"If I had a world of my own, everything would
be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything
would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?"
~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Tonight I saw an adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, performed as a play. It was presented by the Spooky Action Theater and created, performed and written by the original members of The Manhattan Project. This is why I love DC: you can find free events like this one all the time and chances are, it's only about 15 minutes away from anywhere. It was a refreshing end to a day filled with Charlotte Brontë, a manicure and a pedicure performed by very cute, yet incomprehensible Koreans, and let's not forget talking to Rasta. Kdarn and I arrived early-slash-just-on-time at the Mead Theatre Lab after walking the wrong way down G Street. My fault. We were the only non-white people there, a fact I only happened to notice after getting a strange glare from a sweaty white man overflowing from the chair behind where we stood. I glared right back. He looked too cynical to care. Later on that night I realised he must have been a critic of some sort, because from our seats behind his, we could see him periodically take notes. Tried to macko, but his penmanship was past illegible: so he was either a critic, or writing a summary report at his mother's request. Ha.
The play was okay, in my humble opinion. Not greatness, but highly entertaining. The young and vibrant cast of six kept up high-octane energy levels and the strobe lights, which they ensured we paid specific attention to, kept the effects and transitions between acts interesting. Smiled at the Jabberwocky opening act. I'd probably not call this an adaptation, merely a performance of extracts with some humourous interjections here and there. Loved the Bob Dylan impression by the White Knight. I also paid specific attention to the audience: some were highly delighted (satisfied at their familiarity with the vignettes, no doubt) and some seemed not amused. Alice in Wonderland is not for the person who can't stand childish delights and excited humour. I myself was pleased to see the more important philosophical scenes included: Alice inquiring which way to go of the Cheshire Cat, the Caterpillar asking "Who are YOU?", and Alice's conversation with Humpty Dumpty. All in all it was an hour and a half well-spent. Had some Chipotle, the heroin of HU's campus that for some reason I don't particularly like, and headed back home on the 70-bus which was surprisingly psycho-free. Now I'm up, cause I can't seem to fall asleep before 4am. Need to fix these unhealthy hours of mine. Damn Rasta.
Wondering what the answer to the title of this entry is? Not telling. Go read Alice in Wonderland. You'll find it there. Or not. :)
11 comments:
Isn't it considered blasphemous to review a review; especially a review, written by Charlotte's best friend, hs, of the stage version of Alice in Wonderland, held in D.C and attended by mainly people who are not non-white? I don't know either but blasphemy excites me.
Before I begin I have to make mention my latest major discovery and I doubt it was mentioned in any of Lewis Carroll's books, or plays. Yesterday I placed a bucket of ice on a mat for five seconds. I then accidentally stepped on the spot on the mat where the bucket was, with my bare foot, and thought it felt wet. On closer examination I realized that it wasn't wet, but only gave the illusion of wetness because of its coldness. It seems I have been too wrong for too long.
At the risk of making sense, I want to say that these blogs of yours are like pieces of a puzzle or clues to a riddle. And, as the the Caterpillar asked "Who are YOU?"
Big cities of big countries have the advantage of providing cultural entertainment of various types, something which is underrated and unappreciated by those in tiny tropical islands. I have to admit that there are many things which are now only 15 minutes away in Trinidad. These very things were once 5 minutes away but with all the traffic that has changed.
You humbly said the play was ok, but we normally get only ok for free. Personally, I would not want to pay for the best things in life and we all know what that might be; and no, it's not Alice in Wonderland, or maybe it is. I didn't know Bob Dylan did plays but hard time are hard times. Did he sing? Oh, now I see, it was the White Knight who was impressed with Bob Dylan.Never mind.
I am sure you are aware that there is considerable body of opinion which says that Lewis Carol was high of something other than Chipotle when he wrote Alice in Wonderland. This might be based on the analysis of the white powder found on his keyboard and the CD he handed in to his publisher, which was cleverly inscribed with the words "Yuh cah play mas if yuh fraid powder." To me, it make no difference and it does in no way devalue his plays, movies or rehab efforts.
As usual I said too much and in the Jabberwocky style. I don't beg forgiveness as much as I beg not to whipped again. As strange as this may sound, but I am one of the few people who do know the answer to the riddle - Why is a raven like a writing desk? Unfortunately, I cannot give the answer in a simple blog comment, since suspense is not supposed to end with a comment, but with a bang, followed by a sigh.
for fun i googled the riddle to see what'd come up... kinda interesting.. I found that apparently Lewie made up an answer as an afterhtought after being bombarded for the answer...
Lewis Carroll had this riddle riposted at him so many times that he wrote the following in his preface to the 1896 edition of his book:
Enquiries have been so often addressed to me, as to whether any answer to the Hatter's Riddle can be imagined, that I may as well put on record here what seems to me to be a fairly appropriate answer, viz: "Because it can produce a few notes, tho they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front!" This, however, is merely an afterthought; the Riddle, as originally invented, had no answer at all.
for an afterthought, thaz quite a clever answer eh? and all in fittin with the book too!
Sorry loves! The answer is not in the book...it is however in the play.
The answer to the riddle, which is far less clever and delightful as Carroll's is: Poe wrote on both.
:)
Did a little more research, apparently several people came up with answers, all of which are clever in their own right...Here they are:
- Because the notes for which they are noted are not noted for being musical notes. (Puzzle maven Sam Loyd, 1914)
- Because there is a B in both and an N in neither. (Get it? Aldous Huxley, 1928) ...like this one :)
- Because it slopes with a flap. (Cyril Pearson, undated)
I also Googled it, and I think there is the possibility that Carroll didn't even have an answer to the riddle since it not even be a real riddle. Maybe he simply threw words together because he was either in the habit of, or was in the mood for, throwing them.
"Have you guessed the riddle yet?" the Hatter said, turning to Alice again.
"No, I give it up," Alice replied. "What's the answer?"
"I haven't the slightest idea," said the Hatter.
"Nor I," said the March Hare.
Alice sighed wearily. "I think you might do something better with the time," she said, "than wasting it in asking riddles that have no answers."
gosh hs, remember i read it? i know there wasnt an answer in the book...
but what i was sayign is that (according to the aite i got that thing from) Carroll himself came up with an answer after people were hounding him down for the answer... the play probabaly just came up with something, like giving it its own twist yuh know?
si tanty...i know that's what you meant...
My head and tail both equal are,
My middle slender as a bee.
Whether I stand on head or heel
Is quite the same to you or me.
But if my head should be cut off,
The matter's true, though passing strange
Directly I to nothing change.
What am I???
I suggest thinking, as opposed to Googooling :)
lol
amm.. string?
(not very creative... but it kould work? lol)
string's middle isn't slender as a bee...(remember that bee incident in meridian...lol)
anyway, umm...HINT!? I suck at riddles *cries*.
Is it something intangible?
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