tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11802546481086996192024-03-25T14:24:45.164-04:00Richard B at largeOccasional reports on travels and experiences, supplemented by digressionsRBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.comBlogger415125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-9148722757117342082024-03-16T15:35:00.001-04:002024-03-16T15:35:54.801-04:00Glenstone and The Holdovers<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Had a wonderful time today on my first visit to Glenstone, the art museum set in a sprawling grassy and woodsy large expansive setting out in Montgomery County, Maryland. There's a number of large outdoor pieces by Jeff Koons, Richard Serra, and quite a few others. The two buildings complement each other. The Pavilions are about a dozen large- and small-room galleries with a beautiful central pool that has grasses along the sides and a nice deck to sit out on. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">An Ellsworth Kelly retrospective was the featured exhibition covering his whole and varied career. Other rooms featured many different contemporary painters and sculptors. The Gallery was a more traditional design with an exhibit called Iconoclasts that had many well-known moderns--Calder, DeKooning, Pollock, Krasner, Yves Klein, Franz Kline, and many others. Two nice places for coffee and lunch--the Patio is outdoors and the Cafe indoors. Nice walks all around and between the installations and buildings.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Watched <i>The Holdovers</i> on streaming channel and thoroughly enjoyed it. Paul Giamatti is one of the most consistently superb actors who is on scene for the whole picture. His character is somehow likeable despite being deeply cynical and somewhat mean to his students at a classic New England prep school. He opens up when he's stuck staying at school over the Christmas holiday with a few students who also have no place to go home to. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The settings are beautiful, of course--New England in the winter--and a trip to Boston allows some nice shots of familiar and other places there. Good performances by everyone but Giamatti holds the pic together in fine fashion. He was put up for the Best Actor Oscar but it was clear that that was the recognition he would get, not the Oscar; he's deserved one for many of his film performances.</span><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-18653673225152671672024-03-10T17:25:00.003-04:002024-03-10T17:28:48.939-04:00La Forza del Destino at the Met in HD<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The matinee yesterday of <i>La Forza del Destino</i> was magnificent. I saw it in a movie house that carries The Met in HD series. I wanted to see it because this is an opera I love, for the music and singing. It is as good in those respects as any Verdi opera, beginning with the overture which is probably the best of any of Verdi's and is often played on its own by orchestras. The outstanding conductor was the Met's current Music Director, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, who also conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra and produced an immaculate musical rendition.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This performance was a chance to see the Met's new production, the first in 30 years and apparently the first series of performances in 20 years. It's hard to believe that it's been that long. The Met used to put this opera on frequently. Some of the Met worthies interviewed during the intervals claimed that it was the need for several great singers that caused the lengthy hiatus.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">If so, Lise Davidsen, our Leonora, is the answer to the prayers of lovers of <i>La Forza</i>. The Norwegian soprano has conquered many of the world's greatest opera stages in the past couple of years, and now she has added something, something wonderful, from the Italian repertory to her triumphs with Wagner and Richard Strauss. She has a lovely clear tone and can ascend to any note without any straining. In the opening scene, her formal dress was not as flattering as the trench coat and hermit's robe she wore in subsequent scenes. I'd have been satisfied whatever she wore, but she is a handsome woman who looked good in the coat and robe.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Her <i>Pace, pace mia Dio </i>near the end of the opera conjured up memories of hearing Leontyne Price, who loved this opera, sing the great concluding aria. She has already sung the Marschallin in <i>Der Rosenkavalier </i>and next season will perform the title role in <i>Tosca</i>.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> I was not familiar with the rest of the cast, but that just is evidence of the few operas I've seen or hard in the past years of the pandemic. Tenor Brian Jagde as Don Alvaro started out a bit cold in the opening scene--he's only on stage then for 10 minutes--and would not appear for another hour after both the Inn and Convent scenes. He shone in his duets with Igor Golovatenko, the baritone who was a superb Don Carlo, one of the most revenge-fueled characters in all of opera. He reminded me of the wonderful Siberian baritone of only a few years ago, Dmitri Hvorostovsky. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Patrick Carfizzi was an effective grouchy Melitone, if not particularly oriented toward the <i>basso</i> <i>buffo</i> comedic side of the role. With his gray brush cut, though, he was a perfect figure of a priest. Judit Kutasi was an entertaining Preziosilla (mezzo), although her <i>Rataplan</i> somehow didn't pack the punch this lighter interlude usually provides in the middle of the opera. It may have been the paucity of her camp followers in the scene when she sings that catchy number that limited the impact of the scene.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Soloman Howard, a young and very formidable bass, was cast both as Padre Guardiano and Leonora's father, the Marquis of Calatrava. I especially enjoyed his deep tones as the Padre and felt that having him return in the closing scene as the father was totally wrong-headed. The new production is set in today's world, which is not an easy thing to do with a plot and libretto that are extremely unbelievable even for opera. Mostly, it worked as most productions of truly great operas usually do. The crazy libretto, however, may have kept the Met from reviving <i>La Forza</i> for so many years. It was fun to see everyone in the cast included in the closing (and only) curtain call.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I think the relatively short run at the Met, which began in late February and now is either finished or nearly so, reflected a fear that so many opera people are unfamiliar with this fine middle-period Verdi stalwart. They shouldn't have worried, at least about attendance at the opera house, because Ms. Davidsen undoubtedly is already a huge draw. I was disappointed that the theater where I saw the opera, in Ballston in Arlington, Va., was not at all packed. Previously, meaning four or five years ago, this theater was full for the Met offerings. Probably the lingering fears, especially of older patrons, diminished the size of th audience. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I had contemplated going to New York but will admit that ticket prices, along with travel costs, militated against the trip. The production by itself would win no plaudits, but just seeing and hearing the opera is worth any price of admission. This opera was often onstage during the golden Met years in the 20s and 30s with Rosa Ponselle and many other storied sopranos taking the leading role, along of course with th great Leontyne Price.</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-49461252912276014482024-01-07T14:42:00.001-05:002024-01-07T14:42:16.736-05:00Bad Days for the Establishment<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The parlous situation in which Harvard found itself over the past weeks probably found many observers exhibiting a full dose of schadenfreude--pleasure at seeing the oldest and probably most prestigious American university roasted over the coals of truly bad publicity. After its governing body, the President and Fellows of Harvard College, known as the Harvard Corporation, had stood behind the university president, Claudine Gay, when she and the presidents of MIT and Penn had fallen into a trap before a Congressional committee intent on taking them down and using the schools' weak response to anti-Semitism on their campuses as a means of attack, it was getting harder for the governing board to keep supporting Gay.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">They had named a special committee to investigate some charges of plagiarism by the president. As expected, this inquiry cleared her. But further allegations of plagiarism or miscitation or no citation kept dribbling out. This, more than the concentrated attacks from major donors and right-wing agitators, made the board increasingly unwilling to keep backing the president as it seemed she was digging herself deeper each day. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It's likely that the Harvard Corporation had resisted the pressure initially because of the Harvard attitude that it didn't take direction from outsiders, and especially not from politicians, such as the Congresswoman who had shown up the three presidents and was herself a Harvard graduate. This is the university where, long ago, when a caller asked to see the then-president of Harvard, Charles Eliot, his secretary responded, "The President has gone to Washington to see Mr. Taft."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Harvard seems to have had little experience in crisis management. A large portion of the faculty had registered its support of President Gay. But it would appear that no one on the governing board or its staff had taken the time to explore with Gay whether there was more to the plagiarism charges. There was. Thus the Corporation was caught in the worst kind of posture: more charges and evidence dribbling out when they had thought they had doused the fire.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This turn of events also diminished the Corporation's reliance on Harvard's long-established hauteur. Unlike most institutions, Harvard's natural response to anyone criticizing the university was to ignore allegations as beneath its dignity even to respond. Since the charges didn't go away even after the Corporation had initially cleared Gay and reiterated its support, the rarely challenged Corporation had no place to go but to fold.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It now appears that Gay was told to get her resignation statement ready and the Corporation prepared its own announcement. Fortunately for the governing board, a qualified Provost was on hand to serve as interim President. When the leading critics--representing right-wingers and major donors--were savoring their victory, a counterattack was launched at MIT, whose leader, the third president at the hearing, had withstood pressure to resign. It turned out that an MIT academic who was the wife of one of the loudest major donors had been accused of plagiarism similar to what Gay had been accused of, and had apparently skated through the inquiry.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The donor responded by promising to launch a plagiarism investigation of the MIT President and just about everyone on the faculty at the school. This may have been an unwise feint in that it seems inevitable that any such inquiry would take time--presumably the donor could afford the significant cost--and would likely result in all kinds of difficult cases that inevitably arise in this area of academic misbehavior. The institutions could hold out while this fishing expedition searched through huge amounts of paper, all of which would need to be evaluated.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lastly, the defense of free speech offered by the three presidents at the hearing was vitiated by the sorry history of the institutions' hypocrisy. They insisted that statements favoring genocide and that were thus anti-Semitic might not be held violations of the schools' conduct codes unless the speech became conduct. This is an admittedly complex area but the schools were defending free speech after coming down hard on those faculty members who resisted such requirements as using a student's preferred pronouns.</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-29363323659998496262023-12-24T21:06:00.002-05:002023-12-24T21:08:34.454-05:00Two Irish Plays Worth Seeing<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Last weekend we enjoyed Brian Friel's terrific play, <i>Translations</i>, at the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York. For me, it was a special treat, in that I had just completed a four-play course led by Chris Griffin, who taught Irish lit at George Washington Univ., and presented by our independent bookstore, Politics & Prose, in which this Friel play was the final one we read and discussed. Somehow I'd never seen one of his plays and now I know what I've missed. The Irish Repertory Theatre will be doing two more, including his first big success on Broadway, <i>Philadelphia, Here I Come!