From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V2 #137 Reply-To: chakram-refugees@smoe.org Sender: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk chakram-refugees-digest Thursday, May 23 2002 Volume 02 : Number 137 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> [cr ] Re: [chakram-refugees] <> [cr ] [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> [Lill] [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> [Lill] [chakram-refugees] Shakespeare with Renee [Lilli Sprintz > [Mark & Denise > [Meredith Tarr > [Meredith Tarr > [Meredith Tarr > [] Re: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring [Sojourner > [IfeRae@aol.com] Re: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> [IfeRae@aol.co] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 19:24:25 +1200 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> On Wednesday 22 May 2002 04:09, Meredith Tarr wrote: > Hi, > > Thelonius responded: > > Aww, I thought she was rather cute. ;-) > > Gods, I *hope* you're kidding. > > I forgot to mention in my response last night that > Tara is by far the most grating and obnoxious > character ever to soil the Xenaverse (imnsho). Oh no. Not kidding at all. Much. How about Seraphin. Joxer in his early days. Eli after he got the prophet thing. Najara. Varia. Deimos. Morloch. Athena. Gabby. Take your choice..... cr [running for the hills...] ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 20:29:18 +1200 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> On Wednesday 22 May 2002 13:42, IfeRae@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 05/21/2002 1:57:19 AM Central Daylight Time, > cr@orcon.net.nz writes: > > << On Tuesday 21 May 2002 02:12, Richan@aol.com wrote: > > We talked about this in my Humanities class. We discussed the three > > types of love as defined by the Ancient Greeks: agape, felios, and Eros; > > where agape > > is all encompassing love usually reserved for one's god, felios is love > > of friend, > > and Eros is sexually based. Brunnhilde said, "I gave up my god for you." > > The consensus in the Humanities class was that Brunnhilde had agape for > > Gabrielle. > > (cr): > Well, that's not the impression I got, though it's the interpretation I > think would fit the plot best. Brunnhilde seemed an altogether more > practical and pragmatic character to me, unlikely to be drawn to the > intellectual or intangible side of things. Whatever it was, it was rather > sudden. > > (lfe): > Yes, I too was a bit puzzled B's feelings for G -- mainly because there > seemed to be more significance to this than I was getting. I mean, I could > understand her admiration for G's character, even being attracted to G, but > the "I gave up my god for you" seemed a bit ove the top. In the above > context, it underscores B's giving up the warlike, greedy and other > negative aspects of Odin's current reign. Now that you mention it, the "I > think I love her" comment about Xena from the maidens might be more like > "felios." Hmm, that was also very sudden but I found it more credible simply because the Rhinemaidens looked as if they might fall in love with a handsome stranger rather easily (whichever variety of 'love' is involved). Whereas Brunnhilde and Beowulf didn't look the type. > Mind you, the setting wasn't Greece, but it would be interesting if all the > above forms of love were being represented -- possibly and most notably in > B's affections for Gabrielle. Certainly B's eternal flame acheived a level > of love that even Xena never reached. (And, no, T, I'm not saying Xena > should have. Um, no comment from me :) Though I will note that Xena was ready to pass through the Gate to Eternity for Gabby in Sin Trade - though she then decided that the Greater Good took precedence. (And in respect of what was being discussed about OAAA and FIN, this was a very concrete Greater Good - defeating Alti and freeing the Amazons - rather than an indefinite one). > I just think it's interesting how many folks in this trilogy > were willing to sacrifice everything for love of Gabrielle. Another > pre-indicator of her multi-faceted new role after FIN?) > > -- Ife After FIN? In my Xenaverse there is nothing after FIN. To what do you refer? :) Thelonius ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 20:03:01 +1200 From: cr Subject: [chakram-refugees] Re: Reflections od the Ring On Wednesday 22 May 2002 11:58, Cheryl Ande wrote: > cr wrote: > > "As it is, Britney Powell and Renato Bartolomei were good enough that I > really liked their characters. Saved by good casting, I think." > > The casting of these two actors was brilliant Both Brunhilda and Beowulf > could have come off so badly - Brunhilda as a obsessive stalker and Beowulf > as just plain boring. But the actors made the characters very synpathetic. > I loved Renato Bartolomei so much I though seriously of statring a petion > drive to get Beowulf his own series - heck he already had a sidekick ;-). Yes, I