#anna bradley

[triviareads]

ARC Review of Give the Devil His Duke by Anna Bradley

Summary:

Francesca Stanhope is content with being a wallflower during her one and only season. She does not count on catching the attention of Giles, the Duke of Basingstoke, nor the ton at large. Giles is all but engaged to Francesca's cousin Susannah, in a bid to lessen the decades-long hostility between the two families. The machinations of a gossip columnist force them to come to a détente for Susannah and his sister's sake, but what they don't count on is the mutual attraction growing between them.

My review:

I LOVED this book! Loved it. It's my first by Anna Bradley and I will definitely be reading more of her. Let me get into what worked for me:

First the characters: Francesca was a perfect combination of world-weary and innocent. Life dealt her a hard hand, but she's determined to push through, somehow. A scrappy gal, if you will. She doesn't automatically give into society's demands, nor Giles's for that matter (but not in a bratty way, if that makes sense? Like, girlie has her pride and is just trying to get by). So when she successfully blackmails her terrible uncle, you can't help but applaud, you know?

Giles is kind of a bitch in the beginning but it works because you know exactly where he's coming from: he's so hot and blond and a duke so nobody's ever said no to him. You see that start to change (or his better angels are revealed) as he interacts more with Francesca, and his final weeks-long grovel (yes! there is a grovel— an excellent grovel) cements that change.

The plot was tight and well-done. Francesca just wants to get through the season, and maybe reconnect with her estranged cousin, but the gossip columnist and the gossip that the ton circulates about Francesca and Giles messes with that. What's interesting is that Giles faces a lot of social consequences (potential and real) because of the fickleness of the ton, even if typically, I'd be inclined to assume the man would get off easier than the woman. This might be attributed to Giles's late father being The Worst (it's implied he sexually assaulted Francesca's mother, and then he killed Fran's father in a duel afterwards), and the entire ton knew it. Ultimately, Circumstances get so out of hand Giles asks Francesca to marry him, and the final portion of the plot concerns them having to navigate a marriage that was proposed to mitigate rumors, but it's a delicate thing because they have very real feelings for one another.

Let me take this opportunity to scream about the chemistry. THE CHEMISTRY. It's there. It's EXCELLENT. Because Giles is a slutty slutty hero, he's obviously deeply aware of Francesca right off the bat, even while he's technically almost engaged to her cousin (but that adds to the forbidden-ness of it all, right?). However, what I loved was that Francesca was equally aware of Giles, even when she went through various periods of dislike for him. She fixates on his mouth a lot. She has vague sex dreams. SPEAKING of sex dreams—

The sex:

Fabulous. Very hot. Because of their natural chemistry right off the bat, even in tender scenes, like when Francesca runs out during a musicale and Giles comforts her, there's this layer of sexual awareness present, which makes for very promising follow-through.

And there is great follow-through. Reading Giles and Francesca crack after just a couple days apart and unable to contain themselves was great. Same for their wedding night and perhaps most importantly, during make-up sex.

I think this is one of those situations where what makes the sex good isn't the wildness of the sex acts, but it genuinely comes down to two people you get the sense are constantly, deeply aware of one another, and constantly want to fuck, even when they're on the outs.

Overall:

I would strongly recommend this book for literally every HR reader. On the surface, it seems like a standard ballroom romance, and it is, to a degree. But it's the characters and their arcs that really make the book special, along with the natural chemistry (have I said this word too many times? ah well.) between Francesca and Giles that manifests itself in the dialogue, in their actions, in the sex, etc. Go read this asap.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

“Fell in Love with an Earl”, by Anna Bradley

I read this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review RELEASE DATE - Dec13, 2022 4/5 Stars

The sudden passing of his beloved wife left Adrian, Earl of Hawke, so broken that after the year of mourning he fled to London and sook refuge in debauchery, visiting his twin sons only every few months at a time.

Two years later Adrian finds himself at the core of a scandal with a very prominent woman and therefore he goes back to his estate until the rumors die down. There, at his estate, he finds out that he has no connection whatsoever with his sons who are now six years of age, he also discovers that he has a governess who finally has his sons under her command. This young woman whose name is Helena and a growing litter of cats will help him make amends with his past mistakes, reconnect with his twins repairing the broken bonds between them and, in the process, find love again in the arms of this beautiful and determined governess who managed to tame her three men with kindness.

“Fell in Love With an Earl”, by Anna Bradley, is a very beautiful and sweet Regency Christmas romance. In it Adrian and Helena have their chance at love and life. They start off with the wrong foot but for the sake of the children and thanks to their forced proximity they warm up to each other and slowly but surely they go from a forbidden attraction to a life together as a family. It is a book full of the season’s spirit, full of joy despite the grief that Adrian needs to overcome, and full of cats and mistletoe.

Reading stories written by Anna Bradley is like coming back home to my blankets and my hot coffee in a cold day. Hers are such sweet love stories and so heartwarming that they’re perfect for when I feel under the weather. I simply love her.

[okiedreamsreviews]

Pre-Order Damned If I Duke by Anna Bradley

PRE-ORDER DAMNED IF I DUKE  A DROP DEAD DUKES NOVEL If you are anything like me, you are probably counting down the days until the Colin and Penelope season 3 premiere of Bridgerton on Netflix (May 16 for Part 1/June 13 for Part 2). Which means, also like me, you are probably scouring the internet for books with a similar vibe to them. Well, here’s a book you can pre-order that comes out on March…

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Give the Devil His Duke by Anna Bradley

Drop Dead Dukes #1

Who knew that pink could become the favorite color of a duke? Or that a woman who said no instead of yes would intrigue him? Or that his plans to redeem the family name would happen…but not quite as he planned?

What I liked:

* Lady Francesca “Franny” Stanhope: only child of a mother ruined under questionable circumstances and father who was a duke till killed in a duel to avenge his wife, loving daughter, abandoned by relatives, living poorly in the country, offered a season by Mrs. Crump, has a plan to save her mother

* Giles Drew, duke of Basingstoke: hedonist, well thought of, rather full of himself, good friend, loves his mother and three sisters, a bit clueless, surprised more than once by Franny, grew a great deal in the story, liked him more at the end than beginning of the story

* Mrs. Crump and the pink dresses

* The plot, pacing, setting, and conclusion

* Meeting Dukes Montford and Gratham who will probably star in the next two books of the series

* Franny’s spirited personality, strength, and willingness to achieve her goals…would love to have her as a friend

* Watching the relationship develop between Giles and Franny

* Giles mother and sisters

* Knowing that there will be two more books to look forward to

What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to

* Knowing that sometimes relatives can be as evil as Giles father and Franny’s uncle and aunt

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

BLURB

Set against the Bridgerton-era backdrop of Regency London, Anna Bradley’s witty and sexy new trilogy sets fiercely alpha dukes against the duchesses who are determined to transform their delinquent husbands by any means necessary. One should never judge a duke by his cover. As far as London society knows, Giles Drew, the Duke of Basingstoke, is everything a proper aristocrat ought to be. But when a notorious scandal sheet publishes details of Giles’s questionable bedroom antics, only one bride can salvage his reputation. Prim and penniless, Francesca Stanhope has resigned herself to a season full of the ton’s snickering—until the Duke of Basingstoke’s dizzying courtship transforms her fate. Yet wedded bliss quickly turns into a clash of wills as Franny realizes her handsome duke is a devil in disguise. But beneath the newlywed’s skirmishes lies scorching heat. And while each attempts to tame the other, the truth is that this unconventional union may be all either could ever desire . . .

[bradleyjsource]

MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE (2016–2019) 2.02 Standing Alone

[eleancrvances]

HELLO!!!

(from _broadwayitalia_ on instagram)

[marleneoftheopera]

Official photos from the Italian production!

[fangirling-tussisque-noncaelatur]

Phoenix: Never have I ever...been in handcuffs.

Hangman: *drinks*

Everyone: *stares at him*

Fanboy and Payback: What?!

Coyote: Jake?

Hangman: *grins*

Bob: Being arrested?

Hangman: That wasn't the question.

Hangman: *winks at Rooster*

Rooster: *blushes furiously*

[annathesillyfriend]

I'm almost on time this month! Congratulations to me 😅Hope you're all having a great time. May your June be warm, sunny and just so happy 😌

To all the writers - I love you and I appreciate you so much!

To all the readers - please, share the fics you read and love. The reblog really makes the change! It’s the least we can do to show our gratitude.

Also, please, mind the writers’ warnings!

🌼JAVY 'COYOTE' MACHADO🌼

tastes like stawberries and watermelon sugar by @callsign-joyride

↳ two-shot, 18+, is it hot in here or is it just these fics 🥵

worry, my love by @uselsshuman

↳ one-shot, wife!reader, i'd kill him if he scared me like that but maybe that's just me 😅

bad liar by @inklore

↳ one-shot, 18+, seresin!reader, i am unwell just thinking about this fic, rereading it now made me want to choke myself <3

🌼ROBERT 'BOB' FLOYD🌼

chatterbox by @waklman

↳ one-shot, 18+, don't know what's hotter - the gif at the beginning or the fic itself

lovesick by @sebsxphia

↳ one-shot, 18+, i am so normal about this :))))))))))))))))

foggy by @sushiwriterhere

↳ one-shot, 18+, i am so gone for this man it's not even funny anymore

hands by @foreverrandomwritings

↳ one-shot, 18+, i am a simple woman, i see man's hands, i go a little silly

clover club by @ohtobeleah

↳ one-shot, my heart 😭😭😭

happy birthday, mr. president by @rhettabbotts

↳ one-shot, 18+, president!bob x wife!reader, no better way to celebrate a birthday than defiling government property 😌

this fic by @tropes-and-tales

↳ one-shot, 18+, i've read this so many time i almost know every word by heart

team prime by @//tropes-and-tales

↳ series, we love idiots in love <3

the best day of your life by @startrekfangirl2233-writes

↳ one-shot, the only thing more perfect than robert floyd is robert floyd as a dad

killing me softly by @wkndwlff

↳ one-shot, hangman who??? i only know bob <33

🌼BRADLEY 'ROOSTER' BRADSHAW🌼

given the circumstances (part 1) by @greenorangevioletgrass

↳ one-shot, 18+, i think we all how what a simp i am for Ava's work by now

feels like by @lovableapocalypse

↳ one-shot, pilot!reader, i love this 🥺🥺

worth my while by @pasukiyo

↳ one-shot, 18+, this fic is so gonna make it worth your while

doctor doctor, gimme the news by @tongue-like-a-razor

↳ one-shot, rooster can be a pain in the ass but at least he's cute

vampires by @siempre-bucky

↳ one-shot, vampire!bradley according to his kid 🦇

rescue me by @beccaanne814

↳ one-shot, 18+, excuse me for a second, i just need to yell into a void real quick

something to talk about by @roosterforme

↳ one-shot, am i a slut for Emily's work? yes and proud of it 😎

remember you even when i don't by @beyondthesefourwalls

↳ series, wife!reader, what an amazing story, i could not stop reading!

