Date Premiered: March 2, 1955
Having both read and worked on this particular show, I have found I quite like this work.
Inge has done a marvelous job of creating characters that actors can create stories for to give more weight to the choices made through the play and enough subtext for readers to impress their own visions onto them. The experiences of seeing the play and reading it are two very different but rewarding things, both giving new depth to the way one can look and understand the characters.
For a show that takes place in the 50s, it does a fairly good job of creating universal characters and a story that contemporary audiences can still appreciate. Grace is a fantastic example, as she is a woman before her time that readers and viewers might be able to liken to someone they may have met before. She is strong and fierce in a coy way, someone who does not need to explain herself or her actions.
My biggest qualm with the script is the finale, where it seems that Inge plays into the cliches of RomCom and tosses away any sort of conviction Cherie may have had. This also depends on how the role is played on stage, but it leaves much to be desired in terms of a satisfactory conclusion.
Overall, it is a great work that creates a compelling story and nuanced characters that bring a lot of great elements to the table.
★★★★✩
Who am I?
Well, my name is Brittney and I am a 20 year old living in Maine. I've been floating around on the internet since 2006, pottering on different sites doing different things. Now that I'm long past my deviantART and FFN phase, I've had the idea that I would like to make a space all my own to rant and rave about something that has always been a constant in my life: BOOKS.
It could totally be that this is a side effect of working in a book store (Books-A-Million, to be exact) and spending most of my summer looking through all the tantalizing titles stocked on the shelves and sitting longingly on the shelves. That, or maybe something in my subconscious is like, "You're a theatre major, but what on Earth will you do with all those years of taking honors and AP English classes?!"
Oh yes, in reality, I freaking LOVE writing stuff about other people's writing. Though essays have primarily been my forte, it's my hope that these skills, so lovingly ingrained in me will allow me to play and have fun with running a Bookish blog.
So, besides knowing my name, my age, where I work, and a bit of my educational history, what else should you know about the Bookish Bear?
As far as books go, I really love fiction, particularly YA; however, as of late I have begun to branch out and really look for books that tickle my fancy outside of my comfort zone. I really like romance, historical fiction (particularly if it's ancient Japan - don't get me started), and classic lit, as well as plays of all varieties. These will all be subject to critique, criticism, and applause here, as well as the newer ventures I plan on having.
Another nibblet of information that might intrigue you is my undying love of manga. Ah, manga. As a avid Japanese animation fan since I was a wee lass, I've been around the block a few times with a bunch of different series spanning a few different genres. Lately, I tend to like the more obscure, shorter titles as well as slice of life and shoujo (tropes and all). I will post about current series I've read, plus some of my favorites I've found over the years. Because I think it counts as reading.
So, THANK YOU for stumbling over my little project. I hope you like it and stick around for all the goodies I have in store!
see you soon!
B
The Bookish Bear
