#frontmezzjunkies interviews:
#StevePatterson
co-founder of the Catskill's
#BridgeStreetTheatre
@CatskillBST
as they are about to unveil a rousing production of #JamesGoldman's #TheLionInWinter
starring Steve Patterson, #LeighStrimbeck
November 10-20
Leigh Strimbeck and Steve Patterson in rehearsal for The Lion in Winter. Photo by Michael Raver.
A Frontmezzjunkie Interview: Actor Steve Patterson on Bridge Street Theatre’s THE LION IN WINTER
Okay. How about this? It’s December. Christmas is in the offing. A visit with your family is imminent and old grudges, which had been laying dormant all year long, suddenly reawaken. It’s not long after…
Last time I went to the village to buy bread I saw a woman in the street who was dressed like a 19th-century peasant, complete with a thick old-timey accent with dialect words no one uses anymore—she was telling a little group of people to follow her so of course I had to drop everything and follow her too.
And it turned out she was a theatre actress who has read a lot of local archives in libraries and town halls, and offered her services to organise guided tours of various villages to tell people about local history in a fun way, by playing characters who lived here in the Middle Ages, the 19th century, or WWII. It's such a cool idea! I talked to her for a bit after the visit and she said she wasn't sure it'd work / attract enough people, but she had groups of tourists + local families show up for the visit every week, in every village where she did this, so she think she'll be hired again next summer.
When I joined their group she was talking about WWII, and how my & other nearby villages were known by the Nazis and Vichy as a hotbed of terrorists, with some Gestapo officers killed in bomb attacks. (In retaliation the Nazis eventually rounded up 100+ locals and deported them to camps, as well as shooting a few.) I was mostly familiar with WWII anecdotes from the North-East, where my grandparents lived during the war, and I found it funny how different they sounded—my grandfather made Resistance activities sound well-planned and careful (espionage, sabotage, underground presses, infiltrating railway services etc) while oral histories around here make them sound a lot more spontaneous and—handcrafted? like "Emile brought what we needed for the bomb in his wheelbarrow hidden under a layer of straw and we exploded 2 Nazis."
We then went to visit the former girls' school, and I learnt a lot about my country's history of education for girls! Also it was really sweet because there was an old lady in our group who had attended this school as a child and had lots of school memories to share. Most of them were very wholesome, until eventually our tour guide went "Surely you also have some School Mischief to tell us about" and the old woman at first was like no no no no, I was a good girl. And then she conceded that when she had to sort lentils for the nuns' dinner and she resented one of them for berating her in class, she'd do a shit job on purpose and leave some little stones in the lentils.
Then our last step was the fairground where the town fair was (and is still) held, and our tour guide told us little 19th-century anecdotes (in-character, more like acting them out) that she'd found in old postcards and letters in the archives—how the town fair was where you'd go for your dentist appointment (i.e. to have your bad teeth pulled with pliers with no pain medicine) and to get any object repaired, like damaged pans or clogs; how there were dancing bears and performing monkeys; how one year the merchant who sold linen for women's trousseaus had her linen display trampled "by 300 cows" (might have been an exaggeration) and she hit the cow herder and it started a massive brawl.
My favourite anecdote was how back in the 1800s the local innkeeper was frustrated by the fact that the nearest village is just 10km away, and people who came to the fair often decided to go spend the night there so their journey back the next day would be less long, and so he started to tell them about the beast that lives under the bridge between the two villages. Travellers say horses go mad when they see it and just jump into the water. Some say the beast has dug up corpses from the cemetery because it likes human flesh, though of course it prefers it fresh.
I'm now convinced half of local legends were single-handedly created by business savvy innkeepers determined to get more customers than the rival inn 10km away.
I'm sad I only learnt about these visits at the end of summer when they're coming to an end, but I'll definitely follow this woman around again if she returns with more stories next year!
Timeline of the last 12 months of the Good Omens fandom.
July 2023 - Good Omens season 2 drops. Fans watch on the presumption this season is based on the sequel idea Terry and NG spoke of in the 90’s and 2006. Reactions are mixed but mostly positive. We’re happy with fluff. Initial thoughts: “I don’t see how this story could have been fleshed out into an entire novel, but I guess it was only ever just initial ideas, so I suppose that works.”
July 2023 - THE KISS.
Fandom reaction: NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
August 2023 - NG responds to fandom
NG: “Season 2 isn’t actually based on the idea Terry and I spoke about.”
Fandom: “What?”
NG: “Season 2 is just a bridging story to get us to season 3. That will be the story that Terry and I discussed.”
Fandom: “What!?”
NG: “Season 3 hasn’t been greenlit by Prime yet so we might not get it.”
Fandom: “WHAT?!”
NG: “Also I wrote the kiss that way by giving the fandom what you want without actually giving you what you want. So like, stop asking me for things or I won’t write them.”
Fandom: “AAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!”
August to November 2023 - The fandom, now lost and depressed, mope through the halls of Tumblr and Reddit, desperately clinging to any piece of information dropped by NG, sharing fan art, creating headcanons and theories, and writing the angstiest of angst fanfiction ever written. Some weep in a corner mumbling about the South Downs. Most just trudge through their daily lives, listless and despondent.
December 2023 - Prime greenlights Good Omens Season 3.
Fandom: YES! OMG HOORAY! WAHOO! Dancing in the streets. Fanfiction turns to fluff and smut. NG is active and happy, answering many questions without actually answering them. Gives us the hilarious gift of Dottie and Sadie.