🌼JAKE 'HANGMAN' SERESIN🌼

the little moments in life by @seresinsweetie

↳ one-shot, 18+, husnad!jake, if you need some angst, this one's for you

a morning work out by @tip-top-cloud-surfer

↳ one-shot, dad!jake, i want this to be my life so bad

commander by @thewulf

↳ one-shot, some good old fluff, we love to see it 🙌

roughing it up by @//ohtobeleah

↳ one-shot, 18+, jake x reader x bradley, this is so hot i don't have the words

into you by @starlightstories

↳ one-shot, nothing better than a little angst and idiots in love 😌

come back to me by @roostette

↳ one-shot, i want jake seresin to wreck my life

fruits of my labor by @roosterbruiser

↳ one-shot, 18+, beautiful story 💕

tipsy revelations by @bradshawed

↳ one-shot, i'm just SHSHHSHSHSHSHSH

1pink light by @sushiwriterhere

↳ one-shot, buckle up and get your tissues out

flight suit aphrodisiac by @//beyoundthesefourwalls

↳ one-shot, 18+, i am salivating thinking about that bloody suit 🤤🤤

🌼MICKEY 'FANBOY' GARCIA🌼

continental breakfast by @ohtobeleah

↳ one-shot, 18+, wife!reader, this is just sick honestly

🌼STEVE HARRINGTON🌼

dress by @underoossss

↳ one-shot, i will read every fic inspired by tswift's song, this is my life mission

hits different (cause it's you) by @munsonsreputation

↳ one-shot, idiots in love is the superior trope!

this fic by @sunshinesteviee

↳ one-shot, dad!steve is just so 😫

question on my lips by @stevebabey

↳ one-shot, PERFECTION 👏

constellations by @loveshotzz

↳ one-shot, 18+, just the sweetest thing 😌

this fic by @lovebugism

↳ one-shot, 😫😫 <- me after reading this

happy mother's day, steve harrington by @roanniom

↳ one-shot, 18+, that man makes me so feral 😫

i couldn't be more in love by @ch3rrytales

↳ one-shot, 18+, i love angsty stories a little to much for my own good and sanity

we got love by @superblysubpar

↳ one-shot, modern!au, man, i just love love

🌼EDDIE MUNSON🌼

pretty eyes by @myfictionaldreams

↳ one-shot, 18+, best friends to lovers, loved this so very much!!!

the kids are alright by @two-red-lungs

↳ one-shot, SO CUTE!!!

unbelievable by @whoahoney

↳ one-shot, friends to lovers, great fic 🥰

🌼PETER PARKER🌼

angle unaware by @silkscream

↳ one-shot, 18+ silk!reader, friends to lovers, angst, slowburn, idiots in love, all my favourite thing basically

🌼BUCKY BARNES🌼

be(tter) in reality with me by @t-lostinworlds

↳ one-shot, husband!bucky x pregnant!reader, T's fics are always god tier so 💁‍♀️💁‍♀️

🌼STEVE ROGERS🌼

new year, new steve by @real-jane

↳ one-shot, 18+, Kate is a legend forever and always 👏👏

🌼BENEDICT BRIDGERTON🌼

all the love (under the mistletoe) by @seasonsbloom

↳ one-shot, modern!au, friends to lovers, a lovely christmas story at the brink of summer was just what i needed

🌼JAMES POTTER🌼

cherry flavoured by @lunestella

↳ one-shot, friends to lovers, you don't understand how much i love this fic!!

��RHETT ABBOTT🌼

bitches can’t even measure up to my boots by @peachystenbrough

↳ one-shot, 18+, caution: hot content 🥵

[blazeofnight]

PotO Italy (Trieste) review - Act 1

Disclaimer: I apologize in advance if I sound a bit defensive, but honestly, the amount of badmouthing the show is getting based on a few unofficial pictures and videos is astonishing and it gets old quickly (but I admit some of the memes are gold and I am enjoying them).

I have not seen other replica productions in full, only pictures, but I have seen the West End production in March. I do consider using Broadway/West End/replica productions as the one and true standard to judge non-replicas unfair in general, but I think it's fair to use them as a comparison to try and understand how these changes affect character dynamics and stuff like that, and to help in trying to understand the reasoning behind the choices made.

My visual memory is VERY poor, so if you've seen the show too and notice I remember something wrong please tell me so I can correct it!

This is almost 5000 words long, so please make sure you want to read it before clicking in the read more. Also please forgive any typos.

The one for Act 2 is here.

THE LOCATION

Il Rossetti was built in 1878 and is typical of the time, with a large stalls area on a gentle slope surrounded by open boxes, and two rows of balconies. During modern renovations they "opened" the boxes at the back to extend the stalls area, and these last rows are raised and angled to give you a better view of the stage. I have to say it is a good compromise to make an older structure more suited to modern audiences.

The interior is painted a rich lapislazuli blue with cream and gold trim, and the domed ceiling has some nice painted clouds. They have installed small lights that resemble constellations, the effect is very nice and they had the good idea of using it during Masquerade to great effect!

The foyer is also very nice, and there is a bar with good spritz at an affordable price.

We were seated in the second row of the raised stalls area, on the right side, and the view was great. Of course some details and expressions were lost, but unless you are aiming for a close and personal experience, it's a good view. There are some columns as you can see in the picture, bu they are thin and don't really obstruct the view in a significant way.

The audio control station was at the back of stalls, too, on the centre right (next to where I was seated), this meant there was a bit of light coming from them but it was low enough to not be a distraction.

I personally found the music to be a bit too high at times compared to the singers' voices, but it's something I think every time I see a live musical and when listening to the audios I take the voices are perfectly clear, so it's likely it's just me having some audio processing issue. The orchestra is 16 instruments, so reduced from the original but it still sounds nice.

There were subtitles! Two screens at the side of the stage with Italian subtitles, and also an app you can download on your phone for subtitles in English, Italian and German. I saw some folks using the app nearby and it looked like it was well synchronized, also since it was white subtitles on a black background the light was not really an inconvenience.

