book-reviews | fairyprincessdiaries

The Fairy Princess has admittedly been spending time on the clock app to get her messages out, and she has not been blogging.

Ok, Ok, Ok!

She’s had a lot on her plate. However since we in America are rolling the clock waaaay back to the 1600’s in terms of rights for everyone, and allowing billionaires free range within a house that was built by Black Americans, and since she expects we shall all be speaking Russian soon, while simultaneously being told we are NOT speaking Russian – she figured she would get back to writing.

Why? Well, frankly – when President Biden was in office, TFP did not have a concern. He was a man who had a great team of people around him, who were interested in improving lives coming out of a global pandemic. This is not the case with current man in the office, nor his under-educated minions who are making their personal cruelty, national policy.

Which is a direct challenge to Artists of all kinds.

Therefore TFP will be joining the fight like Mulan’s father, reluctantly, knowing it is her duty, but possibly she might fall on her ass because of an old injury. She has the blood of Irish protesters in her, and she is not afraid – even though perhaps she should be.

So let it be said, so let it be done.

However, before that – she has 4 – 3 she is directly moderating and curated – panels at BroadwayCon that should be heard. She will live stream them on her Instagram for those who are geographically unable to be there – and her ‘handle’ on the Insta is: @erinquill (She is also going to try and live stream on the Official Erin Quill FB page – but she only has one phone, so it depends on her “Asst” for the day)

The first panel is on Saturday Feb 8 @ 4:30pm

On Sunday Feb. 9 at 12pm

TFP will be talking with today’s hottest Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Playwrights and a Director about what it takes to get a piece to New York.

She will be talking with Director Ralph B. Peńa, and Playwrights Lisa Sanaye Dring (Sumo), Rehana Lew Mirza (Bhangin’ it) and Philip W. Chung (My Man Kono).

On SUNDAY FEB 9 at 12 noon

SUNDAY FEB 9 at 2pm

She will be joining the PUPPETRY ON BROADWAY panel, probably because they FELT (get it) she might have experience in this area….

However TFP finds Puppeteers delightful so…

And finally, on Sunday Feb 9 at 3:15pm

GONE TOO SOON: Talking with Cast Members and a Producer of TAMMY FAYE, SWEPT AWAY & LEMPIKA –

Panney Wei (Producer, Lempika) Natalie Joy Johnson (Lempika), Autum Hurlbert (Tammy Faye), Nick Bailey (Tammy Faye), Rico Le Bron (Swept Away), Robert Pendilla (Swept Away)

As TFP said, she will try to live stream as much as she can, on the panels she is ‘in charge of’ – she has no idea about the Puppetry panel, and what will be allowed.

So that will be that, for February.

After BwayCon, TFP returns to teaching and directing and all the things – carrying copies of her ‘papers’ around in case she gets detained by authority figures who do not know what a mixed race American citizen looks like – because after all, they detained 3 American citizens who were simply speaking in Spanish...however, here is what she wants to say.

The cruelty that has been demonstrated in January IS the point.

The overload of ‘us’ having to fight EVERY day for the rights of our Trans friends and family IS the point.

The questioning of Americans in a bombastic way by people who have been imbued with authority and weapons IS the point.

Scaring children – specifically brown children, but all children of color – is the point.

The taking away of birthright citizenship is the point.

“Revenge investigations’ are the point – and do you know why?

All because people did not care to vote. Close to 90 MILLION Americans of voting eligible age did not vote. Not registered voters- people who were eligible to register and vote, they did not bother to.

Forget MAGA and the hard core racists that enabled his limited win – it wasn’t ‘them’ that allowed the win – and yes, TFP said ‘allowed’.

It was the people who actively did not choose to vote that enabled this hell that we have only begun to live through.

It was people who voted for Jill Stein – who never appears during the intervening years but who always mysteriously pops up right before a close election so people’s morals can vote, even though they know we have a two party system and third party voting throws away their actual chance to make a difference.

It was people who, it must be said, told folks to NOT vote for Ms Harris for a variety of reasons that mean nothing now as we all ‘find out’ together how truly awful it can be.

Now, does TFP – having looked at footage of speeches where it seems there was…shenanigans – think that this was a ‘true’ win?

She does not have enough factual evidence to say for sure…however there have been moments where she has seen footage that seems to suggest trickery in reporting results.

She is pretty sure the Orange said ‘someone’ who invests in companies and takes credit for the work done, like he’s some sort of genius rather than an illegal immigrant himself (arriving on a student visa and then not attending school) – yes, he said he had ‘help’ in a public forum, but even with that ‘confession; no one it seems, is launching an investigation into that.

Because there is a convicted felon in the White House.

Regardless – we can keep our personal peace and still refuse to be intimidated by these blowhards. It is possible, and that is what TFP is going to try and do.

She may not always be successful. She may have bad days once in a while, but then she will gather her ovaries around her and get back up again – because to cow us ALL into accepting this utter chaos will not begin with her.

A few things before we go –

Congratulations to Pulitzer Prize Nominee, Performance Artist Kristina Wong on her ENGAGEMENT – may you have a long and happy life together with tons of health insurance!

