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ladymazzy · 3 years

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7 Things You Didn't Know About John Kani | RSC Key Members' Room | Royal Shakespeare Company

7 Things You Didn't Know About John Kani

If you've been curious to find out a little more about actor, writer and activist John Kani, you've come to the right place!

It’s been ten years since John Kani and Antony Sher last appeared together at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and now the pair are together on stage again in Kunene and the King, which has recently opened in the Swan Theatre.

Kunene and the King marks 25 years since the first post-apartheid democratic elections in South Africa, and reflects on a quarter century of change in this country. Did you know that, as well as performing in it, John Kani also wrote this two-hander production?

To celebrate John’s return to the RSC, we wanted to share some amazing facts about the award-winning playwright, actor and activist.

John has won a Tony Award

John’s work on both Sizwe Banzi is Dead and The Island in the 1970s saw him win a Tony Award for Best Actor, and a Tony nomination for best play, alongside his friend, the late Winston Ntshona.

Both plays premiered in South Africa (1972/73) before transferring to the Royal Court in London a year later. After a critically acclaimed run, they then transferred to the Ambassadors, before winning The London Theatre Critics Award. The shows then arrived on Broadway, at the Edison Theatre, to critical acclaim, with John and Winston co-winning the Tony Award for Best Actor.

He's everyone's favourite monkey in The Lion King

In the live action version of the Disney classic coming out this year, John voices Rafiki, whose name means “friend” in Swahili, and is the wise old mandrill who iconically presents Simba above Pride Rock at the beginning of the film.

Wakanda Forever

“You're a good man with a good heart. And it's hard for a good man to be king” – King T’Chaka

You may have seen John in the role of King T’Chaka in Marvel’s Black Panther (2018) and in Captain America: Civil War (2016). T’Chaka is the father to T’Challa – aka Black Panther – and was formerly the King of Wakanda. He is also not the only member of the Kani family to appear in the Marvel franchise. The actor playing the younger version of King T’Chaka is actually John's son, Atandwa Kani.

John also played an integral role in advising on the accurate use of Xhosa* in the film.

*Xhosa is an Nguni Bantu language with click consonants and is one of the official languages of South Africa

John has been at the RSC before

The last time John Kani was at the RSC was the same year Matt Smith was named as the new Doctor Who, Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United, and an airliner landed safely on the Hudson River in New York.

John last appeared in Janice Honeyman’s The Tempest in 2009 as Caliban, with Antony Sher playing the role of Prospero alongside him. 10 years on from their last RSC show together, Janice, Antony and John have now reunited for Kunene and the King.

Before this he was also in Hamlet during the 2006 Complete Works Festival - a production which was directed by fellow South African Janet Suzman and provided a vivid reflection of South Africa as the Rainbow Nation.

He has threats made on his life

In 1985 John appeared in a production of Miss Julie at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town, which marked the first on-stage occurrence of a black man kissing a white woman (Sandra Prinsloo) on stage under the apartheid regime. Under the apartheid, interracial relationships and marriages were forbidden and against the law. Not only did the majority of the South African audience walk out of the play, but John also received threats on his life, public vilification and was even attacked, receiving eleven stab wounds.

…and he has a prosthetic eye

After Sizwe Banzi is Dead and The Island – productions that raised several questions about South Africa’s political system, particularly in relation to apartheid – had finished their runs in the USA, John returned to South Africa where he received a phone call from his father inviting him over to his house.

On his way there, John was intercepted by the police who beat him and left him for dead. During the attack he lost his eye and now wears a glass prosthetic.

He was the first black actor to play Othello in South Africa

“I’d just done a play called The Native Who Caused All the Trouble at the Market Theatre, when Janet Suzman came to me and said: “it’s about time,” to which I say, “what…?”. “To do the big one of course!” and I say “Janet, what are you talking about?” and she says: “Othello!” to which I say, “Oh no! I carry eleven stab wounds on my body, have survived assignation, been detained and have to be careful even walking the street because everybody wants me dead”. So, thank you, but I am not going to do this play… But then I went home and thought “it’d be nice to do it all again.” I told Janet I had one condition. I said I would only do it if I was the only black actor.” – John Kani

Seven years before the end of apartheid, in 1987, John became the first black South African actor to play Othello on stage. Performing opposite Joanna Weinburg as Desdemona, and directed by Janet Suzman, the play ran at the Market Theatre and opened to rave reviews – but John still received threats from the authorities.

#john kani #south africa #black panther #t'chaka

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flat-pumpkin · 4 years

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Misc gift art I’ve been doing for my friends to get into the season of tricks and treats.I know I usually diverte how I usually draw but I’m really keen on strengthening the lineless work here and focusing more on composition,posing,and color.I love this outlines but lord help me it has its drawbacks

Majority of references I take are ggdg and Stasya Sher.Since Sher is in the animation biz then replicated industry quality art would be neato (even if my art is yet to be said quality).Sher is really great with shapes being clear and define and ggdg is amazing with color choice since the color palette always changes to to mood using complimentary colors often.

Here’s a couple of the sketches I used.Very different from final product since the left was suppose to be fully illustrated and the right was suppose to be way different.

Originally it was more like of a blue ambient potion shop however the purple and browns being too warm and clashed a lot with the greens and blues.

#art #drawing #illustration #cat #medibang #digitalart #Halloween #spooky #chicken #llama #alpaca #witch #wizard #candy #trick or treat #pumpkin #fall #autumn #clouds #spell #magic

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monotonous-minutia · 1 year

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I request a detailed tier list of all the Hoffmann productions you've ever seen 🥺

okay BUCKLE UP

from Best to Worst my absolutely objective ranking of all 48 productions of this opera I've seen. and I am only just now realizing what an insane number of productions I have seen of this opera.

the best

#1. 2009/2015 Metropolitan Opera production (designed & directed by Bartlet Sher my beloved) Hands-down the best. Great vibe, great atmosphere, great casts in both productions, great amounts of gay, and costumes/sets that evoke such a fantastical feel it's like we've actually fallen into some kind of creepy fantasy from ETA Hoffmann's universe! A must see for anyone who loves this opera and a great first production.

#2. 1995 La Scala. The cast is to die for, the costumes and pleasingly straightforward, the sets go smoothly from wacky to eerie at the appropriate times. But most importantly it contains hands-down the absolutely bonkers fantastic amazing GAYEST Hoffmann/Nicklausse team EVER--Neil Shicoff and Susanne Menzter. I lost my fucking mind the first time I watched this one and continue to do so every time I rewatch.

#3. Munich 2013. Fun and wacky all over with a great cast and excellent amounts of gay. Delightful all the way. Diana Damrau positively slays as the ladies. Rest of the cast is excellent too, no complaints.

#4. Brussels 1985. Surprisingly gay for being so old. A lovely production overall and, as far as I know, the first recorded production of this opera containing the Violin Aria (so possibly the first recorded Oeser edit?) which makes it extra special.

#5. Orange 2000. Two words: Angelika Kirchschlager (okay, four words: The Hair). Production's a bit odd and it is the cursed short edit but it is quite gay and, well, Angelika Kirchschlager. Outdoor stage lends a great atmosphere to the creepy parts. Natalie Dessay reigns supreme as Olympia again.

#6. Hamburg 2021. Very fun (though fairly, and somewhat distractingly, odd at times) production with another to-die-for cast. Very gay. Brower and Bernheim quickly made it to my top 10 (possibly top 5) Hoffmann/Nicklausse pairs. Olga Peretyatko gives fantastic, wonderfully multi-faceted portrayals of all the ladies and Luca Pisaroni is iconic as the villains.

#7. Paris 2002. Not as much a fan of the production, but it makes my top 10 simply because we get Shicoff and Mentzer in these roles again, and you simply cannot beat them. you just can't.

#8. 1970 German film. The costumes and sets for this are very detailed and evocative of the story and the special effects are amazing. There’s a decent amount of added dialogue, especially at the end with the Muse’s speech, so a few story-related liberties taken, though some of them draw from the original play which is interesting. All-around good cast with another dynamic Hoffmann/Nicklausse duo (the way Hoffmann runs offstage calling Nicklausse’s name over and over at the end of the Giulietta act…oh. my. god.)

