#b. understudy

[godthatfeltgood]

Because if Mad is one thing, she is theatric

[bringonthevices]

final chicago rehearsal for death becomes her 💜

[boxfivetrades]

Adam's first e/c show back with the new cast!

*Please don't repost outside tumblr*

[personinthepalace]

A Blair Baker appreciation post!!

Photos from Blair Baker’s and Brenann Stacker’s instagrams

Video from me :)

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

So I just saw your post about different emergency contraceptives and you mentioned that they have weight limits for efficacy. Are there any emergency contraceptives for overweight people? Like if an overweight woman gets SA'd is she just supposed to hope she doesn't get pregnant?

hi anon,

so, before we get to actually answering this question, I need to get pedantic about terminology, because this is important to me:

just say "raped." we call things what they are here.

obviously women are not the only people who might find themselves experiencing a pregnancy risk and in need of solutions

I personally do not rock with the term "overweight" because, as many fat activists have pointed out, it centers the idea that there is a "normal" weight for humans to be that fat people are diverting from, which isn't the case.

anyway, actual answer:

in this answer that you're referring to, please note that I didn't say emergency contraceptives won't work at all for users who are over the designated weights; Plan B doesn't become useless the second you weight 166 pounds or more.

several studies have found that people over certain weights have a slightly higher instance of becoming pregnant in spite of using emergency contraceptives; 195 pounds and 165 pounds, respectively, are the current best estimates for ella and levonorgestrel-based emergency contraceptives (that's all the other ones) maintaining full efficiency. above those weights, the effectiveness has been found to drop between about 2-5%.

it should be noted that while emergency contraceptives are often treated as if they're a surefire way of preventing an unwanted pregnancy, this isn't true even for people with lower body weights. the effectiveness of emergency contraception pills at reducing the risk of pregnancy is variously estimated to be between about 65% and 95% if taken within the appropriate amount of time, meaning that users with a higher body weight are unlikely to experience a substantially higher risk of failure than their lighter counterparts.

this is an area that has been understudied, as many issues pertaining to fat patients are, and the link between weight and efficacy are not yet fully understood. as noted, the existing studies only indicate the possible existence of such a connection. being aware of the possibility is important for decision making, but I also worry about it discourages people from viable healthcare options.

while I agree that it's unsatisfying to be uncertain about the efficacy of incredibly important, lifesaving healthcare like emergency contraception for fatter individuals, all indications currently show that these pills are appropriate and safe for use by fat individuals. there is currently no medical guidance that recommends advising heavier individuals against using plan b, ella, or any other emergency contraceptive pills, since these products very much can and do work effectively for them.

pills also aren't the only form of emergency contraceptives available. someone concerned about experienced an unwanted pregnancy can get an IUD within 5 days of sexual activity to lower their chances of pregnancy by 99.9%, a higher success rate than any form of emergency contraceptive pills can currently offer. crucially, neither hormonal nor copper IUDs are impacted by the weight of the user.

[clairemapleofficial]

i love being a chronically online theatre kid, like yes i can’t stop saying “we could see boop” yes i’ve watched 30 videos of tom francis singing sunset boulevard this week yes i’m rooting for audra for that tony yes i need to know what understudies and swings are on today at the bernard b. jacobs theater… i am so full of joy and whimsy!!

[onstagesport]

Since Starkid does understudies now, I have some propaganda to pitch:

Angela Giarratana u/s Emma Perkins

Exhibit A: Live footage of her talking to Coffee Jerk

Exhibit B: listening to Paul tell her he thinks the world is becoming a musical

Exhibit C: Emma when Ted speaks

Exhibit D: how she looks asking Paul for a kiss before spitting blood in his face

Thank you

[sabine-smitten-obviously]

Good Omens - December reads part #3- fanfics recs 🤓🩷🎄

I ´ve decided to write a short summary each month about the books i read. I need this to let go of the stories, its a nice way of saying good-bye to them and to spread the love to the authors and to you. 🩷

I only read finished stories and rarely one-shots. You will find no WIPs in here, as i really like to dive deep into the plot and i keep losing track of WIPs. Also you will only find happy or at least hopeful endings here - i couldn´t handle anything else.

Also i try to find every author here on tumblr to link-to, but sadly some times i am out of luck. If you happen to know them, please tell them, write to me in the comments or DM me and i will update the post!

Ratings in ()

Multichapter Fanfics

Dark Literature (E) by @unproblematicme

Well this was a first for me. Human AU with our ineffable loves being exes. Ugh. Lucky for me, Aziraphale is hired by Gabriel to work for the same company on a regular basis. But all of this somehow fades into the background as a haunting starts on the 13th floor of the building. Massive ghoststory and halloween-vibes ensues! 🎃

I'd like to think i still know you (T) by @inherently_human

Human AU. Crowley and Aziraphale went to school together, before life took them on separate paths. Crowley actually detests the thought of the 30years reunion, but ... maybe he would meet Aziraphale again?

