Hamlet last night was ... interesting. Marc really liked it. Actually I think a bunch of people really liked it. I was torn. I really liked some stuff: the scenes, transitions, lighting all seemed brilliant to me. However, the play was made into a comedy, which I felt made light of the whole "to be or not to be" concept. I had a lengthy discussion with Marc last night about how it is Russian tradition to make a joke out of difficult subjects. So I understand where the director was going with this, but I still didn't like that general idea. For instance, the second scene is Hamlet and Claudius apparently "mocking" each other at the dinner table. It includes a good deal of squawking and cawing between the two. I thought this instance, along with many others, was ridiculous and destroyed the potential for a moving performance. Most of the nuance was destroyed, as if the director thought the audience would be too dumb to understand quieter acting or inuendo. One thing I really liked about it, though, was they showed NONE of the deaths. This was the only time when nuance survived. Ophelia came out sopping wet, symbolising having drowned herself; Polonius stood behind a curtain and without being physically stabbed was taken away by the ghost of Hamlet's father; etc. etc. etc. It was very visual, interestingly done, but I felt nonetheless that the director shouldn't have made it so ridiculously comic.
That's it. Today I'm off on the train to Novgorod. It leaves at 9 tonight, and we have no play, so basically the day is free. Who knows what we'll do! (sarcasm intended)
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7 comments:
Let's see, you leave at 9 PM, so that is in five hours. Your laundry is done and you have a free day until then, so hopefully you get some last minute sightseeing in Moscow before you leave. Who knows when you will be back, right? I wonder...
Hamlet sounds interesting. I like your descriptions!
I hope you have a great day and I look forward to hearing about Novgorod! I wonder, will there be Viking remnants there? Will it be obvious that it was a Viking settlement? It is a very old city. Should be interesting...
love ya mom
I got tickets to Spamalot last night!
Spam spam spam spam spam spam spam LARD!
Very intellectual review of Hamlet!
(Personally, I would rather see Spamalot with Karl! I am VERY envious of this! Would Russians enjoy Spamalot humor?)
I am also very interested in hearing/seeing Novgorod, as I know nothing at all about the city.
Novgorod: So what is it like? I am anxious to hear!
As you know, I teach a tiny bit about Novgorod because of its icons, but since I have never been there, it will be great fun to hear what it is like.
I did look up "Novgorod" and found out the following information about the local food ("what to eat") on a travel website
Traditional wedding feasts consisted of: thick rich soup with fish fins; elk lips; white meat of the lynx; baked swans; and bear paws.
More common meals (still available today!): cabbage soup, fish soup, cooked grains, oat or pea mush, boiled fish, dried and soaked berries, and steamed turnip.
Yum!
The food just keeps sounding better....a culinary tour of Russia.
love ya mom
elk lips- get yer elk lips here!
elk lips in lard sauce, get 'em while they are hot!
Hello darling. I hope you know that instead of doing some much-needed spanish homework, I spent an hour or so reading your posts and drooling over your pics. You have such a way with words; I could practically hear you telling me all of it. Not gonna lie, I burst into laughing fits multiple times. Hilarity ensues in Russia it seems. My favorites are that you stayed in Godzilla’s Hostel with your own resident Rasputin (what a character), the cars with their blinkers, and the line about the mattresses in the market.
Anyways, hope you eat better in the next town. You might console yourself with the fact that your friends here are probably not eating much better than you and we’re not in flippin RUSSIA. Miss you a ton/Have a bottle with our names on it. Love, Linds.
P.S. If you leave Russia without a picture of you in one of those crazy hats, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life…or maybe it’s the other way around—I don’t remember.
Hi Colin! This is your very slow Grandma Pat. My FIFTH comment for you. And it might be that you didn't see ANY of the previous ones. I messed up again, darn it.
Well, it is Wed night at 10 pm, had a stuffed day today. Shouldn't even write this to you, the hungry one!
Nick and I picked up another couple, good friends, drove to Barona Casino, prob 10 miles away. Yes, it's an Indian Casino, and boy have they done wonders with it since they started. Now have a huge hotel, golf course, stores, several restaurants, etc. And gambling (that part leaves me cold). We intended to have lunch in their excellent Buffet; no gambling, we really enjoyed it. International areas, Mexican, American, Mongolian, Chinese, etc. The etc you wouldn't believe.
I'm so eager to hear from Novgorod, and then St Petersburg, Wow! Bet you'll enjoy them more than Moscow.
Now I am going to try to send this, but don't hold your breath, Much love, Grandma Pat
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