I saw the afternoon show on June 8th.

OVERTURE

The auction scene is pretty similar to the standard, the only difference is the attendants are seated with their backs to the public. Old Raoul is seated in the row closest to the audience, and he turns towards the monkey for his lines so we can see him in profile. The auctioneer activates a big lever switch on the wall to light up the chandelier, which raises over the centre of the stage instead of the audience.

Let's address this immediately: yes, the chandelier is smaller. It still looks nice, and if you're someone who never saw the show seeing it rise and move around is still a very good effect to open the musical with! The flashes of the chandelier's lights turning on and off at the beginning of the overture were timed to the music, which is a nice touch.

A cool idea that I think could use being improved was having the crash accident be replayed in reverse and slow motion during the chandelier rise! The idea is cool, and by using strong white back lighting it looks almost in black and white, reinforcing the idea of a flashback. BUT. This was done, I suspect, because during the chandelier crash you don't really see Christine and the other actors standing below it, which means that if you don't already know what happens it risks being confusing.

I think it could be easily be solved by having the auctioneer add a couple of lines when talking about the accident to make clearer that's what we are looking at and helping people who have never seen the show before connect the dots. It is a cool scene though! This is where the rotating stage-in-the-stage is used for the first time, and you get to see Buquet laughing maniacally while holding the fake lasso, dangling from a metal stair on the "back" of the stage.

HANNIBAL

We transition into the Hannibal rehearsals! I liked the ensemble costumes, they did remind me of actual early '900 opera costumes and the teal+gold combo is nice. Also, a couple of the soldier extras were ensemble actors wearing their regular suits with capes, fake armour and helmets on top of it, I loved it because sometimes rehearsals are just like that!

Image credit, via cdaae

Anna Corvino is a delightful Carlotta, her fake Italian accent is a delight and I loved how she incorporated some stilted acting that is very typical of early '900 Italian opera. It's a small detail but a very nice bonus for opera aficionados. You could really feel her exasperation when the background drop accident happened, overall she felt arrogant but not as entitled as other actresses I've seen in the role.

Piangi (Gian Luca Pasolini) arrives on a litter and stomps on a ballet girl (who understandably yelped loudly) when dismounting, I liked this detail to show he's a bit clumsy. The litter is also used instead of the elephant at the end, with Pinagi getting on it and the bottom giving out comically. Piangi was also suitably snarky towards Reyer in the Rome/Roma bit, and he did say "Amateurs!" while leaving with Carlotta.

Monsieur Lefèvre was dressed in a snazzy cream suit and he was quite funny, his anxiousness in leaving the theatre behind was palpable from the beginning and the little pause before changing topic when André and Firmin ask him why he's leaving was perfectly timed.

Ear Carpenter is clearly having the time of his life as André, and Ian Mowat is a suitably snarky Firmin with a likeable practical, no-nonsense attitude.

A special note for Rober Ediogu, the male dancer in this production: the scene was a bit cramped, but his grace and elegance are absolutely undeniable and he really gave the vibes of a consummate professional who has Seen Things while working at the Opera.

When Meg (Zoe Nochi) suggests Christine (Amelia Milo) for the main role, she physically pushes Christine to centre stage rather forcefully! Megstine fans will be happy to know this Meg is definitely the proud founder of the "Christine is awesome" fan club.

I agree that the Elissa costume could use a bit more oomph, but it was not bad at all. I think adding some vertical decoration to the skirt in a dark gold tone or big fake jewels would elevate it without making it feel too busy, but under stage lights it looks sufficiently nice and the teal fabric has a lovely shine to it that doesn't feel cheap.

An interesting change is that Reyer does not appear! You hear him speaking from a small orchestra pit on stage, and the actors are similarly looking at it, but he's not seen so you have this extremely annoyed voice coming from the depths of the stage.

THINK OF ME

If you were wondering if Amelia Milo can sing: yes she does, and quite well! In this song it's noticeable that her upper register could use being a bit stronger, but she's still quite young and I trust her voice will mature beautifully, Right now it has a very light, airy quality to it, very angelic. She can and does put more force behind it when needed later in the musical, but I think it suits this song beautifully. You really get why she gets to be a replacement on the spot!

The rotating stage is used again, this time with better lighting, and we get our boy Raoul (Bradley Jaden) being adorable and fangirling over Christine. For those interested in the brava/bravi discussion, Bradley says "Brava".

I don't have much more to say about this scene, I admit it isn't one of my favourites so I tend to get a bit distracted and just listen to the song.

Image credit, via cdaae

ANGEL OF MUSIC

Christine's room is extremely essential: one of the short sides of the rotating stage has been decorated with wallpaper and the mirror, hanging above Christine's vanity and chair. It is very simple but it works and the vanity has a nice lived-in feel to it. Christine has a nice white nightgown that looks similar to the original one, probably in plainer fabric but I wasn't close enough to notice. It's white, it has flounces, it's pretty, so close enough for me!

This is a very Megstine moment, they stand very close and touch a lot and Meg sounds genuinely worried but also happy for her friend. The vocals were very nice and I think Amelia really nails the hypnotized/transfixed aspect of Christine towards the Angel/Phantom, she had some great expression in this song.

Image credit, via cdaae

There is no Madame Giry (Alice Mistroni) rebuking the dancers for being sloppy before this scene, so when she comes to pick up Meg it feels more as if she's purposefully making it so Christine is alone. Meg leaves quite upset, stomping her feet and yelling "Rehearsals, rehearsals, ALWAYS REHEARSALS!" which I found quite funny.