#9 Zurich 2021. A bit too dark lighting-wise at times (could give Vienna a run for its money) but another fun and eccentric production. No big names but a good cast overall and another wonderfully gay lead pair but the ending has MUCH to be desired. They straight-ified it. Makes no sense. (does not compel me.)

#10. Royal Opera House 1981/2016. A classic. Very gay despite being the abbreviated version. Luscious sets and costumes. Some unfortunate casting in the tenor role but beyond that quite good, and my first production so it’s got a special place in my heart.

the good stuff

#11. Metropolitan Opera 1988. Featuring Adorable Baby Shicoff in yet another delightfully gay performance with an extra sassy (and impeccably dressed) Nicklausse. Olympia’s phenomenal. Some odd bits but a mostly great cast and fun staging make up for it.

#12. Barcelona 2013. Phenomenal cast somewhat dampened by a strange production—does a good job emphasizing the darker parts of the opera, which is a relatively rare (so interesting) take, but a few directorial choices don’t vibe with me at all. Quite gay though and great acting/singing overall.

#13. Vienna 2000. Unfortunately this exists as a highlights-only reel with absolutely terrible image/sound quality but we get Shicoff yet again paired with an equally adorable Kirchschlager in one of the gayest performances on the planet (making their 2005 performance all the more bizarre, but more on that later).

#14. Toronto City Opera 2019. Hoffmann and Nicklausse are such a dynamic duo in this one in the most adorable way. It’s abbreviated even by Choudens standards which is obnoxious but it’s such a cute and fun production it still makes my top 20.

#15. Paris 2016. Same production as the 2002 one so that in and of itself is not my cup of tea but we get a good cast which carries it pretty well.

#16. Las Palmas (?date?) This one is about as close to full-on Oeser as anyone’s tried (except maybe the Genève 2008 one) so it’s remarkable for that. The production is equal parts campy and cool and the cast overall is very good, especially the villains and especially Dapertutto. Chemistry between Hoffmann and the ladies is pretty great. Decently gay. I need Nicklausse’s Act 1 costume immediately.

#17. Macerata 2005. A low-key production with an even mixture of fun and strange. Nicklausse is adorable and off-the-charts gay. Relatively unremarkable besides that.

#18. Orlando 2015. Why, oh why do we not have a full recording of this production?? It currently exists only as a youtube playlist with videos of some of the most important parts and it just looks SO GOOD it makes my top 20 without even having seen the entire thing.

#19. Regina Opera (NYC) 2011. Straightforward and fun and lots of ingenuity for a tiny space. Olympia and Antonia are particularly good. Hoffmann winds up in Nicklausse’s lap at the end. Nuff said.

#20. St. Petersburg (Florida) 2017. Another highlights-only reel but it looks really good and I’m mad we don’t get the rest of it. Refreshingly straightforward sets/costumes and engaging performance.

#21. 1951 film. This movie is so extra. There’s really no other way to describe it. Everyone is gay. The sets are gay. The room is gay. The air is gay. Ironically though Hoffmann and Nicklausse don’t get much gay time together. A lot of Nicklausse’s stuff is cut and I don’t like how they do the ending. The final trio in the Antonia act is fire though (pun intended—watch it and you’ll see).

#22 Miami 2017. Another highlight playlist on youtube. I like the “pour conjurer le danger” in particular. Nothing else terribly exciting though.

#23. Las Palmas 2022: WHY, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2022, ARE WE STILL USING THE CHOUDENS EDIT FOR THIS OPERA?? At least Nicklausse is adorable and Hoffmann has good chemistry with him and the ladies (especially Antonia), but this fun and quirky production is absolutely wasted on the abbreviated edit. Come onnnnnnnn. (Especially after already attempting the Oeser one a few years back???)

decent

#24. Skanderbeg 2005. Production doesn’t do much for me—looks like it came out of a bad sci-fi movie—and most of the acting isn’t great but it’s got a really cute Hoffmann/Nicklausse dynamic that made it worth the watch. Antonia was pretty good too.

#25. Parma 1988. Unremarkable but pretty cute and gay.

#26. Avignon 2009. Only the Olympia act is available sadly but from little there is you can tell it’s a really fun and adorable production with good acting and signing all around.

#27. Paris 2000. Same production as the 2003/2016 one but the acting is less compelling except poor Kirchschlager who really does her best but it’s hard to sing to a wall and this Hoffmann is pretty much a wall. Nicklausse does get to slap Hoffmann though which is excellent.

#28. Royal Opera House 2000. Same production as the 1981/2016 one but the acting is overall less captivating.

#29. Beijing 2013. Unremarkable production with okay cast and annoying edit but the chemistry between Hoffmann and Nicklausse?? The Violin Aria blows it out of the park. They practically kiss at the end. It’s glorious.

#30. Buenos Aires 2019. I have a visceral reaction to this one and severe love-hate relationship with it. The edit sucks (no Violin Aria) but the cast is great. The sets are cool but the production/staging is questionable. Individual performances are good but there’s not much chemistry between anyone. And finally, despite the fact that we get next to no chemistry between Hoffmann and Nicklausse (and may I remind you NO VIOLIN ARIA) they decide to have Nicklausse and Hoffmann kiss at the end. I ranted about this for a full day once so I won’t go into any more here. But seriously. Come on.

#31. Met 1973. Super old, terrible sound/picture quality, but iconic thanks to the one, the only Dame Joan Sutherland singing all three heroines (not four, no Giulietta act in this one. It’s a really terrible edit).

questionable

#32. Genève 2008. Weird and downright unpleasant at times. Phenomenally gay but Hoffmann is a total jerk. Villains are quite good but the production takes away from pretty much everything. I’d like the heroines a lot better if it wasn’t for that awful bob cut (and Olympia’s costume…or rather lack thereof…). Giulietta somehow makes the hair work. My favorite edit so far—just wish it had a better production to go with it.

#33 Mexico City 2020. They tried, they really did, to do a Kaye edit but they tripped at the finish line. Also the production is kinda “?” Actors are pretty decent but I can’t get over Dapertutto and Giulietta kidnapping Nicklausse while Hoffmann does nothing. Matching outfits are a win but there’s not much else.

#34 Seoul 2019. Interesting production with good acting. Some really odd directorial choices. Edit is awful.

#35 Monte-Carlo 2018. I hate this one for making Juan Diego Flórez one of my favorite Hoffmanns but giving him a terrible production to work with. We get a nicely devious set of villains and Olga Peretyatko is great as the ladies (thank goodness she gets another shot in the Hamburg one four years later) but I don’t even want to talk about what they do with Nicklausse here.

#36 Lyon 1993. I was hyped for this one, I really was. Reviews kept praising it for the cast (which is great) and the fact it’s the first recording to use the Kaye edit, but…it doesn’t really? The edit is practically unrecognizable; aside from some parts of the orchestration I really couldn’t tell you which edit it was using. The production itself is…wild. Disturbing almost. I have no idea what’s going on, it’s almost like some kind of fever dream.

meh

#37. Moscow 2019. Unremarkable to the point of being forgettable. Odd and not compelling. Stop using Choudens people.

#38. Nagoya 2010. Okay production. Odd at points but Hoffmann is really cute and I do like the Antonia quite a bit.

#39. Hagan 2020. I don’t even know what this is supposed to be. I don’t think the director did either.

awful

#40. Berlin 2015. Edit is atrocious and production is equally bad. Nicklausse is pretty good and some of the Hoffmanns are decent (because, yes, there are multiple performers playing Hoffmann) but it’s just…I don’t even know.

#41. Dutch National Opera 2018. Do you know how much I’d give to see (most of) this cast in a Hoffmann production? One that’s not this one because it’s awful? They try to modernize it but it just doesn’t work at all and they make Nicklausse a girl for the entire show and just. Wow. No thank you. John Osborne and Erwin Schrott deserve so much better.