Biggest laugh: "Age has not done your eloquence any favors, I see." 😂

The ineffable bride (T) by @theravenmuse

Warlock asks Nanny Astoreth to read him a book he got from the gardener. The story is about a prince named Aziraphale, who fell in love with a farm boy that left to make good fortune, but never came back. Now he is supposed to marry Prince Gabriel.

Happiness, more or less (M) by @mllekurtz

Crowley moves into a flat above a bookshop, glad to have found a short lease. If it weren't for the strange noises in the night ... A ghost story, a love story.

Biggest laugh: "i'm not learning the riddle you have for a name." 😅 I love love love this one. It had me laugh, it had me on the edge and it made me cry. Please give this one a try! 🩷

Intermezzo (E) by @feraltuxedo

Crowley is a former Rockstar, whose career as opera-writer was crashed by Aziraphale Fell's official critique. 10 years later Crowley is offered to write a symphony and get a TV documentary on it, but there is a catch: Aziraphale is the one who will be presenting. Human AU, Enemies to lovers, very nice. Also the author has a way of leading up to and describing explicit scenes that had me wish for more. 😋

The accidental understudy (T) by @appleseeds

Human AU. Aziraphale is the stage manager, when he re-meets with famous actor and former school-collegue Crowley for a play of panto. Sweet fluff ensues as both have had their secret crushes for 30 years.

Love Thy Neighbor (E) by @snae-b

Aziraphale runs a successful bakery blog, but recently he is getting more and more delayed with his posts. The new neighbor is simply a nuisance with his construction noises throughout the day and his loud music in the night. One evening his temper gets the best of him and Aziraphale fists on the door. What will he see, when the door opens? You'll never guess. 😉

Oneshots

Naked in Malibu (E) by @cemeteryangel725

Human AU. Crowley is a famous actor, who is home early from his shoot without telling anyone. And naked. Aziraphale is the hired interior designer, who just so happens to be in Crowley´s home to redesign it. The rest is epic seduction and surprises beneath clothes.

Actually a re-read, as the author gifted us a with a sequel for christmas - see next! 🤓

Naked in New York (E) by @cemeteryangel725

Crowley and Aziraphale have been dating secretly for months now. They both have been falling in love and - of course, these are our beloved idiots! - they have NOT been talking about it. But there is this big red carpet-thingy coming up. Oh no, what is Crowley supposed to do? 😉

Hot Blood, Hot thoughts, Hot Deeds (E) by @supergeek21

Aziraphale sorts the books, when shortky before closing time a strange looking man, dressed all in Black and kind of outdated clothes comes in. He has quite some sharp teeth, too ... 🧛‍♂️🦇

The Serpent King (T) by @angela345

After the death of his father, King Gabriel rules the country. But a curse seems to have befallen the former prosperous kingdom. So knights are being sent out to the Serpent King of the neighbouring kingdom. Will they be able to break the spell? A fairytale.

Stocking Stuffers (E) by @cemeteryangel725

Yes, i know - this is the 3rd rec for @cemeteryangel725 in this blog alone. What can i say - she is a glorious (smut)writer. 😁 In this one we meet again with our beloved husbands from the human AU "Of fire and falcons", which you should definitely read, too. In this oneshot Crowley does a little christmas-strip for his Santaziraphale. 🌶️🎅

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boutique (T) by @dragonfire42

Aziraphale goes shopping with Jim to dress him up for the ball ... Sweet!

The Snake Prince (T) by @LTRisback

Aziraphale takes a walk and bumps into a snake - a talking snake. He offers to save him from the cold and takes him to his bookshop.

Sweet, short fairytale i found bc of another artist who made this beautiful Art to it @rocas-are-doing-well

Only Ever Meant For Someone Else (T) by @di-42

Human AU. Every year the night before christmas, Aziraphale drives his passengers for free as an act of charity. This year, when he has finally finished his shift, there is a commotion behind him. Realising the other driver has wrecked his bentley, he offers to take him to the hospital, where his - presumably - wife Anathema is in labour.

Beautiful little christmas story, seasoned with a bit of angst and a happy ending. 🎄

Biggest laugh: “Of course. I can see how this entire predicament is very clearly her fault.” 😅

I loved this story and it stayed with me for several days.

All the pretty girls (T) by @spectrallydistracted

Crowley has made a pact with Ana to date each week for a whole year - or as long as it takes to find a partner. Sadly all the pretty girls never click. Unlike the very male barista Aziraphale ... 😉

So thats 16 stories this time, next year i will start counting for the whole year, just for the fun of it. 🥳

Found something you like? Spread the love with kudos, sharing and loving 😅🩷

Have a wonderfull start to 2025! 🎆

[siffrinsfrozendreams]

// twohats/secret ending spoilers ahead

okay okay so we know how Loop feels throughout most of ISAT, watching Siff talk to THEIR party, THEIR friends, working to get THEIR happy ending, but what about the last time Siffrin talks to them before entering the House for the final time? Act 5, when Siffrin is set on killing the King himself

How hopeless Loop must feel during it?

