Welp, whether we like it or not, it's the holiday season, and I believe I have been fairly good this year, so this is a list of things that I would most like for Christmas please
- more shows with missing characters, for the opportunity to see how the show carries on in their absence (specifically a Lonely Zagreus Show please, but I'd love to see a Lonely Hades Show too)
- the chance to see my faves in the roles I have yet to see them play (such as Ali Laocoön or Stephanie Macaria)
- the chance to see my faves in roles they have yet to play at all (you *know* this is about Fania Hades but also Ali Aegisthus)
- existing cast members to take on new roles generally (which has already started, and I understand that more is coming, and I'm very excited about it!)
- ideally with just a bit more gender-blended casting in favour of the female performers (Miranda and Maya would absolutely SMASH Neoptolemus and Patroclus and you know it)
- a few more TDM alumni to join the cast (literally all I want out of 2023 is Omar Gordon Agamemnon, ideally with Fania Clytemnestra, but any of the remaining TDM cast would be a delightful addition)
- at least one good production photo or clear video appearance of every character (EXCEPT LAOCOÖN, WE MUST NEVER LET THE OUTSIDE WORLD KNOW THIS CHARACTER EXISTS, purely because it's funny)
- THE SOUK (I understand there are reasons why we will never get this space dressed for public consumption, but I'm still going to dream about it)
- a really great time at the Remix (please no 1:1s!) and the subsequent New Year's party!!!
my main takeaways from shopty are that vini needs to be invited to every party ever, and eric's personal wardrobe is my most unexpectedly favourite thing
happy new year, it was sick as fuck to see in 2023 in such a stupidly meaningful place to us and you're all the very best of people, very much looking forward to our continued association in the months ahead
What a night. What a privilege to be a part of it. What a joy to ring in the new year in my favourite place.
I was already in the party spirit right from the start. The mood in the queue was infectious - everyone greeting each other, saying hi to old friends or meeting new ones, appreciating each other's outfits and wondering what would happen once we got inside. My heart was already full before I even entered the building.
To my surprise, they had released a cast list - and a number of the roles had two names next to them. So, as predicted, there would be some switching going on.
Sally gave her entrance speech the same as always - I didn't hear a word of it, but we all cheered at the end.
"Welcome to my exhibition," said Hades, "Part museum, part maze, part party." Oh, the suspense was killing me.
I started in Mycenae - I had a rough plan of all the scenes I wanted to hit, and 80% of them were in Troy. So I started here, because I wouldn't be back until the finale.
It was the right decision. The first remix switch of the night was the phone call to Agamemnon, which I watched from the mezzanine. The phone rang... and it was the Nokia ringtone. All of Mycenae burst out laughing. Vini picked up, and instead of Iphigenia, it was... "Hello? Is it me you're looking for?"
I've had many experiences in The Burnt City, both deeply personal and beautifully communal. But I've never been there laughing with a hundred other people before.
Not all the song choices were so comedic, but I loved it all, because all of a sudden I was seeing everything with fresh eyes. I found myself paying more attention to the choreography than usual, shocked out of my routines.
Lizzo, Taylor Swift, The White Stripes - and Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan. A mix of modern and classic hits.
I stayed in Mycenae up to Agamemnon's staircase ascent - to the music I knew from the opening titles of The Fall. Then I left, to arrive in Troy in plenty of time to see Hades (a song I didn't know) and Persephone (a song I didn't know, but I had a feeling).
My knowledge of the show served me well, because if there wasn't a scene occurring, the soundscape was mostly normal. I had to seek out the moments with songs.
I stuck my head into Peep for some water, and very nearly - very nearly! - walked out. Because I wasn't sure if Peep would be remixed or not. And I heard the intro music to Sweet Love. And I very. Nearly. Walked right out. It's the providence of the gods that I didn't, because I witnessed Nance (Mallory) singing Closer by Nine Inch Nails. With choreography to match. To Cici (Ali).
And that's when I went straight to the bar and got myself a rum punch.
