takasugi and Katsura. One confronting to save Sensei, and the other that’s about ending it. With Yorozuya on their way, it’s a really good cliffhanger.

So the series won’t end for another couple of chapters. Make no mistake, the end is really close. That said why rush it. This chapter certified why the series keeps on giving with these wonderful moments to remember. If it’s going to end, it should end with a bang. With a wonderful reunion, plenty of twists, and a cliffhanger that keeps us hanging, it’s hard to be upset at the amount of not ending. Plus, it has done wonders for Sorachi when transiting to monthly basis with solid artwork and great delivery. The end is very near; let’s cater it as much as we can.

#gintama #chapter 701 #review #spoilers

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becky-hardy-performance-blog · 6 years

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Final Week

June 18th-19th

The last stretch!

These last two days were our days to run some scenes for the final time and check microphone levels and their tracks, and work together with the full band. During these two days, we realised that we had to change the batteries quite often. This was a cause for concern so we will make sure we have spare batteries off stage during the performances to stop any potential microphone fails on the night.

WWRY- We now have a musical!

You can recognise the characters within the ensemble clearly now

The cheesy musical theatre acting is there within the GaGa kids scene

Killer Queen is the first recognisable musical theatre number- this seems to be the best ensemble number, but they should all be equal

We know our lighting cues and I feel confident knowing where I should be and when within all numbers

Transitions do need some work, along with the band, because there is a lot of dead space waiting for the next scene to happen. During the Under Pressure scene when the tables are being set, the opening of the song will be played by the band to set the tone and feeling of the scene and telling the audience we will be leading into a song soon. As a general note, we need to start speaking our lines as soon as the previous scene is over to keep things smooth running as the audience will get bored waiting.

During I Want It All, we are enjoying ourselves on stage, but the directors have said that we need to make the audience feel uncomfortable. We need a garish, in your face attitude towards this song. As I said,making the audience feel uncomfortable, but a happy uncomfortable because this will remind them what rocking out was like and taking them back to when they went to concerts as a teen. I feel when I take part in this number, I do the same movements all the time and end up feeling bored half way through the song. To improve this I could interact with the other class members more and feed off their energies because the whole number is just about enjoying yourself.

One vision might get cut since the vocals aren’t being done properly, even after all the weeks of rehearsals, I feel people don’t take things seriously. This number will be changed to less people singing at the back and the dancers being the same since it’s such a good dance and it would be a shame to see the hard work be for nothing. I can now say I am confident with the dance since it has been THE HARDEST dance technically for me to learn but I have rehearsed everyday and feel proud that my work has paid off.

The ‘Flash’ scene is a lot funnier since we have added another gag; instead of the audience anticipating the ‘ah ahh’ within the song, we have chosen to scream instead as after all we are being electrocuted. The lighting state also really helps with the tension in this scene; we are having a bright flash and then strobe red lights for when we are being hurt. The band cues are also very good and we are all in sync which helps the integrity of the scene.

We need to always bring more and keep at full energy levels throughout rehearsals to make this such a successful show.

Rock Of Ages-

The opening is good but ti can be so much better. It needs to be bigger and better than the finale of WWRY because we want the audience to feel more energised and keep raising their expectations. For me in the opening, I feel like I need to perform more to the audience because Drew would want as much attention as he could get as he wants to be famous. I need to look at the motions and gestures from famous rock artists for more ideas, e.g. knee slides, clenching the fist and head banging.

We added another gag for comic relief after ‘Sister Christian’; Keeno, being drunk, will walk across stage before slapping Sam/Sherrie and revisit the previous song. Drunk people are always funny and with it being unexpected I feel this will entertain the audience with some lighthearted and relatable comedy.

My line to Sherrie ‘I LOVE YOU’ needs to be an outburst of energy since I have fallen in love so quickly as so many teenagers do in musicals and movies. The feeling behind the motion is very similar to a character I have played before in a monologue, so I need to embody that character (since I feel confident within that character) and act flustered and embarrassed, this is an awkward teen love story.

A small lighting cue for me is during ‘Waiting Fir A Girl’ is to look up to the back wall so I can be seen in the spotlight. This may change my vocals a little because my voice is already under pressure since the key is so low being originally for a male voice, but I will do this in tomorrows rehearsals and see how it changes my performance.

Here I Go Again and Don’t Stop Believing are the biggest numbers in the musical and since not all of the ensemble are singing, it is letting down the cast and is making the lead singers with mics work harder and push their voices, making it unhealthy for them to sing on the show nights. After days of rehearsals you would think people would be professional and want to do the best they can to entertain an audience.