Loop, trying desperately to convince Siffrin- and probably themselves- that they're here to help! Siffrin isn't stuck looping forever, thats what Loop is there for! To help! To get Siffrin out of the timeloop! To fulfill THEIR OWN WISH

"I was b-brought here to help you, and I thought if I was here, we could-" "I thought that if we tried together, we'd-"

For once, Loop probably isn't thinking about how they're here to help a different Siffrin out of their timeloops. Probably isn't worried about being replaced, being shoved to the sidelines, being placed in the role of the understudy.

No, they're probably only thinking about how they're supposed to be here to help, how they're here to get Siffrin out of the timeloop, and they're failing. Siffrin is losing hope- practically hopeless, at this point, and Loop... can't help. They don't know what to say, and what they do say, Siff doesn't listen to.

They're failing the one thing they're supposed to be doing.

They couldn't break out of their own timeloop, and now, they can't even help a different Siffrin out of his.

The Universe answered their wish, but they can't even fulfill their role. They can't be the savior they so desperately needed, and are left watching this other Siffrin go through the same hopelessness they themselves went through. The one thing they were supposed to do- the one job they had, and they can't do it.

This was not what they wished for.

[scotianostra]

Thomas Sean Connery was born in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh on 25th August, 1930.

Big Tam, as he was affectionately known around Fountainbridge in his youth, well he was Tommy until his teens, when he shot up in height and stature, at one point he entered a bodybuilding contest, he was 6'2″ at the time, weighed around 14 stone, had a 48-inch chest, 25-inch thigh, and his arms were 15.25 inches.

His first job was as a milkman with the St Cuthbert’s Co-Operative Society in Edinburgh. I would think he would have delivered the milk on a horse drawn carriage, the stables for these horses was in the are he grew up, were in Grove Street, where I used to live the main offices for St Cuthbert’s still stands round the corner on Fountainbridge.

Connery also played football at junior level for Bonnyrigg Rose, my cousin played for them too for several years.

A few more facts about Sean are he has a tattoo on his arm that state “Scotland Forever” he got when he enrolled in the Merchant Navy, he was discharged from that job due to stomach ulcers, between jobs he was a nude model for art students at Edinburgh College of art, again not to far from Fountainbridge. Other jobs he took up were, a lorry driver, a lifeguard at Portobello swimming baths,a labourer and a coffin polisher!

I think it is interesting Connery never strayed far from Fountainbridge in his younger days, indeed when he decided that acting was a career he was going to pursue, it was the nearby Kings Theatre he got a job helping backstage, he was also competing in bodybuilding competitions at this time and while at an event in London he learned that there were auditions being held for South Pacific, he was picked to appear on the chorus line but as the production toured the country he was making his way up the ladder.

By the time it hit Edinburgh he had the part of Marine Cpl Hamilton Steeves and was understudying two of the juvenile leads, and his salary was raised from £12 to £14–10s a week, when the production was reprised the following year he had the lead role on the tour, taking over from the actor Larry Hagman, who played the part in London’s West End.

Connery never looked back from there and of course the role of James Bond catapulted him to international stardom, Ian Fleming though was against him getting the part initially, he said Sean was “unrefined” and not what he had in mind, Sean soon won him over though and Fleming later admitted he was an “ideal” Bond.

A few of the parts Sean either didn’t get or turned down are Gandalf, in the Lord of the Rings series of films, he said he never understood the books and also wasn’t keen on 18 months of filming in New Zealand. He also turned down the chance to play the role of the Architect in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Sean was asked to portray King Edward I in Braveheart, but was too busy working on Another film at the time, Patrick McGoohan took the role instead, I’m sort of glad he never played Longshanks.

His 93rd and last film was 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentleman - although he officially retired in 2006, although he was temporarily tempted back to do the voice of Sir Billi in the animated adventure comedy of the same name.

Sir Sean Connery passed away in his sleep on 31st October 2020 at his home in the Bahamas, his son said he had been unwell for some time. The official cause of death was pneumonia, heart failure and old age, his death certificate revealed.

In a career spanning over 50 years, Connery earned an Academy Award, multiple Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille and Henrietta Awards, as well as two British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) awards.

I've posted more pics than I normally would, firstly to show that Sean was much more than the first Bond, but also because the Scottish public, had and still have a big connection and love for the big guy.

Sean Connery 25th August 1930 – 31st October 2020.

