Barbarosa
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Posts: 188
Registered: 1-12-2011
Location: Jackson, CA
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Mood: "On th' road again..."
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"Tales of the City"
Well, this is not exactly a vacation but it is, for us at this point, a trip across the state. Since a bunch of BNs aren't always in Baja, and some
of them are in NorCal, figgered I'd throw this out here for them.
From The City of Saint Francis...
Back in '78, Armistead Maupin began writing said "Tales," a serial tale of a young fictional woman, Mary Anne Singleton, who left Cleveland in 1976
and moved to San Francisco. (As it happens, that is exactly when Mr. & Mrs. 'Beard moved our young family into San Francisco (for the next 22
years).) A bunch of really great writing, btw.
The Vietnam War had ended; it was post-Hippies and pre-AIDS. Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk hadn't been murdered yet. Simpler and in many ways joyous
times, chronicled very well.
It's been turned into a major musical production which had its World Premier in a major San Francisco Theater house one week ago. Well, we caught it
yesterday, just one week in.
The story and the characters are very complex. It's definitely very much an "in" joke for the San Francisco crowd. Lots of nuggets in there for the
locals to revel in. The fairly large cast was categorically outstanding, and overall the production pretty much met and exceeded our expectations for
a major theatrical rollout.
Sadly, the weakest piece in this *musical* was the music. Half the time it was "Hair" all over again (not that that's a bad thing), and the other
half was just plain insipid. (In fairness, it *was* the day of the discos.) As the Chronicle reviewer suggested, a bunch of the music should be (and
could be easily) culled. And the rest should be tuned up. But that can easily be forgiven.
They're eyeing Broadway with this production and it has some
potential. Perhaps the San Francisco "in" nature of it stands in the way, as does the music. But it most Shirley has great merit.
I'd say it's about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on, and one pretty young lass didn't even entirely do that. Very tasteful, of
course. <g>
"Whether you are a Mona or a Mary Ann, a Mouse or a Mrs. Madrigal, this show illuminates the colorful, crazy, complicated, wild times of our fabulous
city. A gift to San Francisco and all of us who love it!"
--Jan Wahl, KCBS/KRON-TV
There you have it. Four thumbs up from this household.
Barbarosa
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krafty
Super Nomad
Posts: 1052
Registered: 8-23-2010
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loved the books.....
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Marc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2802
Registered: 5-15-2010
Location: San Francisco & Palm Springs
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Mood: Waiting
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I was between marriages from 1976 to 1980 here in SF. It was without a doubt very good times, pre AIDS and all. Never got into "Tales" though. Guess I
was living it.
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toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
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Mood: Skeptical
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Redbeard,
Armistad Maupin used to come by the shop my then-wife and I had at the time. He liked our lifestyle and hung out...later to occasionally write about
us. That was in the '60s. A decade later, I was hot tubbing in Marin as Maupin was writing Tales of The City. I knew several of The Chronicle
reporters and columnists.
If you want to know more, send me a U2U. I learned the hard way to not put much of my personal life online.
Too bad that the music doesn't measure up to the caliber of the stories. I would think that would have to improve before they take it to Broadway. So
often, the nostalgia for the "good old days" exceed the contemporary perceptions and reinterpretations of those times. Many who are involved in the
productions were not there at the time, and the same for most of the audience. The result is a completely different fettle of kish!
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Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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You and I need to sit down to a cold one Toneart and share our Tales of the City.
Thanks redbeard indeed!
Iflyfish
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toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
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Mood: Skeptical
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Iflyfish
You and I need to sit down to a cold one Toneart and share our Tales of the City.
Thanks redbeard indeed!
Iflyfish |
First one's on me. See you U2U.
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