Monday, May 14, 2007

SpielPalast Weekend

3 shows down and 3 to go...and I wish they would never end. It is so hard to box up the experience of the SpielPalast Cabaret - but I wouldn't be me if I didn't try and thusly, I am vlogging it this week! But how to explain all that strange, elusive magic in 4 minutes or less?

Here are tiny tid bits of some of my favorite behind-the-scenes moments which of course, I was not able to capture on camera: Esse taking a catnap on the stage (raised in the theater, that kid can sleep anywhere and through anything!) with the curtains quietly sweeping shut behind her and an audience filing in; sultry Mimi ready to go on stage for Fever with a chair raised defiantly above her head; the pre-show on-stage warm ups with the dancers coated in a blood red light as they spin, kick and wait for the curtain to open; the frantic costume changes as performers haphazardly rip off their clothing, rushing to get ready for the next act; the inevitable breast comparisons that occur when women get naked together; a subdued white-faced Mr Dingalingalinga taking a low-key breather in the stairwell before his next explosive bit on stage; a bewildered, large-skirted Sally puttering around the cabaret girls as they change; Tony looking naked without her wig and gum, preparing for her cardboard wings which need to be safety-pinned to her back; becoming adept at attaching the many different types of garter belts which are constantly being connected to stockings in a hurry by a variety of hands; the buzzing hive surrounding the backstage punch (cheap vodka and cranberry, a deadly combo - I learned first hand); the quiet moments in the wings as performers wait to go on and occupy themselves singing whatever song is being sung on-stage since we all know the lyrics to everything (and can't get them out of our heads - ever).
And my most favorite moment of them all? That moment right before you go on stage as you are sweeping past the side curtains and going from a dark, hushed space to a bright, blinding surreal world with shadowed faces staring up at you. It is like being transported to an alien landscape where rouge-cheeked girls spin in sequined circles, boys wearing eyeliner belt out opera and everything else melts away.
Needless to say, the magic is impossible to capture. But the storyteller/documenter in me wants to at least give it a try.
Thanks to all the really fabulous audiences that have come out to see the cabaret so far and to Molly and Jeff for blogging it! And to Jeff for these pics! And to Bear, Seth, Colin, Scott and John for shooting it Saturday night! And let's not forget the various bars around town who have fed and boozed us every night post-show.

And here is a lovely endorsement from Miss Undead Molly herself who I was SO pleased to meet in person last night post-show!!:

Eva is one of the Spielpalast cast, all of whom are very talented actors, singers, and/or dancers. This is not a bunch of random amateur doofuses who have put on an obtuse burlesque just to have an excuse to run around in pretty underpants. It's a tight show of genuine quality and heart. Funny, mysterious, mythological, bawdy, compelling. My hands were numb from clapping by the end... wonderful, truly.

6 comments:

dear tabby said...

Can't wait! Got my tickets for Saturday night! -odele

Miss Molly Manglewood said...

I wanted to write a little more and get more pictures, but I was trying to bang that post out at work surreptitiously between patients this morning. I get more hits on Mondays than any other day so I wanted to get my enthusiastic plug out there to alert those who might otherwise miss out.

Can't wait to see the vlog!

Eva the Deadbeat said...

yay Odele! See you there darlink!

You banged out a beauty Molly and all done looong before I even dragged my lazy butt out of bed! I especially love the, "[this is not just] an excuse to run around in pretty underpants." that had me full of giggles!

and i really am so proud of the show and so glad that you liked it and blogged it! hearts all round! now, back to turning a turnip into a pea - or something like that. this vlog may kill me...

PS on a weird note that i think you may appreciate - i found a drowned spider in my coffee mug this morning - after I had drunk the entire cup - is that a symbol of something?? hmmm///somehow, this seems like a sign, a bad one too...

Miss Molly Manglewood said...

Spiders are a tough one. Their symbolic interpretation varies wildly depending on who you ask. For most cultures they are a symbol of a trap or entanglement. For instance, this could mean that you should ditch a particularly manipulative person in your life who is luring you into his or her web? Are you a fly accepting the invitation into the spider's parlor?

But, Jung and many others have much more positive interpretations of the spider as a mythological or dream archetype.

But it didn't come in a dream - it came in your coffee. It is a divination, not a subconscious message. Maybe it is a comment on caffiene addiction? Or your neglectful housekeeping... :)

Eva the Deadbeat said...

Hmmm, I hope the spider represented a mythological dream of some kind but it is more likely my shoddy housekeeping (or lack thereof). Although i swear there was no spider in my cup when I strained the coffee. But I had a couple of cups before I noticed the spider so the coffee was flavored...eugh...poor spider...what a way to die...

Eva the Deadbeat said...

ok, so yesterday there was a spider in my coffee and today the milk was sour - course, i did not figure this out till after i drank a full cup. perhaps ths is a sign from the gods to drink less coffee???