LITTLE LOTTE

No managers bit, Raoul just arrives while Christine is reading. It took me a while to warm up to Bradley's Raoul but I ended up liking him a lot! He's going for a more adult portrayal, still enthusiastic and loving but a bit more level-headed. In this scene he's clearly leaning more into the enthusiastic side and it's a very nice and sweet interaction.

It is very clear that the memories he has with Christine are very dear to him. In this production it's Raoul who says "Those picnics in the attic" and he had a super tender, fond expression that was just the best. Just a very sweet scene overall, I really enjoyed it.

THE MIRROR

Oh boy, I loved this part! Christine had a suitable mix of awe and fear, the Phantom sounded extremely angry, almost growling "My triumph", and then becoming soothing and welcoming after seeing Christine's scared reaction.

Do you remember how the mirror is ABOVE Christine's vanity? It means that when the Phantom appears, he is literally towering over her (especially since Christine is kneeling on the floor), it makes for a very imposing entrance! The mirror is a bit opaque so when it comes up and suddenly you see the bright red of the cloak's lining it is a very nice effect. Christine has to climb on the chair and table to reach the Phantom, and then they disappear in the darkness, almost engulfed by it. It was all very pretty to watch and made for a great first impression of the Phantom.

Image credit, via cdaae

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

Ok, onto the bad part. Unfortunately, they didn't find a way to give something to do to the characters in this scene. The scene is quite dark, they cross the stage, then get out of a door and cross it again, disappear for a bit and reappear on a box on the upper level of the fake stage and sing there for a while, then a catwalk is lowered and they walk on it, then a very short boat ride. No candles, they used a holographic fake flame effect for the boat ride that resembled will-o'-the-wisp fires burning just on the "surface", and while I liked the idea it could be implemented better.

They definitely have to find a way to make this feel more like a descent into a dungeon, cave, whatever, and better effects to transmit the otherworldliness that Christine perceives. As it is now, it just doesn't work.

ETA: I forgot to mention, a lot of folks remarked how this song sounds played faster than usual. I suspect it might be because as I said they don't really know how to keep the actors busy, so shaving off 20 seconds or so is good for them. This is just a guess, though.

THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT

This has a lot of issues, too. The set is pretty sparse: the boat on the left, the pipe organ at the centre, and the Phantom's bed on the right, plus a nice background suggesting the passages and mazes that lead to the lair. I think a more gothic-looking bed and a couple more props could complete it nicely, but not too bad.

Unfortunately, once again they have to find stuff to do for the actors. The piece starts with the Phantom sitting at the organ and Christine standing a bit far away, looking at him. This isn't bad per se, it gives you the impression that Christine is trying to get a feel for the situation and what's going on and it makes sense, but... it goes on for too long. It becomes boring, the worst crime for a musical.

FINALLY he gets up and Christine starts getting nearer, they kinda circle each other and then the Phantom blows a candle in Christine's face after "Only then can you belong to me" and suddenly we're back to a more traditional choreography with the classical embrace pose. I really don't like it because it's pretty clear from watching that the candle blowing makes Christine suddenly change her attitude and behaviour and... it makes me think of a roofie, sorry. She's suddenly less scared, more agreeable, and at the end she loses consciousness. Nope nope NOPE.

On the good side, when Christine faints we get the catch and carry! All that crossfit Ramin is doing paid out! The Phantom gently lays Christine on the bed and covers her with her cloak, despite the unfortunate implications of what happens just before it is a sweet moment.

In general, Ramin played the Phantom as very gentle in this scene, you get the feeling of a genuine care and not wanting to scare Christine (magid drug candle apart). It reminded me a bit of the book, where the Phantom kidnaps Christine with the idea of having her spend a month or so with her, and then when she's got to know him reveal her his face because by then she knows him as a person and he hopes she'll stay by her own will.

Despite the issues, this scene got a BIG applause because Ramin did display an awesome vocal control, since his voice is on the warmer side I think it's a song that suits him a lot.

I REMEMBER/STRANGER THAN YOU DREAMT IT

In this version, the Phantom is aware of Christine being there and he lets her touch him, which makes the unmasking feel even more as a betrayal of sorts.

There is no Mandarin robe and no crawl, but the scene is suitably pathetic nonetheless. The Phantom is angry at the beginning, but it quickly turns more into a kind of sad resignation. I was really hit by the delivery of "now you cannot ever be free", it didn't sound like a threat but more like a sad realization that Christine has sealed her fate and thing will not go the way the Phantom hoped for. Immediately after that, the pleading in "fear can turn to love" is honestly heartbreaking. You get the feeling that he's trying to reach Christine, to make her understand, through the pain he's feeling.

At one point Christine falls on the floor, petrified, and scuttles away when the Phantom tries to get nearer, she does keep her distance a bit longer than I expected but then when the Phantom crumples on the floor she gets closer and tries to return the mask. the Phantom turns towards her, reaching out, but at the last moment turns away saying "No", and then gets the mask back while looking away from Christine.

The "come, we must return" bit is softer than I expected, too. He's clearly upset but tries not to show it and does not manhandle Christine, guiding her offstage gently.

Very pathetic, lots of self-loathing, 8.5/10 but only because there's no crawl, otherwise it'd be a solid 9 despite the staging.

MAGICAL LASSO

Man, this Buquet (Matt Bond) is unhinged! He clearly loves scaring the dancers, he has a WONDERFUL manic laugh. Madame Giry is her usual scary, ominous self. I did not mention it yet, but one of the high points of this production is the lightning. They use it quite effectively, especially to set the mood, and in this scene it was fantastically gothic and doomy. It's a short scene but it worked well to remind us that we are in a story with gothic elements, people will die, etc.