January 2024 - speculation of when season 3 filming will begin commences. Realisation that it could be quite a while starts to sink in. Actors and writers strike has caused delay to the scripts being written. David and Michael have taken on theatre work which will delay their filming schedules. Douglas McKinnon announces he’s stepping away as director. Fandom has slight freak out, but NG reassures everyone it’s nothing to worry about, and linked to the recent strikes.
Early to mid 2024 - “The invisible and unbreakable line that joins Crowley and Aziraphale”.
Fandom: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! We inevitably become even more feral. Much fanart is made.
March 2024 - David hosts the BAFTAs and Michael helps him during the opening. David is then nominated for TV BAFTA for Good Omens.
Fandom: OMG YYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAYYYY!!! Much dancing and celebration is had once again. We are so in love.
May 2024 - filming schedule for GO season 3 is announced. It will commence January 2025. The fandom reacts.
Fandom: “That’s still so long away!” “Michael and David will have their hair dyed white and red for the awards season!” “Going by the previous production schedule this means season 3 won’t reach our screen until 2026! No!” “Cannot wait for this to start filming we are going to be so feral!” More fanfiction, more fanart.
June 2024 - David hosts Pub in the Park. Michael joins him.
Fandom: THEY ARE SO CUTE! HOW CAN THEY BE THIS CUTE, WE DON’T DESERVE THEM.
Early July 2024 - horrible allegations are laid against NG and the fandom comes to a terrible crashing halt. Much debate and discussion is had back and forth: “Believe the victims”. “Separate the art from the artist”. “Drop the fandom entirely”. “Step back for a moment”. There is a lot of arguing, but there is also still a lot of love. NG has fled all social media.
Late July 2024 - until it’s January, and the show actually starts filming, Good Omens season 3 has now become Schrödinger’s Series. It both now exists and doesn’t exist. Prime at any moment may pull the production due to the backlash against NG. The fandom now re-examines McKinnon’s departure speculating if he left for other reasons. We once again despondently trudge the halls of tumblr and Reddit feeling the same feeling of this time last year.
And that pretty much brings us up to date. Anything could happen in the next six months, which is why I feel we’re all worried. It’s why I’m worried. So instead, keep sharing the art, keep writing the fanfiction, keep speculating with theories and headcanons. Let’s be here for each other. Because we created this fandom for each other. It doesn’t belong to NG anymore. Let’s do this for Terry. Personally, I can’t wait to come back to this timeline and add January 2025 - filming begins.
🌙 * ― 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒 ( a collection of various settings for drabbles or prompts, or both! )
001. a tattoo parlour, buzzing with machinery and walls lined with artwork .
002. a shopping mall, crowded and loud .
003. a cabin in the mountains, taking shelter from the snow storm.
004. an abandoned tea party, occupied with broken dolls .
005. the shooting range, empty casings clinking on the floor and sulphur in the air .
006. a music room, filled with melodies of an instrument .
007. an empty auto shop, hood of a car left open and quiet music coming through speakers .
008. a bright arcade, coins falling from machines and claws grabbing at soft toys .
009. the kennels, filled with barking dogs and excited companions .
010. a restaurant, where everyone is eerily quiet and staff are overly friendly .
011. a riding arena, with trained riders atop proud horses .
012. a mini golf course, sails of a windmill obscuring the path ahead .
013. a zoo, filled with an array of unique animals .
014. the docks of a bay, boats lining the decks .
015. a pond with ducks, seeking food .
016. a museum, displaying ancient bones and pottery of a history long ago .
017. a closed down prison, ghosts of violent history echoing in empty cells .
018. a quiet train station, lights overhead flickering and announcement board displaying errors .
019. the vast desert, scorching heat baring down at high noon .
020. the dark woods, filled with strange hanging symbols made of sticks .
021. a deep hole in the ground, covered by leaves and sticks .
022. a wishing fountain, base lined with copper coins of past wishes .
023. an abandoned picnic in an empty field, flask still warm with coffee .
024. a barn filled with hay and tools, old wood creaking in the wind .
025. a graveyard in the dead of night, wind howling through the trees .
026. a crumbling bridge above a raging river .
027. the refreshing waters of a lake, away from prying eyes .
028. the crossroads, in the middle of nowhere .
029. a cosy bonfire at summer camp, marshmallows roasting on the fire .
030. the top of a radio tower, with the perfect view of the surrounding area .
031. a lone phone box on a street corner .
032. a large elaborate temple dedicated to a deity, offerings still intact .
033. a drive-in movie theatre, cars empty and projector casting only light onto the screen .
034. a strange trail of breadcrumbs on a woodland path .
035. a haunted mansion, ancient paintings watching every footstep .
036. a decrepit mine located out in the hills, believed by locals to have a powerful curse cast upon it .
037. the edge of a cliff, overlooking the rough waves and distant sounds of approaching danger .
038. a road trip across country, music blaring through speakers .
039. a flower shop, filled with bouquets and a sweet aroma .
040. an airport in the early hours of the morning, deprived of sleep .
041. a train on its way to its destination, a sleeping passenger resting on a shoulder .
042. an abandoned shack filled with strange books of the occult and something mysterious bubbling on the stove .
043. an empty throne room, moonlight glimmering through tall windows .
044. an underwater tunnel in an aquarium, fish swimming overhead and sharks looming in the distance .
045. deep within unmarked cave located in the side of a mountain, lit only by a flare .
046. the dusty streets of a western town, watched by wary residents .
047. the back of a vast library, surrounded by books, when a black book falls from the highest shelf .
048. a room of an asylum, an abandoned camcorder left in the middle of the room .
049. the shores of an unknown beach, washed up from the ocean .
050. the deck of an unsteady ship, waves crashing against the haul and rain lashing down from dark clouds .
