An OCD Injury

8:46PM, August 20th, 2007

I’ve managed to hurt myself in a really stupid way.

Yesterday I decided that to celebrate my first day off in who knows how long, I would respine a part of my CD collection. Thrilling, I know. The only problem was that after clawing open the back tray of 50 or so of the super-cheap and nasty CD cases I had bought on eBay, at some point a tiny sliver of plastic broke off and became lodged in my finger. Or something. To be honest, I don’t know if that actually happened. It sure feels like it, but I can’t actually see anything in my finger.

The upshot of this OCD injury is that certain activities that require the use of my left index finger can cause pain. Activities such as typing and playing the piano. I’m hoping it will sort itself out before long. Until then, I’ve put the CD unification project on hold, but the shelf looks great.

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Night and Day

8:38PM, August 20th, 2007

The opening weekend of RH&C has come and gone. I had always felt a few steps behind this show, particularly because it kicked off so soon after TLE, and I was mighty surprised to all of a sudden be so close to opening. I’m playing with a terrific band consisting of Chae and Tim. Not only are they amazing musicians but also very good friends so it is just a joy. In contrast to the usual setup where all the instruments are mic’d and carefully controlled and monitored through headphones, for this show we are all playing live. I’m on a baby grand, Tim’s playing live through an amp and Chae’s drums are au natural.

Being all Cole Porter songs, the beauty of the music is terrific and there are some wonderful arrangements in the show (when I play them correctly). We’ve been getting lovely compliments about the music, including quite a few from audience members.

Maybe the best thing about being amongst the run is that I now get my weeknights back (at least for a few weeks).

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The Fabric of My Obsession

2:10AM, August 14th, 2007

A few weeks ago, during The Last Eisteddfod, I got very domestic and culled my underwear and sock drawers. I also stared at my clothes for a while before realising that everything I had was either from the ’80s, seriously damaged from overuse or covered in paint from countless working bees at the theatre. Not being one for clothes shopping, I got onto eBay and before you could say “Australia Post, where the hell is my parcel?” (or at least not too long after it), I had a number of new garments. They were all successful purchases, but one particular long-sleeved t-shirt has risen to the top of my laundry pile.

What Jerry Seinfeld said about his treasured “Golden Wonder” is true. The truth is, not only do I treat my grey and white striped top like my son (even getting emotional when I stain it on its first wear after the wash), I am actually harbouring a strong disdain for the rest of my wardrobe. I caught myself standing there, holding it up for all my other clothes to see saying things like “Why can’t you be more like him?” and “I’d never known love until you.” I wear it as much as possible, and every day it sits crumpled in the laundry basket between my festering underwear and a mouldy towel, I feel like a bad parent whose child is out on the streets.

Why do I love it so? I love it for its comfort. I love it for its appearance. I love it for its cute button neckline and lack of obvious logo or branding. I also love it because it cost me $10 and its worth $70. I don’t think Min has seen me once over the past three weeks when I wasn’t wearing it.

Then one day it hit me; if ONE exists, surely another does. Maybe even in a different colour, so as not to develop a Batman-esque wardrobe. I tried to find a website for the designer, but no such luck. EBay searches revealed nothing except for a few pairs of jeans and a glary shirt until one day. One magical day when the search revealed another of these shirts, this time in red AND in my size. My heart quickened as I assumed the hundreds of other spectators simultaneously hoping to bag it.

In reality I was able to secure it with a single bid. It hasn’t arrived yet, but when it does I’m considering throwing out my entire wardrobe, including everything I still have from a time when Home Improvement was funny, and leaving only my two golden children and six pairs of Bonds underwear.

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Maybe it will become like a second skin, and you’ll be turned into some kind of grey striped super hero.

Comment by Rebecca — August 14, 2007 @ 11:33 am
I also have an 80-esq wardrobe (strange since my formative teen years were spent in that lost decade) and became enamored with cheap gray polo shirts available anywhere. I go into mourning whenever one is sent to that wardrobe in the sky.

On the day of the great unveiling of the new “Tyson Collection” (2 shirts and 6 pairs of undies) will you be charging admission?

Comment by Kevin — August 14, 2007 @ 3:52 pm
FESTERING underwear?!? Leave us with an image, why don’t you!

Comment by AJ — August 14, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
Hi Tyson, you only have six pairs of undies!!?? there are SEVEN days in the week you know. It’s a well known fact i actually have a pair of undies for every hour of the day. I do fair for your sanitary safety, it wouldnt take much for one of these well worn pair of festering blurters to fuse to your posterior possibly causing irreperable damage, maybe you should go to the op shops and pick up a few more pairs, just be a little discerning tho.

Comment by Tammy — August 15, 2007 @ 2:39 pm
One in every colour. This could be the way forward. No more staring at your clothes first thing in the morning looking for inspiration. I like it!