</i>, this spring as part of their Friel Project.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The play is set in 1833 in Donegal, which is in some parts further north in Ireland than Northern Ireland. The Brits--their army--are documenting and Anglicizing place-names; most of the locals have nothing to do with another exercise of the colonial power but one man who's made a success in Dublin comes back to serve as their translator and interpreter. As he becomes friendlier with the young British officer who is the cartographer, he fails to see that this will not end well.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's a well-crafted play that allows the audience (and readers) to consider the implications of what each of the characters is conveying. The performances are excellent and their accents impeccable. Friel grew up in Derry, Northern Ireland, and was present on Bloody Sunday there during "the Troubles".<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today we saw Conor McPherson's <i>The Seafarer</i> at Round House in Bethesda. This drama features five men--no women--all of whom are hanging on in a house where the only consistent activity is drinking. The first act was tedious and at least one friend had told us that she departed at the intermission. I'm glad we resisted doing that because the second act turned everything around and presented a clever dramatic conflict, with all five roles playing important parts.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It was amazing to see how the play came to life. You immediately begin to appreciate how each man fits into the drama. They all perform well and unlike the first act, you don't find yourself wondering when the act will end. McPherson also throws in some nice curveballs to heighten the impact. It was definitely worth coming back after the interval.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-50294085825763112232023-12-04T14:35:00.005-05:002023-12-04T14:40:44.725-05:00The Promised End at Source Theater<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">No, I'm not reporting the demise of the Source Theater on 14th Street. This was an IN Series production presented there which we took in last Saturday night. You might say that it was an interesting idea to combine Shakespeare's <i>King Lear</i> with Verdi's <i>Requiem</i>. As it turned out, the Requiem fared better, in my view, than Lear. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The stage was a group of chairs and benches, with vertical rods running down the middle across the stage. There were eight singers--four men and four women--all with excellent voices covering the full range. There's also a narrator who also plays the parts of both Verdi and Lear at various times, mostly from a simple reading stand more than a lectern.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The singing is superb. The lower men's voices, bass and baritone in particular, added beauty to the performance of the Requiem that the eight singers carry on throughout the performance. The women singers were equally excellent. The narrator, played by Nanna Ingvarsson, projected a commanding figure but had the most difficult role because her task included telling something about the lives of both Verdi and Shakespeare, as well as tying the music to the words of the play, <i>King Lear.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Ingvarsson was often overwhelmed by the sound of eight opera singers going all out. She was able to portray in some fashion the great dramatic points in Lear, which is often described as the peak of Shakespeare's output. Much of her presentation, however, was lost amid the huge sound of the Requiem singers and accompaniment. The performance early on emphasized Verdi's life and career, including singing from offstage of his famous chorus of the Hebrew slaves in Babylon, <i>Va Pensiero</i>, from <i>Nabucco</i>, which became the Italian national anthem.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">To me, this was an example of "seemed like a good idea at the time" although I found the fine singing of the Requiem was enthralling. I've seen Lear performed as its own play and will attest to its greatness, but it is not in any way nor should it be a light three hours at the theater. This production ran for about 80 minutes and there was effusive applause at the end, for the singers, who were wonderful, and for the narrator, perhaps because of the superhuman task she was set and attempted bravely to accomplish.</span><br /></p><br />RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-56935214645312057252023-09-03T15:24:00.001-04:002023-09-03T15:24:33.026-04:00Ink: Rupert at the Round House<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">James Graham's play, <i>Ink</i>, traces the first year of Rupert Murdoch's campaign to conquer the British media world. It begins with his hiring Larry Lamb, an overlooked editor whose Yorkshire background apparently prevented him from scaling the climb to the highest media editorial aeries in London. The play shows the callow Australian seeking to transplant his method for building an editorial behemoth Down Under. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Murdoch mouths lines about giving people what they want, making newspapers fun, and being a disrupter--in this case of the Establishment which dominated the British media. Lamb proceeds to hire the most able people he knows to grow The Sun from a minor broadsheet to the highest-circulation paper in the world, now as a tabloid. It's sex, scandal, and giveaways all round.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We get an inkling of how dangerous Murdoch will be (and now has been, at 90) to our society and democracy. He gradually insinuates his antilabor, pro-Tory beliefs into the paper. He urges Lamb to break out of all traditional journalistic guidelines and then disclaims responsibility when things blow up. But like him or not, we see how he proceeded to take over The Times [London], The New York Post, and The Wall Street Journal, while creating the Fox network and other TV channels worldwide.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The acting by all the players is excellent; it's hard to single any one or two out because the ensemble works beautifully. However, Craig Wallace as the reigning media monarch dethroned by Murdoch is superb; his versatility was demonstrated when I saw him as Louis Armstrong a few years ago at the Mosaic Theater Company at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This show runs longer than the specified two-and-one-half hours (with intermission). It's a co-production of Round House and the Olney Theater Company. Before the performance on Sept. 2, a panel moderated by the <i>Post</i>'s Peter Marks considered the implications of Murdoch on both the media and democracy. The outstanding contributions were made by Michael Steele, now a commentator on MSNBC but former Republican National Chair and Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My major difference with the panelists, particularly Jummy Olabangi of NBC4, was their acceptance of the idea that those who manage local TV news perform a largely objective service of presenting fact-based news. Their coverage, in my view, focuses principally on crime and creates an environment where one might conclude that crime is more rampant than ever, with consequent political demands for more stringent administration of justice. Murders have gone up in D.C., but as with other metro areas, crime as a whole has declined. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The play moves nicely with good backdrops of headlines and sets focusing on adjoining multi-desk newsrooms and conversations of two at fancy dinner tables. The first act focuses on the process by which The Sun builds up its circulation and the second act examines the results. All in all, it was a rewarding theatrical evening.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-74153844654789024702023-07-13T17:19:00.001-04:002024-01-07T14:44:20.894-05:00An Enigmatic Brilliant Classmate<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In the summer 2023 issue I received online today, the alumni bulletin of the law school from which I graduated, Harvard, reported the death last autumn (2022) of a classmate, Covert E. Parnell III, whom I cannot say I knew well but whose company I had now and then enjoyed while there. Pete was an unusual guy, even if his resume was classic top-of-the-line HLS.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He was born and grew up in Alabama, attended Birmingham Southern College, and graduated <i>magna</i> from Harvard Law. Then he clerked for a respected judge on the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, Francis Van Dusen, followed by service as one of the last clerks for Justice Hugo Black. When Black died while Pete was his clerk, the incoming justice, another Southerner, Lewis Powell, kept him on.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Pete always said that Black had hired him because he was a decent tennis player, always rumored to be a requirement to be a law clerk for the justice, who played frequently into his old age. Pete's being an Alabaman can't have hurt him either, as Black was partial to brilliant law grads from his home state. This was despite the prevalence of dislike, to put it mildly, for Black in Alabama because of his individual but generally progressive views (even though he'd been a Klan member in his youth): "Hugo Black used to run around in white robes scaring black people; now he wears black robes and scares white people" was the derogatory line about Black in the South.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He had been a Senator from Alabama during the New Deal and was FDR's first nominee to the Court, in 1937; Roosevelt had not had the opportunity to appoint a justice to the Court which had been striking down his legislation for his whole first term. Black was named after the collapse of Roosevelt's attempt to expand the Court so as to outvote the conservatives dominating the Court. It was felt that the safest political path was to nominate a sitting Senator.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It shouldn't be surprising that law came easily to Pete. Powell undoubtedly kept him on because everyone who knew Pete was impressed by both his brilliance and his charm. When I ran into him sometime later, I asked him about a clerk who served at the time he did and was well-known. In Pete's view, he was a "cottonhead". Pete became a partner in a major Los Angeles firm only five years out. This was quite uncommon, then and now, and I suspect he was the first member of our class to become a partner in a major law firm.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I lost track of him and so, apparently, did most of my classmates. I checked out the firm listing once when I was going to be in LA and he was gone. Several years later, I was at some legal gathering and found myself introduced to a young woman who was at Pete's old firm. Without getting very specific, something lawyers are very good at, she indicated to me that he had gone through some kind of crack-up and that as far as she knew, he was living in some nondescript part, of which there are many, of the LA metro area. She had no idea what he was doing. "He was the brightest, nicest lawyer I've ever known," she observed.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">His obits all said he had been the lawyer for Home Savings and then on the executive team at H.F.Ahmanson & Co., which owned Home Savings. He then was a name partner in what was apparently a small firm and also served as executive director or chair of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. He retired and lived in Rancho Mirage, Calif., for the last 21 years of his life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There's more of a story there. I say that because the obit referred to both his partner of many years, who is male, and also to a son. He appears to have been active in the Church of St. Paul in the Desert, which is in Palm Springs. He became an inactive member of the California bar in 1997, only four years before he retired completely.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It's possible to suggest all sorts of suppositions about his life based on the scant evidence I've had access to. Yet, his story reminds me of the title character in Calvin Trillin's memoir, <i>Remembering Denny</i>. Trillin set out to learn what had become of a Yale classmate whom he admired for his easy disarming way and charm that appeared to guarantee a successful life. While Denny had achieved outward success as an academic and in government, following his time as a Rhodes Scholar, it turned out that he had demons of his own. He had a series of false starts in his career, and despite his accomplishments as a professor, had committed suicide at 55. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In a review of Trillin's book, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt concluded: "At the end of <i>Remembering Denny</i>, the author recalls how one of Denny's more recent acquaintances 'seemed offended when I referred to Denny as an old friend.' He said, 'Roger would have said that you didn't know him at all.' Mr. Trillin replied, 'I couldn't agree with you more.'"<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-67994884082731383972023-07-12T15:33:00.004-04:002023-07-12T15:33:26.783-04:00'Prima Facie" and "Days of Wine and Roses'<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Two shows in New York that I saw over Fourth of July weekend: (1) <i>Prima Facie</i> was a one-woman show about a barrister who knows how to defend sexual assault cases and then is assaulted herself and learns how the system treats victims. Jodie Comer starred. She won the Tony this year for Best Actress in a play and became well-known here for playing the assassin in the streaming series <i>Killing Eve</i>, and (2) <i>Days of Wine and Roses</i> is a musical based on the Playhouse 90 TV production of the 50s or 60s and the movie with Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick. Broadway musical star Kelli O'Hara leads the cast, with Brian D'Arcy James playing the male lead.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>Prima Facie</i> runs 100 minutes without intermission. It gets draggy in the last half, possibly because of the absence of a break. Comer is absolutely marvelous, doing everything on stage including moving the set pieces. She brings the barrister to life and you laugh and then feel sorry with her. Although the drama is especially appealing to lawyers, it went over well with the general audience. By showing how the system works from two sides, the play achieves more than a one-sided MeToo presentation. It's too bad that it closed over the same weekend; either Comer had been signed for a truly limited run or even winning the Tony didn't pick up box office.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>Days of Wine and Roses </i>has always been a downer because it shows a couple sinking into alcoholism. The two leads are superb--the music is all right but unmemorable. O'Hara does everything she can to put the songs across but if she can't leave you humming them, it's not her fault. James is a perfect match for her. They play very well together as they confront their demons separately for the most part and go off in different directions. The show was put on at the Atlantic Theater Company's Linda Gross Theater on West 20th St. in Chelsea. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">To me, the show still has great power in its depiction of how mid-20th Century culture encouraged alcohol addiction. All the social cues that pushed people toward booze both at work and at home come through. This show, also without an intermission, runs about 105 minutes. It also would benefit from a break. It wasn't clear whether it is bound for Broadway--the cast and production are first-class. It may well need some more work to tighten up spots and maybe even charge up the music.</span><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-13895256754588550632023-07-09T21:56:00.003-04:002023-07-09T21:58:11.557-04:00Horatio Alger--My Outfit<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I've already received one e-mail today pointing out that "your waining Society is back in the news some 100+ years later." The reference is to the Horatio Alger Society, of which I was president a few years ago and which I agreed to serve this year as vice president. HAS (our acronym) is a group of book collectors, people interested in American juvenile literature of the second half of the 19th century, and the continued interest which pops up now and then in media of our eponymous author who did have a problem coming up with more than one plot. In case it's not immediately apparent, HAS is a low-budget operation.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is an organization that honors people whose lives it feels exemplify the Horatio Alger ideal of poor boy makes good. (There were a couple of his novels that featured girls, quite a step forward in those days!) The Association tends to recognize captains of industry and such; this has made it a very high-budget operation. It apparently chose to include Clarence Thomas some years ago as one of its annual inductees.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Today, the New York Times chose to feature his membership in a lengthy front-page story, which only seems significant enough for the front page--right lede no less--because of the scandal arising from his acceptance of gifts, trips, lodging, meals, etc., from rich people. Some of them have had some relationship with cases pending before the Court. Some of those people may have met him through the Association.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">These people meet in places that you need not worry about the price because if you do, you can't afford it. Our Society's annual convention, which now attracts a bit more than a handful of members and their partners or friends, have been held in hostelries outside the beltways of small cities and only grudgingly do we agree to assemble at any place that charges much more than $100 a night. We've met at a Holiday Inn in Fredericksburg for three years because during the pandemic, it has been an easy place to hold our meetings.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In the past we've met all over the country, and I've been to our conventions in Catskill, N.Y.; Willow Grove, Pa.; Sacramento, Calif.; Shelbyville, Ind.; Bowie, Md.; and North Conway, N.H. No five-star resorts there.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We did succeed in getting a Horatio Alger Stamp issued some years ago. That was one of the very few occasions where we were involved in working with the Association on a common cause. It worked. Some f our members, who know everything there is to know about Alger, wrote the Alger bio the Association uses in its literature--for a fee.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Someone gave me an Alger novel when I was in junior high. Then I found a rack of them when I was still in my teens at Leary's Book Store in Philadelphia, one of the legendary old book stores that are hardly to be found anymore. My allowance enabled me to buy a couple. I got a kick out of reading Alger. The poor boy at the end of each book acquired fame, girl, and cash, not necessarily in that order. Triumph occurred by coincidence or happenstance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I've collected a lot of them over the years. It was fun looking for them in the bookstores I ran across in traveling. I have a few first editions. Few of them or any of the books are worth much, definitely not what I paid for them. I'm not waiting for an invite from the Association.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I have gone to receptions at the Supreme Court. One was when I became a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management. Going to oral arguments, at least in past years, was more interesting. In retrospect, I think I've had more enjoyment from HAS than I would've found on a trip to the Alaskan back country with some rich people.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-70211485916580449562023-06-24T16:51:00.002-04:002023-06-24T16:55:29.984-04:00Father's Day Memories<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Even on Father's Day--last Sunday--I don't find myself thinking that much about my dad. He did love being the center of attention, which he usually was. It wasn't just that he had jobs--with the performers' unions--that in those days were regarded as "glamor jobs". He had an outgoing personality, enjoyed life and his friends, even his family. He stayed in touch with many of his relatives--and like me, he had many--and he managed to see them because he traveled so much.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I thought of him today because someone was writing in Facebook about Liz Taylor's third husband--the one she didn't divorce: she couldn't because he died in a plane crash. Harold was one of about 15,000 invited to Mike Todd's incredible party at the old Madison Square Garden. This was an evening to celebrate Mike Todd, produced by the great producer and honoree himself. The last event on the evening's program was "Liz Cuts the Cake". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It was the kind of spectacle that doesn't seem to happen these days, not that there's any reason it should. It was pure ego trip, but in a way, it now stands out as a never-to-be-repeated occasion and sort of charming in retrospect. They gave away all kinds of gifts to attendees but my dad reported that a few "guests" or non-guests helped themselves away from the spotlights. Down near the darker 9th Ave. end of the arena, he said, guys with moving men's straps were hoisting washing machines that were there, I assume, as prizes, and hauling them off with no one taking the trouble to check their credentials as likely would happen today. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I was along for another such night at the old Garden. It was the opening night of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey circus, also now defunct. The evening was filled with special features not included on the three-times-a-day regular performances. Marilyn Monroe emerged riding an elephant dusted with some kind of pink substance now probably banned. Marlene Dietrich satisfied the dreams of many present when she appeared in red jacket and black leather pants and boots, carrying a large whip as the "ringmistress".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I was introduced to her daughter, Maria Riva, whose bio of her mom I read when she published it years later. In those days the circus began with the animal acts--usually three huge caged rings featuring lions and tigers and bears--guess they got that idea from <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>. In those days, before the circus performance began, you could wander through the menagerie and side shows down in the Garden basement. If you went down the wrong staircase trying to exit the Garden, you might end up down there and could find yourself facing lions, tigers, and bears--all of whom looked hungry.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We went to benefits together--some in the Garden--where all kinds of performers worked gratis for the charity of the evening. I recall seeing the likes of Nina Simone and Joel Grey (well pre-<i>Cabaret</i>). Harold's work when he ran part of the performers' unions that handled benefits was to make sure that while the stars worked free of charge, non-headline performers were paid regular scale. While his tickets were always Annie Oakleys, his main purpose in attending was to make sure the charity heads or promoters knew that someone was keeping an eye on their management.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-83601771464701612602023-06-18T20:41:00.000-04:002023-06-18T20:41:10.373-04:00Exclusion--A New Play<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Exclusion</i>, by Kenneth Lin, has been playing here in D.C. at the Arena, where we saw it Friday night. The promos said it was about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, by which all Chinese in the U.S. were told to depart and there was no immigration quota for Chinese people until 1943. That, by itself, didn't necessarily portend a great theatrical experience, if the theme was merely that the U.S. for many years was definitely employing a racist immigration policy against Asians.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">However, although the theme as it turned out did fit a pattern of previous dramas--David Mamet's <i>Speed the Plow</i> is one example, it made for a good evening of dramatic theater. An actress who goes by the one-name identity of Karoline plays a writer, Katie, who has published a book about and against the Chinese Exclusion Act. It has been optioned by Hollywood.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The opening scene finds her in the office of a Hollywood deal man--a producer--who is seeking to get it produced as a streaming series. He has the slippery feel of so many of his kind who have been portrayed on screen, stage, tv, and streaming. Gradually, Katie senses that her screenplay she adapted from her book is going to be massively rewritten and reshaped in the highly anticipated manner that so often is the way this process pans out.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The way this impacts on Katie and her partner, Malcolm, however, proves to be the most interesting part of the play, because it's less predictable. In fact, although the deal man, Harry, is well played by Josh Stamberg, but after a while, one only expects him to move further in the direction described by one critic: "But when a Hollywood bigwig named Harry (Josh Stamberg) and his