NOTES I/PRIMA DONNA

The rotating stage is slightly ajar, so you can see Meg finding a noose in box 5 (which in this production is at ground level) and playing with it during the scene before joining the others for her part. This means that a part of the stage is occupied by the fake stage, so unfortunately there's less space for the actors to move around.

This is just a minor quibble, everyone is very good in this scene with the usual amount of funny moments, over-the-top reactions, Raoul not understanding a thing, etc., Piangi was very supportive of Carlotta, Anna Corvino hits some very nice notes, the usual.

Carlotta's dress was way less snazzy than the original productions, but it did look nice (a dark-ish green with very dark velvet trimming) and fit well, also the train did take up a lot of space which fits the character and her large ego.

I loved that when André says "your public needs you" there is a longer beat than usual with Firmin saying nothing, then Carlotta turns towards him with a "weeell?" expression, and only then does Firmin rushedly say "we need you, too" with ZERO emotion, it was great! He was so DONE.

I also loved how they ended it: everyone went on the stage while it was slowly turning towards the public, ending up in the usual line facing the public and with the stage lights completely open, giving the impression they all really just stepped on the Opera's stage. It worked very well and did give me a beautiful moment of immersion and a reminder that the Opera, too is a character of sorts.

IL MUTO

I liked the staging! Overall it's slightly over the top, and the dresses are less glitzy, but the Rococò meringue-like look is still there and it works well. There is no bed but some decadent couches and ottomans instead, the background is on fabric with a big window showing a balcony and a nice garden. When the husband fakes his leave, he gets out of the door and behind the background where the window is, and then they change the lighting so it looks like he's standing on the balcony. It's simple but it adds some nice physical depth to the scene.

They do take a page from the movie here: when the performance gets interrupted by the Phantom Carlotta calls for her seamstress (with a super loud "SARTAAAAH!" we all enjoyed), who appears with a big perfume-like glass bottle and sprays Carlotta in the mouth, then everything resumes. Instead of croaking, Carlotta is more gasping for air as if her voice isn't coming out at all.

You can see the managers sitting in their box (there's no madame Firmin here) and André enjoying a nice bottle of wine, when Carlotta runs away in shame he jumps on the stage and does his bit as if tipsy and not 100% "there". I can see why Earl wanted to play the role, he's clearly suited to slapstick comedy and enjoying every moment of it!

So, André jumps in without a plan but knowing he has to do something, then he turns and sees they have a full house.. and no Countess... He manages to salvage the situation, mostly thanks to Firming feeding him suggestions from the box (I could clearly see him mouthing "ballet ballet BALLET!"), there's the usual ensuing confusion and then the male dancer LIFTS André to move him out of the way, while he's looking completely and utterly lost. It's great.

The dancers are not wearing separate outfits, just the "standard" white tutus. This is a clever way to have one less set of costumes to make, since they have moved up the ballet all of a sudden it makes sense for the dancer to not have changed yet, they probably were doing warmups and the like.

Instead of the Phantom shadows, we get the Phantom swinging wildly twice from one side of the stage to the other while laughing maniacally. It does work, because the third time it's the hanged Buquet that swings in instead, so when you see the rope for the third time your brain needs a second to register that this time something's different. My only complaint is that Ramin is clearly having a lot of fun and so his laugh isn't the most menacing xD

The scene ends the usual way, with more confusion, screams, Firmin trying to calm down the audience, and Christine and Raoul escaping to the roof.

WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT ME HERE?

For this scene a walkway gets lowered to represent the roof, you can see the beams below which is nice. The background is a bit too dark and you can't really see it clearly, I think it's meant to show a dark night sky and the Paris skyline but it really is too dark to see what it should be, which makes it hard to understand they're on the roof. I hope they change it because it's the one blemish in an otherwise really nice scene. Christine has no special dress or cape for this scene, if I remember correctly she's wearing her Il Muto clothes + the nightgown but the rooftop scene had a lot of more interesting stuff to notice so I might be wrong.

Amelia really makes you feel how what just happened plus the kidnapping plus the revelation that her Angel of Music is a murderous weirdo is hitting Christine like a ton of bricks. She sounds so anguished at times! But luckily Raoul is there to help, which leads us to...

ALL I ASK OF YOU

Ok so, this is where this production starts to REALLY diverge character-wise. Are you ready? (Trigger warning: discussion of suicide, and mention of depression, if this might upset you please skip to the next song)

So, this song is no longer a lovey-dovey 4-minute long "I love you!" "I love you more!". It's Raoul talking Christine down from attempting suicide by jumping off the rooftop.

During the previous number, Christine grows more and more distressed, especially after hearing the Pahntom's "Christine", and she ends up at the very edge of the roof, clearly debating if it'd be better to jump. Why? you might be wondering. My theory is a mix of her getting depressed after her father's death and now having that final connection to her father severed, plus feeling responsible for Buquet's death. I did come out of this musical thinking that, the way it is in this production, the Phantom works excellently as a physical representation of Christine's depression. More about that later.

Raoul notices what's going on and backs off a little, giving Christine space. He sits on the edge of the roof, still giving her space but within arm's reach. Meanwhile, Christine has barely moved. She's standing on the edge, her shoulders hunched, hugging herself spasmodically, her hands white, her face turned down looking at her feet, or maybe at the pavement many, many floors below.

And Raoul starts the song, but now it hits differently. This time he's telling a girl feeling alone, depressed and suicidal that he'll be there for her, that he'll do what he can to make her feel safe, that he'll turn away the darkness. Not just the Phantom's darkness, but depression, too. He's seeing her at her lowest and saying "I still care for you, I still love you". Especially since at this point Raoul isn't really sold on the whole "the Phantom of the opera is real" thing, so from his point of view the real issue is Christine's depression, not a magical man in a cape.