Comment by Conortje — August 15, 2007 @ 11:53 pm
Rebecca - And what would my power be? The ability to draw straight lines with incredible accuracy?

Kevin - Sorta. It will be in reverse, like a hostage situation. You must hand over the money to be allowed to leave, or even just close your eyes.

AJ - I’ll try harder next time.

Tammy - The rest of the time I go commando.

Conortje - It’s either this, or everything a shade of grey. I haven’t made up my mind yet.

Comment by Tyson — August 16, 2007 @ 1:02 am
Don’t you just love Ebay! I could spend HOUR on that site and I get in the most ridiculous bidding wars for shit I don’t really need *sigh*

When you find something that works, stick to it. Always been my motto.

Comment by steph — August 17, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
I’m not at all surprised by that sort of an unnatural attraction to clothing. What does surprise me is the utter lack of monies required to get a new favourite shirt.

I recently bought a red Quicksilver t-shirt from SDS made of something like 80% elastane under the sticker-bound promise that the shirt allowed me to “Surf in me”. The shirt is something of a phenomenon; it’s stretchy like a rash vest, but comfy like cotton. It’s thick like a surf-brand t-shirt, but the logo is small and unassuming (and without the slightest speck of grunge). What’s better still; it’s red! I doubt I’d be able to think up a situation where I’d prefer to wear a different shirt. Depending on how much fluctuation my weight undertakes between now and my wedding, you might just see it popping up there too.

One thing that I found a little disturbing is your assertion that you’re considering culling your clothing collection to but “my two golden children and six pairs of Bonds underwear”. Have you not experienced the glorious feeling of a brand new pair of white cotton socks? In a timespan of around 2 weeks, I bought four three-packs of new white socks. The ritual of putting them on in the morning was completely unlike anything else I’ve felt. If I was more certain that other people felt similarly about their own socks, I would consider quitting my job, knowing beyond any shadow of a doubt that I could put any two-bit drug dealer out of business in a day. A good pair of new king-size socks (there’s a whole other story waiting to be written about the benefits of your haberdashery calling you a king) can easily make my eyes roll back into my head.

Oh, and for the record, “I feel like a bad parent who’s child is out on the streets” should be “I feel like a bad parent whose child is out on the streets”

Comment by Kit — August 18, 2007 @ 7:22 pm
Steph - I convince myself that the “Watch” button actually says “Bid”. I save myself a lot of money that way.

Kit - One cannot deny the allure of fresh cotton. Except, of course, for cotton wool balls, of which I cannot stand the feeling of rubbing. On a matter of equal importance, you’re getting married?!?!? Did no one decide to tell me this? Have you spoken to your soon-to-be about your cotton fetish? Do I need to stage a Dr. Phil-style intervention? Also, spelling mistake duly noted and adjusted.

Comment by Tyson — August 20, 2007 @ 8:53 pm
Nope, I was merely referencing an important event warranting the wearing of my favourite shirt.

Comment by Kit — August 20, 2007 @ 9:38 pm
Kit - Oh, I see. I feel less out of the loop now.

Comment by Tyson — August 20, 2007 @ 10:03 pm

Into the Woods and Out Again

1:28AM, August 14th, 2007

Amongst my constant stream of rehearsals and other assorted nights out, a section of the Motley Crew and I made our way up to Sydney to see a production of Into The Woods. The show itself is pretty much indestructible with a clever and funny script, accessible story and wonderful score. Therefore, it was with great surprise that it became the first show I have ever walked out of at intermission.

Granted, it was an amateur production, and warning bells were going off when I noted the president of the company was also the director, and had cast himself in the lead role. Apparently his idea of being president involved staging shows that only he is familiar with (his bio of past credits was oddly reminiscent of the “upcoming shows” listing). His idea of direction was to tell the cast to copy every single gesture and inflection of the widely available and oft-seen DVD of the Original Broadway production. His idea of performance was to fail to do an accent (he wasn’t the only okker cast member). The show had a very amateurish, “let’s put on a show” feel from the unfinished looking sets, complete with unpainted screws clearly visible, to the outlandishly juvenile jokes. The tone was set from the opening voiceover which announced that people in row I - “as in, for Into The Woods”, could leave their phones on. This was repeated, in case you didn’t get the punch line. The narrator entered and took his place for his first line, but not before turning to the audience and saying “There’s no row I!” If he had winked and nudged I probably would have left then and there and saved myself the pain.

Once the show started I realised I just wasn’t going to be able to sit through the material being treated with such a lack of creativity. It was like watching the DVD through foggy glasses, nothing was quite right. The cast ranged in ability. The standouts for me were the Baker’s Wife and Little Red Riding Hood, although both were exact replicas of the film, right down to the costumes.

If the show had been performed in a rural community hall, it might have been entertaining. Sitting in the Seymour Centre, a professional performance venue where particular standards are expected, it was certainly out of place. The show needed a better director, or even any director at all. This is in complete contrast to a production of The Last Five Years that I saw only a week earlier that was performed in a tiny community hall in the shrubs with stunning direction and beautiful, nuanced and moving performances by the cast of two.

