Threaded Order Chronological Order
| re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 02:57 pm EDT 08/20/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface - Michael_Portantiere 10:56 am EDT 08/20/20 | |
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| I agree. What I perhaps should have said is that if South Pacific were written nowadays, we'd probably get a show in which Nellie sang more explicitly and directly about her change of feelings. And that's why it may seem odd to us that she doesn't. But as I said (and you clearly agree), sometimes less is more. (And at three hours, including intermission, in performance, there's already plenty of more in South Pacific.) | |
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| re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 10:22 pm EDT 08/20/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface - AlanScott 02:57 pm EDT 08/20/20 | |
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| "What I perhaps should have said is that if South Pacific were written nowadays, we'd probably get a show in which Nellie sang more explicitly and directly about her change of feelings. And that's why it may seem odd to us that she doesn't. But as I said (and you clearly agree), sometimes less is more. (And at three hours, including intermission, in performance, there's already plenty of more in South Pacific.)" Right. And specifically, of course, in addition to the sections of the script that are concerned with Nellie's racism, there are also the scenes involving other characters that deal with that, not to mention the brief but extremely powerful song "You've Got to Be Taught." I think that, all told, there's enough content in the show directly addressing racism that, if there were more, it really might have seemed heavy-handed. |
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| re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 06:59 pm EDT 08/20/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface - AlanScott 02:57 pm EDT 08/20/20 | |
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| (And at three hours, including intermission, in performance, there's already plenty of more in South Pacific.) They could have started by cutting Billis and that whole subplot...:-) |
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| re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 12:31 pm EDT 08/21/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface - Chromolume 06:59 pm EDT 08/20/20 | |
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| "They could have started by cutting Billis and that whole subplot... :-) " Even though I played Billis in high school, I agree that his is the most poorly written role in the show by far, ESPECIALLY all the time they spend on that long, involved, silly plot point where he creates a military diversion by falling out of a plane. (They spent EVEN MORE time on that in the movie version, and actually depicted it, presumably for the sake of humor, but I don't find it funny AT ALL). I think it's a great tribute to Danny Burstein that he was able to make the character bearable and at least mildly amusing, though I do think there were pretty big cuts in the particular scene where the incident referenced above is recounted. |
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| re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 03:37 pm EDT 08/21/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface - Michael_Portantiere 12:31 pm EDT 08/21/20 | |
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| Agreed - obviously Billis is supposed to be the "comic" character - but he's just not funny. Also, if we're going to look at issues of prejudice and stereotype, etc, his seeming obsession with the whole boar's tooth ceremony stuff fits right in. |
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| re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 04:20 pm EDT 08/21/20 | |
| In reply to: re: Randy Rainbow’s old, racist, and transphobic tweets resurface - Chromolume 03:37 pm EDT 08/21/20 | |
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| "Agreed - obviously Billis is supposed to be the 'comic' character - but he's just not funny. " Right. I certainly understand why they tried to get some comic relief into Act II, and specifically into that scene just before we learn of Cable's fate, but I agree with you, the Billis stuff is just not funny. "If we're going to look at issues of prejudice and stereotype, etc, his seeming obsession with the whole boar's tooth ceremony stuff fits right in. Well, unless I misunderstand you, I'm not sure I agree with that. It seems pretty clear to me tha Billis is obsessed with that ceremony for two reasons: (1) the boar's teeth are apparently very valuable, if you can get your hands on one, and he's all about money; (2) we're told that the ceremony involves women dancing "with just skirts on," and that's another thing Billis is very interested in. I just doubled checked and the stuff about the boar's tooth ceremony is from Michener. I assume he provided an accurate description of it, which was then referenced in the musical. |
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