Open a Review of Nice Fish at the Guthrie in Minneapolis, MN

Quote of the Month: Open the window in the center of your chest and let the spirits fly in and out. Rumi
(My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is Open.)

Millie and Willie Cottonpoly, a sock puppet creation, are here to tell you their story during the April A to Z Blogging Challenge. This is a slightly unconventional review since I'm in the middle of the A to Z challenge and Millie and Willie have taken over blogging. Today is R day. R is for Review of Nice Fish at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, MN. They did enjoy the show, which in itself is unconventional as it is told for the most part through poetry. Take it away Mr. and Mrs. Cottonpoly.

Millie and Willie Cottonpoly throw caution to the wind and ride the winter storm from Brainerd to Minneapolis to view and review, Nice Fish, written by Mark Rylance, Louis Jenkins, and friends.

 

Millie:  Uff, Willie, wasn't that a hoot?

 

Willie:  I felt like I was out on the ice with them fellers.

 

Millie:  I know. I've done my own share of philosophizing, staring into that hole. Wasn't it funny when Ron dropped his cellphone into the water? I wonder how many of those things are at the bottom of the lakes of Minnesota.

 

Willie:  How do you even work those contraptions?

 

Millie:  Some people like to have all the latest gadgets and technology, even out on the ice, like that character Erik.

 

Willie:  I'm a simple man, like Ron. All's I need is a sturdy rod, fresh bait, and a good sandwich.

 

Millie:  That bit about the bologna sandwich made me giggle.

 

Willie:  I thought Freya, also called Flo or Blossom, was enchanting.

 

Millie:  mmm hmmm. I think your eyes lit up even more when Wayne rode in on that old snowmobile.

 

Willie:  Snow Jet one lunger. They roared her to life with one pull, just like my old one, Millie. She was sweet.

 

Millie:  Yes, well. The actors were stunning, especially the main characters Erik, played by Jim Lichtscheidl, and the playwright himself Mark Rylance who was charming as the never in a hurry, keep it simple, Ron.

 

Willie:  (humming a polka) That music got my toe tapping. The minute I walked in, I felt like I was back in my home town.  The Norwegian fiddler, singer, and dancing were pretty good, too, you know.

 

Millie:  If you're from Minnesota, you will connect to many things in this play. If you're not, you'll get a sampling of the folks who live up here and what they think about while out fishin'. Good fun for the whole family.

 

Willie:  I thought Freya was enchanting.

 

Millie:  (rolls eyes) I'm going to take a nap, now, so I'm fresh for tonight's review of The Broadway Songbook at the Ordway.  I sure hope the roads have improved and we don't get another six inches of snow tonight!

 

Millie, The Biker Chef, and Willie attended Nice Fish with reviewer Mary Aalgaard.

 

Willie and Millie are ready for their audition at The Guthrie.

Don't you think they look great in this line-up of fine actors?

 

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Go. Create. Inspire!

 

Journaling Prompt:  What are some unique things about the people and places where you live? Any fun sayings?

 

Nice Fish is playing at The Guthrie through May 18. Click over there for more info, photos of the show, tickets and show times!

 

Solitude

Quote of the Day:  I need noise and interruptions and irritation:  irritation and discomfort are a great starter.  The loneliness of doing it any other way would kill me. Anita Brookner

I also like:  I type in one place, but I write all over the house. Toni Morrison

Some writers need complete silence.  Some want blank walls and a a small room where they can shut the door.  Not me, I need people.  I find that I am more productive when the kids are home or when I go to a coffee shop.  I need the energy of other people to stimulate the flow of words for some of my projects.  Plus, I get most of my dialogue from listening to other people.  I'll confess right now that Coffee Shop Confessions is filled with overheard conversations as well as ones that I've been involved in.  I take real life and put it into my stories and articles.

This weekend my boys were with their dad.  The temps were well below 0 degrees F.  I was alone, feeling isolated, and a little schlumpy.  That means I tend to nap, putter around, and watch movies. 

This is my parents' mailbox, not mine.  It's about 150 miles away.  I didn't make it past the end of my driveway this weekend, but I wanted to use their mailbox because I like this picture.

This weekend, I decided not to let the solitude get the best of me.  I embraced it, (remember my word for the year) and found myself doing things that I like to do.  I read a book The Reader, then I watched the movie.  It was interesting comparing the written word to the movie version.  They're very close.  I worked on my play, merging some files so it was all in one place.  I feel very good about Acts 1 and 2.  I still need to work on Act 3.  I made a date with myself to work on it at the coffee shop on Tues.  I cleaned my floor, mostly because I couldn't stand the filth - salt and sand dragged in on dirty boots - yuck.  And, I made a delicious chicken stir-fry with lots of ginger and garlic. mm-mm.  My kids are afraid of stir-fry, so I make it when they're not here.

Sometimes when I'm alone on a weekend, I wonder, what are other people doing?  Where do adults gather, besides the bars?  Well, this weekend, we had the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza.  This is a fund-raiser for the organization and much of the proceeds go to Camp Confidence, a local camp for kids with disabilities.  We even had our new Governor Mark Dayton visiting the lakes area. 

(The following photos were taken by my friend Joey Halvorson.  She does most of the photos for my Her Voice articles.  She's much hardier and braver than I am.)

My friend Hans and co-author of my next Her Voice article, "Real Men Read Her Voice"

These folks are really walking on a frozen lake - thousands of them are out there trying to catch fish through a small hole in the ice.

Now, that's a cold seat!

I left the fishing and schmoozing to the hardier folks and stayed inside.  In the end, I felt refreshed by my choice to spend time with myself.  But, I was ready for conversation and life beyond my own couch this morning.

Journaling Prompt:  How do you handle solitude?   Do you embrace it or resist it?  Where do you do your art best?  Have you ever walked or fished on a frozen lake?  How's the weather where you are today?