was watching RotV again last night. And he does have a heap of charisma. Wonder how 'Ulysses' would have been received if they'd cast him? My favourite moments with those two - Brunnhilde muttering 'lousy stoolpigeons' about the ravens; and Beowulf on the subject of the name Wealthea - "Maybe it's Gaelic for.. [door opens and Xena rides in] ... Warrior Princess!" > As for the subtext oblivous well I don't how more obvious it could have > been made that Brunhilda was in LOVE with Gabrielle. She said it, Odin > said it, even the damn raven said it. It is also pretty clear that > Gabrielle and Xena were more than friends - I have never left a note for my > best friend with a big ole kiss on it. Not to mention leaping through a > fire ring to kiss my friend like Prince(ss) Charming (I'd probably run and > get a fire extinguisher for her but no leaping into the flames). > > CherylA Obviously you're not cut out for epics ;) cr ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 20:45:39 +1200 From: cr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> On Wednesday 22 May 2002 04:12, Meredith Tarr wrote: > Hi, > > Thelonius exclaimed: > > Pity someone didn't buy the writers an elementary > > history book and a MAP! > > Umm... and this situation differs from most all other > X:WP episodes *how*, exactly?! (Sigh) In that the geography of EVERY other Xena ep can be fitted into reality with very little effort. But OAAA is full of real place names and in fact makes a feature of Xena's comprehensive geographical knoiwledge - and they're all ludicrously WRONG. Every single one. And it could do easily have been done 'correctly' with no more than changing a few names in the script. That's what niggles me. > I gotta say I find it mighty strange that anyone who > is willing to suspend the copious amount of disbelief > necessary to become a regular viewer of this show > (never mind a fan) can get tripped up by an episode > that doesn't stray as far afield as, say, "Beware > Greeks Bearing Gifts" taking place *after* the events > chronicled in "Destiny". > > Meredith > meth@smoe.org > LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience > http://launch.yahoo.com What I said - every other place name is credible. OAAA isn't. (It also contradicts everything known about the Battle of Marathon... why on earth they didn't set it at Thermopylae where it would have fitted quite neatly, I don't know). I like to make YAXIs go away if possible. Ideally, events like Crassus' execution in Rome have been very neatly handled by the writers to account for history differing - only Caesar and Pompey recognised Crassus and they weren't going to tell. Caesar's disastrous attempted invasion of Ireland in Render Unto Caesar - he fed his scribe to the fishes so the debacle would go unrecorded. I can account quite happily for the locations of Amphipolis, Poteidaia, Cirra and most other places, also the Amazon and centaur villages. But the places in OAAA are just impossible. The _only_ way I can begin to account for them is the epistemologically unsatisfactory catch-all 'explanation' (which isn't really an explanation at all) that the story is based on Gabs' scrolls and she was so high on arrow-poison that she had no clue where they were. cr ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 12:45:30 -0500 From: Lilli Sprintz Subject: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> CR said, agape, felios, and Eros; where agape is all encompassing love usually reserved for one's god, felios is love of friend, and Eros is sexually based. Brunnhilde said, "I gave up my god for you." The consensus in [my] Humanities class was that Brunnhilde had agape for Gabrielle. This was wonderful and made me mightily laugh. Brunnhilde made Gabrielle a God! L ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 12:47:41 -0500 From: Lilli Sprintz Subject: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> Forgive me Richan. I credited CR with your quote. As I have told folks, I get very confused who is quoting what when there are several levels. Ah....both of you get credit! L ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 12:57:18 -0500 From: Lilli Sprintz Subject: [chakram-refugees] Shakespeare with Renee Sharon said, Renee will be performing Lady Macbeth in the Shakespeare by the Sea production of Macbeth. It starts June 27 and will run for five weeks in San Pedro (Point Fermin Park). Then it will go on a tour of the beach cities of Southern California until August http://www.shakespearebythesea.org/calendar.html Shakespeare by the Sea is free -- you do not need a ticket. Yes, this is similar to Shakespeare in the Park that we have here in the Twin Cities. Goes... a particular Shakespeare play schedules for all summer, and the players go around to different parks in the area, sometimes playing twice to a favorite park. Usually it's all scheduled unless rained out. Very informal. Fun... would I like to go to this? Yes!! I couldn't pull it off for Chicago, but maybe going out west would work. I still have memorized lines from Lady MacBeth I learned for 12th grade English. and I am now 52! ..."Glams thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised!..." This would definitely break any habit I have of still seeing Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle of the Four Seasons! ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 13:23:33 -0500 From: Mark & Denise Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> cr wrote: > > > But the places in OAAA are just impossible. The _only_ way I can begin to > account for them is the epistemologically unsatisfactory catch-all > 'explanation' (which isn't really an explanation at all) that the story is > based on Gabs' scrolls and she was so high on arrow-poison that she had no > clue where they were. > Ohhhh... I like that one! Makes it kinda like a nutbread inducted haze, right?! Mark ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 11:18:29 -0700 (PDT) From: Meredith Tarr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees]: X:PW ep. clip in movie Hi, Cindy reported: > i'm not sure if anyone's posted this but there's a > clip from one of the > episodes where Xena is pregnant and still fighting > in her black leather > pants and coat in the movie 'About a Boy'. For those of us (like me) who have absolutely no intention of seeing this movie, could you please elaborate on the context? Is it just in the background during a scene, or does it get worked into the plot of the movie at all? Meredith meth@smoe.org LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience http://launch.yahoo.com ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 11:22:43 -0700 (PDT) From: Meredith Tarr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] RE: <> Hi, Cheryl commented: > The odd thing is that on the closed cationing the > line is "they have the gift > of prophecy". I don't quit know what she is saying. Weird. My guess is that's a typo in the captioning. > I guess TPTB though > they wouldn't saddle themselves with talent for > Gabby - I could see her > forever staring off into space saying to Xena: > "Wait I'm having a vision but > I don't know what it means." It would probaby get a > little old fast. I don't know about that. On _Angel_, for example there has always been a character who has visions of the future (first Doyle, now Cordelia) and it's been used as a catalyst for a wide range of storylines. They've done enough interesting things with the concept that I think it could have worked to good advantage on X:WP as well. (Imagine if the vision of their deaths in the 4th season had come to Gabrielle first, with no intervention from Alti -- that may have caused a few things to be different that year.) Meredith meth@smoe.org LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience http://launch.yahoo.com ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 11:26:32 -0700 (PDT) From: Meredith Tarr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> Hi, Ife responded: > Yes, I too was a bit puzzled B's feelings for G -- > mainly because there > seemed to be more significance to this than I was > getting. I mean, I could > understand her admiration for G's character, even > being attracted to G, but > the "I gave up my god for you" seemed a bit ove the > top. I chalked that up to a lot of off-camera time being spent traveling, during which time Brunhilde had ample opportunity to go totally head over heels for Gabrielle. On the other hand, Beowulf's sudden puppylike fondness for Gabrielle, after having known her for approximately two minutes is what seemed to come out of nowhere to me. (It obviously confused Xena, too. ) I'm still not sure what TPTB were trying to accomplish with that. Meredith meth@smoe.org LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience http://launch.yahoo.com ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 11:38:56 -0700 (PDT) From: Meredith Tarr Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> Hi, Thelonius responded: > How about Seraphin. A bit overzealous and misguided, but possessed natural cuteness and not that annoying of a voice. Elicited no desire to hurl a missile (referably made of rock) through my television screen. > Joxer in his early days. Dumb comic relief, but easy to ignore. (I've always been completely ambivalent about Joxer, anyway.) Never elicited the urge for any missile-flinging. > Eli after he got the prophet thing. Also a bit overzealous and misguided, and admittedly responsible for Gabrielle's nadir as a character ... but I like Tim Omundson a lot, so I'm willing to give him some slack. Plus, he fit in his costume and didn't have an annoying voice at all. No missile-flinging urges here. > Najara. See the above WRT fitting her costume and a non-annoying voice. Caused Xena to do some pretty stupid things, but didn't merit a missile-flinging episode. > Varia. Hotheaded, stupid kid. Looked