And this gets through to Christine, and slowly, timidly, she starts to answer. "Turn my head with talk of summertime", she asks. Show me that there is a future filled with light instead of darkness for me, that I can get better, that I can live without this fear. Tell me that your promises are true, tell me that you'll stay at my side even when things get difficult and ugly, like now.

Yeah, it really got to me. This song is when I forgave this production (almost) everything.

When Christine starts singing, she's still completely still. She really looks like a statue, it's impressive the amount of anguish and desperation she projects by just being so still as if rooted in place, closed off to the world. Then, she slooowly starts to break her pose, first by looking at Raoul, who extends her a hand and... after a few seconds, she takes it and goes to sit beside him. She gets more animated as the song progresses, they hug, then the big kiss at the end.

I just realized as I was writing, this scene parallels Christine giving the Phantom his mask back, even the positions of the one offering help (Christine/Raoul) are the same as the one who has to accept it (the Phantom/Christine). It might be a coincidence, but I hope not because it would be beautiful. Where the Phantom rejects Christine's hand and help at first and accepts only to get up, close off completely and be separated from Christine, here Christine is much happier to receive help and this then leads to her and Raoul getting closer both physically and emotionally.

So everything's well, they lived happily ever after, etc., right? Right?

ALL I ASK OF YOU (REPRISE)

Ah, yes, the Phantom's turn to break our hearts.

The rooftop raises, revealing that just below where Christine and Raoul had their loving moment there's the chandelier... and the Phantom upon it. As he's singing he gets down from it, stumbles among the rooftop beams, and finally collapses on the floor holding his head in his hands when Christine and Raoul's happy voices echo in the distance. It's a very nice Phantom's breakdown, very vulnerable despite him having just killed a person. It really makes you feel sorry for him despite the situation (of his own making) he's in.

He then gets back to the chandelier, the roof rises again and the chandelier with it, the chandelier catches fire (well, not actual fire, it's a nice red smoke effect), the lightning changes to a nightmarish red, and you suddenly realize that there are red LEDs all around the stage's frame that are lighting up and making everything even more oppressive and quite infernal. The Phantom saws away at the chandelier's rope, until it comes crashing down.

Yes, the crash is less impressive than in the original. Yes, it's less clear exactly what is happening (I mean, that it's falling down on the Il Muto's bows). It's still a nice effect, the chandelier swings down towards the orchestra while the lights go on and off. If you've never seen the original, I think it can still make an impression.

I also think that this is less of a focal point for this production. For me, at least, AIAOY stole the show and in general, the emotional twists and developments were the real star of the show. It feels more like the chandelier's crash is there because it has to be, both for plot and marketing reasons.

Overall, the first act started a bit rocky, the two "big" songs have some major issues that need to be addressed, but once they got the characters going it picked up steam quickly. At intermission I was already feeling I got my ticket's worth back, to be honest.

I am working on part two, which covers the second act, the actors' performances, and some general/final thoughts. It'll be longer than this one, so I'll need at least a couple more days to finish it.

[triviareads]

ok but it's kinda false advertising if a book says it's for fans of Julia Quinn and Ella Quinn, but then proceeds to start chapter 3 right in the middle of a foursome, right?

[pollyssecretlibrary]

“The Virgin Who Captured a Viscount”, by Anna Bradley

I read an ARC from Netgalley and here's my honest review

3 STARS

I have read and loved quite a few of Anna Bradley’s books in the past and I did like this one. However it has issues for me that made me, not dislike it, but a little bit bored. I loved the characters, the story was ok and the love story was beautiful when it starts growing. The problem is that the pace is a bit slow and unbalanced, the first half of the book was a bit tiresome to read, but the rest picked up and started to go at a more acceptable pace. The love story is almost inexistent until that second half although the tropes were set from the start: friends to enemies to lovers, There was only one bed, childhood friends, forced proximity. There was nothing unlovable in the story, it was just what I said, the pace. Sometimes it was a bit of a struggle to keep reading and that has never happened to me before, not with Anna Bradley. There was no excitement or eagerness for me to go on reading but then the second half was good, very good, but not enough to make me forget about the rest of it. Also even though I loved them separately as characters I felt no chemistry between Daniel and Mairi, and they are the story… I mean, there are a few little scenes with other characters but the book is mostly them alone, and to me their friendship worked very well, them as a couple, not so much.

[kwebtv]

The New Adventures of Robin Hood - TNT (S 1-2) / Syndicated (S 3-4) - January 13, 1997 - December 13, 1998

Action / Adventure (52 episodes)

Running Time: 60 minutes

Stars:

 Matthew Porretta as Robin Hood  (seasons 1–2)

John Bradley as Robin Hood  (seasons 3–4)

Anna Galvin as Lary Marion Fitzwalter (season 1)

Barbara Griffin as Lady Marion Fitzwalter (seasons 2–4)

Richard Ashton as Little John

Warwick Davis as Big John

Martyn Ellis as Friar Tuck

Christopher Lee as Olwyn

Hakim Alston as Kemal

Andrew Bicknell as Prince John

Christie Lee Woods as Rowena

Hélène Cardona as Marjorie

[autismtrait]

gang's all together, catching up! apparently Anna is married now??