[theseerasures]

A Theory on the Periodization of Wicked: Part One

in light of now technically being caught up to the production history of Wicked and having seen the show so many times it beggars belief, i want to take a stab at answering the question undoubtedly plaguing everyone's minds:

are there any distinctive periods in Wicked's now 20+ year production history, and how would one characterize them?

THE CAVEATS

don't worry i'm keeping it short

US productions only. i plan to watch international shows eventually, but haven't yet, and so do not feel qualified to cast aspersions on any of them.

THAT'S MY OPIINNNNIIIOOONNNNNN

OCT 2003 (Broadway Opening) - FEB 2007 (LA Opening): WICKED 1.0

...it's the beginning. it's when the Wicked started

okay fine: this is the most easily definable era of Wicked, because after the 2007 cutoff the literal script of the show substantively changed. if the original cast recording were your only exposure to Wicked the musical, watching the show from this period likely presents the least jarring transition across media. if you've been exposed to any other aspect--like say the movie adaptation--of Wicked since, however, these earliest shows may feel very bizarre, and will give the wrong idea about what the show has been like for the vast majority of its lifespan.

it would be unfair to define this era based on what was missing, since it's not like THEY had the benefit of hindsight; at the same time, what gives this period its specific character is its "work-in-progress" nature. the very early years of this period--we'll say before Idina left--highlight Wicked's identity crisis: it's a derivative work of The Wizard of Oz, so Idina and Cheno occasionally feel compelled to give Margaret Hamilton and Billie Burke; it's a serious personal and political drama staged in the middle of the War on Terror, so we have to underplay key moments in this show about how it's wrong to be racist against talking animals and green women; it's Pure Entertainment, so we're gonna stop the show cold to see how many broad gags Kristin Chenoweth can cram into a nine minute segment.

the skeleton of what makes Wicked Wicked was undeniably already there, especially when it comes to characterizing the principals. this is why i don't think the OBC in isolation can constitute its own era. not when their most immediate successors were oftentimes their standbys and understudies, and certainly not when there were no other interpretative options around: everyone's depictions had to be defined along with or against the original. what's interesting, then, is how Idina and Cheno (Norbie and Michelle as well but this is already long enough) presented very different blueprints for their successors.

Idina's interpretation of Elphaba was, much like her version of Wicked, more a sample platter than anything else. she was a little sardonic here, a little idealistic there; a little devastated, a little heartbroken, a little downright mad. the only discernible link tying them all together was just...Idina's own charisma and singing prowess. it's what won her that Tony, and it speaks volumes of her influence that even now several Idina-isms for Elphaba have never been seriously iterated upon. the Elphies following her pragmatically understood that Idina's Elphaba wouldn't be sustainable without Idina, and ended up splitting the difference in their respective portrayals. Shoshana Bean and Ana Gasteyer went the idealistic route (tho Ana was much more melancholic about it), while Eden Espinosa and Julia Murney sharpened the cynicism already present.

Cheno by contrast had a VERY specific vision for Glinda. she was cast on the basis of her preternatural charm and comedic chops, but she largely deployed those to claw back into the audience's good graces after a) serving Mean Girl Classic in Act One, or b) manipulating Fiyero to get a pass on the oopsie-doodle fascism. coupled with the Billie Burke sendups in her vocal work, this made her Glinda come across as sometimes willfully complicit in all the nefarious villainy. it was this specific aspect of Cheno's Glinda that those following right after--Jennifer Laura Thompson and Kate Reinders in Chicago--tried to capture. for a few years there it felt almost inevitable that Glindas were going to keep trending antagonistic...

and then Megan Hilty descended upon the scene amid a stream of bubbles, several of which went down her throat, shouted "I LOVE MY BEST FRIENDS SHOSHANA BEAN AND EDEN ESPINOSA," and then ollied out sustaining an E6.

it's possible i'm not giving enough credit to Kendra Kassebaum here, since she started on the First National Tour before Hilty graduated to principal, but i don't think it's possible to oversell the impact this had on Glinda portrayals going forward. it doesn't just come down to making the audience like her faster, either; Hilty's Glinda was the first to invite the other characters into her world. it was with Hilty that Elphabas started actively participating in Popular, and it was with Hilty that the argument with Fiyero in Thank Goodness started feeling like an actual ARGUMENT between two people who care what the other thinks. while the development of post-Idina Elphabas felt like a gradual refinement--taking what was already present and tailoring to each actress' unique relationship with her role--Glinda's development post-Cheno took the form of a seismic shift away from pre-existing material. Idina had left room for multiple Elphabas, and now there was also room for multiple Glindas.

so the timing was perfect, really, for the next stage of Wicked's life.