During the argument scene with Sherrie, the line ‘guess the acting is going well’ is a dig at her being a stripper and clearly not an actress as she makes us out to believe. Me gesturing and eyeing up her clothes is making a joke together and once I clock the audience they will understand what is happening, causing us to laugh at each other, sparking the argument. This scene has improved a lot throughout rehearsals and has become more believable and easier to perform. I do fear after a bit it may become stale and the same so we are trying to make it different each time we do it.

A problem the directors have noticed is that the majority of the ensemble seem to save their energy for the last number since it’s very energetic. The problem with this is that during the actual show, once they give 100% in all numbers, they wont have the stamina for the final number. It is very important to give it all in rehearsals as if it is the actual show so you and the directors know how it is going to look for the actual night.

The day before!

Our final dress, mic, tech run where we tried out our notes from yesterdays session. A lot of people took these notes and confidently put them into practice and I am proud of the sudden professionalism we have as a whole cast. We have re worked the mic paths and I am confident with where they are going- although I am not in charge of any microphones besides the wired ones on stage already, and I use a head mic throughout Rock of Ages.

I feel very confident with my character and how I have developed Drew, and feel ready to show the audience the hard work I have put in

I do still feel weary about the ‘street guyz’ scene but I don’t think I will ever feel comfortable with it so I will have to embrace the awkwardness. This helps because the character himself feels uneasy about the situation, and you always have to put a bit of yourself in the character which I definitely feel like I do. It helps my character development in the scene and puts myself in the characters shoes.

We got new staging today from our partner school so we had to fix some of the entrances and exits since the set is a little higher, so we have to be more careful and be mindful in the blackouts. During a run I almost fell down the stairs, so although it being a pain the day before the show, it does make our set look better and we can adapt easily with time.

I am happy to say I am confident! It is my last show in college ever, and although it will be emotional, it will help my character and help me push to be better than I have ever performed. Getting to work with new people has been a learning experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering my character no matter how much I complained. I loved the challenge by the end of the process because it makes me feel prouder that I am doing a good job with something I thought was impossible before we started. It has also made me feel a lot more confident for the future challenges ahead that will be out of my comfort zone as I won’t be as afraid to jump in from now on.

#musical #log #run #rehearsal #wwry #rockofages

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sherlockholmes--221b-blog1 · 6 years

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Three Billboards: The Shorter Title

It is very rare when you come across a film so unlike anything you have ever seen before. You might have seen films that could fit into its category, but it is so unique that there is no way you could compare it to anything else. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is one of these.

This is the third film by director Martin McDonagh has directed, following In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths. He is known for very black and genuinely funny humor mixed with harsh themes and thought provoking endings to leave the audience with. He does the same with Three Billboards, maybe even more so on both accounts. The completely different tones that reside in this film are those that don’t seem to go together at all, just like the characters, but they seem to not battle each other, coexisting in one story beautifully and harmoniously instead, unlike most of the characters. The director seems to have grabbed a handful of ideas and put them all into one script just to see what would happen, resulting in overwhelming success. It’s a beautiful, tragic, hilarious, dark, gritty, random, lovable, hateful, downright suspenseful movie I can’t wait to watch again.

I can’t really break the movie down until I get to spoilers because there are so many twists and turns I have to try and stay away from. All I will say now is that this will keep you on the edge of your seat. Be prepared going in to laugh and cry and jump, sometimes all within a scene or two. The performances are beyond amazing, especially (predictably) Frances McDormand and (unexpectedly) Sam Rockwell. Every character, even the extremely small ones you spend only a scene or two with are filled out and interesting to watch. Every scene, excluding one CGI deer, is riveting and perfectly shot. It’s definitely going to be near the top of my favorite movies of the year. Go into it knowing as little about it as possible and don’t go see it with your kids.

Spoilers!!! Please don’t read ahead if you haven’t seen the movie.