[tuppencetrinkets]

The Power of the Doctor, Sorted Caps

David Bradley - 1st Doctor - 454

Peter Davison - 5th Doctor - 398

Colin Baker - 6th Doctor - 362

Sylvestor McCoy - 7th Doctor - 394

Paul McGann - 8th Doctor - 523

David Tennatn - 10th Doctor - 478

Jodie Whittaker - 13th Doctor - 19.526

Sophie Aldred - Ace - 5.808

Anna Andersen - Alexandra - 627

John Bishop - Dan - 1,650

Jo Martin - Fugitive Doctor - 822

Bradley Walsh - Graham - 1,281

William Russell - Ian - 172

Katy Manning - Jo - 27

Jemma Redgrave - Kate - 3,845

Sacha Dhawan - The Master - 12,091

Bonnie Langford - Mel - 202

Richard Dempsey - Nicholas - 645

Janet Fielding - Tegan - 5,616

Jacob Anderson - Vin - 2,512

Mandip Gill - Yasin - 14,140

This content is free for anyone to use or edit however you like; if you care to throw a dollar or two my way for time, effort, storage fees etc you are more than welcome to do so via my PAYPAL.  Please like or reblog this post if you have found it useful or are downloading the content within.  If you have any questions or you have any problems with the links or find any inconsistencies in the content, etc. please feel free to drop me a politely worded message via my ASKBOX  (second icon from the top on my theme!)      

[hangmanbrainrot]

Sieeee I’m so sorry for the brainfart I’m sharing but I can’t stop thinking about the Daggers with a partner who has opposite personalities as them. Hangman with a major introvert? Bob with a major extrovert? Rooster with…Idk I’m too tired to think of who could be opposite Rooster

Do with this what you will, I just wanted to share it with someone 😭

MY DARLING ANNA, pls never apologize. I love you & your mind. Always share any and every thought with me.

Okay, so here is about to be my first attempt at writing hc's! Talk to me nice. <3 I wrote these with gn pronouns.

the dagger squad & their partners

Bradley

I feel like Bradley is a textbook definition of an ambivert; that or he's social when he strictly needs to be. Otherwise, he's content not to be the star of the show or the person with the loudest laugh in the room. This makes him able to be incredibly adaptable to his partner's needs, no matter what their personality type is like. Quiet, shy, reserved partner? He's at home with them, catching up on the show they've been waiting weeks to binge together because he's finally home and making sure they have a ton of snacks. Outgoing, super gregarious and affable partner? He's helping them play the role of the perfect host, mingling at the many holidays and parties hosted at their shared home, and practically fucking dazzling every at every social outing.

Reuben

He gives me major life of the party vibes, for sure. Bradley and Jake were squabbling like an old married couple and he didn't have any trouble being like 'anyway.' So, for as much as I love Reuben, I feel like he'd struggle the most with a partner who was opposite from him in terms of personality! He would absolutely, fully commit to the bit, drag them out of their shell, kicking and screaming. He's belting out along with the radio in the grocery store and making everyone laugh, he's the fun uncle who dresses up in a Santa costume for the kids, like Reuben just seems so fun and larger than life, to me. His person, 100%, has got to match his energy.

Natasha

I don't know how else to say this besides she's just so fucking cool, man. People perceive her as standoffish, I think, but I'd rather think of her as observant. So, Natasha is likely, like Bradley, very much an ambivert. Though, instead of electing to find a partner who's opposite of herself, I think Natasha would prefer to be with someone who, like her, can match the energy of a room. Much more than that, Natasha's partner has to be smart as a whip and really able to keep up with some healthy banter. I think having to shoulder a conversation on her back with her potential person would be super irritating for her; she likes someone who can keep up. No matter what their personality type, they've gotta be able to keep Nat on her toes.

Javy

Being best friends with Jake has sort of equipped Javy to be able to deal with every sort of personality type, so Javy is another person who I think is often perceived as a little more reserved, but absolutely isn't. He's just used to his little green-eyed Ken doll friend making a spectacle of himself, is all. Javy is absolutely the kind of person who can have fun with his person in a museum, whispering commentary on what they saw, as to not interrupt the other patrons, and making note of specific works to discuss later over coffee, but also down for karaoke in a sweaty, crowded bar, just to profess his love for his partner in a room full of people he's never met but that absolutely need to know how special they are.

Mickey

Mickey is literal sunshine personified. I believe this completely. Like, he was very much well-liked in school, class president, had a ton of different friends. I feel like Mickey has an uncanny ability to make any and everyone like him, no matter what their differences are. He just gives me that FEELING. So I feel like Mickey would end up in a sunshine x sunshine protector dynamic with his partner, in which said partner is maybe a little rough around the edges but will threaten harm to anyone who dares try to dim the light of their Mickey. This is one of my favorite ship dynamics and it suits Mickey so well.

Jake

He's not quite pushy, but he's definitely leaning on his partner to open up a little bit and be a little more sociable. Like, he's a real "take them dancing and show off some flashy moves" type, but only so everybody can see how absolutely captivating his person is, and how lucky he is to have them on his arm. Despite how big and loud his personality can be, I think he'd definitely be the type to respect his partner's limits; he'd be so in tune with them that he'd know when they've had their fill of social interaction and be ready to spend some quality time curled up on the couch, especially when he knows this is their preference. But, if Jake is with someone whose personality is bigger than his? They're absolutely always trying to playfully one-up each other, and see who can be more endearingly, ridiculously annoying or boisterous. I imagine Jake with a partner whose personality is similar to his is just on level 500 energy-wise, and they're always laughing together.

Bob

My secret hc is that Bob is only shy with the Daggers because he doesn't know them like that, oops! So, his partner fully expects someone shy and, he is but like only for the first few weeks of dating. After that, I think Bob would start to reveal his true personality, which is like singing full-throated in the kitchen while making his person breakfast and striking up conversations with fellow patrons in the Starbucks line (but like in the least obtrusive, least annoying way possible). Bob has such a soothing aura and vibe that people just feel like they can trust him and strike up small talk with him in public spaces. With this in mind, I think his ideal partner is already fairly extroverted, but they're completely shocked by his 180 once they're out of the 'getting to know you' phase.