damned fine in her leathers and also didn't have a grating voice. Didn't really cause X or G to do something stupid and totally out of character. No missile-flinging. > Deimos. I don't even remember who this is, so I guess he didn't make much of an impression either way. > Morloch. Yes, responsible for a stupid storyline, but again: costume, voice, no missile-flinging. > Athena. *Bad* costume choice. But that's really all I can say about her. No missile-flinging. > Gabby. Even in the depths of peacenik season 4, I was never pushed to the missile-flinging edge (though admittedly I did come close). ROC's early acting deficiences aside, I didn't mind her in season 1, either. By contrast, Tara sported the worst wig in the history of episodic television, had a voice like nails on a chalkboard, and brought Gabrielle so far out of character as to be unrecognizable. My tv is lucky it survived the two episodes she was in. (I should also mention here that it seriously bugs me that my all-time favorite soundtrack moment (the "let the spirit move me" song during Tara's dance with her boyfriend in "A Tale Of Two Muses") involves Tara. ) So there you go. (Hey, you asked! ) Meredith, back to work meth@smoe.org LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience http://launch.yahoo.com ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 21:45:05 +0100 From: Sojourner Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> At 23:12 21/05/2002 -0400, IfeRae@aol.com wrote: >In a message dated 05/21/2002 1:57:19 AM Central Daylight Time, >cr@orcon.net.nz writes: > ><< On Tuesday 21 May 2002 02:12, Richan@aol.com wrote: > > cr writes: > > > Well, IMO, nobody was ever 'outed' > > > more thoroughly than Brunnhilde when she was talking about proving her > > > love > > > > > > for Gabby. I thought even my straight and subtext-oblivious wife would > > > raise an eyebrow at that, but presumably she regarded Brunnhilde's > > > sentiments > > > as spiritual rather than tangible. > > > > We talked about this in my Humanities class. We discussed the three types > > of love as defined by the Ancient Greeks: agape, felios, and Eros; where > > agape > > is all encompassing love usually reserved for one's god, felios is love of > > friend, > > and Eros is sexually based. Brunnhilde said, "I gave up my god for you." > > The consensus in the Humanities class was that Brunnhilde had agape for > > Gabrielle. > > Well, that's not the impression I got, though it's the interpretation I > think > would fit the plot best. Brunnhilde seemed an altogether more > practical and > pragmatic character to me, unlikely to be drawn to the intellectual or > intangible side of things. Whatever it was, it was rather sudden. > >> > >Yes, I too was a bit puzzled B's feelings for G -- mainly because there >seemed to be more significance to this than I was getting. I mean, I could >understand her admiration for G's character, even being attracted to G, but >the "I gave up my god for you" seemed a bit ove the top. The phrase was, "I defied my god for you, Gabrielle!" >In the above >context, it underscores B's giving up the warlike, greedy and other negative >aspects of Odin's current reign. Now that you mention it, the "I think I >love her" comment about Xena from the maidens might be more like "felios." > >Mind you, the setting wasn't Greece, but it would be interesting if all the >above forms of love were being represented -- possibly and most notably in >B's affections for Gabrielle. Certainly B's eternal flame acheived a level >of love that even Xena never reached. (And, no, T, I'm not saying Xena >should have. I just think it's interesting how many folks in this trilogy >were willing to sacrifice everything for love of Gabrielle. Another >pre-indicator of her multi-faceted new role after FIN?) > >-- Ife I think more can be attributed to the classic myths/tales TPTB are referencing here - which twist the existing dynamics of XWP in a "fairy tale" setting. Sojourner ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 22:13:13 +0100 From: Sojourner Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring At 23:51 19/05/2002 +1200, cr wrote: >*** Spoilers for , ,, >, , ******** > I've given up spoiler space for Lent - on the basis the show has been over for 12 months. Leaving the warnings in. >s >s >s > >snipped >On another list there was just a big debate about LL's comment on the FIN >DVD about her character being 'outed'. Well, IMO, nobody was ever 'outed' >more thoroughly than Brunnhilde when she was talking about proving her love >for Gabby. I thought even my straight and subtext-oblivious wife would >raise an eyebrow at that, but presumably she regarded Brunnhilde's sentiments >as spiritual rather than tangible. ;) The old saying - love is love is love - appraently falls over when the various types of love are explicated. Apparently the least likely love between these two women is romantic love. >The first meeting of all four - Xena, Gabs, Brunnhilde