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The Conical Glass

February 2006

About:

Sue Trowbridge lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the co-owner of an independent record label, 125 Records, and web diva of interbridge.com.
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Human Rights Campaign

2.27.06 High/Low

I can't be sure, of course, but I believe I was probably the only person in the Bay Area yesterday who watched "Flavor of Love" and then attended an Ibsen play. (Yes, I must reluctantly admit that I am addicted to perhaps the most trashtastic reality TV show ever. What can I say—Joe was out of town for a few days when VH1 happened to be airing a marathon. It was a weak moment.)

Anyway, Henrik Ibsen's "The Master Builder," currently playing at Berkeley's Aurora Theatre through March 12, is obviously leagues away from a TV show about a middle-aged rapper trying to find his true love (or at least a few weeks of fun and publicity) from a crop of 20, er, "classy" ladies. But "Builder" is by no means stuffy. It's got a lot of the elements of reality TV, actually: long-buried secrets! deception! love triangles! hubris! (No hot tubs and champagne toasts, though.)

In a new translation by Paul Walsh, who adapted "A Doll's House" for ACT a couple years ago, "Builder" is trimmed down to two acts and less than two hours. James Carpenter plays the title character, Halvard Solness, a 50-ish man at the peak of his professional life who is terrified of being usurped by the younger generation. He even feels compelled to romance his bookkeeper, Kaja, whose fiancé, Ragnar, also works for him; Halvard hopes that if he can keep Kaja under his spell, she will prevent Ragnar from leaving his employ to start his own architectural firm.

Enter Hilda (Lauren Grace), a charismatic and coquettish young woman who claims to have met Halvard a decade ago when he was dedicating a church he'd designed in her hometown. She claims Halvard made certain promises to her back then, and now she's come to collect what she feels is her due.

The real pleasure of this production is watching the interplay between Carpenter and Grace, two absolutely mesmerizing actors who are just flat-out fun to watch. I've seen them both in the past, though not in lead roles, and on the basis of their work in "Builder," I would not hesitate to buy a ticket to any play that has one of them in the cast.

Next week: the exciting finale of "Flavor of Love," and August Wilson's "Gem of the Ocean."

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2.24.06 Things To Do

Upcoming entertainment options:

On March 4, my pal Emily Bezar will be performing at the Berkeley City Club. She plays out so rarely these days that it's always a very special treat to see her live, and the BCC is just a gorgeous space with a fab piano.

I wish I were closer to Kalamazoo this month so I could see James in "Bug" at the Whole Art Theater. He's playing a therapist with "pseudo-alien qualities." He's following up his incredible performance as "Lars" in "Psycho Beach Party." I've got to hand it to these folks for presenting cool, edgy theater in a small city! Meanwhile, James, I hope you're not too busy this weekend to take in "Madea's Family Reunion"—I'm waiting for your review!

Two of my oft-mentioned faves are on the move, and I shall continue to plug them until all of my readers have checked them out: Josh Kornbluth does "Ben Franklin: Unplugged" in Ventura, and Brian Copeland brings "Not A Genuine Black Man" to L.A. (through April 1) and off-Broadway (beginning in May). It's great to see that people in other parts of the country will have the opportunity to appreciate their unique talents.

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2.21.06 How To Make An American Quilt

Finally got one entry, so Rog wins by default. His prize-winning contribution:

Actually, the third film in the trilogy was going to be about the dark underbelly of the American craft of quilting. Grace tries to join a quilting circle but is rebuffed.

Since Rog may be the only person in the world who already owns the entire 125 Records catalog, he wins his choice of either of our two forthcoming tribute CDs: The Politics of Noodle Dancing: A Jam Band Salute to Re-Flex or A-E-I-O-U—Why Not?: A Tribute to Ebn-Ozn. Congratulations, Rog!

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2.20.06 Life Out of Balance

No one—no one!—has entered my contest, which leads me to the conclusion that (a) my reading audience consists of apologists for the dyspeptic Dane or (b) the prize makes it not worth the effort. Perhaps I should have offered more prizes:

First prize: item of your choice from the 125 Records catalog
Second prize: two items of your choice from the 125 Records catalog
Third prize: one copy of every 125 Records release
Fourth prize: the entire contents of the 125 Records storage locker

Anyway. Had a busy weekend, which started off with the "Koyaanisqatsi" screening in San Francisco, featuring live accompaniment by the Philip Glass Ensemble. This was a trip down memory lane for me since "Koyaanisqatsi" was a frequent attraction at Baltimore's Charles Theater when I was in college (first on its own, and later as a double bill with its sequel "Powaqqatsi"). I don't think there's ever been a meshing of sound and visuals as perfect as "Koyaanisqatsi" and it was a real treat to see it again on a big screen.

