Why so curious?

Sometimes you see a play, or a film (or in this case a theatremovie), and it just feels perfect.

I read The CuriousIncident of the Dog in the Night Time a few years ago because I was tutoring a girl from Calrossy and she was studying it for the HSC. And I loved it. It is a novel  about an autistic kid written from his perspective, a seriously limited first person narrative. It explores some of the issues of relationships with autistic people, the difficulties of parenting, of honesty, of emotional nuance… But it is a really easy read.

When I found out the National Theatre (one of my favourite theatre companies, based in London, right down the road from where I used to live) was developing a production, I was sceptical. I mean, this is a really internalised novel, we get everything from Christopher’s perspective. How in the hell would they be able to translate that to bodies-in-space-and-time? Into a physicalized, theatrical performance? It’s not just a matter of having people say the lines, theatre is much more about immediacy, showing the audience the story rather than just the words on the page.

Then I read reviews. People I know. People I follow on twitter. The rest of the internet.

And it was universally loved.

Then by chance I saw that it was on at our little cinema, and it was just a chance that I needed to get on.

This is a story perfect for the stage.

They have externalised the sensory overload that autistic people can feel, and used some state of the art theatrical technics to really bring it to life. Performed in the round, with a floor made of LED displays, and crystal clear floor projections, it really immersed the audience into the performance, and this even translated onto the film. The ensemble cast nailed the transformative acting, and the dance/movement parts were so poignant and beautiful. I love it when the actors play all of the furniture in some of the scenes. And the guy playing Christopher? AMAZING!! He really captured the behaviour and difference of an autistic kid, without making it about disability or pity.

I wish I’d brought you guys with me. I wish I could take all of my classes, hell the whole damn school. If people say they don’t like theatre, I dare them not to be drawn into this personal, universal world.

Gravity Sucks

It has been far too long since I blogged. And the boot in the pants to get back to it is of course OscarsFest. If Tori can get back into creating amazing meals for each of the nominated Best Films, then the least I can do is a quick write up. (Especially since I already wrote one for my teaching blog.)

So here goes...

Gravity Sucks

By which of course I mean the gravitational pull of the earth, the force that attracts all physical bodies to each other. It sucks us to the Earth.

But the film doesn’t.

I saw Gravity today.

Wow.

One of the problems presented by space films is the emptiness. But Sandra Bullock really fills the blackness. Her performance is phenomenal. This is a story about survival and hardship and perseverence.

Given my emersion in all things Cold War last year, of course I couldn’t help but view the film through those lenses. The whole issue of getting Lost In Space was caused because those irresponsible, pesky Russians created too much space junk. The Reds are in the wrong again.

It could also be seen as an allegory of grief, a woman facing the chasm of grief, the unexplorable, unexplainable emptiness of life without meaning, without love. An unfathomable challenge.

There is also that hint of conservation story telling here. Lets stop junking up our skies, our planet, our lives. Because we only have one.

As I said, Bullock is incredible in thius film. She commands that character in a way I have never seen her do. Street beyond Gracie from Miss Congeniality. Such gravitas on the screen. Though George Clooney's performance is impressive as well. He's back to his thoroughly likable self.

I am actually pleased that I didn't see this at the cinema, and I'm stoked I didn't see it in 3D. I probably would have hurled all over the 3 rows in front of me. The cinematography is powerful and lurching, and imersion in that world would have sent my poor little tiny balance sea-sick ear bones into a tailspin. And given the fact that The Secret Life of Walter Mitty got no joy in the cinematography category, this is now my pick.

As far as space flicks go, this doesn't have goodies and baddies. There is no force or warp speed or beaming anybody up anything. Its real people, in tiny spaces, with loose tethers to things, the world, each other, themselves.

Worth it.