and Beowulf - was when >B and B were declaring their intention to never leave Gabrielle. And though >that was kinda sudden and hard to credit, the highlight for me was the >'tired' look Xena gave in the background. Beautiful acting by LL. There >are times when she is just so good. I thought B&B were kinda sneaking around X's injunction to "get outta here, this ain't your battle" by saying they were staying for the blonde chick - not the dark-haired one. Gabby of course took it personal and thought they really meant it. And persuaded the script writers to go with it. Of course, Beowulf had the agape too?? Sojourner ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 18:44:55 -0400 From: "Cheryl Ande" Subject: [chakram-refugees] Re: Reflections od the Ring - ----- Original Message ----- From: "cr" : > Yes, I was watching RotV again last night. And he does have a heap of charisma. Wonder how 'Ulysses' would have been received if they'd cast him? Oww I hadn't thought of that. Yes he would have made a much better Ulysess - but then almost anyone would have except Ted Raimi. > My favourite moments with those two - Brunnhilde muttering 'lousy stoolpigeons' about the ravens; and Beowulf on the subject of the name Wealthea - "Maybe it's Gaelic for.. [door opens and Xena rides in] ... Warrior Princess!" My favorite Beowulf moment is Odin lands on the beach and his side kick kneels and Beowulf pull him up by the collar. No grovelling to Odin for his crew. > Not to mention leaping through a > > fire ring to kiss my friend like Prince(ss) Charming (I'd probably run and get a fire extinguisher for her but no leaping into the flames). > > > > Obviously you're not cut out for epics ;) Well I like to watch episc but I always thought the adventuous like way too comfortable. Anyway heros are always getting hurt and I have hard enough time getting by health insurance to pay for day to day stuff. How would I ever explain being singed by rings of fire, being skewed by walking trees, or having been dropped into the ocean and needing treatment for amnesia. By the way was it the valkaries who dropped Xena into the ocean so that Hagar the Horrible could find her? That's the ipression I got. Cheryl > > cr ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 22:16:15 -0400 From: "bookdaft" Subject: [chakram-refugees] Xena Live 2 Mini-Review Hi everyone, I have one last post regarding Xena Live: Xena Lives - The Musical Alexandra Billings joined the Xena Live cast May 18 and stole the show. If they are lucky, she might give it back. I saw Xena Lives - The Musical again this past weekend. May 18 was Alexandra Billings first official performance date and a wild addition she is. Her performance overshadowed the new Gaybriel, John La Guradia, but he was a bit less frantic than the original Gaybriel. This post is a kind of mini-review of the show, with these two performers. Originally, the show was supposed to close May 19. At the time, the theater managers seemed adamant that the run wouldnt extend beyond the May 19 date. Ive no knowledge, but I surmise the actors may have commitments and the management wasnt sure they could replace those who had definite commitments. Apparently, something changed because with the extension, they brought in Alex Billings and John La Guradia. What a fun change it is! Both bring different creative aspects, or energies to the show. Johns predecessor, Jason Vizza, played Gaybriel as the stereotypical gay man. His performance was over the top, which fits in well with this stage version of Xena. He would flounce around the stage, full of importance and a tendency to talk at the top of his voice as if he was speaking all in capitals. John Guradia is the opposite what we saw before. He does a little of the mincing around the stage, but he tends to be less frantic and delivers his lines at a lower volume. But this helps mislead the audience so that when he jumps Ares bones (literally) he is just as effective in making people laugh, if not more so than the previous actor. When I saw him the first time Friday night, he seemed a bit tentative, as if he was still getting his lines and his marks, as it were, right. By the next night he had things worked out and you could see he was much more confident with the role. But it was Alex Billings who brought down the house. Androgyny was made for her, I think. Scott Duff was very good, but Alex had command of the character immediately. If Johns performance was subdued, Alexs was over the top right away. Androgyny is an evangelical priestess, so a Southern accent is part of the character. Scott was better at maintaining the accent, but I forgot about it once Alex got going. I discovered she does impressions. During her About Face commercial, she did Katherine Hepburn. Over the course of the two performances, she ad-libbed some of her lines. The first night she mentioned Spencer Tracy, the next night it was King Kongs gonads. Many of the lines were the same, but