associates strip the series of historical accuracy and fill it with
racist stereotypes, Katie reassesses her Faustian bargain." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The play is a problem play in the best Shavian tradition, although Arena has labelled it as one of the Power Plays it is presenting, which appears to mean that it explores how power affects the lives and careers of marginalized groups as it "<span style="font-weight: normal;">delves into how Hollywood misrepresents, suppresses and distorts Asian American history."</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">I thought the play was generally successful in what it set out to do and provided a good dramatic experience. It would be excellent if it received more productions so its presentation of history and how it is received today can be transmitted to a wider public.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-58907624019937880432023-06-12T15:44:00.000-04:002023-06-12T15:44:04.235-04:00'Reviewing the Situation'<br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Most of us prefer to put off fretting about funerals. This often unhappy topic arises now because I attended two such events this week--one a Catholic funeral mass for a man who was a memorable character and the other a memorial service conducted under secular auspices for a wonderful woman, stepdaughter of a close friend, who passed away far too early at 45.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I realized how the person leading the proceedings--religious or otherwise--makes all the difference in how you feel after the occasion. There was nothing exceptional about the content of the religious ceremony itself for my friend in his 60's, who died overseas on a bike trip of a sudden heart attack, except for the unusually perceptive eulogy delivered by one of his daughters, who happens to be a veterinarian, and who noted that he father had encouraged her interest and love of animals.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The deceased had a powerful personality, often expressed by slapping me (and others) on the back when he entered a room where I was present. I thought of the character played by Jackie Gleason on his television show: Charlie Bratton, "the Loudmouth." He would loudly enter a lunch counter eatery and seeing Art Carney eating lunch at the counter, playing a completely meek colleague, would slap him on the back and ask at high volume: "What's that slop you're eating?" </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nevertheless, my friend was a good-hearted guy, who worked for many years in addiction counseling and management. Only a few years before his sudden death, he had set out to earn his Ph.D. and managed to do just that quite speedily. He was someone who was more than helpful in threshing out a problem I or others might have. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Most significantly, this service benefited from the all-around encouraging and pleasant attitude and bearing displayed by the priest presiding over the mass. He is a Monsignor and he made everyone--including those like myself who are not Catholic--welcome and included. It happened to be a day where in the Baltimore-Washington metro area, the air quality reached Code Maroon, the highest level of bad air quality which had not been reached within living memory. The Monsignor twice referred to the air situation outside when he observed that this was not a day for an outdoor service and that in view of the air, he would forego ending the mass with the traditional incense. He then announced he would substitute a "Jewish Kaddish prayer".</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">That did take me by surprise as I mused to myself whether he was about to burst into the Hebrew text that is recited near the end of most Jewish services by mourners. In lieu of the now-vanished Latin in the church, Hebrew? As it happened, it was a prayer in English that speaks in the voice of the departed and asks those present to remember the departed one in all seasons. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The service for my friend's stepdaughter was held at the private school which she attended and was where she made many life-long friends. (My daughter attended the same school seven years later.) The school clearly meant a great deal to her because of all those strong and lasting friendships. Two of her closest college friends spoke about how much they enjoyed living and playing on teams with her, and a high school friend told of how much she had gained from the relationship. The women did keep noting that there were limits on their public recollections because of "appropriateness." Husband and brother spoke, and her brother by adoption spoke with quiet eloquence but briefly about how she had welcomed to him to the family. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">She had spent her career in special needs education, dealing with autism, in particular. Seeing how she had brought so much pleasure, humor, and good feeling to everyone she had known, I found the testimony of her colleagues at the school where she taught and helped administer very believable and moving. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It brought to mind another post-funeral colloquy. This occurred outside St. Patrick's in New York between two teammates of the late Babe Ruth, whose funeral it was. One player said it was so hot outside the cathedral on this Manhattan summer day that he would really like a cold beer right then.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"So would the Babe," responded his teammate.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-2765902075181384682023-06-12T14:43:00.003-04:002023-06-12T14:43:30.026-04:00'You Hurt My Feelings'<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>You Hurt My Feelings</i> is one of those pictures that is worth seeing despite its having enough shortcomings to keep it from being excellent. Julia Louis-Dreyfus rarely disappoints me. She was the one of the Seinfeld crew who made you feel good. I haven't seen everything else she's done but she carries this pic. In my view, the theme of the movie was not the title but instead might have been better expressed as "everyone's lying to everyone else." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There's also a heavy dose of reality in the theme, which alternatively could be "none of you are as good at what you're doing as you think you are." Tobias Menzies, as Don, Louis-Dreyfus's husband to her Beth, keeps telling her that her new book is superb. Her sister Sarah tell her actor husband Mark that he's coming across wonderfully in his rehearshals for the new play he's in. Beth tells her son that he's great at everything he does in school and out. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Don, a therapist, tells his subjects that they have to fix their own problems. It's not entirely clear what his role is. Soon enough, they all find their false images crashing down in disaster. Only Sarah seems to have a level head of sorts and she is surprised when something turns out right for her. Jeannie Berlin plays the mother of the two sisters and has a fun time in a clich<span>éd role in which she offhandedly aims to undermine their aspirations. (I recall her as Charles Grodin's new bride in <i>The Heartbreak Kid</i>,where she was memorable, particularly in making a mess of consuming an egg salad sandwich. I believe she's Elaine May's daughter.)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span>Things turn around a bit too patly, </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">à</span><span> la Hollywood. Nicole Holofcener, the director, writer, and producer, does almost make this seem like one of those introspective French films, but this isn't quite an Eric Rohmer episode. Maybe something like a Wes Anderson pic. There's some dragging moments, but in 93 minutes, not that many.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p>
</p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-30821191570044668412023-06-04T16:28:00.002-04:002023-06-04T16:28:23.464-04:00Doing Detroit<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I've been to Detroit before. I visited some friends from collestadiage who now were pursuing graduate degrees at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and recall my one and only trip with them to Tiger Stadium, which I remember as a classic old ballpark. It had its own peculiar design features and had the nice flavor of an old stadium--it had previously been known as Briggs Stadium and Navin Field. On a later trip when we were showing my daughter campuses all over, we also took in the new ballpark. Comerica Park, which I remember as one of the better-designed new stadia. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This time, the Tigers left on a road trip the day before we arrived, so no ball today. But I did see for the first time the Detroit Institute of Art, which is one of the fine museums in the U.S. The collection is solid, and I only took in the large American art section and the significant early European (Renaissance and Medieval) as well as the Dutch Golden Age. There also are good modern and contemporary galleries. The museum also has strong Egyptian and Greek and Roman divisions. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As with other older Midwestern cities who boasted well-heeled captains of industry in their day but now have often fallen on more challenging times--St. Louis is another--the late 19th and earlier 20th century movers and shakers, used their wealth to endow the arts. So Detroit's art museum holds both superb examples of various great artistic periods and enough of an endowment to acquire newer masterpieces--or paintings they hope will become such.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The DIA can also claim to have the finest set of Diego Rivera murals installed on the four walls of a huge hall. Unlike New York, where some of Rivera's finest murals, in the newly-built Rockefeller Center, were destroyed by the supposed art aficionado Nelson Rockefeller because he wouldn't tolerate Rivera's clearly left-wing political flavor imparted to his murals, the Detroit aristocracy recognized or decided to live with Rivera's magnificent modern-day frescoes.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There's also a room of Rembrandts, usefully sharing the gallery with works attributed to his workshop or his school. The real Rembrandts are wonderful, but in this display, it was fascinating to see how he influenced his closest followers. The representation of other Dutch artists like Frans Hals and the great landscape painters, such as Van Ruisdel and several others, is also strong. Later great painters such as Van Gogh, Gauguin, and especially Cezanne, are present with truly superb examples of their work. The curators assembled a very comprehensive gallery of Picassos, from the Rose and Blue periods,all the way through the next several decades. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We also went through the Motown Museum, chronicling the origins and triumphs of that marvelous musical enterprise, from Smokey Robinson and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas through the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, the Four Tops, and so many others. Music fills the air as you see where Berry Gordy started the operation and brought it to its peak. I found it wonderful that not only did the late Michael Jackson donate his famous black fedora and jeweled glove, but accompanies them with a $125,000 contribution to the museum. It also was illuminating to learn about all the supremely talented behind-the-scenes talent that made the continuing Motown production of a seeemingly endless procession of hit songs and stage shows as well as films happen.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We dined at a magnificent old mansion restaurant, the Whitney, which offered a nice seafood boil served out in its garden. I did consume a "Coney Island"--Detroit's version of a hot dog, loaded with kethup, onions, mustard, and chili. Overdone in the view of this original Coney Island chauvinist: having a dog with strong deli mustard and hot sauerkraut at the first Nathan's on Surf Avenue remains for me the sine qua non of hot doggery.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-75248561171436767292023-06-04T15:58:00.011-04:002023-06-04T16:00:48.069-04:00FDR--Another Depiction<p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="376">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hashtag"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Unresolved Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Link"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A
good friend recommended that I watch the docudrama on FDR on the History
Channel. I’d seen the one they’d done a while back on Grant, which was good.