[talonabraxas]

“Humbly serving all with their beauty, flowers say more to us about God than anything else. Each one brings a message that the Heavenly Father is right here.” — Paramahansa Yogananda

Xochipilli Talon Abraxas

Xochipilli, a deity linked to songs, flowers, the rising sun, joy, games, and fertility, holds profound significance in Aztec religion. His name’s etymology derives from a nominal composition of the nouns xochitl meaning “flower” and pilli meaning “noble, youth.” Fray Bernardino de Sahagún translates his name as “Noble Flower” or “Main One in Charge of Giving Flowers.” Historical sources explicitly characterize this deity as revered by nobles, elite principals, and guilds of artists, revered in both masculine and feminine forms.

Xochipilli is an understudied deity. This essay offers an overview of his features, including rituals consecrated in his honor. To state that he is a deity related to singing, playing, enjoyment, flowers, and fertility requires (a) considering the iconographic analysis of images found in pre-Columbian codices, (b) establishing his links between this deity and the vegetal world, and (c) examining rituals consecrated to Xochipilli during the “Flower Time” feast, or xochilhuitl.

[livesworthlivingau]

Lives Worth Living Chapter 5

It's time y'all... Spoilers for Two Hats, CW: Blood, Extreme Violence/Stabbing

(You sit alone at the front of the home you've all been staying in, you don't even know what time it was anymore. Loop never came home and you were worried, just waiting around for them to hopefully show up. Your mind was stirring anyhow after your little 'game' with Odile, a bit tipsy as well still. It would be nice if not for the ominous feeling that sat in your stomach...)

["You told her..."]

(Huh?... Loop?)

["You told her, Stardust... You promised you wouldn't tell anyone..."]

"Loop?!... I-I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking right, w-we can go over again if you really want b-but... we could try this out too? See how it goes?" (You speak aloud, pleading with wherever they were, getting up and searching for that faint, familiar glow.)

["No Stardust... We can't just 'see how it goes'... I can't just pretend anymore... I can't take YO-]-UR PITY!" (Loop cries out as they appear, lunging towards you. Their hand coils around your neck, slamming your back into a tree while they hold you there. Their fingers grip too tightly to allow you to speak well, just choking out fragments of their name desperately.)

"You don't get to speak anymore... It's my turn to take the stage, Stardust~." (You just grip their wrist, struggling and choking for air. Tears well up at the corner of your eye in pain and fear.)

"... You have no IDEA how it feels... to be REPLACED! UPSTAGED BY YOUR OWN UNDERSTUDY!! HAVING YOUR HAPPY ENDING STOLEN RIGHT OUT FROM UNDER YOU!!!" (Their fingers tighten, like claws digging into your neck, blood slowly drawing and pouring down your form. Your vision gets blurry, your head woozy. Your lungs burn as you beg for air.)

"I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY! I DON'T NEED YOUR LEFTOVERS!! AND I DON'T NEED YOU!!! NOW HOW ABOUT YOU GO LIVE YOUR PERFECT LIFE ALL OVER AGAIN AND LEAVE ME BLINDING OUT OF IT!!!!!" (Their other hand rushes forward as you suddenly feel a sharp pain in your chest... They release your neck, though your attempts for air still fail. You slowly look down in horror... seeing the hilt on your dagger sticking out of your chest... You feel a tug on your stomach-)

Shout out to Lea btw for the ISAT Maker, a perfect tool for evil enhancing fanfics c:

[wintersoulwitch]

Stage/Fright changes and tweaks to Act 1

Following on from my initial Stage/Fright report after my first viewing and the post on changes/things I noticed the second time around, here are some things I picked up on my last visit on 01/03/25 where I watched both the matinee and the evening show because: A. I was able to get some cheap tickets B. I am insane

So, now I'm more familiar with the cast I realised that the violinists are Becky Bainbridge (Bloody Belle - also Anna Francolini's understudy) and Christina Tedders (the "stage hand" who gives flowers to the celebrity guest and helps deconstruct the set during La Terreur de L'Asile rehearsal - also Miranda Hennessy's understudy). Damnnnn what a talented bunch!

Theatre Sketch

More special effects have been added since I last went - when Reece smashes the woman’s head in he now gets sprayed with blood in the face. He was absolutely covered from nose to chin (fanservice for the Varney lovers).

And his voice is more exaggerated - it was a posh sounding southern accent before, now it’s a lot deeper and theatrical and a bit reminiscent of Edward Tattsyrup.

Audience Address

The very first time I saw the show Reece introduced it as "Stage-slash-Fright" and did an air chop to show the slash. They ditched that pretty early - but it's stuck in my brain and when I tell people about the play I often go "It's Stage-slash-Fright because the first act is Stage and the second act is Fright"

Steve leans more into the "Chekhov's Pun" gag: SP: A firearm will be discharged and there will be liberal use of wordplay throughout... so that's Chekhov's Pun... Oh, come on!

