Film or Theater? Theatre or Film?

Let me tell you about last Friday night & you can decide.
National Theatre Live, if you haven't already head about them, you can find out more here, with the below as a brief summary taken from their site...
----------

'National Theatre Live launched in June 2009 with a broadcast of the National Theatre production of Phèdre with Helen Mirren. We’ve since broadcast more than fourty other productions live, from both the National Theatre and from other theatres in the UK.

Our broadcasts have now been experienced by over 5.5 million people in over 2,000 venues around the world, including over 650 venues in the UK alone. Past broadcasts from the National Theatre have included Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller; War Horse; Man and Superman with Ralph Fiennes; and Everyman with Chiwetel Ejiofor.'
----------
...has presented several productions in our area. In fact, Aaron and I saw Peter Boyle's Frankenstein at our local Century 21 movie theater at our local Oakridge Mall a couple of years ago. So, when I heard that NTL was going to present

at a much posher venue, The Hammer Theatre, I decided to get David involved and we all three had a terrific time. The cast was excellent, the stage design and music were excellent. Just everything in general was excellent. I swear Benedict is near tears through half of the production, an amazing performance. Left is from our seats before the start of the play/film while right is from the stairs into the lobby as we were leaving.


We arrived downtown early and so, after dinner, at a little hole-in-the-wall Iguanas Burritozilla, we wandered over to San Jose's annual for-over-25-years Christmas in the Park festivities.
          Below is a not-good photo of a vast number of little trees that local organizations, such as firestation, boy and girl scout troops, various elementary and middle schools etc, decorate

They take up half of the park with the other half taken up with displays and rides, the big tree and Santa's little cottage. Below are photo snagged from google images.

Cesar Chavez Park with Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in the forground.

I love palm trees wrapped with lights & the city tree with the ferris wheel.

A whirl-y twirl-y ride & Santa's Cottge.

And, finally, two of the many life-sized animate scenes.

So, what do you think? Is a film of a play, even if a really well done film, a film done by the very people who put on the play, still a play? I don't think so personally. I think you have to be breathing the very same air the actors are but still, these guys do a really good job bring culture to the (unwashed) masses. And that you're watching at the same time as many around the world are makes it feel quite special.

***

Except for a couple of friends in Germany...

...my friends list has been pretty quiet about the election but here's the thing, I don't intend to be. So, if you are pro-Trump, you may want to unfriend me and if you simply don't want to deal with politics, you may want to unfriend me because I have a desire to rant & rage. Not often, but often enough.


Hence this quote.

You must protest / It is your diamond duty / Ah but in such an ugly time the true protest is beauty.
Phil Ochs, folksinger_1940-1976

My clarion call,

my strongly expressed demand or request for action,

         to do my art with more purpose, beauty wedded with protest.
And to not be quiet as a charleton is normalized as respectable.

***