The one on FDR, however, left me feeling that while it likely illuminated FDR’s
amazing career for many who had not really known much about him, it added
little new to what we generally are aware about his life. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">That
he was one of the very best presidents—I’d rank him with Lincoln and Washington—is
clear. Those who didn’t like him were political and economic opponents he
rightly labeled “economic royalists” (in a marvelous speech where he “welcomed
their hate.” He saved the nation economically and probably politically as well.
He also did more than anyone for the now truly benighted middle class. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">And
he was aware of what was happening worldwide during the 1930’s and also that
eventually the isolationist-focused USA would have to take the lead in
demolishing the Axis powers. He knew, too, that the US was not yet ready to
follow him in supporting the last holdout in Europe—Britain. During World War
II, he also knew that he didn’t have the political backing to open the immigration
gates to refugees who met their deaths when they were unable to get to the US. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The
History Channel program suffered from mixing historic photos with acting by
performers who did not at all resemble, for example, either Franklin or Eleanor
Roosevelt. It lent an air of strangeness to the docudrama because one of FDR’s
strongest attributes was his distinctive voice and how he used it. This was
also true of Eleanor: often today, her voice sounds wildly high-pitched and
more aristocratic than even FDR’s, but that added to her amazing ability to win
over audiences and represent the often-unrepresented. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The
program, however, did discuss FDR’s ability to work around obstacles even by
subterfuge. I’ve just spent a few days in Detroit and happened to find a
reference in the list of tourist sites to the National Shrine of the Little
Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, Michigan. Some may recall that this was the
pulpit of the more than notorious priest, Charles Coughlin, who is remembered
today as one of the major demagogues of the 1930’s. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Coughlin
changed his political views a number of times, moving from being pro-FDR to
being an America Firster. He was opposed to communism, socialism, and, yes,
capitalism, because he claimed to speak to and for the working class. He never
changed his rampantly antisemitic views and acquired a radio audience that
amounted to many millions. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">When
his demagoguery became both more extreme and seemingly popular, FDR took steps
against him. He sent Joseph P. Kennedy to see what could be done to get the
Catholic Church hierarchy to deal with Coughlin. The Bishop of Detroit had been
a Coughlin supporter but when a new bishop (later Cardinal) Mooney was
installed, he was inclined to limit Coughlin’s activities other than his
serving as a parish priest. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">But
FDR didn’t rely solely on Kennedy. He also drew in Bishop (later Cardinal) Spellman
of New York and Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, soon to be Pope Pius XII. These were
all, including Kennedy, extremely conservative men, but they responded to FDR’s efforts, and
Coughlin was off the air by the late 30’s. All of this was done quietly but
apparently most effectively. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Many
of his maneuvers were mentioned on the program—such as FDR’s inviting King
George VI and Queen Elizabeth to an American-style picnic at Hyde Park when
they visited in 1939. It noted that the King was not a fan of hot dogs but went
along with saying how much he liked them. And most significantly, it propounded
FDR’s genius for using language and images that the public could grasp and
accept. A great example was his likening Lend-Lease supplying Britain with
desperately needed planes and tanks to one’s coming a neighbor’s aid when his
house was on fire by providing a garden hose. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We
will never have a president like FDR again, because today, the media would
depict him as too physically-challenged for the job. He was the man who rose to
the occasions—both the Depression and World War ii. It is tragic that we have
not seen his like since his passing in 1945.</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><br /><p></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-35989292700705997622023-05-26T12:44:00.004-04:002023-05-26T12:54:44.259-04:00Baseball and Blume<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It was a doozer, as the late Johnny Most might've put it, had it been played on the hardwood at the Boston Garden, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">but this happened at Nats Park</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">. Local nine surprised the sprinkled assemblage of onlookers--the only even mainly populated sections were the high-priced seats.Yes, trailing 5-1 at the 7th inning stretch, they put together five runs to take a perilous 6-5 lead. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And it almost worked--until the visiting Padres were down to their last out, top of the 9th, and then, disaster, out of the park, 8-6, and a deflated Natpack--actually the cheerleaders bearing those-named shirts were a paltry two at the stretch break--folded. I started to recall the palmy days at the Polo Grounds in '62 when the question was how many ways the Mets could find to lose.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">These guys--none of whom were in the lineup last season--now make it more interesting yet frustrating: they have shown they can put together 5-run rallies but still figure out a way to blow it. By the ninth, the starter, Irwin, had been long gone. He seemed most notable for his lack of control, or else someone forgot to turn on the "Don't Walk" flashing light. The bullpen had performed well recently but someone put in a guy labeled the closer--this worthy was neither Lee Smith nor Mariano Rivera.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A perfect day for ball--4:05 start and sun but still a whiff of wind just often enough to feel comfortable. Even stopped grumbling about the increasing infelicities of attending a game at Nats Park (probably the same all over the majors with the rising focus on making everything work easier for management and more and more annoying and time-wasting for fans).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Make the mistake, if you're carrying a handbag, of bringing it. You end up outside a row of tiny lockers way around the side of the outside of the park, struggling to focus on a QR code to download a program and enter your credit card digit by digit while your hear the lineups being announced and the anthem resounding inside. Last year I figured out how to download my tickets--God forbid you want to print them out--no can do.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Remember when a vendor would come by with a tank full of hot water out of which he tonged a hot dog which may not have been gourmet but which was hot, with mustard swabbed on it? Now, you fight your way to the concourse to pick up a dog or a sausage--either guaranteed to be cold by the time you get it to your seat. Oh: it costs close to a ten-spot (or a Hamilton, as an ancient vaudeville comic had it).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Probably should have gone for a half-smoke at the Ben's Chili Bowl outlet; suspect even that wouldn't haven't hit the spot, but maybe it wouldn't have been sitting on the rack as all the offerings at the other stands were. You can rarely get a soda in the seats but there's a guy who will flip a miniature vodka or bourbon into a cup of lemonade. End of screed.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Celebrated 53 years wed with a visit to the Avalon where the main screen featured <i>Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret</i>, a cinematic rendering of Judy Blume's classic preteen story, which, no, I didn't read when growing up, not because I was a guy, but because by 1970 or later, when it appeared, I had already graduated law school.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The picture was nicely done. The women for obvious reasons are the principal characters; well-played by Rachel McAdams (Mom), Abby Ryder Fortson (title character), and Kathy Bates (Grandma 1). Everyone else fit into their places. Found it sobering to see Mia Dillon as the second grandma. Saw her only 42 years ago on Broadway in 1981 in Beth Henley's play, <i>Crimes of the Heart</i>. She played the youngest of the three sisters who were the leads with Lizbeth MacKay and Mary Beth Hurt. J. Smith-Cameron later made her debut in Mia Dillon's role, and Holly Hunter made hers replacing Mary Beth Hurt. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Usually coming-of-age pictures, involving preteen girls or boys, make me cringe. This adaptation of Blume's novel was excellent, however; very few cringe-worthy moments and some good laughs, too. As it happened, the only cringe moments for me were the depiction of Jewish synagogue ("temple") scenes. Probably it's because I find these embarrassing, unlike the Black church scene and the Catholic confession scene. I did start thinking that a couple who entered a mixed (religion) marriage in the late '60s-early '70s would not have seemed as naive about religion, especially when the mother's parents cut her off entirely. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I did get a chuckle, however, when the parents kept reiterating that they were not raising their daughter with a religion, preferring that she choose one or none when she became an adult, that Margaret kept offering personal entreaties to the God of her persuasion. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The one aspect of the pic that struck me to raise a question was whether this "nice" New Jersey suburb in the '70s was quite as racially integrated as Hollywood would have you believe. Coulda been, shoulda been -- but probably not. </span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-9113499681920831142023-04-08T20:32:00.003-04:002023-04-08T20:36:05.811-04:00Road Company Plays An Old Favorite<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">You might be surprised that I spent this Saturday afternoon at a matinee at the National Theatre, D.C., of <i>My Fair Lady</i>. The show was playing here for a few days on a national road tour of the Bartlett Sher production that played originally at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, in Lincoln Center, New York City.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Sher has directed quite a few successful shows. Among those I've seen in New York were his revival, the first, of <i>South Pacific</i>, and the Aaron Sorkin adaptation of <i>To Kill A Mockingbird</i>. Also directed by Sher were revivals of <i>The King an I </i>and <i>Fiddler on the Roof</i>, as well as the Broadway production of the drama <i>Oslo</i>. He's also directed some opera--<i>Tales of Hoffmann</i> and <i>Le Comte Ory</i>--at the Met in New York, as well as film of <i>Rigoletto</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My experience with <i>My Fair Lady</i> includes seeing the movie, excellent except for the well-known Hollywood misstep of using Audrey Hepburn, whose singing had to be dubbed by someone who could sing, instead of Julie Andrews, whose career took off when she first sang <i>Wouldn't It Be Loverly</i> in the original <i>My Fair Lady</i> Broadway production in 1955. I hadn't seen the show on stage for ages, however, and what makes it different from other shows for me is that I remember each and every lyric from my listening to the LP about a zillion times.