Doing that Patented Pemberton Playing to the Crowd 😁

(BTW On both shows on 01/03/25 Steve kinda slurred the word "firearm" and it sounded a bit like "fire alarm." I don't know if that was deliberate or not, but it reminded me that there was a fire alarm at the end of the show on 20/02/25 and another during the interval 21/02/25. Both were false alarms but the theatre was evacuated on 20/02/25 as it happened after the lights when up at the end and lots of people in the audience thought it must be part of the show!)

(Which reminds me of another thing... At the start of the matinee on 01/03/25 the show started the usual way - with a loud scream and jumpscare noise as the lights are cut. But then nothing happened. And the nothing dragged out a bit too long... and people started laughing nervously... and eventually one of the crew [I don't know her name or role in the show but she's one of the people who supervises R&S at the Stage Door] popped her head out of the curtains to say there was a technical fault and they needed to restart the show. And of course everyone started laughing and saying they didn't believe her and this must be R&S fucking with us)

Now I know the cast more I can see that as well as Gaby French, Mark Extance is also there in usher's uniform to hold up a 'No Masturbating' sign. I was in the Stalls during the matinee, and saw him pop through a side curtain. I was in the Grand Circle for the evening show, and the signs were almost impossible to see from up there - which was a shame because it gets a big laugh!

BCDR Part 1 

After my first viewing I wrote that Tommy didn’t see Len drink from his hip flask - I think that was just a timing slip up during previews, he does definitely sees Len drink.

In the first preview I saw they'd extended the "Shelby and Drake / Drake and Shelby bit" but they've cut it back to the TV show version.

During the vent sketch, Tommy moves his lips while Len/Vincent Vomit is speaking, as if he's a bad ventriloquist.

On one of the 01/03/25 shows, Steve swallowed the beer after the vent sketch instead of doing the spit take. He still did the joke about wanting to get the front row and it still got a laugh.

Len's solo mime bit with the coat on the hatstand has been extended. The "hand" is a lot more aggressive with Len - squeezing his face and pulling him in for a kiss, tickling him under the armpits, and grabbing at his crotch. Oh and now when Len points to his (imaginary) wedding ring, he mouths "I'm married."

Kidnappers 

This is the scene with the celebrity guest so it changes every time, of course, but here are the beats in more detail:

Len fiddles with the double doors for a long time, some lovely physical comedy with Steve trying to open them, running to and fro past the window, getting a ladder and then Tommy just strolling up and opening them easily

When Len goes to retrieve the hostage, a figure in dressing gown with their head covered runs past the window. They're then hit with a spade "off screen" with accompanying sound effect while Reece is on the phone with their boss ("Spengler" who I think is voiced by Mark Extance) saying that they know how important it is that the hostage isn't harmed (BTW I don't think I mentioned this before but Tommy refers to the hostage as "the commodity" - lil Psychoville nod 🖤)

When they get the hostage on stage they are sat on a chair with their hands "tied" and a pillow case over their head. When they realise they've got the wrong house (Spengler tells them they should be at a bungalow) and therefore the wrong hostage, Len peeks under the pillow case, pretending to look, and covers his face and gasps.

They've previously established "no names!" which is why Len has to do charades to act out their name (running list of celebrity guests and charades here) which is obviously just an excuse for Steve to do some filthy mimes (let me see, so far we've had boner... dick... cum... wee... ass... knob... lesbian tennis... dominatrix... and on the first night I saw he mimed "In" by making a circle with one hand and repeatedly jabbing into it with two fingers and Tommy went "UUURGH WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LEN??" which was hilarious)

Once the celebrity's identity is revealed there's a running joke of them listing off parts of their CV and Len will introduce his running gag of getting a name wrong - usually a show the celeb has been in, sometimes a character name or catchphrase, or in the case of Gary "Spandau Ballet" Kemp, getting the lyrics to a song wrong. The celebs seem to enjoy using this section as an opportunity to mention stuff that R&S have been in and have Reece go "Never heard of it." This section finishes with Tommy saying "You're not on Graham Norton now!"

Spengler rings them and Tommy holds the phone in one hand, trying to unlock it, while holding the gun in the other hand. The guest says "Are you going to get that?" and he snaps "I know how to answer a phone!" On the matinee show on 01/03/25 the phone was left ringing for ages and Reece was doing lots of camp arm movements and lip purses while he was fiddling with the prop. Then on the evening show that day he did a full on Ollie Plimsolls style triple hop across the stage which made Matt Lucas crease up.

Then the celeb has to pretend to be the Live In Lover of Lady Linda Lockwood (who I think is voiced by Anna Francolini) and this is where the improv section kicks off. The celeb will respond with varying degrees of annoyance/laughter as the pimping escalates

They're asked to read from notes written on a sketchbook. Starts of simple enough "Yes, it's me, how are you my love?"