Whitewashing Lascaux, 2008. Leake Street Tunnel, Waterloo Station, London. Created for the Cans Festival, a 3-day street art street festival hosted and organized by Banksy in a tunnel under Waterloo Station.
Happy Choppers, 2002. Hoxton, London. Produced during the "Operation Enduring Freedom" campaign in Afghanistan.
Kissing Coppers, 2004. Originally in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, UK. In 2011, it was cut out and shipped to New York to be sold by art dealer Stephan Keszler at a 2014 auction in Miami for $575,000. A replica has replaced the original.
Sweeping it Under the Carpet, 2006. Hoxton, London where it appeared on the side of the White Cube Gallery, but has since been buffed.
Girl Searching Soldier, 2007. Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine. "Whilst the image is delightfully absurd, there is also a warning for Israeli occupying forces. One day, Banksy seems to be saying, our children will be investigating you for what you have done."
Police Sniper with Boy, 2007. Bristol, UK, but in 2012 was painted over with black paint and replaced by another work, the Queen as David Bowie, by a different street artist.
ATM Girl, 2007. Exmouth Market, Finsbury, London. Created a few months before the biggest financial crash since the 1930s.
Eavesdropping, 2014. Cheltenham, UK, a sleepy, conservative, quintessentially English market town in Gloucestershire, but just three miles away from the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).
Park, 2010. Downtown Los Angeles on the side of designer Tarina Tarantino's showroom a few blocks from the Los Angeles Theatre, painted just days before the premiere of Exit Through the Gift Shop at the Theatre.
Photographer Rat, 2005. Islington, London. "Rats are a good role model . . . they have no respect for the hierarchy of society and the have sex 50 times a day." -- Banksy.
Decorative art, street art, fine art, political cartoon, all four? Where's B**ksy?, an unauthorized selection of works by the infamous street artist by street art specialist Xavier Tapies published by Gingko Press in Berkeley, California in 2016, is the first survey of Banksy's art career from 2002 to 2016. Arranged chronologically, every period has a double-spread world map showing where each of the stencils was painted, what happened to the work (destroyed/sold/auctioned/still there) as well as a summary of the direction Banksy’s art took in that period.
There is Always Hope, 2002. East staircase leading up to Waterloo Bridge, Southbank, London.
do you know when we get intruced to each new 3dmv stages? i know all groups have 3 and slowly getting the 4th one but i cant find which mvs exactly a new one gets revealed
would you like a fresh, fun new dose of pain tonight
On Romeo (long post)
So way back in april, in the taiwan event they showed some material from what looks like early builds of the game. this is the still i want to talk about today
It's gepetto (romanized to "zepeto" here) asking if we've "killed the beast".
In the released version, we meet him outside in rosa isabelle street after the KOP fight. It looks as though he's even beside the same lamppost. There's no other similar scene of us meeting gepetto like this, so it's likely referring to the puppet king. (When we meet him on the bridge, he's seen that the donkey has been killed, so we wouldn't need to lie.) but the thing is, this question is a YES OR NO ANSWER, meaning one or the other would be a lie.
So maybe in the early versions of the game it was actually possible align with/spare the puppet king (and by extension romeo) and then lie to Geppetto about it. (I mean, it's possible that it's simply just lying about not killing him to G, and we couldn't spare him to begin with)
I think they realized that they couldn't possibly make such a narratively important boss fight optional and that story-wise it wasn't linear enough to work. The story as a whole is not nearly as effective without his loss.
TLDR: I'm speculating that that image was from an early version of the game, and Romeo could've actually lived but the devs made the hard call against this.
[It's also possible that they just made that image for the purposes of presentation, and that it doesn't mean anything, or that it's another beast entirely.]
But still, somehow it makes it the more tragic. *stares blankly into space.*
(bonus fun notes below)
In this IGN interview before release, Director Choi dropped a big hint about romeo here.
youtube
"Yes, this is the king of puppets. And we want to call him a character and not a monster, because he will be the centre of the story. So if you play more and discover more about him, you'll find out more about what he is and who he is."
the puppet king being lampwick was also inadvertently leaked by IGN in this video:
youtube
I don't think people unfamiliar with the story would know anything, but pinoheads definitely would've and did recognize what "romeo" alluded to
They kept Romeo's ENTIRE EXISTENCE a secret up until launch. During the roughly two years of promotions before release there was never any mention of Romeo before release. Zip, Nada, so much so that the budding fanbase was starting to assume that he wouldn't even be in the game. NO ONE saw it coming when we found out who exactly we killed. Developers did consider that people who had read the book would catch on to particular things, so, bravo neowiz
And here's the other ingenious thing - they showed us the "Mad Donkey" boss early on in the demo and NOW I'm starting to wonder if this was a deliberate play. Almost everyone assumed this was already the game's iteration of Lampwick, so Romeo came as a surprise, and I think the proceeding story reveals about who the King of Puppets truly was were very effective.
also.. it's extremely cute what they did with the character. Of course, Romeo is the canonical name of Lampwick in Pinocchio, but the name "Romeo" is also probably the most heavily associated with Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet (which also takes place in Italy, as does Pinocchio!). And then we meet him in a theatre, and he puts on a play for us before we fight. Romeo supposedly had an affinity for acting, as Carlo did with the piano (I have heard this around on reddit, I don't know where this originates from, please lmk if you've seen these lore items). But most of all, Romeo and Juliet is a deeply remembered tragedy - like Lampwick in collodi's pinocchio. They are two young boys who didn't get away.
(maybe all of this was so obvious to everyone else but i love it still haha)
Fun to revisit this stuff after release with new clarity.
