Categories
Musings

T.S. Elliot – Ash Wednesday I

Because I do not hope to turn again
Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to turn
Desiring this man’s gift and that man’s scope
I no longer strive to strive towards such things
(Why should the aged eagle stretch its wings?)
Why should I mourn
The vanished power of the usual reign?

Because I do not hope to know again
The infirm glory of the positive hour
Because I do not think
Because I know I shall not know
The one veritable transitory power
Because I cannot drink
There, where trees flower, and springs flow, for there is nothing again

Because I know that time is always time
And place is always and only place
And what is actual is actual only for one time
And only for one place
I rejoice that things are as they are and
I renounce the blessed face
And renounce the voice
Because I cannot hope to turn again
Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something
Upon which to rejoice

And pray to God to have mercy upon us
And pray that I may forget
These matters that with myself I too much discuss
Too much explain
Because I do not hope to turn again
Let these words answer
For what is done, not to be done again
May the judgement not be too heavy upon us

Because these wings are no longer wings to fly
But merely vans to beat the air
The air which is now thoroughly small and dry
Smaller and dryer than the will
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still.

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.

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This is officially my favourite poem at the moment.
It’s so lovely & so thought-provoking.
I love how T.S. Elliot words his poems.
No expert on poems but this just seems to captivate me.

Categories
Review Theatre 中文

完美女人

第一次看赖声川. 严格上来说,这不算是戏, 是相声剧. 相声这百年, 甚至几千年的中国传统艺术, 在当下的社会, 几乎完全没落. 新加坡会说相声的么几个. 至从华亮过世后, 能登大雅之堂的相声演员, 也许连一只手都算得完. 在台湾至少有几个公众人物如侯委员等给他撑着, 让这门艺术不至于完全没落. 可是赖声川的这出相声剧简直是另外一种境界. 以戏剧的形式说相声, 以非传统的方式迎接传统, 以摩登的手法带起古老的文化. “表坊” 的相声剧也许就是相声这门艺术所需要的一种冲剂, 一种鼓舞, 一种升华.‘这一夜, women 说相声’ 延续了相声的特质 — 幽默的批评, 批判. 第一段, ‘骂街妇’ 天南地北骂了流行音乐的周杰伦, 何耀珊到政府各个部门独立运作, 毫无联系到社会的动乱不安. 听得观众掌声不断, 笑声不绝, 简直乐开了怀.

‘大姨妈’ 直入我们女性的心里. 以我们常用来比喻月经的代名词作为主题, 道出我们对她的感受. 来的时候不停地怨恨, 不停地烦恼. 不来的时候又紧张兮兮, 生怕自己身体出问题. 到最后永远不来又十分思念. 这是何等有趣, 无奈又可笑.

其他各个段子对于我们女性的种种课题作了十分深入的研讨; 如 ‘立可肥’ 中不停减肥带来的困扰. ‘我自己’ 中对婚姻失败的感受. ‘恋爱病’ 中对恋爱的另一种看法, 与我们息息相关, 简直就是我们的心声.

又再一次佩服赖声川的本事及方芳的才华. 赖声川的剧本永远让人回味无穷, 看过之后会细细咀嚼思考回忆个数天, 每天都有可能发现一些新的东西. 每天都有可能有另一种想法, 另一种感受.

赖声川, 请继续加油.

Categories
Review Theatre

Dangerous Liaisons

Watched Dangerous Liaisons by Toy Factory on Sat night.

What can I say. The show was, in my opinion, not very up to the standard of the original play itself. Plus, having watched the movie version by Glenn Close & John Malkovich, the theatre version is really very much too obvious and rather bland. I feel that Beatrice has put too much emphasis on the sexual part and lost the inuancies and intricacies of the plot and dialogue. Mark & Andrea, I feel, had not brought out the struggle of the characters, which made their final decisions and actions not clear on the motives. But one thing which is really captivating is the performance of Tan Kheng Hua. Although I felt that she could have done more and kept more subtlety instead of showing too much emotions in her voice and posture, overall she was much better than the other two leads.

Mota’s costume was breathtaking. I heard from Shiyun that he can make very good costume with very low budget. Which basically means mainly DIY. Imagine hand-sewing all the costumes.. My goodness. I wish I had some pictures to show but too bad I don’t.

Kudos to Boon Teck’s set too, though its not as good as Mad Phoenix, it’s better than many many many other set designers’ works.