#42. Madrid 2014. I couldn’t begin to tell you what they are trying to do in this one. Another terrible interpretation of Nicklausse and the rest of the characters don’t seem to know what they are doing. I don’t think anyone working on the show did.

#43. Brussels 2019. You could barely even call this Les contes d’Hoffmann because of all the ridiculous stuff they add to make it something it really is not. The production is just plain confusing. Is it the opera? Is it a movie? Is it them trying to film the movie? There’s no consistent reality. They throw the gay out the window here too with another girl Nicklausse. And Hoffmann is quite a piece of work himself.

#44. Salzburg 2005. Another monstrosity that attempts to un-gay the opera and totally demolishes the Hoffmann/Nicklausse dynamic. I can’t believe this is actually McVicar. Why would a gay opera director decide to direct one of the gayest operas ever only to mutilate it to this extent.

#45. Antwerp 2000. Same production as above so same level of terribleness.

#46. Klostenberg 2019. What. Just what. I can’t even.

#47. Bregenzer Festspiele 2015. I’m convinced everyone working on this was high on shrooms while they made it because I can’t think of any other explanation for how bizarre it is.

#48. Mexico City 1987. Didn’t even watch this one because Nicklausse is a tenor which is an unforgiveable sin.

and there you have it! Now I just need to watch two more to make it an even 50!

thank you for letting me rant about this opera yet again:) I never get tired of it!

#asks #les contes d'hoffmann #the tales of hoffman #opera #opera tag #opera reviews #holy heck i've seen a lot of this opera #and now i wanna go and watch a bunch more lol

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brindaneer · 3 years

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Inspiration and positivity are what the entire human race is in dire need of during these uncertain times. The present blog acquires additional importance for us because the film it deals with is possibly one of the most motivational motion pictures produced by the Hindi movie industry in the past few years. Penned by the inimitable Javed Akhtar, and directed by Farhan Akhtar, Lakshya showcased the progression of Karan Shergil from an aimless, albeit good-hearted soul drifting through life into a dutiful officer of the Indian Army. Karan's path of self-discovery was not merely an entertaining watch; it was also about the vital role that initiative and determination could play in our lives. Thrown in the midst of a world pandemic after a hundred years, most of us have lost these amazing qualities up to some degree at least, which is probably why pondering over this film in particular seems to be a productive job at the moment. Ironically, a film that several people have drawn inspiration from over the years (people had actually joined the Army after watching Lakshya) had been declared a 'box-office flop' during the time of its release. In that aspect, Lakshya resembles classics like Kaagaz ke Phool, Mera Naam Joker, Pakeezah, Jane Bhi Do Yaaron, and Andaaz Apna Apna, all of which failed to take the box-office by storm, but went on to obtain cult status among viewers later. Astounding? Definitely. Great films sometimes fail financially without rime or reason and unfortunately, the same fate befell Lakshya.

At its core, Lakshya was Karan's story and not a war film. The war and Indian Army provided a perfect setting for Karan to find his true calling. Nevertheless, intricacies of the Kargil war along with the destruction, desolation and pain that accompanied it, and which are also inevitably associated with all international armed conflicts in general, were far from being neglected in the story. A great writer is able to strike a balance between various dimensions of a plot without compromising on his actual intention, and who better than the legendary Javed Akhtar to achieve that? He was complimented by his talented son, the captain of this ship, who ably steered the film into a direction his father had envisaged while writing the script. Karan's metamorphosis from a lazy, casual college-going boy, perpetually confused about what he really wanted to do with life into a mature and responsible man was laced with humour and drama in equal measure, a strategy Farhan had previously employed while depicting Akash's journey in the epic 'Dil Chahta Hai'. Yet, the real genius lay in how different these two journeys actually were. Nobody could accuse Farhan of repeating what he had already done in his debut directorial venture.

Moments such as Karan listing his engagements of the day to Romi's (Preity Zinta) father upon being asked about his future plans in life and then literally hijacking that man's opinion on the importance of giving the best, no matter what the job was, to pacify his own father were examples of the witty humour we were talking about earlier. Of course, the actors took these scenes to a different level altogether. Hrithik’s delivery of ‘Main ye sochta hoon Dad’ after Karan had just rattled the ‘achcha ghaas kaatnewala’ lecture, and Boman Irani’s (Karan’s strict father) poker faced ‘Thik sochte ho’ in return have never failed to elicit roars of laughter from viewers till date. This wit pervaded most of the film’s first half as Karan continued his antics- the expression of his eternal confusion through the iconic ‘Main Aisa Kyun Hoon’ (apart from displaying Hrithik’s insane dancing skills through the choreography of the one and only Prabhu Deva, this sequence also aptly conveyed Karan’s inherent dilemmas), his decision of joining the Army only because another friend had promised he would come too, his disappointment upon being dumped by that friend, his ‘unconventional’ marriage proposal to Romi and his characteristic callousness as well as indolence even during his stint at the IMA were hilarious to say the least. Hrithik’s comic timing was pitch perfect in every scene, and perfectly suited for the nuanced, elegant genre of comedy that the script had aimed at.

Just when we thought Lakshya was a hoot, Farhan introduced the dramatic element in it; and he did so with such subtlety and ease that the ensuing sequence of events seemed to be the only natural course for the film to take. The scene where Karan fell into the pool by sheer unmindfulness during one of his drills and got punished by his commanding officer was somehow able to generate a strange mixture of sympathy as well as laughter amongst the audience and proved to be one of the watershed moments in Karan’s story. Hrithik’s masterful portrayal of humiliation as Karan knelt in front of his fellow cadets engendered such palpable discomfort within us the first time that re-watching it remains difficult even now.

The Karan that emerged on the other side of this event was somewhat different. Staying true to his fickle-minded nature, he jumped the wall of IMA and fled home. Nevertheless, regret could clearly be observed on his countenance as he sat with his parents, head bowed in shame, forced to accept defeat in front of his father- a man, who had always underestimated him. The grievance in his eyes upon over-hearing Mr. Shergill's unfavourable opinion of him hinted not only towards Karan's underlying strong ego, but also revealed his latent desire to prove himself. The hurt ego, along with his heart, was eventually completely shattered when the one person who had genuinely believed in him refused to be a part of his life anymore. Romi, played by Preity Zinta with her usual vivacity and boldness, broke up with Karan at the same place where she had once agreed to marry him because he had failed to live up to even her expectations. For Karan, someone who had probably harboured feelings of inferiority ever since childhood because of incessant comparisons with his brother, this became the ultimate betrayal. As viewers, it was our interpretation that he never really understood Romi’s point of view; he only attributed one primary meaning to her actions- her belief in his worthlessness. Looking at this entire sequence from a neutral perspective, one might say that both Karan and Romi deserved some empathy from each other. Karan’s lack of conviction in everything he did naturally upset Romi to a point where she could not imagine spending the rest of her life with him. Can we really blame her? As far as Karan was concerned, he had to bear rejection from someone, who, he had hoped, would never judge him like his dad. Before this, he had been able to bear the brunt of his father's expectations because of the security that his relationship with Romi provided him. However, when she pushed him away, he truly hit bare ground, with no one to break the fall. The scene that followed the break-up will possibly remain one of the best pieces of emotional acting in Hrithik’s career forever. As easy as it might seem, crying your heart out on screen can actually be very difficult in practice. Hrithik obviously nailed the sobs, but more importantly, he conveyed his character’s rancour towards Romi most effectively through the unspoken hurt in his eyes, thereby suitably justifying the transition Karan would undergo next.

With no comfort zone left for him to turn to, Karan did what his parents, especially his father, and Romi had always wanted him to do. He grew up. He could have sulked like a petulant child and continued to live a directionless life like he had done previously. Instead, he chose to prove himself to Romi and made that his life’s goal. Ironically, Romi had disapproved when he insisted on joining the army earlier because she felt he was doing it to rebel against his father. But this was a different Karan. He was not rebelling anymore. He was trying to show Romi that he could be much more than what everyone thought about him. Sub-consciously, it was not just she who was the reason for this transformation; rather, it was both his dad and her.