[To Reiterate - All of this is just my speculation]
The Princess Royal’s Official Engagements in February 2024
01/02 Visited ReBoot (Moray Computer Recycling) in Forres. 🖥️
As Warden, opened the Queen Elizabeth II classrooms at Gordonstoun School. 🏫
Visited Lossie Community Hub at the Warehouse Theatre, in Lossiemouth. 🎭
Unofficial Sir Tim, as Chair of the Board of Trustees, attended the opening ceremony of the Zimingzhong 凝时聚珍: Clockwork Treasures from China's Forbidden City exhibition at the London Science Museum. 🐉🧧🕰️
03/02 With Sir Tim As Patron of the Scottish Rugby Union, attended the Six Nations Rugby Match between Wales and Scotland at Principality Stadium in Cardiff. 🏴🏴🏉
05/02 Visited Dressability Clothing Alterations Charity in Swindon, to mark its 25th Anniversary. 👗🪡🧵
As Commandant-in-Chief (Youth) of St John Ambulance, attended the dedication of a new Community Response Unit in Devizes, Wiltshire. 🚑
06/02 Held an Investiture at Windsor Castle. 🎖️
As Patron of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, attended the launch of Nottingham West Primary Care Network’s Interactive Group Therapy at Plumptre Hall. 🩺
As President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association Limited, visited GH Hurt and Son in Nottingham. 🪡
With Sir Tim As Royal Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, attended the announcement of the winner of The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering at the Science Museum in London. ⚙️🥂
07/02 As Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Logistic Corps, visited the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search Training Regiment at St George’s Barracks in Bicester. 💥
As President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, visited the Commission’s Headquarters in Maidenhead. 🪦
As Patron of Catch22, visited the Commissioned Rehabilitative Services at Community Links in London. 🔗
08/02 As Vice Patron of the British Horse Society, visited Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre in West London. 🐎
As President of the Royal Yachting Association, attended the Annual Luncheon at Trinity House in London. 🛥️🥪
09/02 In Wales, Princess Anne; 🏴
As Royal Patron of the National Coastwatch Institution, visited Worms Head Station in Rhossili, followed by a Reception at South Gower Sports Club in Scurlage. 🔎🍾
Visited Newport Medieval Ship. 🚢
Visited Newport Transporter Bridge which is undergoing maintenance. 🌉
10/02 With Sir Tim As Patron of the Scottish Rugby Union, attended the Six Nations Rugby Match between France and Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. 🇫🇷🏴🏉
12/02 As Patron of Swinfen Telemedicine, attended a Meeting at the Royal Society of Medicine. 💊
As Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, held a Dinner at Buckingham Palace. 🎓
13/02 Held an Investiture at Windsor Castle. 🎖️
As Master of the Corporation of Trinity House, chaired the Quarterly Meeting of the Court at Trinity House. 📆
14/02 As Royal Patron of the National Coastwatch Institution, visited Hengistbury Head Station near Bournemouth. 🌊
As Colonel-in-Chief of the Intelligence Corps, visited I Company at Hamworthy Barracks in Poole. 🕵️♀️
15/02 Visited the Ordnance Survey National Mapping Agency in Southampton. 🗺️
With Sir Tim Attended Evensong and the James Caird Society’s Dedication Service followed by a Reception in Westminster Abbey, to mark the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Sir Ernest Shackleton. 🔭🧭🇦🇶
16/02 Visited knife crime community group ‘Off the Streets’ North Northamptonshire in Wellingborough. 🚫🔪
20/02 As President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, visited Laxtons Limited in Baildon near Bradford. 🧶
As President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, visited Marton Mills in Otley, West Yorkshire. 🪡
21/02 In Doncaster, South Yorkshire, Princess Anne;
Visited Haith Group Vegetable Processing Machinery Company. 🥕🥦
As Patron of the Butler Trust, visited HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Doncaster. 🚓👮♀️
As Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Carmen, attended a Joint Services Awards Dinner at Painters’ Hall in London. 🍽️
22/01 Visited London South Bank Technical College and Lee Marley Academy. ✏️👷
As Patron of Save the Children UK, visited Mary’s Living and Giving Shop in Wandsworth. 👚
23/02 unofficial Departed Heathrow Airport for Namibia 🇬🇧✈️🇳🇦
24/02 unofficial Arrived at Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport in Namibia. ✈️🇳🇦
Representing The King, Princess Anne called upon Mrs Monica Geingos (widow of Dr Hage Geingob). 🖤
Unofficial Sir Tim represented Princess Anne, Patron of the Scottish Rugby Union, at the Six Nations Rugby Match between Scotland and England at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. 🏴🏴🏉
25/02 Representing The King, Princess Anne attended the Burial Service for Dr Hage Geingob at Heroes’ Acre. 🕊️
Later attended a State Luncheon given by The President of Namibia at State House. 🍽️
26/02 unofficial Arrived at Heathrow Airport from Namibia. 🇳🇦✈️🇬🇧
With Sir Tim Attended the British Horseracing Authority’s Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards at Ascot Racecourse. 🐎🏆
27/02 With Sir Tim Attended a Service of Thanksgiving for the late King Constantine II at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle with members of 🇬🇧, 🇬🇷, 🇩🇰 and 🇪🇸 royal families.
28/02 As Patron of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, attended the Emergency Medicine Trainees' Association Annual Conference at Hilton Newcastle Gateshead. 💉💊
As Royal Patron of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, attended a Rugby League Reception at Leeds Rhinos Rugby Club, in Headingley, Leeds. 🦽🏉
29/02 unofficial Departed from Heathrow Airport for the United Arab Emirates 🇬🇧✈️🇦🇪
Unofficial Sir Tim, as President of Never Such Innocence, attended a 10th anniversary celebration for the charity at Edinburgh Castle. 🏰
Total official engagements for Anne in February: 44
2024 total so far: 85
Total official engagements accompanied by Tim in February: 6
2024 total so far: 23
FYI - due to certain royal family members being off ill/in recovery I won’t be posting everyone’s engagement counts out of respect, I am continuing to count them and release the totals at the end of the year.