On Saturday, Joe and I did our usual volunteer stint at the Friends of the Library sale, and I scored a 50-cent copy of one of my favorite books, Class by Paul Fussell, along with Jen Trynin's new memoir. Last night, I ventured out to an ultra-rare (for me) social event, a gathering in honor of author and physician D.P. Lyle, who was up for the weekend from his Southern California home. Dr. Lyle regaled us with gossip and opinion about famous criminal cases, including O.J., Scott Peterson, and more serial killers than you could shake a bloody stick at. A merry time was had by all; we are a mild-mannered lot, but talk to us about blood spattering and psychological profiling, and we're rapt.

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2.16.06 Contest!

James writes that according to recent reports, Lars von Trier's I Hate America trilogy won't be completed, due partly to the "feeble grosses" of "Manderlay." What a shame! I have no idea what Part 3 was supposed to be about—Part 1, "Dogville," was a tale about the cruelty and xenophobia of small-town America, while "Manderlay" visited a plantation where slaves still worked the fields well into the 1930s. My question for you: which evil aspect of America was von Trier planning to explore in the unfinished final third picture? Perhaps Grace would have encountered a hitherto undiscovered tribe of Indians living peacefully in a pristine wilderness (portrayed as chalk lines on a bare soundstage), and wound up infecting them all with smallpox. Maybe she'd have been shot in the face by a gun-crazed Vice President. If you've got a better idea, e-mail it to me (address at left) before midnight PST Monday, Feb. 20. Put "Lars" in the subject line. The winner will receive the item of their choice from the 125 Records catalog. If you are one of the, oh, two or three people who already owns everything we've released, I'll come up with something else. And if you're looking for a thoughtful, balanced critique of the U.S. and our flaws by someone who's actually spent some time in this country, I suggest renting "Bowling for Columbine."

In other news, we went to see Cheryl Wheeler last night at the Freight (hey, wasn't I there just a week ago?). Even though I wouldn't describe myself as a folk music fan, I love Cheryl. I've written about her before in this space, so I won't repeat myself, but she is a goddess and you should go see her, because you will be entertained.

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2.15.06 "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderlay again..."

I was pleased to see that Lars von Trier's "Manderlay" will be leaving local theaters after only one week in release. No, I didn't see it, but I don't think I need to see it in order to be able to trash it; after all, the plane-phobic von Trier has never visited America, and that hasn't stopped him from making a bunch of films about what a horrible country this is.

According to the latest box office chart, "Manderlay" has grossed a total of $41,172 in the U.S., with a weekend per-screen average of $738. Considering that a movie ticket in San Francisco costs in the neighborhood of $9.50, that means there were fewer than 10 von Trier diehards in attendance per showing.

Honestly, I'm very much in favor of the free expression of all points of view, but something about that guy really raises my hackles.

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2.13.06 CouchFlix: "The Skeleton Key"

Why I rented it: Two words: Peter Sarsgaard. Since I'd heard his role was fairly small, I decided not to shell out $8 to watch Kate Hudson tiptoeing through a scary mansion.

Plot: Hudson plays a Yankee who has been living in New Orleans and working in a hospice while she hopes to save up for nursing school. A newspaper ad catches her eye, promising $1,000 a week to care for a dying man (John Hurt) who lives in a plantation house in bayou country. Shortly after she moves in with Hurt, who is catatonic following a stroke, and his wife, played by Gena Rowlands, she discovers a mysterious locked room up in the attic—the only room in the house that her skeleton key won't open. Does she leave well enough alone? She does not. Sarsgaard plays the couple's estate lawyer.

Rating: On my scale (Wish I'd Seen It Theatrically or Glad I Waited), "The Skeleton Key" is a well-made creepfest along the lines of "The Others," but it gets a GIW. There's some lovely bayou scenery, and a few scenes that take place in New Orleans, and I couldn't help but wonder if the locations had survived Katrina—especially since so much of the film takes place in the pouring rain. And it's always nice to see a seasoned pro like Rowlands get to sink her teeth into a meaty role. But on the whole, this is the type of film that probably plays better at home, where expectations are lower.

Special features: There's a director's commentary by Iain Softley and a few deleted scenes, which I skipped; I watched some of the short featurettes, which are the sort of unexciting mini-docs that are now as much a part of the filmmaking process as the production of the movie itself, since apparently no DVD these days is complete without at least a half-dozen of them.

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2.9.06 A New Conical Glass Feature: Try Me, Part 1

I've already established that there's just too damn much to do around here, so I am inaugurating a new regular feature, in which I explore Bay Area entertainment options that I wouldn't ordinarily check out. If you live someplace like, say, Modesto, feel free to live vicariously through me as I gorge on the overstocked jam marketplace that is the San Francisco arts scene.

Event: Lúnasa, Irish traditional music supergroup.

