Beth Winter

I like to think I'm a non-problematic Yuletide beneficiary - this year in particular I requested stories of the "anything with those characters will make me happy" variety. Optional details are optional!

Generally I prefer no mpreg, outright pornography (that is, clinical descriptions of actions without emotional content), humiliation or incest (see Sandman request for exception), and I firmly stay away from animal harm stories - if there is animal harm in the story, I will not read it at all. Apart from that, my tastes vary. Feel free to browse this journal to get a handle on the things I tend to recommend or write :)

( Detailed requests - Sandman, Rose of Versailles, Vorkosigan Saga, Elisabeth )

I hope this suffices while not overwhelming, but should you want to know more, you can ask fyrie to relay your questions :)

The Koya-san cold managed to put us both under the weather - I'm the one who's actually upright, so I'm taking the opportunity to sort through photos. I can't believe there are less than three days left before I'm back home.

( J-11, days 1 to 5 - Kyoto, Nara 1300th anniversary celebrations, Tokyo )

I saw this show one and a half times (the half being the revue, before fleeing Bow-Hall-wards), both times from toujitsuken seats - the very back of the balcony. I remain in love with those seats: they're perfect, you can see everything and opera-glass everyone you choose, and they cost so little compared to the rest. Plus getting in early enough to queue up for same-day toujitsuken means you can watch the actresses arrive as well. (Incidentally, I am in love with Suzumi Shio's dress sense.)

( Revue )

( Officer and a Gentleman )

Originally posted at Dreamwidth - comments

Tom. Tom. Evil, evil woman.

At least I wasn't the only person sobbing in the intermission of Onegin. Tom and Hiromi just about did me in.

There is a full review upcoming (with an extra-special section for Ayanagi Shou, because yes, I have a new favourite), but this show is one of those that mean I love this revue, this wonderful theatre that goes straight for your heart without bothering with mundane things like words you can understand. I was sitting in Bow Hall with my face in pain from grinning and tears in my eyes.

(And Pushkin! They put Pushkin in it! In bed with Onegin! And Tatiana was perfect, so strong, and Maihane Mimi is my choice for Yuki Top, hands down, and I saw Miho Keiko live, and did I mention HIROMI yet?)

Snow Troupe. Yukigumi. ♥

Originally posted at Dreamwidth - comments

Yuletide nominations are open :D

I've nominated RPF - Takarazuka Revue (I may actually offer to write some of it this time...), Elisabeth and Tanz as usual, Sandman, Rose of Versailles and Les Miserables because it's in my head.

One week of nominations only, so hurry up and sign up! It'll be my fourth time around, still as much fun as it was the first time :) It's the eighth edition, the first one run fully on Archive Of Our Own, and your one chance in the year to get (or write) a story for that wonderful source that doesn't seem to have much fandom at all.

I'm off to brainstorm requests because, um. I think I shall be signing up from either Takayama or Osaka. Oops?

I'll have more remarks later (seeing the show twice over the next two weeks, natch), but for now, this is my first impression of the new Big Show In Town, Les Miserables.

( Production )
( Cast )
( JAVERT )

A few people on my f-list have already linked to Elizabeth Moon's diatribe on why immigrants should shut up and change to be just like everyone else. I didn't comment on it, because I literally couldn't find the words.

Shweta Narayan says it more eloquently than I ever could.

I have the luck of spending most of my childhood in a country where others are like me, and of a multi-cultural education from the cradle. But I was also a Slav travelling in Western Europe just after communism ended. I was nine years old, in a supermarket in Paris, and I talked to my mother in halting, broken French, because I knew that if I spoke Polish, everyone in the shop would stare and follow us to make sure we didn't steal anything.

This is crossposted, because it's Of Interest to anyone who likes Shakespeare. Or is professionally interested in him and his works, even.

The Takarazuka Revue often takes on Shakespeare, but they usually do "shows inspired by", like Epiphany, or in the case of Romeo + Juliette, they adapt ready-made musical adaptations. This time, Fuji Daisuke, the director, went a different way: he took the new Japanese translation of Hamlet, and set it to music verbatim, only moving around some lines. As a rock opera.

Since it was announced, I was in two minds. On one hand, I adore Takarazuka Shakespeare adaptations exactly because they play with the original text rather than do it verbatim. On the other, it's Takarazuka - I was certain there would be sparkles. Then again, it's Hamlet. Hasn't it been done in every edgy and modern way possible? Musical included.

When the poster came out, I was sold. With her makeup alone, Ryuu Masaki transformed herself into a fey, wild and yet regal creature. The red lipstick is to symbolise blood, and yet it's also Takarazuka-code for androgynity.

(I have several of those posters. They will be on the walls of my new apartment.)

The live reports and Sky Stage footage confirmed my impressions. Since Masaki is not-quite-second in Moon troupe, this show didn't make it to DVD, but thanks to noble efforts of dedicated fans, the Sky Stage recording now available with subtitles after covering the costs of blank disc and shipping.

Yes, it's that good. It's that brain-breaking, too.

What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason,
how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable,
in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god!
the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals
—and yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?

Now imagine this sung by a leather-clad rockstar Hamlet with a chorus of enthusiastic cheerleaders - with golden pompoms - shouting "Crazy Hamlet!"

Oh, Revue ♥ And oh, people. Because the same show has the single best Claudius after the play scene that I've ever seen. One of the best Hamlets. A hands-down fantastic Ophelia. (And I may want a Horatio of my own.) Each interpretation is layered and referential. They've seen productions, they know the story, and they've melded it into something of their own.

And at the same time it's Hamlet. A Hamlet as told by Horatio, ghostly and fantastic and iconic. A Hamlet in which Ophelia is central (because it's Takarazuka, and because in Takarazuka, there is nothing by Love and Death). And a show with energy that goes through the roof. The recording was made on the final night, and though everyone is in high form, you can really tell they're falling over because of how much they gave. Voices are torn to shreds.

( Kabuki Rock Hamlet - direction, music, sets, costumes )
( And all the women merely players. Great ones. )

Someone on my f-list put it well: This is a good Hamlet, period. Not for Takarazuka, not for a musical, for Shakespeare. They could show this at any Shakespeare festival without any shame at all.

(And for people with NicoNico accounts, a little extra.)

Originally posted at Dreamwidth - comments

Because LJ is a dolt again:

- Pingbacks means that if you have pingbacks turned on and user X has pingbacks turned on, once user X posts a public link to your entry, you get an automatic comment to this entry telling you they're done it. Nothing more. A poor man's Google Alert for your LJ's URL.

- Yes, the placement of the FB/Twitter crossposting tickyboxes sucks. I've said. Here's a temporary cure.

I finally saw Inception and enjoyed it very much. I like Leo in general, Ken Watanabe is always awesome, and Tom Hardy caught my eye back in ST: Nemesis and has only grown into his potential since :) (Btw, Eames/Arthur recs, anyone?) I also loved the fact it wasn't about the beginning of any romance, though Marion Cotillard was awesome.

My theory about the movie under the cut:

( Spoilers for Inception )

Also, it's less than a week until my vacation. From late Friday till Sunday the 22nd I'll be off at the lakes, with intermittent mail-checking via mobile. Should anyone need me, smoke signals may be useful.