Tag Archives: The Scottish play

I’ve Seen That Movie Too

This the second attempt at writing is underway. It’s been a day where things are a bit off. Bill rented a Zip Car since it’s the last day of the play Pecong and couldn’t find the key card which is usually in his wallet. I have have to confess my relief at not having anything to do with the missing card.

I did see the play last night, Pecong and it was an enjoyable show. Based on Medea and set in the West Indies. A few members of the audience did not know about Medea and so were surprised by the way things turned out.

A very good cast, wonderful lighting and an amusing and sometimes funny script kept the tragic events unfolding hidden from the eyes of the audience. Bill was a most able stage manager and from what I gathered was well regarded by the cast and crew. And it was a good turnout as well, nearly all the seats were filled.

Bill being the stage manager had to make sure everyone was out of the theater space since it gets used as a church on Sunday mornings. I mingled with the cast and crew and soon Bill and I were on a local 3 train downtown to 34th Street.

We walked through Penn Station and up to the street level. As we headed down the stairs to the Path train I spied some guy checking Bill out. When Bill tells me some guy is checking me out I continue on with my usual obliviousness. When I tell Bill the same thing, Bill scans the area.

It turns out he knew the other guy, a bloke named Richie from Bill’s old church. The stood and started chatting to each other as I turned and saw the 12:30 train about to leave the station. Of course by the time Bill was done the train had left the station and I didn’t have many kind words at all to say about Richie, though it wasn’t his fault.

I dreaded having to wait another hour for the next train but as we stood on the platform another train arrived about 15 minutes later. Not a comfortable ride though. For Bill and myself it was but a smallish woman and her oafish boyfriend sat next to Bill.

The smallish woman kept making faces at the size of Bill. I pointed it out to Bill and he didn’t care. As we left the train in Hoboken the woman was throwing knives with her eyes. Bill turned and started to say something but I advised him not to since the moment had passed.

And it was chilly as we walked home, Bill went to bed almost immediately and I followed soon thereafter. Finally I slept really well and probably would have continued sleeping if it weren’t for the fact that today was the Last Sunday of the Month Shakespeare Reading at McSwells.

And today the play scheduled was Macbeth, which happens to be my favorite Shakespeare play. I was up and out to get bagels and the paper and a little while after that I was walking up to McSwells. Bill had left and came back when he realized he couldn’t find his Zip Car key.

I would have helped him look for it but I was pressed for time and not one to favor being late.

On the way there I got a phone call from Lois who was wondering if I was coming. Most of the participants usually have brunch at McSwells, I eat at home. As I walked in there were Lois and five others eating brunch, not even close to being finished.

I sat in the fishbowl in the front room of McSwells and pulled out my notebook, waiting for the others to finish. They eventually joined in the fishbowl, Lois filling a bag with roles for the Scottish play.

As luck would have it, I pulled out the plum role of Macbeth. 685 lines. I also pulled out a few other roles since we only had five other readers and multiple parts are needed. I opted to read Macbeth in what I approximated to be a Scottish burr. By the end my throat was shot.

Still it was a fun time and once again I was glad that I did it. Next month I believe is The Tempest. Lois would love to have other readers to join in, no skills beside a reading comprehension is needed.

So if you find yourself in Hoboken on the last Sunday of the month and it’s around noon and you’re around McSwells, do stop in and join us. Extra copies are generally handy and you never know, you could be Prospero next month.

I just watched the BBC production of Macbeth by the Royal Shakespeare Company starring Ian McKellan and Judi Dench, and not for nothing, we had a better time this afternoon at McSwells.

The National Black Theater

The National Black Theater


3.28.10 Pecong vs Shakepeare reading 003
Bill and some cast members and a fan

Bill and some cast members and a fan


Today's Shakespeare readers

Today's Shakespeare readers


A nonplussed Macbeth

A nonplussed Macbeth

Oh and the head of the RC crutch feels that any connection of him to child rape is merely gossip.

Come See About Me

It’s Friday and it’s considerably cooler than it’s been the past couple of days. It’s drier than it’s been but about 20 degrees lower. It’s been a busy day though. Laundry, library and some food shopping basically.

I had hoped to go see Pecong tonight. That’s the play that Bill has been stage managing for the past month. I know I told him the 26th when he offered me a ticket for last Friday, the 19th. That was when I went to see the Street Corner Mourners and opted for the following week.

Bill didn’t hear it, or forgot about it and focused on Saturday instead. It’s no big thing, I’m still seeing the show but I was also thinking about seeing Chris Repella and her band Glass Trees in Jersey City tomorrow night.

I’m not sweating it, I’m sure I can catch Chris and her band play another time. Plus Bill’s been a victim of allergies and a bit stressed so he gets a pass. Sunday is the Last Sunday of the Month Shakespeare Reading at McSwells, this month, the Scottish Play aka Macbeth.

I picked up 2 copies from the library, one of them being a Cliff Notes version. Today at the bibliothèque I also picked up Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood which for those playing at home, is his take on Macbeth. I also picked up Ian McKellan and Judi Dench in a BBC production of the Scottish Play.

The librarians were all a bit out of it due to some painting being done in the basement. They were a little loopy. It was cute though.

I told them about my writing a letter to the Hoboken Reporter with regards to Governor Christie’s plan to cut the budget and close the libraries. I wrote a letter a few years ago praising the library and it was my pleasure to write one again after going to the bibliothèque almost every day and seeing how busy it is and how helpful they are to the community.

Christie is also planning cuts in education, so much so that some schools will not have any sports programs after school. Not that I am a sports enthusiast but I do recognize the need for such activities for the young folk these days.

Of course Christie plans on tax cuts for people making over $400,000 a year. Scum bag? Bastard? Fat Fuck? All labels apply here.

I also got from the bibliothèque Tom Waits- Glitter and Doom Live, Van Morrison’s Greatest Hits, A collection of the Supremes and Spoon- Transference. Also on DVD Joni Mitchell- Painting with Words & Music and Auntie Mame.

I requested Auntie Mame after watching on YouTube, Steve Hayes ‘Tired Old Queen at the Movies’. Steve Hayes is a NY resident and old school movie queen. He posts one review a week, usually about 3 minutes long about different movies from the golden age of Hollywood.

Last week was Auntie Mame, starring Rosalind Russell and it was such a fun review I thought I’d watch it again.

I did watch it once before when in 1990 I wound up at Uncle Charlie’s in the Village with my then boyfriend Gus Mackenzie. I think it was the night before Thanksgiving and it was Gus’ idea.

He was just coming out of the closet and wanted to go to all the gay places that he had read about in the closet. I was infatuated with him enough to go along with it. As time went on to show, Gus was a frigging idiot and a liar and we broke up a month or so later.

No regrets and after seeing him once a year or so later, I have no idea where he is now. I do hope he’s alright though.

And here’s Steve Hayes, the Tired Old Queen at the Movies: