Cordelia in pink

[vaneramos]

A group of six girls at Marian's school will perform a light version of King Lear with a happy ending. Marian plays the role of Cordelia. She was curious about the real story. It's one of the few Shakespeare plays I hardly know, so I Googled a synopsis while we were talking on the phone tonight and read it to her. She likes the original better.

"Internecine and convoluted," I described it.

She still remembers the story about how I described the escalators in The Bay department store as internecine, when the word I wanted was tortuous. Marian is famous among teachers and students for her large, colourful vocabulary. It's hereditary.

In the role of Cordelia she wears a poofy pink dress.

"I scared some little kids today," she said. "I walked by their classroom, and one of them said, 'Come look at Marian, she's wearing a dress.' And they screamed."

"So you're getting shock value by going in girl drag," I said. Then we were hysterical for a while.

She wants to see a real Shakespeare play at Stratford this summer. I'm suggesting a tragedy.

Comments

[artricia.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I miss the Stratford festival. I've never seen Lear on stage, but I remember being intrigued and puzzled and fascinated by it as a freshman in college. There was a pretty good adaptation on TNT called _King of Texas_ with Patrick Stewart and some other well-knowns.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Wow, have you seen Ontario's Stratford Festival?

[artricia.livejournal.com]

Yes. I went to school at the University of Rochester, right across the lake from Toronto. The English department ran a long-weekend trip there -- five plays in three days. I only went once, but I want to go back. I think of it probably once a month or so -- I love the city, loved the theater.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Danny and I are going to visit a couple of LJ friends in Rochester on our Victoria Day weekend in two weeks, so I'll get to see Rochester for the first time! Stratford is a little over an hour away, so I still try to go every year. But I've never tried taking the girls to see Shakespeare before. It's funny how things turn out.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

We used to go there a couple of times a year when I was a boy. I saw Maggie Smith as Lady Macbeth! and Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronin as Titania and Bottom!

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronin as Titania and Bottom!

Even when you were a boy, these two would have "playing young" in these parts, I would think. On the other hand, they were a couple of great actors; it must have been fantastic.

Hmm. Actually, Midsummer Night's Dream is another favorite of mine, and I wouldn't rule it out as something to take your daughter to.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, Tandy and Cronin made it a hilarious romp!

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

King Lear. With a happy ending. Now that I'd like to see.

"So you're getting shock value by going in girl drag," I said. Then we were hysterical for a while.

Oh, that is priceless! Girl drag, indeed!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I think Cordelia gets banished to the forest with her true love or something.

Oh, my daughter is fabulously complex. She plans to go as a drag queen next Hallowe'en.

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

Excellent!

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

great stuff, so nice what our offspring does for us.

makes life sweet and complex and worth while

lot o love
Van

be well

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how the little girl silliness has evolved into this really complex, hilarious way of turning the world on its end. We have the greatest conversations on the phone now. And lots of laughs.

Cheers Connor.

"in drag"

[queenmomcat.livejournal.com]

That is hilarious; I hope she does end up dressing up as a drag queen for Halloween. I think I would rather startle my co-workers if I showed up at work in a skirt/nylons/frilly shirt/makeup.

Re: "in drag"

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Hehe, but do you lip synch male heavy metal rock stars? ;-)

Re: "in drag"

[queenmomcat.livejournal.com]

Not at work...

Re: "in drag"

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

LOL

[rsc.livejournal.com]

She wants to see a real Shakespeare play at Stratford this summer. I'm suggesting a tragedy.

Probably a good idea -- the comedies are hard enough for a modern-day adult to understand. Macbeth might be good choice -- the witches are cool, and as Shakespeare goes, it's short. Not that I doubt that Marian could stand up to anything Shakespeare could throw at her.

I've seen Lear on stage and on TV several times. It's one of the world's great plays. It's also extremely harrowing and emotionally draining.

The idea of a "light version with a happy ending" completely shorts out all my circuits.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I wish I had the opportunity to see Marian's Lear. Someone must have had fun with rewriting it. It turns out Stratford doesn't offer any tragedies this season, but I'm sure we'll find suitable entertainment.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Haha, but how insightful you are, my friend! Hey, I'll be in Toronto from Saturday evening to Wednesday morning. We really need to hook up at some point. Maybe over a cup at Timothy's or the Bulldog on Monday or Tuesday. And keep Sunday dinner in mind. I'll be in touch.