she was free to add whatever she wanted. The first night her commercial may have taken two to three minutes, the next night, it was three to five. We were left gasping by the time she was done, she was so funny. Later during one of her final songs, she imitated Cher. I also think she may have done Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard. They added lines for the new actors as well. There were some short jokes for John, who is much shorter than most everyone else. And Alex had one line that goes something like, Im a Delta Burke body dressed as Cher. It is bits like this that make this show such a wonderful thing to see. They seem to continue to tinker with the lines and this helps keep it fresh. Im adding Di Baudens last post regarding the extension of the show. I encourage those of you who might be able to go to do so. Youll have a great time, I think. bd Post from Di Bauden: Hi everyone, Just wanted to let you know that your last chance to see Xena Live! Episode Two: Xena LIVES -The Musical, is RIGHT NOW! The show has been extended to June 2nd! With the addition of the fabulous Alexandra Billings as Androgyny (the evangelical priestess gone way wrong), the show will be sure to get your feet tapping and make you so glad you came! Get your tickets before they are all gone. Go to http://www.xenalive.com or call the About Face Theater Box Office at 773-549-3290. Keep Xena Alive in your hearts! See you in the front row... Di ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 23:13:01 -0400 (EDT) From: Sarah Anne Packard Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Xena Live 2 Mini-Review On Wed, 22 May 2002, bookdaft wrote: > Hi everyone, > > I have one last post regarding Xena Live: Xena Lives - The Musical > > Alexandra Billings joined the Xena Live cast May 18 and stole the show. If > they are lucky, she might give it back. > > I saw Xena Lives - The Musical again this past weekend. May 18 was > Alexandra Billings first official performance date and a wild addition she > is. Her performance overshadowed the new Gaybriel, John La Guradia, but he > was a bit less frantic than the original Gaybriel. This post is a kind of > mini-review of the show, with these two performers. I was all depressed because it was looking like I wouldn't be able to get to Chicago (from Michigan) in time to see the show finally, even with the extension, but today I think I figured out a way! I think I'm gonna be able to make it to the final performance, on the night of Sunday, June 2...is anyone else going to that show? If so, email me!! :) I might be ushering, or buying a ticket, not sure yet. -Sarah, aka the abbagirl- ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 23:29:44 EDT From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] <> In a message dated 05/22/2002 2:37:10 AM Central Daylight Time, cr@orcon.net.nz writes: << On Wednesday 22 May 2002 04:09, Meredith Tarr wrote: > Hi, > > Thelonius responded: > > Aww, I thought she was rather cute. ;-) > > Gods, I *hope* you're kidding. > > I forgot to mention in my response last night that > Tara is by far the most grating and obnoxious > character ever to soil the Xenaverse (imnsho). Oh no. Not kidding at all. Much. >> Gotta admit, I loved how Tara combined the worst of early Gab and Xena. That's what made it kind of touching for me -- that G&X had to deal with aspects of themselves that once (and still) irritated others. Tara could've been either of them, which I think they recognized in wanting to help her. In a way, she was the teenager they didn't have to deal with in the full-grown Livia/Eve. As to the character herself, I liked that she was more "real" than some of the other incidental folks who were more cardboard "good" or "bad." In many ways, I preferred her to Joxer, because she provoked emotions in and challenges for X&G. I'll always have a soft spot for Forgiven and Tale of Two Muses because Tara brought out different aspects in X&G and was an excuse to bring out some new dimensions in my grrrls. - -- Ife ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 23:29:43 EDT From: IfeRae@aol.com Subject: Re: [chakram-refugees] Reflections on the Ring <> In a message dated 05/22/2002 2:37:09 AM Central Daylight Time, cr@orcon.net.nz writes: << > I just think it's interesting how many folks in this trilogy > were willing to sacrifice everything for love of Gabrielle. Another > pre-indicator of her multi-faceted new role after FIN?) > > -- Ife After FIN? In my Xenaverse there is nothing after FIN. To what do you refer? :) >> The post-FIN of our imaginations (at least for those of us who wish to imagine that). FIN suggested Gabrielle might have use for the chakram. I'm simply saying I believe they also set her up as being someone people would follow out of love, not just because of her warrior skills. - -- Ife ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ End of chakram-refugees-digest V2 #137 **************************************