Karan’s second stint at the IMA provided viewers with some of the finest moments in the film. His dedication towards learning and training, initial isolation and finally, amalgamation into the student community were fascinatingly depicted through the brilliant title song ‘Haan yahi rasta hai tera, tune ab jana hai, Haan yahi sapna hai tera, tune pehchana hai, tujhe ab ye dikhana hai......Roke tujhko aandhiyaan, ya zameen aur aasmaan, payega jo lakshya hai tera....Lakshya ko har haal mein paana hai’. Now, let us take a brief moment to acknowledge the terrific music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy which truly set the mood for the film. This song in particular struck a chord with us because of the simplicity and eloquence with which it expressed the inherent message of the story. The picturization was top-notch with several nuances throughout. Few moments stand out even now such as Karan passionately screaming ‘Dhawa’ during his drill, something he had been completely casual about earlier, Hrithik’s unflinching eye-contact with the CO who had previously punished him indicating that Karan was a changed man now, and Karan’s increasing camaraderie with his batch mates.

The song was followed by two important sequences, superb for the understated nature in which they expressed first Karan’s unspoken resentment towards his father, and then, his blatant grievance against Romi. In the first, Karan’s mother informed him that his dad had wanted to attend his graduation ceremony but could not ultimately, and in the second, Karan himself called Romi to inform her that he was finally a lieutenant of the Indian Army. At this point of time, talking about Hrithik’s acting probably seems redundant. So, we apologize for the redundancy (What? Did you think we would stop talking about it? 😱😱). Karan’s casual brushing away of his mother’s statement about Mr. Shergill conveyed volumes about how he had ceased to expect anything from his father; it also revealed the disappointment he felt, courtesy of Hrithik’s amazingly layered performance. Similarly, his delivery of ‘Saare faisle tum nahin kar sakti Romi’ was spot-on. It was optimally hurtful, just like it was supposed to be.

As his job brought Karan to Kargil, Ladakh, and he met his commanding officer, Colonel Damle, played to usual perfection by the enigmatic Mr. Bachchan who managed to captivate the audience completely during the few brief moments he had in the film, as well as other colleagues, the lines between proving himself to the two important people of his life and finding his true ‘Lakshya’ began to blur. By his own confession, he had never thought about the significance of being an ‘Indian’ until his senior colleague Jalal Akbar (a brilliantly natural Sushant Singh) took him to the border (pretty prophetic that Hrithik himself went on to play a different Jalal Akbar later in his career, right?). In all honesty, a considerable section of the audience probably felt the same too. The stunning Trans-Himalayan locales shot so artistically definitely added to this feeling, although any border area is usually capable of engendering such thoughts. The landscape of Ladakh has a strange haunting quality about it, and that played a substantial role not only in making the film a visual treat but also metaphorically with respect to Karan’s journey.

As he truly began to love his job, Karan realized that he was finally ready to let go of his ego as far as Romi was concerned. Unfortunately, Romi, after a lot of thought, and pining for Karan, had decided to move on with life, much to Karan’s shock and dismay. The scene where he stood outside the venue of her engagement and watched her laughing with her fiance was one of a kind for the lack of melodrama that usually accompanies such sequences. Its speciality lay in the director’s nuanced handling of emotions and the actor’s terrific portrayal of subtle poignancy.

Run down and broken by the trials of his life, Karan returned home to his parents, only to receive news that his leave had been cancelled, and that he was urgently required to return to base. The moment where he bid goodbye to his parents was the first time when his father openly expressed love and concern for him, although not exactly in those words. The visible tension on Mr. Shergil’s face as he lost his cool and asked Karan to tell the complete truth was a testimony to his worry for his son who was about to go to a border area amidst serious disturbances. The part where Karan hugged his mother and left with just an uncomfortable glance towards his dad was another of those amazing subtle moments which characterized Farhan’s direction for this film. Hrithik’s discomfort and Boman Irani’s disappointment were both heart-rending to watch and as a viewer, one really wanted to reach out and give both of them hugs. A special thanks to Farhan and whoever was in charge of casting for signing Boman Irani in this role. Hrithik and his scenes were like mini acting classes that aspiring actors could take tips from.

Sometimes, it is difficult to get on with life, more so after losing one’s love forever like Karan had, but military training had instilled a sense of duty and discipline in him that was impossible to ignore. Of course, he had already begun to find a deeper meaning in his life through his job, especially after spending time with his superiors and colleagues. And, so he marched on. Had Romi seen his sense of responsibility even during a time when his personal life was in turmoil, she would have been proud. However, the realization that this was his true calling was probably yet to come to Karan. It did, in phases as he learnt about the war situation from Colonel Damle, and then embarked upon it.

If two people are destined to meet, even the universe conspires to bring them together. The same thing happened with Karan and Romi as they crossed paths unexpectedly in Kargil, of all places. The scene where they saw each other amidst a convoy of army vehicles is absolute poetry. Kudos to Preity for being so natural with her expressions always; she was brilliant in every scene, and especially here as Romi’s eyes changed from pure surprise on finding Karan there to a subtle melancholy and probably hope ( ?) at the thought of their future interactions. Hrithik, as usual, was spot-on with Karan’s ‘seeing a ghost’ expression as he moved past her, without getting an opportunity to satisfy his curiosity regarding her presence there.

Their next exchanges were laced with intense angst, but not of the typical Bollywood kind, rather much more controlled and nuanced. The part where Karan, after knowing about the demise of his good friend Abir (from the IMA) found his other pal Saket (Abir’s closest friend) venting out at Romi requires special mention because of the seamless manner in which it shifted from a discourse on the necessity and morality of war to a fantastic interaction between the lead couple, their first face-to-face conversation since the break up. It was formal, yet intimate; mundane, yet special; filled with hope for more on Romi’s part, and discomfort as well as suppressed anger on Karan’s. This scene was followed by his a little mean ‘pata nahin’ when Romi asked him if he had decided whether they should meet or not, and his angsty ‘congratulations’ for her engagement. Of course, the poor guy had no idea that she had broken it off after finding out that her fiance who was apparently a highly motivated successful individual was also a narrow-minded chauvinist. The irony of life! Once again, kudos to the genius of Farhan Akhtar. Without even mentioning it, he managed to point out the difference between Karan and Rajeev, and it was clearer than ever why Romi loved Karan. Remember ‘Maine aj tak tum mein koi choti baat nahin dekhi’ ? However, Romi obviously did not explain the truth to Karan. It was truly frustrating at times to see these two souls so much in love with each other, and yet unable to let go of their stubornness. Nonetheless, the frustration could be borne because of the brilliant intensity of their scenes and the wonderful chemistry these two shared. Truly, we do not talk enough about Hrithik and Preity’s amazing on screen bonding. We really should!

Karan eventually found out about Romi’s broken engagement from a letter his best friemd Ashu had sent him a while back. Hrithik’s expression of shock portrayed the extent to which the news had unsettled Karan. Incidentally, just when love had given him a second chance, Karan encountered death more closely than ever. After an initial victory during the first battle (the one in which he had saved the life of a senior officer, and killed opponents for the first time; also possibly the one where he began to realize that serving his country had started becoming his passion), Karan and his battalion were massively defeated in the second and several lives were lost, including his close colleague, Captain Akbar’s. The scene where Akbar succumbed to his injuries in front of his best friend, Dr. Sudhir (played by the late Abir Goswami, may he rest in peace too) who tried desperately to resuscitate him while motivating the gasping man with remarks such as ‘aam khane jana hai na’ can make people cry anytime without manipulating their emotions or forcefully tugging at their heartstrings. In fact, this was true for every battle sequence in Lakshya, which made it one of the best war movies Bollywood had ever made. Notably, the script treated every character with sufficient respect including even the ones who had screen times of just a few minutes. Everyone had a well-crafted story arc, however small it might be but integral to the movie. Most importantly, not for one second did we feel that Karan had taken up the screen space of others.