Where?: Freight and Salvage, Berkeley. I love going to the Freight because (1) shows start at 8 PM, (2) they're seated, (3) it's less than 10 minutes away from my house and (4) they sell delicious brownies and at least 30 different kinds of tea at the snack bar. However, I'm not a huge folk/world music fan, and that is, well, the only kind of show they program at the Freight and Salvage. The venue is great, but can I transform myself from a rocker to a folkie?

The audience: Lots of gray and balding heads—nothing like a Freight show to make me feel young! The gig was sold out and the crowd was really into it. They were respectful yet enthusiastic, a great combination.

The show: I quickly realize that to my untrained ears, Lúnasa only have two songs in their repertoire—a fast one and a mournful one. However, flutist Kevin Crawford, who serves as the band's spokesman between songs, hooks me with his playful sense of humor; Lúnasa just returned from a trip to Hawaii, the source of much fun and merriment (the group jokes about Crawford's beach attire, allegedly a black Speedo worn with white socks and sneakers). And as someone who took violin lessons in my youth, I am just in awe of fiddle player Seán Smyth. He is just amazing. So much fun to watch. I find myself wishing I'd learned to play jigs and reels instead of the boring stuff I was stuck with ("Love Theme from 'Ice Castles'," anyone?).

Would I do it again?: Yes, though after listening to two hours of it last night, I think I've had my fill of traditional Irish instrumental music for the time being.

See for yourself: The quintet tours virtually nonstop. They will be at San Francisco's Café du Nord tomorrow and pretty much everywhere else later in the year.

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2.8.06 Mr. and Mrs. Average American

My mom knows I enjoy a good laugh so she sent me a newspaper clipping about a new condo development going up near their place in Florida. The condos "are very high-end. They're luxury units," says the developer. They range in price from $1.1 million to $2 million.

New owner Bill Capehart said he and his wife, Jane, were happy to find a condo that offered so many amenities for a price within their budget. "I don't think you can find a place that offers a golf course, the water view, and a country club, all in one, that the average American can afford. They usually start at $1.7-million and go to $5.9-million and those are certainly out of reach for me," Capehart said.

That's right—the average American can afford a $1.1 million condo! Sometimes you just have to laugh to keep from crying. Visit the San Francisco area sometime, Mr. Capehart, and see how many "average Americans," including teachers, firefighters, computer programmers, and web designers, have a wee bit of trouble affording the comparatively bargain-priced $750,000 starter homes around here.

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2.7.06 Have Fun, Dammit!

Both of my daily newspapers, the Contra Costa Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, have introduced Thursday tabloid entertainment sections—because, it is claimed, readers have asked for more time to plan their weekend activities. Personally, I get brain-fogged reading through all those listings, or the ones in the long-established Sunday Chron Datebook section. There are simply too many choices. Sometimes, I think I would go out more if I lived in a place like, say, Albuquerque, where you "only" have a few dozen entertainment options to choose from, instead of several hundred.

I actually much prefer to go out on weeknights rather than weekends. The traffic is lighter and places seem less crowded. Weekends are for staying home to catch up on laundry, vacuuming and reading. Yes, I am Ms. Excitement.

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2.5.06 R.I.P. Rocky

Just over a week ago, Rocky was sending birthday greetings to Hobie via his owner, my Aunt Sally, on my comments page. Now comes the sad report that the 13-year-old dog has passed away. Condolences to Sally and Chuck. My aunt is one of the most devoted animal lovers I know; Rocky was a lucky dog.

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2.3.06 The Call Is Coming From Inside the House!

Those sneaky movie people have tried to tiptoe past the critics by not doing advance screenings of "When a Stranger Calls," a horror movie (and remake of the '79 Carol Kane film). However, my pal James intrepidly ventured out and caught an early showing so he could write a review for the Kalamazoo Gazette and his web site. If you need a laugh today (heaven knows I did), be sure to check it out. Sample:

The movie wastes little time in setting up its premise (it makes up for that by wasting plenty of time later). High school student Jill (Camilla Belle) is grounded and forced to take a babysitting job after her parents discover she's put an extra 800 minutes on her cell phone bill. So instead of partying with her friends at their cut-rate version of a Burning Man celebration, Jill has to spend the evening in a spacious house in the woods, taking care of two kids. Since the children are asleep when she gets there, the assignment seems like easy money—until Jill begins receiving a series of heavy-breathing phone calls from a mystery man who obviously has a much better cell phone deal than she does and is using his weekend/evening minutes for nefarious purposes.

Of course, the non-screening plan is completely daft, since the only people who could possibly be interested in seeing a remake of "When a Stranger Calls" are teenagers or diehard horror junkies, and they would hardly be dissuaded by a pan in their local newspaper. Screen Gems (which will no doubt release the forthcoming "I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer" using the same strategy) deserves the wagging finger of shame!

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