Yes, when I was in Durham, I went looking for Georgia and Rooney’s bridge from Loveless, based on clues from the text. Because yes, that novel was the only aroace representation I had found during my coming-out year, and it still wrecks me in a good way. And no, I don’t care if anyone thinks that’s silly. 😄
1) Across the Elvet bridge. So, east of St. John’s College.
2) Following the route from Elvet Riverside Lecture Hall, then the Sudent Union Building, then the Bill Bryson Library.
3) In a field by the river, “maybe a kilometre away.”
4) Following small, worn footpaths.
5) Near a bridge.
6) Rooney would have a path to the bridge from town.
That narrowed it down to this bridge, Maiden Castle Footbridge, built in 1974 and named after the remains of a fort that stood on the hill near the bridge.
(The other bridge roughly 1 km from the Bill Bryson library is reached by Church Street, which doesn’t have fields or small footpaths. And the run back—in Part 5—wouldn’t be “all the way along the river” since it’s only about 200-220 meters from the Elvet Bridge back up towards the Student Theatre which is up on the peninsula, with the Castle and Cathedral, and St. John’s College.)
Have you decided what your fav characters’ favorite plays are?
NO I'M TOO OVERWHELMED LMAO HELP!! Okay but here are some thoughts about what sort of theatre I think they enjoy:
Lestat: Obviously since he got his start doing commedia dell'arte I think he'll always have a soft spot in his heart for those old comedies. (Honestly, I think Lestat is one of the only vampires who enjoys "lowbrow" comedy and I love that for him.) The style of traveling street theatre Lestat would've been performing during his time as Lelio was largely improvisational, and though it moved into a more scripted form over time, I think Lestat is an improv queen. I also get all giddy and happy thinking about his reaction to the fact that commedia dell'arte is still performed today! Like, I did a production of Servant of Two Masters in college lmfao it's still viewed as one of the foundational tenants of theatre to this day and I think that would really tickle him.
He's also a Shakespeare fan but historically speaking we know Lestat would've had to have read French translations which of course weren't impossible to come by, but given all of Lestat's circumstances in his early life (poor, uneducated, etc) it's definitely worth noting that he would've had to have worked hard to get at Shakespeare. I think it's so funny that his favorite play in canon is Macbeth and that he sees himself as Macbeth, whereas Louis and Claudia totally saw him as Lady Macbeth (which is why I wrote a lil ficlet about it LOL)
Okay LASTLY I also just want to say I think Lestat loves loves LOOOOVE restoration comedy and the comedy of manners that was a little before his time but just really focused on like. Outrageous comedy and satire. Lestat likes to laugh, okay!! He loves Moliere just as much as he loves Shakespeare! Tartuffe and She Stoops to Conquer are definitely plays he can quote by heart.
Armand: Shakespeare, yes, but very specifically: Jacobean Revenge Tragedies. These were a lot darker, a lot more hardcore and angsty (as the title suggests!). One day I'll have to get Armandblr's input for some meta and psychological background as to why Armand would be obsessed with plays where the protagonist is wronged so egregiously that they go down a path of murder and (gruesome, often cannibalistic) bloodshed and rage-induced hysteria that ultimately ends in their own demise. But for now I'll just say that I feel it in my bones. I think he staged The Spanish Tragedy at least a few times at the Theatre des Vampires.
Also I think he'd definitely be into theatre of the absurd, especially in his Devil's Minion era! He goes through phases where he really leans into the existentialism and finds it amusing and thought-provoking, but sometimes it also majorly fucks him up (similar to Lestat)
Louis: He's a Romantic at heart, and certainly he loves the classics, but we've already been over Shakespeare so I'll say that I also think Louis has a soft spot for the American canon. Think Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Eugene O'Neill, etc. He's a modernist girlie, and I think those plays would be a good guiding light into understanding modern America for Louis. I think Louis often sees middle class America as a fascinating subject to study (rather than, like, a reality that real people live), and I think modernist plays are really good at toe-ing the line of like, being deeply humanizing and beautiful and tragic if done right, and also still being somewhat performative and maybe even a bit artificial and contained behind a fourth wall. I think that dichotomy would be fascinating to Louis. His favorites would be A View from the Bridge and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Marius: Unfortunately there are like 0 Roman tragedies that survived in writing, but we know that they existed and were actually slightly different than Greek tragedies in that the characters actually voiced more of their internal psychological conflict, and also apparently the playwrights were influenced by the development of new rhetorical theory, so a lot of the writing incorporated like public persuasion. So I do think Marius would've been into those but listen I also happen to know for a fact that Marius' favorite play is Shakespeare's Coriolanus. He told me himself. I just read over the wiki synopsis to refresh my memory and I'm losing my mind over this line: "The two tribunes condemn Coriolanus as a traitor for his words and order him to be banished. Coriolanus retorts that it is he who banishes Rome from his presence." like PLEASE that's so petty I love it. Real talk though Marius loves a good political drama and look I know I've brought up Shakespeare a lot in this post already but no one is doing it like him, especially with the Romans!!
From the QnA tag, my eyes immediately went to Tazin the theatre kid (can relate). Can you tell me a little more about this character?
Haha, it doesn't shouldn't surprise me that you'd be interested in Tazin "the theater kid" {REDACTED}, Golden! Sorry for taking a while to get to this ask, I've been busy!