The best example for this was provided by the great late Om Puri ji, who played the role of Subedar Pritam Singh. Of course, if you have the privilege of casting an actor of his calibre, your can rest assured of the outcome. Acting is at its best when it does not feel like enactment, and not many actors are more natural than Om Puri ji! Appearing on screen for not more than four to five scenes, he delivered some of the most profound dialogues in the film. He explained to Karan how a soldier knew better than anyone about the destructiveness of war; yet he had no other option but to be a part of it. When Karan asked why wars took place, he pointed out that human greed had drawn boundaries upon the earth’s surface and if it were in their hands, men would partition the moon too. How true it rings, especially now. People are actually talking about ‘making life interplanetary’. If it ever happens, countries are going to fight about demarcating territories there.

Moving on! Excuse the length of this blog please! A film like Lakshya has so many subtle intricacies that it becomes impossible to leave out scenes. But don’t be impatient please. We have almost reached the end of our ‘Lakshya’. A few sequences still deserve mention. First, the iconic ‘Tum kehti thi na Romi meri zindagi mein koi lakshya nahin hai?’ The defeat accompanied by the loss of close friends and colleagues had augmented Karan’s determination to win but our hero had also finally discovered his passion, his true calling. In moments when such epiphanies occur, is there anything else left to do other than crying? Probably not. That was exactly what Karan did. As usual, Hrithik’s performance elevated the quality of this scene, like so many others. The part where Karan pledged to Colonel Damle that either he would execute the mission successfully, or he would not come back alive was again equally impactful because of both Hrithik and Mr. Bachchan. The way Colonel Damle looked at his officer after this momentous declaration conveyed the immense pride, gratitude and grief he felt at that moment. Truly, Mr. Bachchan needs no dialogues to express emotions. His eyes do it all. And the same is true for Hrithik too.

Now, its time for our favourite scene in the movie. You guys must be thinking that we agree on everything. Well, we do agree a lot, but disagreements occur too. However, there was no disagreement on this one. We think its a lot of other people’s favourite too. You are right! We are talking about the scene in which Karan called his dad. This was on the night before the final mission- a mission that was near suicidal. Upon seeing his colleague Vishal take off his engagement ring and put it in an envelope, Karan finally acknowledged what he was running away from; something that he had buried deep down in his sub-conscious- his conflicted emotions towards his father. The knowledge that he might no longer be alive for a resolution made Karan pick up the phone and dial his number. Here is an anecdote in this context. When Boman Irani started shooting for his part in this sequence, Hrithik’s lines were being read by an AD, and Mr. Irani could not get his shot right because he was not able to get the proper feel. Acting is a lot about reacting, and the non-impactful delivery by the AD hampered Mr. Irani’s shot. Finally, the person in charge of the sound came to his rescue and Hrithik’s dialogues were played in audio (Hrithik’s part had already been shot by then) to which Boman Irani reacted. And what an outcome. This is the true mark of a great actor; he not only excels himself but helps others soar too. And what an honour to have helped an ace actor like Boman Irani! The performances by both in this scene were superlative and manage to leave us with lumps in our throats even today.

In his first ever heart-to-heart with his dad, Karan confessed that he had always disappointed his father and told him that he was aware of it. In return, his dad who initially had thought Karan had called his mom, finally told him how proud he was of him. A salute and heartfelt gratitude to all the parents out there who send their children to serve in the security forces so that civilians can live in peace. The smile on his son’s face was proof that he could die happy. The tears in both their eyes expressed the craving they had towards each other; the dejection that Karan had always felt upon being ‘ignored’ by his father was replaced by the understanding that his father had always loved him; the pain on Mr. Shergill’s face portrayed his disappointment for waiting so long to convey his love to Karan- so long that there was a chance he might never see him again.

Having poured his heart out to his dad, Karan finally set out to achieve his Lakshya of recapturing Point 5179 and hoisting the Indian flag on it, but not before a much needed conversation with Romi. What an amazing bond these two shared. Karan did not need to tell her explicitly that he knew about her broken engagement; she did not have to tell him that she still loved him. They just knew. Her ‘to phir main zindagi bhar intezaar karungi’ was far more intense than a conventional ‘I love you’. The beauty of this scene lay in the complete lack of melodrama which one usually associates with Bollywood scenes of this kind. No over the top background score, no hysterics, not even a hug! And the fact that they wanted to hug, but could not (because Karan’s seniors were waiting) made this moment even more poignant. Hrithik and Preity were the epitomes of subtlety here. The frustration of not even being able to touch each other before Karan left for a life threatening assignment was so tangible that even the audience imbibed it. Seriously, why did not Hrithik and Preity work more? They were so attuned to even each other’s silences!

The final mission proved the truth of Romi’s words. ‘Jis din usne decide kar liya ki use kya karna hai, aap dekhna wo kahan se kahan pohochta hai’. Indeed, Karan reached the peak of success, literally and metaphorically. The mountain-climbing scene deserves a special mention here. It was so perfectly done that the only comparison that comes to mind is the famous rock-climbing sequence in ‘The Guns of Navarone’ by the iconic Gregory Peck. And in all fairness, Captain Mallory only climbed a cliff; Captain Shergill had to climb a peak of the Trans Himalayas! Jokes aside, both scenes shall forever remain goosebump- inducing. Karan, obviously hoisted the Indian flag, and just in time. Boy, did he make Colonel Damle proud or what?!

Thanks to our friend Mita for this wonderful VM .

There is a saying that everything works out in the end, and if it does not, it is not the end. It indeed did happen that way for Karan. He found his goal, and achieved it too. As he walked out of that elevator, and hugged his dad finally, we surely did feel contented. And who said Mr. Shergill did not know his son? Well, he might have taken time, but now he understood him better than most. When Karan’s mother asked if they could go home, he objected. Go home? What NO! Karan had to go and fulfill his other 'Lakhshya’, right?

How wonderfully thoughtful of Romi to stand at a distance from Karan’s parents, wanting to give them the private space that they needed! Actually, kudos to the director for his sensitivity; such subtlety is not something that we frequently see in Bollywood. So thank God for ‘Lakshya’. Just like Karan’s story ended on a positive note as the camera focussed on him and Romi, holding hands, finally embracing each other, ready to step in to a new chapter of their lives, we also end this blog with a bit of optimism.. Let us all hope and pray that ‘Hum Jeetenge Ye Baazi’ (modifying Javed Akhtar’s line a bit) on behalf of every Indian, and every person in the world dealing with this pandemic.

P.S. This blog is dedicated to all the front-line workers (doctors, nurses, other medical personnel, medical suppliers, delivery executives, grocery storekeepers, and all other emergency personnel) who put their lives in danger everyday so that we may survive. Please know that you are always in our prayers. Also, let us all hope that no one remains shy of masks and vaccines anymore. Those are the most effective ways of countering this virus. Stay safe everyone!

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frei-und-schwerelos · 4 years

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Big Interview: Willemijn Verkaik - "I couldn’t be happier!" (West End Frame - December 2014)

Interview Internet Archive - 2/∞ [x]

Earlier this year, Willemijn won West End Frame’s West End Debut Award for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked (Apollo Victoria). The Dutch star first played the role in Germany in 2007. She then starred as Elphaba in Holland before joining the Broadway company, making her the only actress to have played the iconic character in three different languages. Following a successful stint in New York, Willemijn joined the London production to tremendous acclaim.

During a break from rehearsals, I recently spoke to Willemijn about her return to the London stage, why Women on the Verge is a new challenge and what the rest of the cast are like to work with. We also discussed her emotional departure from Wicked, why winning West End Frame’s Best West End Debut Award meant so much to her plus much, much more…

Women on the Verge has been completely re-workshopped since its Broadway run and is almost like a totally new show. At what point did you come on board?

I didn’t do any of the workshops so for me this is really fresh. I first heard of the show when I was auditioning and I started to do my research.

What were your first impressions? The music is so refreshing!

I thought the music was amazing! David Yazbek is a genius – the songs that he’s written for Pepa (Tamsin Greig) and Lucia (Haydn Gwynne) and for everyone are just so thrilling and special. All those Spanish influences are very refreshing. I just love the way he brings a song into a scene and gets that Spanish feeling. He captures the feel of the scene and the show… I am a fan [laughs]!

So what has it been like to work with him? He’s been over, hasn’t he?