Congratulations to Zach Piser on being in previews for his latest show on Broadway, playing Spencer in REDWOOD, a new musical alongside Idina Menzel.

Directed by Tina Landau – may it have a long and happy run.

We are going to move forward, we are going to see theater – we are going to go and see SUMO at The Public Theater and My Man Kono at Pan Asian Rep – we are going to advocate for one another because that is the path forward – the only one that leads us forward. We are going to go out in the neighborhood and turn GOP seats to blue and take back the House and eventually the Senate.

Sit back and listen to some show tunes if you get discouraged…it helps.

WE are going to do that, because no one person can do it alone.

You voted because you wanted the best for all of us, and you thought America was ready for the Lawyer who has always performed with distinction and dignity, but you did not realize how deep misogyny and racism lay in this country?

Well, TFP too.

She is tired too.

But she is going to keep on keeping on – and as they say in SUFFS – Keep marching.

TFP out.

The Fairy Princess watched the world reel from the announcement that Crazy Rich Asians, the rom-com film that was the top money making rom com of all time, is being turned into a musical. This is what she pictures as some of the reactions, take it away Momoa...

She was already familiar and has been keeping silent for several years now, because….if it is not your secret to tell, even if you are excited about it – that is what you do.

That being said, congratulations to Director of the film, and now the musical, John M. Chu, Book writer, Leah Nanako Winkler, Composer Helen Park, with lyrics by Amanda Green and Tat Tong. The creative team at Warner Brothers headed up by Mark Kaufman, has had several properties on The Broadway already – Beetlejuice, The Notebook, Back to the Future, Water for Elephants – and this will be a great addition.

When it gets here.

We do not know when, no details have been released – however no, it is unlikely that Henry Golding will be tap dancing through Singapore via Broadway. #Sorryboutit.

However TFP is delighted, and knew as soon as she read the novel by Kevin Kwan, that it would make a fantastic musical.

Next up – SUFFS and LEMPIKA made their Broadway bows this past week – just before the TONY Award deadline and male critics are….well, they are male-ing.

Everything about these two shows seem to be a chore for these reviewers, and the biggest issue is – not enough male gaze. Even if there are men in the cast – as with Lempika, the critics just cannot seem to wrap their thoughts about anyone caring enough about, gasp, a WOMAN, to stay engaged for about two hours and change.

Likewise with SUFFS, while grudgingly acknowledging that Shaina Taub has all the facets that make her equivalent in accomplishment to Lin Mañuel Miranda, their reviews seem overly picky and biased. The male reviews of SUFFS is the equivalent to writing “I would just enjoy it if they would smile more‘ – which of course, is entirely not the point of the women’s suffrage movement.

TFP saw this when white males went to review KPOP last year and effectively closed it, and she has seen it in other shows of the past. Anything that does not center a Cis male gaze, they just cannot ‘see’ value in the production – and it is time for Publicists and productions and papers to stand up and say, “No, we would like a different critic’s to review this production” instead of blindly accepting whoever the paper sends.

There needs to be a ‘4B’ kind of relationship with the theater criticism community – they do NOT have to, nor should they feel compelled to give positive reviews. However, they can figure out ways to phrase things that are not very reminiscent of a stereotypical archetype of a certain kind of white male, hmmm?

Lysistrata should be required reading.

Requesting a different critic not mean that female identifying critics, and by extension, reviewers of the Global Majority, are ‘less harsh’ or ‘less demanding’ of shows – far to the contrary. What it does mean is that reviewers of different backgrounds can take themselves and their egos out of the review and explain what the critical points are, put it into context, and deliver reviews that encompass all the things the show has to offer – without a lot of rancor. They can seemingly critique without making their review seem like the show is an affront to all things theatrical and should be done away FORTHWITH!

It is a lot to read these things – and the worst is, these are the reviewers for the biggest outlets – so even on a “what do the critics say’ article, the male reviewers have the first several slots – and by the time you read so much of blowhard hubris, you assume the show is not worth seeing. The female and Global Majority critics seem to be way down on the list – however if you read them, you soon discover there is a much less emotional, chest pounding way to read about theater, that is equally effective.

Because women, and People of the Global Majority are not allowed to have temper tantrums in print lest they be labeled ‘difficult’.

All TFP cares about is a review that lets her know if the show has good songs, a good story, and fantastic performances – that’s it. She realizes that this could be perceived as something actors have had to deal with their entire careers – the, ‘we didn’t ask for your opinions, just entertain us’ kind of thing – but that isn’t it at all. She just wants the male critics to understand that some theater – just is not for ‘them’ – and that – is allowed.

Keep watching WARRIOR and THE BROTHERS SUN and SHOGUN, Folks – all your clicks make a difference – and on all of them, in slightly varying genres, have some stellar performances, we are awash with riches.

TFP out.

BroadwayCon Panels – you asked, we are serving …

Let’s all be as Crazy and as Rich as we want – also, can Male reviewers just stop already?

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories

Meta