"He’s Spanish!" Len remembers. so the celeb attempts a Spanish accent... Then "I've just remembered - he grew up in Newcastle!" (or Liverpool or Swansea) and after the (usually terrible) accent Tommy says "No, no... He grew up in Newcastle"

Lady Linda Lockwood asks what his pet name for her is... The celeb reads "sweaty pig" off the sketchbook, then Tommy grabs it and flips it over and the celeb tries again - "sweetie pie."

The celeb then has to read a Wikipedia page that mentions Philip loves flamenco... Lady Linda Lockwood says she wants to hear him dance flamenco down the phone.

After that, she says "If only you had your trumpet..." WELL GUESS WHAT there just so happens to be a trumpet. "Darling, you have been practising!"

Final bit of pimping, Lady Linda Lockwood asks the celeb to sing their special song... the one that starts "I love you, you love me..." and the celeb has to improvise the rest of the song

By this point Reece is probably corpsing badly

It's all for nothing because Philip the Live In Lover of Lady Linda Lockwood turns up safe and well. Spengler says they'll ransom the celeb hostage (even though he's never heard of him either) and he'll be there in 15 minutes. Tommy goes to "move the van" and leaves Len and the hostage together.

Len (cough cough Barry Baggs) says he's hungry and tells the celeb to stay there while he goes to find food in the kitchen. Len pats the knee of the hostage and says "I love you, Mr [insert celeb's name]"

The hostage then has to find somewhere to hide. They open the big wardrobe at the back of the room and it's full of people in a lovely Sardines callback. Honestly delightful. Gaby French is even wearing an outfit that looks like Katherine Parkinson's red ensemble from the ep, Mark Extance is in a grey suit and steps out and says "Sorry, we're a bit too full"

After a bit more dithering with various degrees of panic and running across the stage depending on the celeb (Martin Freeman - absolutely manic, opening the prop hamper, trying to hide behind the sofa. Matt Lucas - couldn't be arsed. Closed the wardrobe. Stood there for a few seconds. Went back to the wardrobe) they will return to the wardrobe which is now empty of people and only contains a single black man's shoe.

Len will return with some celery (which was possibly a leek when Michael Sheen guested? Not sure if it was an actual leek, or he just questioned it - reports differ) and OH NO the hostage has gone!

Of course this is when Tommy comes back. Len says "Don't hurt me!" and Tommy says "Why would I hurt you?" realises the hostage has gone and jabs Len in the eyes with an accompanying comedy sound effect (like "sproink!")

Tommy harangues Len about leaving to stuff his face and Len shouts "It's only a stick of celery!" On the 25/02/25 show Steve really hammed up the delivery "Issonlehastickasellaireh!" which was the first time I saw him make Reece corpse 😁 He corpses every show now but I think they were still taking things seriously at that point so it was a delight

Then Tommy and Len have a bit of an argument, Tommy saying that Len is a liability ("no I'm not, I'm a pisces!") and that he's put up with him for years and would be better off on his own, and points a gun in Len's face. Len is saved by mispronouncing the celeb's show/character name and the celeb bursts out of the wardrobe to angrily correct him

The celeb then gets sent upstairs and has an opportunity to say one last thing (The Actor Kevin Eldon did "spaghetti bolognese" and triggered Reece to do the hokey cokey, Julian Clary called them "a pair of heterosexual cunts," Michael Sheen said "I've never been so humiliated in my life... And I've worked with David Tennant!", Matt Berry said "As Gino D'Acampo once said - get me a cornetto or I'll fuck your girlfriend")

BCDR Part 2

In Brown Bottles now the fake legs have neon green high heels and fishnets.

The ending has extended a bit - the ‘Len?’ section at the end is more drawn out, it feels like Tommy is really hoping/expecting for Len’s ghost to respond. The first time I saw it the ghost lamp flickered and Tommy said "Len...?" then the lights cut out and there was the Bloody Belle jumpscare scream as she appeared in one of the boxes.

Now the lights cut out and Tommy looks around and says "Len...?" He goes to turn on the ghost lamp and calls out again: "Len? Is that you?" a pause "I'll leave this here for you. So you're not lonely."

And once Tommy leaves the stage the 9 hamper starts wobbling and wiggling, the lid of the hamper opens up and then Bloody Belle appears on stage and screams!

Christ this has got longggg so I'll do Act 2 in a separate post

[mitzvahmelting]

an overview of the Théâtre des Vampires coven according to show canon (to the best of my knowledge)

section 1: the core acting company

apologies for shitty screenshots i made this on the fly and i could not be fucked to get high quality screencaps

Gustave - Currently part of the core acting company, he was a member of the coven since at least before Lestat's arrival, he's in those early scenes.

Celeste (pictured here with Santiago) - Currently part of the core acting company, was also a member of the coven in those early scenes. She and Gustave were seen together having most of the lines in those scenes representing the grub coven.

Estelle - here seen in both recognizable outfits for her. Currently part of the core acting company, her maker is Celeste.