Yes he has! He’s very funny and has very dry humour. Bart (Bartlett Sher) and Jeffrey (Lane) and everyone are all very funny. David really is a genius and it’s great to be working with someone like him. I just want to grab on to how he works and how he thinks. Sometime he’ll just go away for a while and have his headphones on and then come back with a new suggestion. When he came in with the last song – the finale – everyone just said, “Wow, you are amazing!” Being a part of an original cast of a brand new production is very different to going into something more established. How have you found the rehearsal process? Things much be changing all the time?

It is great! For me it’s a big challenge. You know my history with Wicked – I was doing it for about six years – and in between I’ve done some other stuff like Songs For A New World and Mamma Mia. It’s not like I’ve only been doing Wicked, but to be focusing on something really new and to be creating my own character starting from scratch is fantastic. Seeing everyone digging into their roles and digging into the scenes is amazing. Everyone is working together to make each scene more interesting, we try out different things. It’s so great for me, I’m just really happy that I can dive into something totally different.

What has the atmosphere been like in rehearsals? It’s really interesting because you all come from different backgrounds…

That’s true! There are a lot of people coming from different backgrounds. Everyone is helping each other and supporting each other. If I am finding something difficult then I can always ask Haydn or Tam and then they can ask me something. It doesn’t matter if it is someone from stage management, from music or from the cast – everyone is working together and everyone is working towards that one goal… on the 17th December… that’s the moment [laughs]

What do you think people who don’t know much about Women on the Verge can expect?

I’m hoping they will come out of the show with muscle pain from laughing and feeling like they have spent a night in Madrid because of all the great songs and the Spanish roots. It’s such a great story. I’m very curious to see how audiences react. There have been so many moments where I’ve just watched everyone and thought, ‘wow’. Ricardo (Afonso) for instance starts the show and straight away I get goosebumps!

Tell me about your character, what has she been like to explore?

I’m still doing research, but she’s a tough, very efficient lawyer. She wants the job done and wants to do it well, but also has a weak spot. It’s very interesting.

What is it like getting to know a new character? A tough lawyer couldn’t be more different to Elphaba or Donna!

She’s completely different! I’m curious to know what people who have seen me play other roles will say. It’s a challenge! It’s great to dig into something so different and to get away from everything that I’ve done before.

Everyone was so excited when it was announced you were coming back to London; how does it feel to be back?

London is a great city and the theatre scene is so amazing… there are so many things to do and so many things to see. For me, having to cut my run short at Wicked because of my back problems and then already, after four months, being able to be back again in this great theatre city is… amazing. I’m so thankful and so happy, every day I’m saying to myself, “Would you ever have thought that you would be walking down the London streets when four months ago you were in a totally different state?” I couldn’t be happier!

Are there any sights left that you need to see? I guess when you’re playing Elphaba or rehearsing a major new musical you don’t get much time!

Yes, there are a few more things I should see. I haven’t been to all the museums. Celinde (Schoenmaker) said to me, “You have to see the Natural History Museum, it’s amazing!” Of course my family and friends came over and I just put them on a big red bus and drove with them to all of the great things to see.

2013 was an absolutely crazy year for you! You made your Broadway debut, your West End debut, you voiced the lead character in the Dutch and German language versions of the highest grossing animated movie of all-time AND starred in the Stuttgart production of Mamma Mia! What was that year like for you? Did you get a chance to actually take any of it in or was it just a big whirlwind?

[laughs] Wow! Well, both. If I look back on it I think, ‘Really? Did I do all of that in one year?! Really?!’ It didn’t feel that way at the time though, it just happened. Yes it was a whirlwind because all these amazing things happened – it was like, ‘Oh my god I’m on Broadway… oh my god I’m the voice of Elsa… oh my god I’m in Mamma Mia… oh my god I’m in the West End!’ [laughs] When I look back it seems more crazy than when I was doing it. It happened and I had the energy for it and it was all great! So yeah… it was one of the better years [laughs]!

We obviously have to discuss Wicked. When you were cast in the German production, what would you have said if I’d told you that you were going to play the role in Holland, on Broadway and in the West End?

I would definitely have said, “No way!”

Now that you’re out of the ‘Wicked bubble’ what is it like to look back at your incredible career within the show?

I have such good memories! Wicked has a very special place in my heart. Just to be cast as Elphaba in Germany was amazing; I couldn’t believe they had given me the chance to do that! I’ve been given such great chances and I’ve learnt so much. People ask me sometimes, “Do you ever get enough of the role?” and I can honestly say no… still now! It’s an amazing role, you have to fight every day to get her out there and to fight ‘Defying Gravity’. Of course things have happened and having to cut my run short in London wasn’t the best thing, but I still had such a great year there. You build amazing friendships; Savannah (Stevenson) is such a dear friend to me, we still text each other every week. In every cast you have a few people who become so dear to you, that’s what the show also does – it is about friendship. I had a great journey, I had great chances and now I can just put that in a box and with a good, warm feeling I can go down another path.

Did it feel strange to recently return to the Apollo?

Yes, I saw the last show with Kerry [Ellis] and everyone which was very emotional. It was so great to see everyone!

This is the question I have to ask every Elphaba… do you remember what used to go through your mind each night during those few seconds before you defied gravity?

[long pause] Good question! You just know this spectacular thing is going to happen. The whole scene before helps you to get there… the only thing I can say is that if your energy is too low you will have to fight harder. I always tried to build, build, build, build, build and then I would just go! You see that happening with every Elphaba. It’s not really a thought; it’s more of a feeling. A few weeks ago you were back in Holland taking part in the huge ‘Musicals in Concert’ show. What was it like to sing a bit of ‘No Good Deed’ and ‘Defying Gravity’ again?

…in front of twelve thousand people! It’s crazy, right?! It’s in such a big arena and all those people are coming to see us there, I felt like a rock star! It was amazing and great to be one of the performers standing on that stage. I know that a lot of people wanted to hear me sing ‘Defying Gravity’. I had to sing it in Dutch which I hadn’t done for a while so I had to train my muscles again for that! I mean, as I’ve said, I’m used to having a certain energy for that song, but when you perform it out of the blue it is a very different feeling. You have to walk out on stage and then hit those notes! So backstage I was building up that energy.

But ‘Defying Gravity’ is no longer your only signature song…

[laughs] I know! ‘Let It Go’! I have two now… yes [laughs]! And they’re both the two easiest songs to sing [laughs]!

[laughs] What was it like to sing ‘Let It Go’ in an arena with everyone singing the words back to you?

It was an amazing feeling. There’s some sort of warmth you feel from the audience. You step on that stage and it feels so great and I feel so much power from that. It wasn’t 1,800 in the Apollo Victoria, but it was 12,000 in an arena who gave me that feeling – you just, as we say in Holland, grow a few inches higher!

And now you’re about to open in the Playhouse which is one of the smallest West End theatres!

I know, and for this show it’s perfect. It’s the kind of show that needs to stay in a sort of living room situation. I have done a few smaller shows before and it’s a totally different energy. I’m really looking forward to it, that’s the great thing about this job! You can go from a big arena to a smaller theatre. We get to switch around and you can learn from everything.

You’ve spoken in the past about wanting to do an album… is that something you’re still aiming to do?

It’s still on my list but I’ve been saying that for a long time [laughs]. I keep saying my album, my album, my album, but I’m not going to say it anymore [laughs] because everyone is expecting something! I really don’t know when I’m going to do it, but it’s definitely at the top of my list!

We need to talk about your West End Frame Award!

Yes, thank you very much for that!

The support you received was just incredible! What was it like to have all that support behind you?

Well at that time, because I was in a difficult situation, it was such an amazing amount of support. I had to leave Wicked and I didn’t want to leave, but everyone wanted to give me so much support… what else could I ask for? I’m still getting emotional when I think about it because it was a very hard time. To have all those people saying, “Willemijn, we’re there for you” was fantastic. There are people who will travel all around the world to see you!

It’s amazing! It’s incredible, they’re so dedicated. When I announced I was leaving Wicked people all over the world wanted to make that effort to be there for my last night.