The irony of it is that Into The Woods often suffers from people leaving during the interval because the story is completely resolved at the end of the first act. People unfamiliar with the show often walk thinking there is no second act. As we collected ourselves in the foyer Adam said, “You know, I think I’m happy with THAT ending.” We put it to a vote and it was unanimous - we all decided that we could not sit through another hour of the show and we would go home. On the way out, Brett said loudly, “I’m glad I’m not going back in to watch the second act,” turning to us to say “I just didn’t want anyone to think we didn’t know there was a second act.”

We hit home again rather early so we ended up watching Naked Gun 33 1/3 on TV and going home. A fun night for all.

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Oh God. There ought to be a law whereby one has to apply for a Director’s License before one is allowed to take on Sondheim.

Comment by mindlessmunkey — August 14, 2007 @ 8:11 am
About TIME, Tysun

Comment by Rebecca — August 14, 2007 @ 11:32 am
This reminds me of the night I decided to support my old high school music/drama department many years ago by attending a performance of something they had written themselves. From the performances of the students in that production, I got the feeling they had scoured the bottom of the barrel for talent and got exactly what they were looking for.

I assume amateur theater is full of Presidents/Directors who think that those titles entitle them to become dictators to the cause?

Comment by Kevin — August 14, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
Agree that the Red was very good, though also that she duplicated Danielle Ferland’s Broadway cast performance closely, as most of the performers did. I also liked the Jack who had a nice voice and good take on the character. (I applauded both these the loudest when they came and took bows together.)

The Baker’s Wife was a decent actress but her singing needed work IMO. I liked the attack that the actress playing Jack’s mother brought to the role, but her singing was all over the place. The Witch was okay but was reaching vocally during any of her big numbers. The Cinderella had promise but she needed a lot more confidence; she only half inhabited her role.

One weird side effect of this production being such a close copy of the Broadway DVD (other than the lack of budget and talent) is that when performers DID change it up a bit, even with a different inflection on a line reading or even word, the effect was magnified … at least to someone familiar with the DVD.

So I was really in two minds about the guy playing Rapunzel’s Prince. On the one hand I respected the fact that his interpretation was so … atypical, and definitely NOT modelled on the Broadway’s Prince. On the other hand, he was playing in a British panto when everyone else was pretending to be in the Broadway production. In the end I came out in favour of his take only because at least it was different, and got laughs, albeit cheap ones. If the rest of the show had been of a higher standard however, I’m sure I would have disliked it intensely.

The guy playing the Baker was the founder of that particular company and for that at least he deserves credit. (I think he puts a lot of his own money into the shows which is why an amateur company can hire a pro venue like the Seymour.) He pulled triple duty as actor, director and producer and, as you pointed out, didn’t really pull off the first two. I thought he was by far the weakest of the principals (except for maybe the Narrator/Mysterious Man) and you’ve already said it all in terms of his direction.

The quality of the production didn’t really improve in Act 2, but I’m glad I sat through it because I like the second act of the SHOW sooooo much more than the first.

Comment by Jean Prouvaire — August 14, 2007 @ 11:50 pm
I am crushed. Into the Woods is my favourite musical and I would hate to see a bad production. I was thinking of seeing that particular production last time I was in sydney and am very happy to say I didnt have time!

Comment by zea75 — August 20, 2007 @ 6:55 pm
mindlessmunkey - Agreed. At least he didn’t do Pacific Overtures.

Rebecca - Those without blogs shouldn’t throw stones. Or something.

Kevin - It is true that sometimes directors seem unable to find someone more talented than themselves. One must wonder why they don’t instead do a one-person show.

Jean - I guess my gripe with the second Prince was less with the actor than with the director who let everything get so out of hand. I’m sure the group could find success (in the artistic sense), if the Baker sticks to the producer role in the future.

Zea75- The last production I saw of the show succeeded in one of the most important things for this show - atmosphere. If you don’t establish this magical and exciting feeling right from the start, the show can feel silly, as this one did. Make sure you see Floyd Collins.

Comment by Tyson — August 20, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
hi came across your blog whilst googling something completely random. anyway, completely agree with your take on that performance of into the woods. into the woods itself is a real gem of a musical and i think they completely mucked it up. it was so disappointing because i LOVED the broadway one (i watched it on dvd) and it just felt so painful sitting through the seymour theatre one. like you said, it would have been easier to accept if it was staged in some rural community hall or some school hall, but it was done at the seymour theatre for crying out loud!
doesn’t seymour theatre vet shows that use their theatres!?!? apparently not.

Comment by leanne — November 5, 2007 @ 2:34 am

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An OCD Injury

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Night and Day

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The Fabric of My Obsession

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Into the Woods and Out Again

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