I'm unclear on when Estelle was turned. I'm... pretty sure she's not in the scenes with the grub vampires, but it's possible that this is her handing out flyers for the first edition of the Theatre des Vampires... what do you think? Same lady? 👇

If that's her, then that might imply that Celeste turned her at some point between the dissolution of the grub coven and the reestablishment of the Theater coven, which would make sense in my opinion since I can't picture Armand actually approving for Celeste to turn someone

The final member of the core acting company is Santiago, but I'm skipping him because he's a main character so you already know him.

section 2: the orchestra

Basilic - part of the orchestra, Basilic was also a member of the grub coven.

He's seen in that flashback ☝ playing an instrument which @bloodripelives identified as potentially a chalumeau. (i spent 3 months calling this guy merde'em by mistake, fuck me)

Here's the rest of the orchestra. From left to right: Merde'em, Basilic, Planche.

Don't ask me what instruments they play, I didn't try that hard but I'm sure you could check if you watched the B-roll hard enough.

Merde'em and Planche were both turned by Basilic at some point - presumably Basilic could have gotten approval from Armand to turn people because they needed an orchestra. I feel like that would be a sufficient reason for Armand to consent, especially if Lestat was co-leading the coven at the time. Also Nicky was probably around but I'm ignoring him because he's dead by now so you don't have to try to spot him in the 1940s coven scenes.

Don't ask me why Merde'em is literally named "shittem," your guess is as good as mine.

Planche has a good relationship with Eglee - we see him squeezing her shoulder to comfort her during the dinner scene at the restaurant. Speaking of, let's talk about her and everyone else.

section 3: everyone else

Eglee - Front of house. Because we see humans handling the ticket counter when Louis and Claudia arrive, that means that Eglee must be the manager of all the ticket counter staff and ushers.

actually on second thought i think the guy who louis and claudia see at the ticket counter with the fake fangs might actually have been Sam? idk, worth a look. Either way, front of house is Eglee's purview.

We see her sexually ride Santiago's motorcycle as well as suck him off in the lair.

During the 2x04 "Lulu Dress" confrontation between Armand and Claudia, Santiago jumps to Claudia's defense and criticizes Armand. At this point in time, Celeste throws her support behind Santiago and also verbally criticizes Armand, which Santiago appreciates.

Seeing Celeste unexpectedly throw her support behind Santiago (and knowing that Celeste and Santiago have had an on-again-off-again thing for years), Eglee gets jealous and shouts "put your tits back in your bloomers, slut!" before attacking Celeste onstage, to Estelle's delighted shock.

then Eglee is later jealous and morose at the restaurant scene

Tuan (left, father) and Quang (right, son).

Tuan does the projections and works alone in the projection booth all show.

Quang is a swing actor, so he's sometimes on stage and presumably serves as an understudy for most of the male roles.

Because Quang "refused the dark gift until he was old enough to be on stage", we know that presumably Armand allowed Tuan and Quang to join the coven while Quang was still mortal. Which is fucking wild, but I won't be getting into that with more depth here.

Also, Tuan and Quang Pham are from Vietnam, which was called "French Indochina" at the time because colonization. We don't know when specifically they were invited into the coven, but that can give you a rough lower bound on the years. here's a map of the french conquest of vietnam by years, from the french indochina wikipedia page.

the upper bound would probably be the 1900s? because they would have to have been brought into the coven 1. before santiago, and 2. long enough before santiago that Quang had time to grow up and be turned before Santiago was turned.

Romaine - stage manager. No idea when he was turned or brought in. From his behavior in the scene with the restaurant, we can see that he's tasked with giving Armand updates and reports about what's going on with the coven. He's a snitch.

He's also the one who interrupts Armand during the gallery scene, after he finished telling Louis about Amadeo. Romaine phones in on the vamp wifi and tells Armand that Claudia is at Madeleine's atelier. (Or possibly Romaine just tells him "there's a body rotting on the green room floor" and Armand tracks down Claudia himself). Either way: Romaine's a snitch.

Samuel "Sam" Barclay - a nod to real life playwright Samuel Beckett. Armand refers to him as the "playwright in residence" so personally i want to headcanon that he's not actually a part of the coven, though I have no evidence to support that.

He's basically a main character so I'm not gonna talk about him much more here, but like. I'm interested to see what they do with him. We don't know when he was turned, we don't know who turned him, we don't know how old he is. We do know that he got away from Louis' rampage and became a friend of the Talamasca. We also do know that he's a DJ in 2022 and wears a helmet when he performs.

Center, here, is Hans Luchenbaum, the costume designer. We don't really know much more about him, except that he's most often referred to as Luchenbaum, and he sounds a little more german than french? idk.

That's all folks! <3 hope that was helpful. if i got anything wrong, which i probably did, go ahead and tell me please. also go read my fics. eventually i'll post the fucking coven fic on there.