Right, time for a very stagey question. I’m sending you to a desert island and you can only take three musical theatre songs with you. Which three are you going to take and why?

[laughs] What will I take with me?! Which ones do I love…? Umm…. well… I would need three atmospheres, so a happy song, a sad song and… a crazy one. That’s what I think! So, my happy song would be something from Avenue Q. I like them all! Can I take the whole album?

No, that’s definitely cheating!

[laughs] Ok, I’m going to take ‘Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist’ because it would really make me laugh. The sad song would probably have to be something from Aida which always gets me down very easily in a good way. I’m going to go for ‘Easy As Life’. So I have funny and sad, now I need something crazy…

Maybe you need something big and belty?

Yes, let’s do a big and belty one! I’m not going to take Wicked with me because it’s in my system – I don’t need to hear it. My big belty crazy song would be… oh I love ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’ (from Funny Girl). I did it in the arena too!

I know you’re here until next May, but do you have any idea what you might like to do next? Most people would just look for their next West End show but you have endless options! You could do so many different things in so many different countries!

I have a lot of options and am very open minded. I want to challenge myself and still be able to spend enough time with my husband, which can sometimes be very difficult. I always have to see if we can do it and if we’re both happy – that is one of the most important things. Of course this career is really great and important, but the most important thing is having my hubby there.

#*o #archive #interview #women on the verge #willemijn verkaik #her legendary 15 second singing solo *chef's kiss*

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infinitelytheheartexpands · 4 years

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as we are exchanging asks, something you asked me once: 10 favorite characters from 10 different operas and what you like about them?

an extremely delayed response, all apologies, and also it’s past midnight right now so perhaps I should be sleeping and I’ll try to keep this somewhat short (and probably fail), but anyway, to answer your question:

1. Don Carlo(s): I love just about everyone in this opera (except you, Grand Inquisitor. you can go die) but if I had to choose one, I’d go with the absolute icon that is Princess Éboli. The thing I love about her most, I think, is how wonderfully complicated and real she is. I mean, she loves life, she’s a fierce badass, she does some horrible things for...lots of different reasons, but she does her absolute best to set things right again. In short, an extremely relatable, amazing, gorgeous Disaster Bi. Also: Verdi mezzo, so epic-as-hell music.

2. La traviata: Violetta Valéry. She doesn’t have much in the way of competition within her opera, but I’m still putting her on here because she’s one of my favorite characters in anything ever, and one of the first fictional ladies on whom I developed a hardcore crush. Something people forget about courtesans is that they were more than just...sex objects. They were smart ladies who oftentimes set the pace for upper-class life even as they were privately scorned for their position. And Marie Duplessis (on whom Violetta is based) is pretty much your ultimate rags-to-riches story (although we know how it ultimately ends). So Violetta goes from having nothing to teaching herself the ways of the world, climbs to the top of Parisian society, then decides she wants to give it all up for true love and fulfillment. While she didn’t choose the right guy IMO, she’s incredibly brave and bold and sensitive and she cares so much about everyone and she gives up her happiness so many times and I can’t and I love her so much and also her music is amazing and excuse me while I go cry. Also I need to make these shorter.

3. Simon Boccanegra: There’s my boy, Simon! One: I am a sucker for Good Baritones. Two: I am particularly a sucker for Good or Good-at-Heart Tormented Verdi Baritones. Three: THIS GUY. All he wants is to have peace and be with his family. That’s it. He’s so good and kind and amazing but also he is taking exactly no one’s BS (just listen to that Council Chamber scene!). He takes a position he didn’t want in the hope that he’ll be able to win Maria, but then she dies, but then he still uses his position to try to reconcile the factions anyway (and surprisingly enough, he’s pretty successful?). And him as a dad MY HEART.

4. Falstaff: Alice Ford, aka area 15th-century mistress of the house who has the mind of a 21st-century woman and is absolutely iconic for it. She’s incredibly smart and funny and clever and such a sweet person and great mom. She takes no one’s crap whatsoever and she outsmarts both Ford and Falstaff at every turn. She’s the ultimate ‘girls supporting girls’ lady and she gives the middle finger to the concepts of women just being good for being men’s playthings and of arranged marriage. And she knows how to have fun with it all. My one complaint: VERDI WHAT WERE YOU THINKING NOT GIVING HER A BADASS ARIA. That’s all.

5. Carmen: Carmen, my first love...I fell in love with her Habañera and her sheer confidence when I was 7 (and not realizing what it was about, may or may not have attempted to sing it on the playground at school, much to everyone’s confusion, but that’s a story for another time) and I’ve loved her since. I love her freedom, her huge self-confidence, her devil-may-care attitude, and every last note of her music. I just love her as a person. And of course, the iconic ‘‘Free was I born, and free I will die!” That right there is a life motto.

6. Eugene Onegin: My fellow book-loving, perpetually-dreaming nerd Tatyana Larina. Of course, I love her because of how sheerly relatable she is but there are so many other reasons as well. Like her and her sister’s dynamic. And the way she grows up and matures. And the way she’s not afraid to set some damn boundaries with Onegin, indeed, tell him no. That’s a strong girl right there, and while I wish she’d been able to get Onegin and true happiness...I’m not sure a relationship with Onegin would’ve worked out, and I’m proud of her for realizing that such a relationship (and perpetually fantasizing about it) could be extremely unhealthy and moving on. And oh God, her music. Especially the letter scene, which is every writer on an inspiration binge. And the final scene. Anyway.

7. Guillaume Tell: This is another ‘I love just about all the characters in this opera but welp I have to choose just one’ opera, and my choice is Guillaume Tell himself. First off: see #4. Second off: He’s just??? such an incredible person in every way like how is it possible to be that great of a human being??? He’s brave, he sticks up for what he believes in, he’s always willing to give others a helping hand, he’s super-enthusiastic, he’s a great husband/dad/friend, he’ll do anything for the people he cares about, he will readily call those who need it out on their BS...anyway we STAN him on this blog. Also, Rossini. And that incredibly gorgeous aria ‘Sois immobile’. I die.

8. Les Huguenots: Yet another grand opéra where I love the vast majority of the characters, and while I am 99% sure you already know the answer to this, I’ll say it again: it’s the only, the only Valentine de Saint-Bris, who just so happens to be incredibly amazing. She’s so...real and expressive and she’s someone I just personally feel like I get, like I see a little (okay more than that) of myself in her because of how real and relatable she is (I wrote a few posts a while back about why I headcanon that she has a severe undiagnosed anxiety disorder, which was...a major part of the story of my life for a while and to a lesser extent still is, but I digress) and also how amazing of a person she is. She’s not willing to just sit idly by while the world around her falls apart and the people she loves turn on each other (and eventually her). She’s one of the few people on either side of the aisle who’s like ‘this whole religious war thing is stupid and y’all need to stop’ and when things go from bad to worse, she puts herself out there in the middle of it all to save the people she cares about most (oh, also, remember how she just. stormed into the royal palace, demanded an interview with the Queen Mother, got it, and then used said interview to get a way to save Raoul and Marcel? yeah me too), and then when that fails, she literally renounces her own faith rather than belong to a religion that is committing actual crimes against humanity. and while she still fights to the bitter end, she still believes there’s a way to redemption for everyone and forgives her dad and JUST...I die. Also her music’s great but like. I love her mostly for her story.

9. Benvenuto Cellini: I am falling in love with this opera and literally all of its characters more and more every day, but my favorite character is probably Benvenuto Cellini himself, who is a) one of the few Not-Dumb tenors in opera and b) is a (mostly) Good Tenor. He loves life, he loves his art, he loves Teresa, and there are so many times where he is just such a Mood (see pretty much his entire second-act aria). Also, dude is GUTSY as hell. I mean, he literally gets the Pope to give him...pretty much everything he wants in exchange for the statue. That right there is an iconic moment. I don’t have a whole lot else to say about the character because it’s still kind of a new opera to me, but anyway he’s super-cool and I love him.

