I saw Caroline, or Change at the Curran last weekend with my fellow Underbears, BC and D. Caroline, the maid, is allowed to keep the change that she finds in the pants pockets of the boy whose family she works for, when doing laundry. The tension, excitement, and apprehension that result are given context in the racial turbulence of the 60’s and the emotional conflicts and changing dynamics within the families. It’s an amazing play, with clever lyrics, beautifully sung music, and a pared-down dazzling production. The Underbears say “3 paws up!”
The Hairy Bodies show is coming together nicely, with dynamite pieces by Nayland, Nick, Dean Smith, and BC, a sumptuous video by Ruth, a really strange and disturbing installation by Su-Chen, and my own first dive into video. My videos are going to be static, and sculptural, jiggling accompaniments to my photographs. Please come to the opening next Friday!
Last night I saw Million dollar Baby, the new Clint Eastwood flick. I really like his films. He’s like old Hollywood, well, his is old Hollywood. There’s no dazzle, or gimmickry, just straightforward storytelling. And nothing new in the storytelling department either. The story was almost mythic, very lyrical and allegorical. And Hilary Swank gives an amazing performance, very modulated, yet energetic and extremely moving.
The Daves are here, the Daves are here! Dave and Dave are in the final stages of their 2004-5 Western Hemisphere Tour, staying with BC. We were all treated to a delightful dinner at Steve and Jack’s a few nights ago. I gained back all of my recently shed poundage in an intimate bonding with their delectable lasagna. I could have had a third slice if my inner Thighmaster had been a little more intoxicated. I contributed my first tarte tatin, actually a pear tarte tatin, to the dinner. It worked! nicely caramelized and full of pear-ness. I was given the opportunity to see why such a thing tastes so good–it’s like HALF butter!
Alicia, my delightfully irresponsible houseguest, has flown back to Telluride, and Les, after a yummy dim sum brunch, back to Massachusetts. Alicia was going to stay just a night, but I made her a big dinner when she arrived and breakfast the next morning, so she decided to stay for three more days of pampering and feeding. She told me of her recent, well, eight or so years ago, trip to some Caribbean island, where she saw an ad for a hostess on a ship, and ditched her boyfriend and went to work on a boat for three months. Her work consisted of “making” cereal for breakfast and tuna fish sandwiches for lunch everyday. The captain made dinner, which consisted of the day’s catch. For this she was paid $500 a week. The owner took his clothes off and swung his willy in circles for her, demanding that she, too take her clothes off when at sea. She didn’t tell me if she had to swing anything, too. The captain asked Alicia what she was into. She said yoga, art, meditation–what are you into? “Masturbation.” Which, she says, he did many times a day, at sea and on land, wherever a closet or bush was to be had. She’s currently juggling 2 lovers–one the father of her child, the other a poor carpenter who “loaves me, Chrees!” She’s still a knockout at 44, with gorgeous gray streaks in her long brown hair. Her utter devotion to her self, though, is challenging to be around for more than a few days.