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There's a well-known story about Rex Harrison trying to turn down the offer to play Henry Higgins by telling Moss Hart, the director, that he didn't sing. Hart, who had worked with Kurt Weill (<i>Lady in the Dark</i>) and knew all about the <i>sprechsang </i>(speak sung) in Weill's <i>The Threepenny Opera</i> and other works, had Lerner & Loewe pen a bunch of great songs that Harrison could supposedly just speak--heck, he and everyone else who's played the role did sing a little.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">For me, Loewe's Viennese lilt carries the show from wonder to wonder in a terrific score. Loewe was an unassuming man whom I was luck enough to meet at the Lambs, where my dad belonged, and where Loewe met Lerner in 1942. The meeting resulted in <i>Paint Your Wagon</i>, <i>Brigadoon</i>, and after <i>My Fair Lady</i>, there were <i>Camelot</i> and <i>Gigi</i> (the latter a movie). Loewe retired after that, happy with a wonderful career on Broadway, and lived to be 88; Lerner married many times, went on to write more shows, including <i>On A Clear Day You Can See Forever</i> with Burton Lane, composer of <i>Finian's Rainbow</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This time, I truly enjoyed listening carefully to Lerner's lyrics, which I knew before they were sung. They are clever and enjoyable, and often are in a class with the greats: Larry Hart, Cole Porter, and Ira Gershwin. Other things I thought about for the first time: the character of Alfred P. Doolittle, who gets the two great songs--<i>With a Little Bit of Luck</i> and <i>Get Me to the Church on Time</i>--is pure Shaw, especially his lines criticizing middle-class morality. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Shaw, by the way, was in no hurry to let anyone put music to his <i>Pygmalion</i>. He did select Lerner & Loewe, however, over Rodgers & Hammerstein and others who had been trying to win his favor. Stanley Holloway, the original in the part, was inimitable, but Michael Hegarty, our Alfie, was excellent, especially in the lengthy <i>Get Me to the Church</i> production number. By the way, a fine performer, Norbert Leo Butz, played the part in Sher's original Lincoln Center revival, now on tour of which this run in D.C. is a stop. I saw Butz here some years ago at the Warner Theatre as the M.C. in <i>Cabaret</i>, in which he also excelled.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I was worried about Madeleine Powell, the Eliza, because <i>Wouldn't It Be Loverly </i>didn't take off for me a la Julie Andrews. But Ms. Powell showed that she had real pipes when she pulled off high notes in several songs, finishing with a great soprano flash in <i>Without You </i>right near the finale. Jonathan Grunert was a very good Henry Higgins, essaying a role Harrison made his own on Broadway and in the movie. John Adkison was a fine Col. Pickering, a part perfectly played in the original by Robert Coote and then equally well presented by Wilfred Hyde-White in the movie.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>My Fair Lady</i> is a long show--3 1/2 hours by my measure. Back in 1955, it followed the traditional route to Philadelphia and, I believe, New Haven, respectively the month-long and week-long fine tuning stops. It was probably the great Moss Hart's finest production and the one for which I suspect he got the least credit because the show seemed to play all by itself--never the truth however much it sounds right.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I looked up the Lincoln Center cast and was delighted to see that it featured the fabulous Diana Rigg, Mrs. Peel of the original <i>Avengers</i>, in the marvelous small role of Mrs. Higgins. Daniel James Canady was our Zoltan Karpathy, and for me, he couldn't have the impact that the virtuoso Theodore Bikel had in the movie. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">All in all, I just had a wonderful time immersed in <i>My Fair Lady</i> for the afternoon. I rank it with <i>South</i> <i>Pacific</i>, which I saw at the Lincoln Center revival, directed as mentioned by Sher, for having a perfect score, no clinkers. (Phil Silvers once did a fantastic bit about an actor who wanted the sing "Captain Andy" (playing Captain Andy) which probably was the only dud song in <i>Showboat</i> and is now usually cut from the already long show.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So what was my favorite song? It was, is, and always will be <i>Show Me</i>. When The Lambs held a gala evening celebrating Lerner and Loewe, <i>Show Me</i> was the song all the theatrical pros in the ballroom demanded Julie Andrews sing. It just has everything a song in a musical should have.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p>l<br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-88816755033575338452023-03-18T15:52:00.003-04:002023-03-18T15:57:01.249-04:00Everything About the Oscars<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> It's always a trip when Hollywood goes off on one of its periodic jags. That's what happened, I suggest, at this year's Oscars. Last night, we went to see <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once,</i> which won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Actress, Director(s), Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. To me, it was mildly entertaining in terms of mixing reality and imagined reality, plenty of martial arts action, and some introspection into the lead character, Evelyn Wang, played by Michelle Yeoh.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">But in my jaundiced view, this was not Best Picture material. I didn't see all or possibly even a majority of the nominees, given that there are now ten every year, but I did see <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i> and <i>T<span style="line-height: 107%;">á</span>r</i>. I would've picked either of them before <i>Everything</i> etc. <i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>All Quiet</i> is the second remake of an original c. 1930 pic based on Erich Maria Remarque's famed World War I novel. The 1930, produced less than two years after Remarque's novel was published in 1928, featured a well-regarded performance by Lew Ayres. Most opposition to the 1930 picture was in Germany by the Nazis who aimed to sabotage its release with disrupting its showings; they unfortunately succeeded. The 1979 remake, with Richard Thomas, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasance, and Patricia Neal, was a TV film that had a limited theatrical release and was generally well-received.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The current German production version has been well received in the U.S. and, in fact, everywhere, except Germany. German critics felt it took excessive liberties with the plot of the classic novel and in general, were not impressed. I thought it was somewhat long, just as <i>Everything</i> etc. was. However, <i>All Quiet</i> held my attention and seemed very well made for a war film that focuses mostly on action scenes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> <i>T<span style="line-height: 107%;">á</span>r </i>was very compelling because mostly of Cate Blanchett's bravura performance in the title role. She is a female conductor who has made it to the highest level of the musical world--I believe she is supposed to be conducting the Berlin Philharmonic as the picture opens. She plays a complex character who may or may not have sexually harassed a younger woman and who proceeds to get into conflicts with her wife and some other colleagues. She effectively is canceled and at the end, is starting to rebuild her career. Blanchett is fantastic and really deserved the Oscar this year, not that Yeoh wasn't excellent.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Hollywood has a tendency to embrace trendy productions that come off as wild and woolly. I admit that some of the camera work and the quasi-imagined scenes are compelling, yet, to me, <i>Everything </i>as a whole did not deliver on its apparent objectives. Rarely does any picture that wins a slew of Oscars deserve all of them. Some years see Hollywood expressing some discernment in recognizing one performer for acting and a different film for directing, for example. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The "industry" received deserved criticism for its failure to cast black and Asian performers over the years, and for racist depictions as well. This year, the Academy membership, rightly expanded in terms of ethnic presence, seemed determined to show that Hollywood had reformed. Movies made by Asians, especially Japan, and Europeans have often proved to be far more accomplished than traditional Hollywood fare. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I've previously written here that Steven Spielberg's <i>The Fabelmans</i> was good but not great. Judd Hirsch, a fine actor, did deserve a supporting actor award for his cameo as the lead's (young Spielberg) real uncle, for which he was nominated. <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In my view, the best movie, which wasn't nominated for Best Picture, was the British production, <i>Living</i>, with Bill Nighy, a fantastic actor who was nominated for Best Actor and never mentioned by anyone during the Oscarcast, except to show him as a nominee who was present in the theater. He gave a fabulous performance as an English civil servant in the postwar early 1950's who realizes that he has never allowed himself to enjoy life after he gets a diagnosis from his physician that could not be worse. This was far from the only great picture or play that he has starred in. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Academy surprised many by nominating Andrea Riseborough for Best Actress for starring in <i>To</i> <i>Leslie</i>, a film which got zero attention but somehow, her performance was seized upon by some big-name performers, including Blanchett, who promoted it in the closing weeks before nominations were decided. I haven't seen her picture but although I suspect she was excellent, I've now seen Nighy enough times to regard him as the finest unawarded actor of our time. <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-64222676855856128862023-03-06T11:49:00.006-05:002023-03-06T11:54:34.876-05:00Whatever Happened to Dilbert?<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> The only comic strip I read every day until a week or so ago was Dilbert by Scott Adams. It reminded me of the old Doonesbury. Both had an incredibly good ear that enabled them to come up with perfect zinger for the last panel. And nobody covered the territory Dilbert did: the people in the cubicles at work and all the b.s. that people in corporate settings put up with every day. You were almost guaranteed a good laugh each morning.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">So, then Adams goes rogue and puts out some YouTube video that has a bunch of totally racist screeds and this is the most classic cancellation situation. By the end of the weekend, he had lost about two-thirds of his 2000 or so newspapers that carried his strip. They got one line out of him while all this was happening: "By Monday I won't have a paper left."