10. Les contes d’Hoffmann: Nicklausse! (Also his incarnation as the Muse, but mostly Nicklausse) He gets some of the best music in the whole thing (the Violin Aria anyone? or the Barcarolle with Giulietta?) and also he’s one of my favorite trouser roles. He’s super-ambiguous— is he really Hoffmann’s buddy or is he actually secretly working for Lindorf or is he going back and forth or is he somehow trying to help Hoffmann through working with Lindorf??? But one thing’s for sure: he’s by turns funny, serious, caring, devious...and I love him all the time. And his Musely work...ugh, the Muse gets me every time. Also, I invariably picture Kate Lindsey in the Sher production and that is a LOOK.

That’s all, sorry about the wait, and here you go! ❤️

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nclkafilms · 4 years

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The reality we decide to ignore

(Review of ‘Joker’. Seen in Nordisk Film Biografer, Aalborg on the 6th of October 2019, in Biffen Art Cinema, Aalborg on the 8th of October 2019 and at home on the 11th of January 2020.)

What do you get when you cross a comedy director with no previous directing experience with other genres with one of Hollywood’s finest character actors and the perhaps most famous and notorious comic book villain? When that director is Todd Phillips (of ‘The Hangover’ and ‘Road Trip’), the actor is Joaquin Phoenix and the villain is Batman’s The Joker, you get one of the most surprising film achievements of 2019. ‘Joker’ is a gritty, poignant and surprisingly profound character study that is telling us much more about the society we live in than it does about Batman’s arch enemy. As such Joker becomes a haunting reflection of a society in which virtues such as love and empathy have been long forgotten and replaced with fear, division and egocentricity.

In the film, we follow Arthur Fleck, who works as a clown-for-hire while he lives at home taking care of his ill mother, Penny. Arthur is in psychological and medical treatment for a - to us - unknown mental illness. He dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian and as we are quickly shown in a dream sequence he also dreams of being acknowledged and feeling valued; in this particular day dream: by his idol, talk show host Murray Franklin. But this version of Gotham - set in what seems to be the early 80’s - is no place for dreaming. Garbage strikes have been going on for weeks, the streets are being overrun by thugs and ill-adjusted citizens in line with an increase in the split between the top and bottom of society. In the opening credits, Arthur is attacked by a group of young people, but it is him who gets in trouble for losing a sign rather than them being punished for their attack. As Arthur points out: things are getting crazier out there. What follows is a thought-provoking and morally challenging journey to the bottom of Gotham City.

The main attraction in ‘Joker’ is Joaquin Phoenix. The character of The Joker has produced some amazing performances from Jack Nicholson and, especially, Heath Ledger, and it must be quite the role to take on for any actor. Phoenix puts himself right up there with the best, though, with a manic, nuanced and deeply human portrayal of Arthur Fleck. His physical transformation and performance alone is awe-inspiring: not only did Phoenix lose a lot of weight, no, he manages to infuse Fleck with a crippled physicality that mirrors his mental state. The way he runs, the way he laughs and the way he stares. It all highlights the state that Arthur is in.

The idea of giving Fleck a physical condition that causes him to laugh in certain situations is clever, and Phoenix takes it to the next level in the scenes where this laughter causes him physical pain or alienation from his surroundings; his eyes convey a different story than his laugh and it is deeply fascinating to study. However, it is in the gradual change from being socially awkward and unresting to becoming more calm, more cynical and more unpredictable, that Phoenix truly manifests his qualities. The scene in which he calmly goes from panic and despair to an almost trance like dance in a worn down and darkly lit public bathroom is as beautiful as it is alarming; one of the single most memorable scenes from any film in 2019. A scene that is only made stronger by the beautiful score - but more about that later.

While ‘Joker’ is Phoenix’ film, it still boasts a high quality gallery of supporting roles with brilliant performances from Robert de Niro as talk show host Murray Franklin, Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne, Frances Conroy as Arthur’s mother Penny, Glenn Fleshler and Leigh Gill as Arthur’s colleagues, Shea Wigham and Bill Camp as two police officers and finally Zazie Beetz as Arthur’s neighbour, Sophie. Common to them all is that they all highlight different aspects of how society - in Arthur’s eyes - is letting him down. Murray mocks him on live tv, Wayne distances him and everybody beneath him, Penny neglects him, the police hunts him and Sophie is not the girlfriend he imagines her to be. The fascinating thing here is, though, that Phillips is telling the entire story from Arthur’s perspective. He is not a narrator per se, but with him being present in every scene it is clearly his version of the story and, as such, he is highly unreliable if we are looking for the objective truth. And to be fair, I do not think that is what the filmmakers set out to do either. Here, the important truth lies both in Fleck’s imagination and reality and as such the ending is very fitting even though it has caused a lot of criticism for being a “cop out”.

In stead, Todd Phillips and Scott Silver want to give a voice to the people who are being shut out of society. The people we tend to look away from or distance ourselves from on the bus. The people who we laugh at when their weird mannerisms or actions are filmed and exposed on TV. The people who governments often find it easier to ignore or talk down to in stead of reaching out to or accommodating. The people who sadly sometimes end up causing unbearable tragedies. It’s a daring choice for Phillips and Silver to write their screenplay with this perspective but it pays off by creating one of the best films of the year.

This, of course, demands more than a brilliant ensemble as well as a daring director and screenwriter. When it comes to the quality of the crafts, ‘Joker’ is also right up there with the best of 2019. The cinematography is stunning as it really manages to show us the devastation of the state Gotham City is left in, but also in the way it centres on and helps Phoenix’ performance. Let me once again highlight THAT bathroom scene and the films use of mirrors. The film’s cinematographer, Lawrence Sher, rarely leaves Arthur out of sight whether it is in intimate close-ups or montages through the city. Equally as impressive is the production design, which manages to make Gotham feel alive and very real; dark and gritty when we are in the streets and colourful and exuberant when we are among the top of society. Additionally, you have to raise your hat to editor, Jeff Groth, who has created a tightly composed film from an excessive amount of material as Phoenix did a lot of different versions of each scene.

The most impressive aspect of the film’s technical aspect is, however, the score by icelandic Hildur Guðnadóttir. Her score is haunting to say the least with its deep and towering string sections combined with an ominous vibe that makes the score sit heavy on your shoulders as if it is the burden carried by Arthur. Guðnadóttir worked with Johan Johansson before his death and you can hear his influence, but make no mistake! Guðnadóttir is an artist on her own terms; her score has a unique sound that has landed her nominations at all the major awards and for which she hopefully will receive numerous wins too. The next strongest thing in the film after Phoenix’ performance. The score blends perfectly with the great overall sound design and it is perfectly balanced with the well-picked songs such as “Smile”, “That’s Life” and “My Name is Carnival”. I cannot count the times I have listened to this soundtrack since watching the film the first time.

I have seen the film three times now and I have been really unsure whether it was a 4,5/5 or 5/5 film, but considering it has stayed in my head for many days after every viewing, I have to say that I see it as a masterpiece. A film that I would never have expected to see from Todd Phillips. ‘Joker’ is a ruthless and brutally honest depiction of some of the deepest issues in modern society and a grim look at the possible consequences! From its core (Phoenix’ electric and mesmirising performance) it forces us to look at, to acknowledge and to reflect upon and discuss issues that popular culture and governments are normally too afraid to face and handle. In such, the entire discussion about the film in America is nothing but ironic and poignant. The film does in no way glorify violence or murder, nor does it convey unambiguous sympathy towards Arthur and his ultimately repulsive actions.

What it does, however, is that it dares to show us the person - the human being - behind the tragedies and horrific events that sadly are becoming more and more “normal” in the world today. The people in the periphery of society that we are letting down when medical centres are closed, when we don’t support them, when we expect them to behave like everyone else. That is tough to watch, and it is - of course - easier to just condemn these people as clowns or cheer on a caped crusader as he battles this evil. But in ‘Joker’ there is no Batman, there is no cartoonish villain, there is no looking away. There are only humans and their nuanced nature.

5/5

#Oscars2020 #OscarsWarmUp #OscarNominee #Academy Awards #Joker #Todd Phillips #Joaquin Phoenix #Robert De Niro

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