(Aka I've been stubborn about trying to get to these in order, but was stuck on Ludmila's part of another ask...)
Before I begin, I figured I should clarify: Tazin's name is pronounced "tah-zeen"! I've received some questions on this in the past and I know it's unconventional, so.
Tazin {REDACTED} | aka "Svarog"
So, to begin with! Unlike most characters, Tazin's last name will never be given within these posts, haha. Not only does he purposely hide it/his family, but it's actually spoilers! His family's name appears within the story, and I definitely don't want to expose him early, haha.
The reason I call him "Tazin the theater kid" is because, predictably, he's an absolute theater kid. I mean, he's never been able to do participate in theater stuff because Glavnran (but especially Kavo, the town he grows up in) is way too poor and stuck in survival mode to be able to afford stuff like that. But, still! Just one glimpse at this kid and you'd see it.
I'll give you a few glimpses of an as-of-the-moment (and will be for a while) unpublished chapter narrated by him as a treat, haha.
It wasn’t normal for someone to be in the alley, of course. The only “decent” people to ever go there would be the pasidnyy—taking a shortcut in pursuit of a villain—or a person chasing something stolen by the wind. Why would you go through an alley when it put you at risk of running into a bolyui or some punk looking for trouble?
Well, Tazin was that punk. And bolyui weren’t real. They were just a scary story told to children to make them behave for adults.
(Note: bolyui are very real. The first and second chapters prove that much, and that they are utterly terrifying. He's just an arrogant kid who thinks he knows everything. /lh)
But some of {the "everyday people" on the streets} might’ve been pretenders, like him. Some of them might be out there with ominous motives—might even be working with the khonitva. Them, or the uzhar. Like him.
Except, he didn’t work with the uzhar anymore. He’d seen to that.
(This kid KILLS me, istg--)
This strategy never went wrong. Nope, nuh-uh.
A genius plan, of course. He’d come up with it, after all.
Worst case scenario, if he couldn’t lose his pursuers, he could just set another building on fire. That always distracted people. A kid goes in a building, then the building burns down. Nobody ever suspected that the kid made it out—much less that the fire was meant to cover his escape.
(If that seems unrealistic, it's because it is. The cops absolutely suspect the kid survived, especially since he's pulled that exact same stunt a few times. He just thinks he's getting away with it because he hasn't noticed anything and they're too busy putting out the fires/saving others to find him in or escaping from the site.)
But Tazin’s mind wasn’t on any of his strategies. Instead, he was thinking of the letter he’d left.
‘I left the uzhar,’ it’d begun.
‘I don’t care if you want me to stay with them, I QUIT!’ Tazin had written, aggressively underlining the word “quit.”
When he’d left the uzhar, he’d destroyed one of their hideouts. The recipient probably didn’t know that, but Tazin was sure that the uzhar had figured it out.
That, and the message he was trying to send by doing so. Fire was Tazin’s whole ‘thing’, after all.
‘They were horrible, just like YOU, and I hate both of you!’ he’d written, once again aggressively underlining the word “you” on top of using all caps.
‘So I’m not going back,’ Tazin had written.
Little did the recipient know that Tazin wouldn’t be able to go back even if he wanted to. He’d burned that bridge—almost literally—alongside their hideout.
That’s why he’d done it, after all.
‘And don’t expect me to come back to you, either,” Tazin had initially finished the letter with.
‘You’re no better than them.’
But then he’d crossed the two sentences out, running the charcoal over them so it’d be impossible for the recipient to read it.
As much as he wanted to hurt the recipient of his letter, he also hated the thought of it. And calling them “no better than the uzhar” would be too far.
If Tazin had told them that, they might’ve finally given up on Tazin completely. Left him alone. And, as much as Tazin tried telling himself otherwise, he didn’t want to be abandoned.
Not again.
So, instead of that, Tazin had replaced those lines with: ‘and tell Mom I’m NOT coming back and to STOP looking for me!!!’
THIS IS ALL FROM HIS INTRO CHAPTER BTW-- 🤣
That last "bit" (read: everything about the letter) is spaced out between paragraphs of action. He's thinking about it while doing other stuff. I think it's a great intro chapter in general that pretty solidly explains his character and a lot of his business, haha.
Then again, maybe I'm just flattering myself.
ANNNNYHOW! As you can probably tell, he's an absolute drama queen with horrible attachment issues. A little under a year before the start of the story, Tazin was kicked out of his home. His family later changed their minds and tried inviting him back, but he's stubbornly refused to return, leading to him being in the position he is at the start of the Arcane Rifts.
I don't know if it's clear from the snippet (overall it's not the biggest deal but I want to clarify), but the "recipient of the letter" isn't his dad, but someone who is/was closely associated with his family.
Overall, Tazin's genuinely a fun character to write (most of the time)! He's very overdramatic; his narration is condescending toward the reader, as though he's talking to them, because he sees his own life as a story where he's the tragic hero; and whether it's ironically or played straight, lots of people seem to find him pretty funny.
Which, hey, he'd love to hear that!
(Minus the ironically part... actually tbh young!Tazin would probably lash out at you if you told him you thought he was funny. Y'know, thinking you thought he needed the validation. Whoops.)
Like Gene, Tazin starts the story young. He's only nine at first (if you couldn't tell,,,) but progresses to fifteen by the end of book 1 (there's a lot of timeskips through Important Events as the kids age up. Trust me, I'm careful with the pacing though, haha).
But, uh... that definitely colors my perception of his character a little differently than I'm sure you guys will see him. For a long while, you'll only see him as a kid, where his more negative traits (arrogance, selfishness, refusal to admit if/when he's wrong, etc) are a lot more excusable and possibly even charming. But in my head, all I see is how that stuff carries over to Adult!Tazin (because he never gets better), and I like him a lot less because of that, haha.
