![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thegirlwiththemouseyhairSo I saw Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience today. I try to go to a G&S adaptation most years, and Patience is particularly special to me because it started as a spoof of Oscar Wilde and the Aesthetic movement. This production modernized it, updated it to spoof sort of Goths and hipsters, and instead of having a military regiment as the male chorus (representing conventional, athletic, macho masculinity) they had a football team. It was so much fun.
For me, though, the female chorus in this version just stole the show. The female chorus are basically all fangirls of the sort of Oscar Wilde-inspired poet figure. Fangirls or groupies; one of the characters is actually named Saphir, which kept reminding me of the groupie Sapphire in Almost Famous. (OK, technically they’re band-aids in that movie…) There was even this hilarious scene of the female chorus literally chasing one of the poets they’re obsessed with through the theatre a la Beatles fangirls in Help!. I loved it.
There are so many things you can do with these plays. I really identify with the chorus of lovesick maidens/lovesick fangirls in this one (seriously, listen to me moan about how David Bowie is breaking my heart by not touring, and you'll see that the lovesick maidens actually aren't too out of line), but I love how these plays remain so relevant…
(I haven't heard anything back from my interview Monday, and I'm terrified of not getting it and constantly depressed and wishing I hadn't taken my current job or moved out here. But I find it hard to be sad when you're watching anything Gilbert and Sullivan, so I'm glad I was able to revive that little tradition of mine.)
(Also, when I live my dream, return to Montreal and start a PhD back at McGill to buy time to get into college teaching, I will totally try to get involved with the Savoy Society there. I therefore think a Gilbert and Sullivan tag is in order...)
For me, though, the female chorus in this version just stole the show. The female chorus are basically all fangirls of the sort of Oscar Wilde-inspired poet figure. Fangirls or groupies; one of the characters is actually named Saphir, which kept reminding me of the groupie Sapphire in Almost Famous. (OK, technically they’re band-aids in that movie…) There was even this hilarious scene of the female chorus literally chasing one of the poets they’re obsessed with through the theatre a la Beatles fangirls in Help!. I loved it.
There are so many things you can do with these plays. I really identify with the chorus of lovesick maidens/lovesick fangirls in this one (seriously, listen to me moan about how David Bowie is breaking my heart by not touring, and you'll see that the lovesick maidens actually aren't too out of line), but I love how these plays remain so relevant…
(I haven't heard anything back from my interview Monday, and I'm terrified of not getting it and constantly depressed and wishing I hadn't taken my current job or moved out here. But I find it hard to be sad when you're watching anything Gilbert and Sullivan, so I'm glad I was able to revive that little tradition of mine.)
(Also, when I live my dream, return to Montreal and start a PhD back at McGill to buy time to get into college teaching, I will totally try to get involved with the Savoy Society there. I therefore think a Gilbert and Sullivan tag is in order...)