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Today, the <i>Washington Post</i> had an article about the whole business. It picked up on earlier stuff, including a shorter piece in the <i>Times</i>. The line they took was that he had been playing on the edge for quite a while and now he finally went over. He had introduced a black character and apparently had started presenting some unacceptable stuff around him. There was more, too. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I suppose I took some minor notice that he had been pushing the edge, but I guess I didn't want to see it. I just liked his strip and anticipated what great punchline he would come up with in that last panel. And right to the end, he usually did. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It turns out that his politics had become increasingly right-wing. He was a Trumper. I've seen this happen to people. Something starts to go somewhere inside them and their resentment pushes them to go off the right-wing deep end. Usually, however, they really obviously lose their cool. He didn't--at least from my standpoint.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">People have come back from this kind of fall. But all the signs so far are that if he isn't doubling down, he's making no effort to apologize, at the least, and do the required public penance testifying that he's seen the light. There have been plenty of cases where people have pulled this kind of stunt and saved themselves, but I don't think he's interested in that or that he even cares.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Why? Maybe he's made so much money over these bountiful years that he doesn't need to work anymore. He put out two books at least, he was honored with awards from his peer cartoonists, and I figure he did well on those books and other projects. I'll keep wondering, though, why he decided to do this right now. I can't believe he thought he'd get away with the stuff he put out on the video.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The bottom line is: what about me? I just miss every morning,as I now pass the comics, an unusually sharp source of a light moment with material drawn from the workplace, something I studied in college and something I've learned something about in the various workplaces I've inhabited over the years. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I was enough of an enthusiast that I went to hear Adams at FOSE, the Federal Office Systems Exhibition, more than a few years ago. It was a trade show for government people in DC at the Convention Center that mostly was filled with salespeople pushing IT systems and related stuff. He did about an hour's turn before an audience of a few hundred people. He was funny and he seemed to enjoy showing some strips that he had never published because they went over the edge.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Not that I expected his current imbroglio based on this presentation. I could see how he couldn't put this stuff in the strip in the paper, but if it had been as bad as his video, they wouldn't have let him present this at the show and he probably would have self-destructed all those years ago.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">His ear for corporate-speak was superb and the villainous yet comic personalities of the boss and the super-boss were right on point. He said in the FOSE presentation that his favorite character was Wally, the bald-headed guy with a single hair who was always figuring out how to get along without doing any real work.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I guess he achieved the goal of being Wally--except Wally was funny.</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-21883309955850267782023-01-05T16:22:00.002-05:002023-01-05T16:23:13.965-05:00The Fabelmans<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Steven Spielberg's biographical pic has received generally good notices, none of which I read before seeing it recently. It's good but there are a few points I'll raise with respect to its overall impact. After reviewing his lengthy bio in Wikipedia, it appears that the film tracks his real life closely. There were changes but none of any great significance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Parents are played by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano, who are excellent. Williams is a superb actress but at times I wasn't entirely sure about where her character was coming from or going. Mainly, this was likely due to her being a free spirit, married to a computer engineer who is on a path to ultimate success in Silicon Valley. She is the main character, along with Gabriel LaBelle as Spielberg from his young adult stage onward. I guess in the end she wasn't easy to understand. Maybe that's my fault.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There are several great cameos: Judd Hirsch is the best as Steven's eccentric granduncle, but Jeannie Berlin returns as an aged grandmom or aunt, and famed director David Lynch ("Twin Peaks", "Blue Velvet") comes on as aged legendary director John Ford near the end. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As would probably be true with any teen, Steven suffers from the moves from New Jersey to Phoenix to California (Saratoga, I think). At the last stop, he winds up in an All-American high school that doesn't include Americans like him. They also omitted the first place on his itinerary: the Bronx. He dates a girl imbued with Christianity and is plunged into a world of blond school heroes of both sexes, for whom he is an object of scorn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The picture appears to be about his family--including his three sisters--but it does understandably focus on him. It probably ran about an hour or so too long at 2 hrs 31 min. Spielberg co-authored the screenplay with playwright Tony Kushner and it's also decent. In the end, for whatever reasons specified above, the whole just came up a bit short for me.</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-80451717741600121382022-11-30T20:44:00.005-05:002022-11-30T20:44:51.208-05:00Wuthering Heights<p> <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On Saturday, we went to Berkeley to see <i>Wuthering Heights</i> at the Berkeley Repertory Theater. This presentation was an adaptation by Emma Rice which originated in Britain with the Young Vic of Bristol and a group called Wise Children. She added music and a character identified as The Moors, reflecting that crucial element of Emily Bronte's novel: the Yorkshire moors where she and her sisters and brother grew up and lived most of their short lives.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Wuthering Heights</i> needs some changes from the novel to work onstage. But some aspects of this novel can't really be altered all that much. The critical moment--the climax--comes when Heathcliff returns just as Cathy is going to expire. This classic scene draws the audience in, much as it undoubtedly did in the 1938 movie starring Laurence Olivier in possibly his greatest romantic role, with Merle Oberon as Cathy. It ends the long first act just as it concludes the first half of the novel. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Everything that comes after it--in the novel, the movie, or onstage--always seems somewhat anticlimactic to me. The novel's story is told by a long-time family servitor, Nelly, who for whatever reason is absent from this production. No great matter--since we really don't need or even want a narrator. One other character I missed was the servant at Wuthering Heights, the house, a scary sort of presence named Joseph. In the novel, he adds to the weird atmosphere of Wuthering Heights.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Many of the cast members played several parts, which was fine. One actor played Cathy's husband, the weak Edgar Linton, as well as Lockwood, the visitor who inspires Nelly to tell the whole story. Both Heathcliff and Cathy were well-played. Heathcliff had the power that is crucial to the character, and Cathy was both strong and weird--then in one line, she lets out that she went and married Linton when Heathcliff disappeared for three years because she thought marrying into that family would make her "a great lady."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">She, of course, undervalued the wild and violent love that had grown between Heathcliff and her, as each saw that the other contained something of themself. The second act features the next generation, as well as a Heathcliff who aims to control the actions of everyone else, and the weak Edgar Linton who wants to guide his daughter, also Cathy, away from any involvement with Heathcliff or his slight son Linton, who, though ridiculously slight and weak, exudes determination. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There's also Hareton, son of Cathy's older brother, Hindley, who when he inherited Wuthering Heights, abused Heathcliff and for his pains, turned to drink, from whhich he dies, after his wife Frances died in childbirth giving birth to Hareton. None of the three new second-generation characters can come close to the power generated between Heathcliff and Cathy.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's a compelling story and it was exciting to see it onstage, but it remains a highly challenging piece to turn into a successful drama in the theater.<br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-18212017683164324812022-11-28T20:56:00.004-05:002022-11-28T20:56:38.653-05:00The Bay Area Boards<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Out here visiting my daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons in the usual Bay Area balmy air with just the slightest bit of cool edge. We enjoyed a lot of outdoor time, heading to Half Moon Bay for the tree tunnel and then a hike that included visiting the tidepools at maximum low tide to see lots of sealife like stars and anemones and crabs. Another trip was to Rancho San Antonio, with its great trails through fields and forest. A few more parks in Cupertino and Sunnyvale provided more wonderful hours to savor.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As far as indoors is concerned, we made it back to the War Memorial to catch the San Francisco Opera's new production of <i>La Traviata</i>. A chestnut, to be sure, but with three fine principals, a highly impressive one. Pretty Yende, who's been receiving many great notices in the leading houses, was a fine Violetta, and tenor Jonathan Tetelman brought youth and authority to Alfredo, while the veteran Simone Piazzola, whom I'd not seen before (not that I'd caught the others either) handled the tricky role of Giorgio Germont very capably.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I've always felt that <i>Traviata</i> proceeded from the magnificent musical experience of Act I, delightful musically from start to its finish with the last high notes of <i>Sempre libera</i>. Act II is always more complicated, and it became more so because the house needed several minutes to change from the first to the second scene--from Violetta's country place to Flora's decadent party. There's a lot of good music, too, but the flow is entirely different from the first act and a lot longer. Act III, to me, is gen,erally disappointing, and I've never seen any opera company make it work at the level of the first two acts.