On a similar note, feel free to check out the songs that represent him.
A little more relevantly! If it wasn't obvious enough already (or if you haven't stumbled upon me mentioning it before), Tazin is a fire mage and healer! Otherwise known as a sech and izsech respectively in their language. Both powers typically come from their fire god (which, out-of-universe, takes a lot of inspiration from Hestia), Rholvny.
Like most mages, Tazin has an affinity for his element... which has turned more into an obsession for him if you couldn't tell. I've mentioned before that his (actual, lowkey) obsession with arson is related to a traumatic incident in his past?
Tazin is a complicated character. As much as I (hate to hate and hate to) love him, his character arcs revolve around his family / abandonment issues; the many, many problems it caused him (he used to just be a brat, but now...); and his relationship with Gene.
The two--Gene and Tazin--grow up together supporting one another because nobody else will do so for them. Tazin faces discrimination for his arson his skin tone, being Jhandan (or Fantasy!Indian) in a xenophobic country, aaaand for his deeply problematic aggression issues. Gene, on the other hand, is disabled and autistic--and you betcha Glavnran is ableist and social darwinists, too!
On Tazin's end, their relationship is/was problematic for a few reasons. One, Gene is too timid to stand up to him, leading to Tazin's worse habits never getting corrected since he can get away with them. Two, Gene becomes an enabler for Tazin's worse traits because of their history together. Aaaand, three... while Gene sees Tazin as like a brother, Tazin develops romantic feelings for him by the end of the first book.
Yeah. There's just NO end to the problems there--
But I guess those are just some of the many tragedies associated with two kids raising themselves and each other! (Despite that, they're still cute to read the interactions of whenever Tazin isn't being toxic.)
And, of course, this is all stuff I tackle (even if only through implication) within the story!
I'm sure this all is only one of the many reasons tAR won't be the most popular of my stories. 😅😭
Sorry I got a good bit into Gene there! I don't know if you can tell, but the two are practically inseparable, and their dynamic with one another majorly shapes how they turn out! (For probably obvious reasons.)
Hope you enjoyed reading! I actually cut out a LOT of possible snippets for the sake of (nonexistent) brevity, haha. Feel free to reblog and/or tell me what you think! PS: I think I'm probably going to change Tazin's title to "the dramatic". Thoughts?
Tag list:
@honeybewrites @the-golden-comet @illarian-rambling @ashirisu @urnumber1star
Los Angeles landmarks featured in the dumb syndicated cop series LA Heat (1996-1997) include:
The State Theatre - 703 S. Broadway
Ireland's 32 - 13721 Burbank Blvd
Occidental Liquor - 2755 Beverly Blvd
The 2nd Street Tunnel and the 6th Street Bridge in DTLA
The LA General Medical Center - 2051 Marengo Street
Tony's on the Pier - Rendondo Beach
Carrying on from my previous post, here's another 2k-or-less-Drarry-smutlet from my recent Kinkuary.
Rated: E/nsfw
Tags: D/s, Dom Draco/sub Harry, cock rings, humiliation, blow jobs, facials, possessive Draco, pet names, Ministry of Magic, parties, Healer Harry, Lawyer Draco
In their relationship, Harry always does as he's told.
ao3 link here, or keep reading
🥀🎭🍾🖤
The Ministry cafeteria is abuzz with activity.
“I want you to wear this for me.”
From his pocket, Draco produces a thin, coiled strap of handsome brown leather.
He sets it on the table between his court documents and Harry’s lanyard from Mungo’s.
“Tonight,” he says as Harry quickly covers the strap with the palm of his hand, dragging it off the table to inspect it out of sight. It has a small brass buckle no larger than the tip of his thumb. It’s subtle, simplistic, fairly easy to hide, with the right fall of fabric.
“Underneath your dress robes,” Draco says.
“And this goes…”
Harry trails off and slips his finger under the buckle.
“Yes,” says Draco. “Put it on five minutes before you’re due onstage. No sooner. Okay?”
Harry’s cheeks bloom with heat. He fiddles with the frames of his glasses, adjusting them against the bridge of his nose, suddenly a bit slippy with sweat.
“Yes, okay,” he says softly, folding his fingers over the leather in his hand to conceal it completely.
Draco picks up his tea—black, with a slice of lemon—and sips it slowly. Beneath the table, he taps Harry’s shin with the toe of his smart black brogue.
“Good boy,” he says appraisingly.
-
Harry finds Draco at the bar.
“Well?” Draco asks.
He’s leaning casually against the bartop on one elbow, flute held loosely between dangling fingers adorned with delicate silver rings. His hair’s down for a change, the ends brushing his shoulders; the perfect picture of cool elegance.
“I’m wearing it,” Harry says, just loud enough for Draco to hear. “I put it on in the gent’s.” He turns his back against the bar and points his eyes straight ahead. The room is full of the most important people in British Wixen society, each of them getting drunker and drunker as the hours drag on. The hospital’s donations hang in the balance of what Harry does onstage in the next five minutes.
“Are you nervous?” Draco asks with a twist of a smirk.
Harry laughs roughly, accepting the glass of champagne Draco presses into his hand. He takes a sip.
“About what, exactly?”
Draco’s hand lingers and he slips his ring finger subtly beneath the hem of Harry’s jacket to touch the buttons of his dress shirt. He sidles closer, his mouth inches from Harry’s ear, his breath hot.
“Your speech?”
Harry suppresses a shudder and peers into his glass, bubbles melting against his tongue, sweet and sharp and strong.