Good Cop: The structure is great. It feels a little like a movie that follows different characters on their own journey, which it kind of does, but it isn’t. It stays true to the main plot of Mildred screwing around with the police. There are so many sides to the story and all of them are represented perfectly. There could be full movies focusing only on one of the many plot lines running through the movie. The script is witty and well thought out. It’s not too smart but it certainly isn’t too dumb either. You can feel the small town and understand the characters, even the ones you don’t agree with completely. The one story that really stuck out to me in this film is Sam Rockwell’s character. He is a crazy hothead of a policeman who is known for being racist and homophobic in the town and somehow he gets away with things like beating people up in the street for no apparent reason. His arc is the most interesting because he seems like the antagonist for the first half of the film and comes to an unexpected redemption in the second half. His fate is unclear, but you partially forgive him for the horrendous acts he commits earlier. The humor in the movie is hilarious, and this is something quite unexpected from film about a woman trying to find the killer and rapist of her daughter. Even in some of the toughest scenes, there are some excellent laugh-out-loud gags. It feels like a Coen brothers movie but darker and funnier if that’s possible. I need to see this again because I want to get more out of it. Mildred’s character is one that I was so happy to see McDormand take on, her being one of my favorite actors/actresses of all time. She is electric in every scene. She is very unlike the Fargo McDormand, not careful and tactical but sporadic and heated. She is very passionate and strong willed in every way, making her the most interesting person to watch on screen. One scene that really stood out to me is the interrogation between her and Woody Harrelson’s character. As soon as he accidentally coughs up blood onto her face, we expect her to go into a rage and storm out. Instead, she turns from her stubborn figure to being caring and sympathetic towards him and calling for help. She is driven to this madness we see her in because of her daughter, but that isn’t completely how she is as a person. No matter what we see her do, we know what her drive is and we sympathize with her to an extent. It’s heartbreaking. The movie is about grief. All of our characters experience grief at some point in the film and we see how they react to it in different ways. It’s sad and it’s beautiful to see the outcome. It’s a heavy film, but it’s also a very necessary film. It doesn’t hurt that it’s very entertaining as well. The suicide of Woody Harrelson’s character was somewhat unexpected, but changed the film in a major way that brought a lot of the other characters struggling with this grief along in a way that is both tragic and beautiful.

Bad Cop: Although McDonagh balances the tones well, he seems to have a hard time trying to mix the humor with the gut-wrenching punches the story brings. One moment strong words against someone else are being said and the next there’s a laugh-out-loud gag that almost eradicates it. It’s impossible to determine whether this film is more of a comedy or a drama. The hard moments are hard and the funny moments are funny but of all that McDonagh is trying to do, he can’t seem to make these two things work together in a way that feels natural and real. Also, as fascinating as the Sam Rockwell’s character Dixon’s arc is, there is a slight problem. The letter he receives from Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) who has just killed himself tells him to stop being such a hothead. It tells him that maybe to get what he wants, he needs to learn love. He needs to try to calm down and think carefully before acting. Willoughby is somehow understanding of the way Dixon is and believes he can be what he wants to be: a detective. Unfortunately, the motivation of Dixon wanting to be a detective is dropped on us with no clues previously hinting at that whatsoever. It’s not a big flaw, but it’s a buildup I would liked to have seen. My final problem with this movie made me frustrated more than ever in this movie. It doesn’t seem like a big problem, but it really is: the CGI deer. This, in my opinion, is possibly McDonagh’s biggest mistake in the movie. Mildred is putting flowers at the billboards where her daughter died and sees a deer in the field. She starts talking to the deer and what she is saying is heartbreaking and shows a key element in her grieving. Unfortunately, the deer is so distractingly bad that we can’t really focus on what she’s saying. The audience can’t help but either judge it in their heads or whisper it into the ear of someone next to them. This is very unfortunate and the scene would have been much better if they had been able to either put more money into creating the animal or getting a real one.

Ugly Cop: The side characters deserve some mentioning. Peter Dinklage as James, the “town midget,” was hilarious. McDonagh must have some fascination with small people because of the scenes he also put in In Bruges. Characters like him, Red Welby the billboard manager, Mildred’s coworker, the fat dentist, the other policemen and the catholic priest are great extra Coen-Brothers-esc side characters that give the small town a personality. I also have to mention the performance of Lucas Hedges as Mildred’s son. Everything I see him in he blows it away. In this film, his performance is a little more subtle than Lady Bird or Manchester By the Sea but it is still great nonetheless. In the few scenes we get with Mildred’s ex-husband and his new girlfriend we see how their relationship might have been before they separated. A few other shoutouts I have pertaining to how delightfully random and funny the film is include Dixon’s mom and her turtle, Mildred’s ex-husband’s girlfriend, Willoughby’s wife’s unexplained accent and the Oscar Wild joke. This movie is wonderful in so many ways. It tears you apart and puts you back together by the end of it that makes you wish you could’ve spent more time with these people…well, at least some of them.

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