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Excitement also arrived in the form of a false alarm that emptied the house about a half hour before the curtain was to go up. Handled fairly badly, eventually the proceedings got going only a few minutes behind. A critic once speculated that opera orchestras, in his case, the Met's, know <i>Traviata </i>so well that they could probably perform the score backwards. That does not take away from the delight of the opera--the music and the singing. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">More to follow.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-67674016943226527452022-11-14T09:36:00.003-05:002022-11-14T09:37:24.768-05:00Leopoldstadt<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> I've seen more Tom Stoppard plays than most people have. <i>Jumpers</i>, <i>Travesties</i>, <i>New-Found-Land</i>, <i>Dirty</i> <i>Linen</i>. My wife's favorites, seen many years ago, are the one-acters <i>The Real Inspector Hound</i> and <i>After Magritte</i>. Walking down from those tight balcony seats (not that there's much more room in the orchestra), one remark I overheard was "Stoppard's usually more cerebral." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Indeed, he usually has been: lots of wit, clever lines, paradoxes. He didn't need any of that in this play, and there was not much of it. At 82, he explored what has been described as his new-found past: he was born in Czechoslovakia, left with his mother in 1938, was adopted by his English stepfather, and says he never knew that his mother's family was Jewish. This was the same basic account given by Madeleine Albright, coming from the same country.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">While we tend to be skeptical about anyone who says they never knew about those things, I've seen enough of families maintaining secrets of that kind to accept it at face value. Whatever, Stoppard did change his style for this outing. He even took a much-used model--the large Jewish family, often well-off and in Vienna, coming to realize that assimilation never happened and failing to recognize the impending tragedy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Yes, this theme is not a new one. Yet Stoppard handles it masterfully. The conversations amid the hubbub and tumult taking place in the main room of the family's apartment present a picture that comes across as real--in 1899, 1909, 1924, 1938, and 1955. All is positive, if not wildly optimistic at the turn of the century, yet some of the leading characters are already seeing the fly in the ointment. By 1909, they come face to face with anti-Semitism. It's coming closer in the 20's and needless to say, by 1938, the knock arrives on the door.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Perhaps the most insightful scene, however, is the mid-50's one. Most of the characters have vanished--their destinations are announced, and they were not good ones. But a returning son encounters one who stayed, and starts to grasp what he never knew because no one desired to tell him. His adoptive father had unsuccessfully warned the assemblage in 1938 but clearly did not want to brief his newly-acquired son about the tragic story he anticipated, witnessed, and tried his hardest to get this family to recognize and act accordingly. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The production is superb, as, with the same director and production staff, it apparently was in London, where the play premiered in 2020. I recognized some familiar New York theatrical names in the cast here, and everyone seemed to be performing at a high level. It's another of those problem plays, as Shaw would have likely called this one, that you may not want to see but which you will value highly after sitting through the 2 1/2-hour uninterrupted drama.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-22259650864875178922022-11-10T21:26:00.000-05:002022-11-10T21:26:03.874-05:00The Media Blew the Message and the Campaign<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The "big foots"--the major media titans who write for the New York Times and the Washington Post and the other papers that garner the most attention in the U.S. blew the 2022 midterm election. And the rest of the pack--including the TV networks, both the three "legacy" ones and the newer cable ones such as CNN, MSNBC, and Fox, followed right along and sometimes even led the charge.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They bought hook, line and sinker all the BS that the Republicans cleverly and carefully put out at crucial times in the campaign that claimed that the GOP was riding a "red tidal wave" to massive victory and landslide. Yes, they probably will take the House and possibly the Senate, but there was no wave. There are lots of reasons for this result, but all were downplayed or ignored by Big Media.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">First, inflation is certainly always a key issue. Republicans ran on that. Those who pointed out that a lot of it was due to there being a war on in Ukraine which wreaks havoc with farm prices, energy costs, and military budgets. There's also been a supply chain breakdown only beginning to be fixed, which was caused by the pandemic disrupting normal manufacturing processes. It was difficult to get it going again.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Crime was an issue but not anywhere as big as the Rupert Murdoch purveyer of phony news, the New York Post, made it out to be. Crime overall has declined. In some places, including New York, however, murder numbers are up. A.J. Liebling, the greatest press critic, once noted that Hearst sent newsboys out screaming, "Horrible crime! Throw'd a baby off a bus!" about an incident that occurred in Lahore, Pakistan, but which they made sound like it happened in Columbus Circle in New York City.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Democrats were at fault for not taking the issue on and trying to avoid it, along with inflation. There are answers and they are not easy to present, but you get nowhere if you don't try. Yes, the Dems ran a terrible campaign but they still did well, and much more important, they didn't make the Big Media swallow phony Republican polls that said a red wave was upon us. That is the unpardonable crime, that these media outfits that conduct their own polling, accepted the phony stuff and ballyhooed it to the rafters.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We're getting some decent analysis weeks after the damage was done and days after the election was over. Dana Milbank laid it out in the Washington Post today and Monica Hesse showed how abortion and women's rights were right up there in the calculus of decisive issues for the election, while the Big Media poohpoohed it as of minimal concern. Wrong. This issue elected a lot of Democrats. It now seems clear that this issue, which the Democrats campaigned hard on, was a correct one for them to push, and it worked in many places.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The media poobahs and Beltway insiders discounted the significance of Alito's reactionary decision in the Dobbs case because to them, it was old news. Not so for the voters. That's why a lot of the election deniers went down. That and the other maligned issue--the future of democracy when people were running who vowed to disregard the will of the people as expressed by their votes and totally corrupt our elections. And yes, they are still there ready to frustrate the electorate. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Amazingly, people cared about this. The Times is a recidivist violator. They blew up the Hillary Clinton e-mail brouhaha so that it helped Trump win in 2016. Compared to his thousands of lies and corruption, it was a big nothing. They have yet to fess up to the evidence on their hands in that effort to bend over backwards to "be fair" to the GOP liars. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Likewise, they overemphasized James Comey's disgusting violation of Justice Department policy shortly before the 2016 Election Day by announcing the reopening of the e-mail investigation. Comey also said Hillary should be charged, a decision he is supposed to have nothing to do with--it's the responsibility of the Justice Department lawyers and legal leadership, not him. He's a cop.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ed Murrow was right way back in the '50s when he took on Senator Joe McCarthy when no one else would. "Cassius was right. 'The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves'"<span> --our society, beginning with the media, built up and communicated McCarthy's phony charges and lies. It now seems that the media, and many of us, learned very little from that now ancient experience. Just as they passed on all of Trump's lies and took years to call them what they were and are, they accepted unquestioningly poll numbers created of whole cloth. There should be no Pulitzer Prizes this year.</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180254648108699619.post-80699639841358603932022-08-27T01:46:00.002-04:002022-08-27T01:54:31.882-04:00'Mr. Saturday Night'<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Very much enjoyed a performance tonight of <i>Mr. Saturday Night</i>, the musical adaptation of the movie made more than two decades starring Billy Crystal. The musical on Broadway also stars Crystal. The other principal from the movie, playing his same role, was David Paymer, who played the lead character's brother. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although the musical has taken some of the sharp edges off Crystal's character, a once successful but now almost forgotten comedian named Buddy Young, Jr. Buddy is more interesting once those edges are weakened. In the movie, he becomes so nasty as he declines in respect that you begin to lose interest in him. Although the second act here remains problematic for that reason, it's better conceived than the movie.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reviews of the musical were less than stellar. The Times generally endorsed it as worth seeing but pointed off some deficiencies, some of which include the ones I mentioned above. I now feel those deficiencies resulted from the problems with the character, not Crystal's performance. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The musical does a great job at conveying what comedy was like in the Catskills--the "Borscht Belt" of the 1950's. The music will not be confused with scores by the Gershwins, Cole Porter, or Lerner & Loewe, but it was suited to the show and had what the friend with whom I attended the performance called its vaudeville sound.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">This was a rare instance for me of appreciating Broadway amplification in it carrying the sound to seats far back in the top balcony. Usually the acoustics of old Broadway theaters diminish the attractiveness of the sound amplification creates in these houses. Crystal was superb, even given the vagaries of the role. Randy Graff played his wife, a new role, very impressively and Paymer, as in the movie, was a strong force for good. Shoshana Bean was excellent as Buddy's daughter.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">The insiders through whom my friend secured the tickets downplayed the show and suggested we'd better off seeing <i>Six</i>. I may indeed want to see that show, but neither of us understood the basis for the insiders' dismissive view of this show. The older audience applauded like crazy and got into the show by applauding Crystal's staged shtick in his comedy act. It's only around for another week so I'd recommend it heartedly.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>RBHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18430922730331316298noreply@blogger.com0