OPENING K-NIGHT!

I am. Excited. Why? Because the theatre around the corner from my house ( www.theatrememphis.org ) is putting on a production of Much Ado About Nothing!!!! Aka, MAAN. This was my first high school play, actually, and it has remained my favorite Shakespearean Comedy. Ever. I still have my script. You have the eternal couple of Claudio and Hero, those starstruck lovers without the feuding families or death (well, almost). You also have the two famous bickerers: Benedick and Beatrice (!) who feud constantly and have to somehow be reigned in by the rest of the cast (any ideas???). You also have the plot of Don Pedro, the prince, bringing in his rebellious, conniving brother, Don John, whom he captured from a small coup that occurred immediately before Act I. Don John is determined to bring down his brother in all aspects of life. And plus, he's extra rebellious because he just got beat. All of these reasons, plus a pair of bumbling, drunk idiots for comical relief (as if we needed any) that just serve to get in the way but end up having the solutions to every problem!!! It's a great thing.

Plus, every film version of MAAN that I've seen (the Shakespeare: Retold (modern) version and the Kenneth Branaugh version) has been very well done and I've fallen in love with both. In fact, as soon as I heard about the production around the corner, I watched the Retold version in celebration!!!! Plus, in the Kenneth Branaugh version, it has Kenneth Branaugh (well, of course), Robert Sean Leonard (Dr. Wilson in House), AND Denzel Washington!!!!!!! WHAT!!!! He's awesome. He plays Don Pedro. LOVE. There is a nudish scene in the beginning, so beware, but besides for that, it's awesome!!!

In case you were wondering, I was the Messenger. Yeah, that's right. A girl playing a guy's part. Take that Shakespeare. It opens July 16! I'm excited.

The Scarlet Pimpernel. Swoon.

Ok, This is less of great literature but while I'm procrastinating A Brave New World I'll write about a book that makes me swoon. The Scarlet Pimpernel!!!!! It's rather good! You see, I watched several film versions first which made me want to read the book which was provided to me by that little used book shop on Mt. Moriah (they are so sweet). Ian McKellan was in one of the versions! Shakespeare points! It was written in 1905 by Baroness Emma Orczy and it is practically timeless. The time period it is set in is French Revolution era (aka. The Bloody Revolution). It is the tale of a mysterious gentleman who rescues the French aristocrats who do not deserve death even though they are admittedly pompous and arrogant. Meanwhile, French native Marguerite, married to Sir Percy Blakeney, is having trust issues in her marriage. You will never guess who the Scarlet Pimpernel is!!!! This book is like the English version of the Three Musketeers - both are not very valuable as literature and both are good reads. Except the Three Musketeers will always be better. It's true. I love this book! It's a good, fast read. I give it 30 stars!!!

By the way, if the name "Scarlet Pimpernel" sounds familiar, and you don't quite know why, it's probably because Bugs Bunny did a parody called " The Scarlet Pumpernickle!!!"