“That’s old hat now,” he says. “I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, then.” Draco slips his finger through a gap between Harry’s buttons, gently scraping the edge of his short, neatly manicured nail against Harry’s stomach. Heat immediately floods to Harry’s prick and he bites the inside of his lip to stop himself from moaning out loud.
“Are you nervous about being hard in front of all these people?” Draco asks him hotly. “And not being able to do anything about it?”
Harry swallows. “No."
Draco hums. “You’re so good for me.” He drops his hand from Harry’s chest. “You’ll meet me outside after. Immediately.”
“Yes.”
A soft whisper, “Do you belong to me, Harry?”
A returning breath, “Yes.”
Harry spares Draco a quick glance. His grey eyes are alight, his cheeks rose-pink.
Draco presses a single, gentle kiss to the corner of Harry’s lips. “Break a leg, darling.”
-
When Harry stumbles out of the theatre and onto the quiet cobbled street, he’s gasping for air, gulping great big lungfuls of the stuff.
It’s freezing.
Draco is waiting for him on the corner, fingering the face of his antique pocket watch that he slips into the pocket of his heavy winter coat when Harry approaches.
“How long’s it been?” Harry asks, sweat prickling his temples, his skin suddenly taking on a chill. He shivers, and Draco lifts the edge of his cloak, pulling Harry into it.
Harry groans, dropping his forehead against Draco’s collar, his cock hard and leaking and so fucking sensitive where it presses to Draco’s hip.
And with a ripple of magic and a tug of gravity, they’re gone.
-
The old grandfather clock tick-tocks to the rhythm of Harry’s heart, currently roaring in his ears as Draco undresses him.
Draco slides each article of clothing off with care, his touches slow and caressing as he slips off Harry’s shoes one by one, his socks, his robes, shirt, belt, trousers.
His pants come off next, and Draco gets on his knees on the expensive rug to do it, both of them standing in the heart of their bedroom and surrounded by what must be two dozen candles Draco had set alight with magic as soon as they made it upstairs.
Draco is careful. He pulls Harry’s underwear off slowly, stretching the waistband so it doesn’t rub against the sensitive head of Harry’s cock.
The leather strap is buckled tight, wrapped around the shaft of Harry’s prick, tucked under his balls.
Draco hums appreciatively, slipping the tip of his finger up and down the length of Harry’s cock, his skin tight and hot.
“Where would you like to put it, darling?” Draco slides his hands over Harry’s bare thighs, cupping his arse and slowly pulling his cheeks apart to pet at his dry hole. “Would you like me to ride it? Swallow it?”
Harry’s eyelids flutter, and he touches the top of Draco’s head, dizzy with want.
“Mouth,” he says roughly.
Draco’s fingers dig harder against Harry’s buttocks. “Hm?”
“Please,” Harry says.
“That’s a good boy,” Draco says, slurring the words, sticking out his tongue and lapping upwards from the leather-strapped base of Harry’s cock to the tip, sucking him back down into the wet bliss of his mouth.
Harry whimpers. "Please." He chokes on a moan as Draco wriggles the tip of his index finger inside him. He’s sweating, shaking, his vision going blurry. He puts a hand on top of Draco’s head for balance. “Please, Draco—I feel… I feel faint… please…”
Draco cups his fingers beneath Harry’s balls, now throbbing in pain, in pleasure, and he slowly unbuckles the strap of leather to set Harry free, all while pressing the flat of his tongue to the underside of Harry’s prick.
Harry’s orgasm is explosive. He shudders, falling forward, shooting hard and hot from the tip of his dick in thick spurts that splash onto Draco’s tongue, his lips, his cheek.
Draco laughs, a low sound, and nuzzles his face in against Harry’s hip, sucking a mark into his skin.
He drops the strap to the floor, hugging his arms protectively around Harry’s waist as Harry slumps forward, boneless.
“Let’s take care of me now, hm?” Draco asks.
Harry nods his obedience.
-
Later, in bed, sweating and thoroughly shagged out, Harry rolls close to Draco and fits himself in against his narrow chest.
He used to hate this.
Not Draco with his arms around him—never that. But his own… neediness. His deep desire for approval, for affection and attention.
That is, until he discovered Draco’s deep desire to offer it.
Draco laces their fingers together.
“You were so good tonight,” he says quietly, kissing the top of Harry’s head. “Everyone loved you.”
“Do you love me?” Harry asks him, a whisper.
Draco’s eyes darken and he tightens his arm around Harry’s shoulders, pulling him closer still. He presses a soft kiss to Harry’s lips, hands sliding possessively over Harry’s back. “More than anyone ever could, my darling,” he says, and Harry believes him.
Tobias Menzies in New York City. A world-class adaptation of a dark Danish parable for our times. THE HUNT opened on the Brooklyn waterfront, straight from rehearsals in London's @almeida_theatre.
Director @rupertgoold and Emmy Award-winner Tobias Menzies reunite for this modern-day parable and thriller.
St. Ann's Warehouse - Brooklyn Bridge Park | 45 Water Street, dumbo - BKLYN
#TheHuntSAW started on 16th February 2024 @stannswarehouse
#TobiasMenzies
@imahalfemptykindofgirl That encounter was fantastic!. I'm glad you got to meet him in person. Did you not recognise his voice at that moment? Tobias is a charming man, very different from what some people may think. Moreover, the most important thing is he is a superb actor who is fully dedicated to his profession. I saw The Hunt at the Almeida Theatre in London, and it was incredibly well done. Tobias truly immerses himself in his character, and the production is also superbly crafted.
The new building looks interesting. I read that the walls of St. Ann’s Warehouse were originally, built in 1860 when it was a tobacco warehouse.