Peep was a GREAT place to be. Fred Gehrig was on as his incomparable Kampe. Nathan's Orpheus led a singalong of Hopelessly Devoted To You. Sam Booth's Hades spoke-sang one of the many earworms of the night, Never Ever by All Saints.
I left Peep near the end of the loop, to catch the tango (Ain't Nobody, Chaka Khan). I also caught a glimpse of one of the performer switches - Polydorus was lying on the ground in the tenement square, and another Polydorus was stood right by him in a white mask. I wish I could have seen this switch in detail, or any of the others, but I wasn't in the right place at the right time. By the time I got to the loop 2 blinding, Hecuba had already switched to Fania.
I stayed in the Klub to watch Kampe reset (Fred Kampe shows were heartbreakingly numbered, I wanted to spend this moment with him. This night was also a send-off to the departing cast, whose last shows were just a week after this). Then, I went down to Troy square, basically to catch some of Hecuba's greatest hits.
At the birthday party, Luba was singing the impossible opera from The Fifth Element - maybe my favourite choice of the show.
I watched Hecuba's premonition about Polydorus, not because there was anything remixed about it, but just because it's a beautiful scene, and because Jordan and Fania are wonderful. I just enjoyed the moment, no FOMO.
After that was DDR, and I was dying to see what Dobbie had picked for that.
What could live up to Fire by Fatrat?
How about Moana?
The pop version of How Far I'll Go.
Sure, why not?
I never know where to go from the invasion. Run after Eury or Neo? Or stay with Hecuba? Follow Cassandra and Agamemnon??
Luke's Neo ran past me but I decided to watch Hecuba for just a moment (it's *my* remix and I can watch her if I want to!). When she left Alighieri's, I split off from the crowd and up to the Klub, where Georges Laocoön was still dancing marvellously.
Laocoön runs out, Neo runs in, and the last time that I see Luke Murphy do his absolutely devastating dance in the Klub, it's to The Weeknd, Blinding Lights.
(This is the one scene, by the way, that we have confirmed had a different song for each of the 3 loops. So it was a surprise to the performers each time.)
I went to see Hecuba in the shell bedroom, and before the scene finished, I rushed off to Peep to see You Should See Me In A Crown. Actually, Lorde's Royals. Or rather, a mashup of the two. (A perfect song for Naomi to sing, suits her voice so well)
Follow Kampe out to the Troy finale - how can things already be nearly over? It went by so quickly! I heard drum & bass, I was pretty sure I knew, and the reaction from the crowd confirmed it. The witch's rave from Sleep No More.
Everyone was cheering, whooping , hollering, and I have *always* wanted to cheer when Polymestor has his eyes ripped out, and by gods we all did. I always have a swell of emotion during the blinding and especially the Troy finale, and I felt it stronger than ever and got to let it out.
Of course I rushed off before the finale finished properly, because it was still a busy show and I could not risk any black masks stopping me from getting to the other finale.
Overall, everyone was remarkably well behaved. I didn't run into any issues with the audience - granted, I wasn't trying to follow any characters and I didn't get anywhere near a 1:1 door the whole show. But, knowing it was an audience full of regulars, I didn't even try to get a spot at the front of the circle. I hung back.
The Mycenae finale began as normal with its droning sounds. Only when everyone was down the staircase did a remixed track begin: Adele - Skyfall. And then at the end, Daft Punk - Around the World. Perfect.
Oh, how we applauded. Clapped until my hands stung. Cheered my lungs out. We filled that warehouse with all our joy and gratitude of the past 9 months.
The lights came up, and suddenly I realised I had no idea what to do next. Where were we going? I won't say much about the party that followed, except it was wonderful and so much fun and I love everyone I spent it with. And after we got kicked out of The Burnt City and the Dial Arch, I could not get to sleep the whole rest of the night because of everything racing through my head.
Kat & Carl & Naomi kept Peep running through the party, Maya and Will were on DJ duty, and Sam, Omagbitse, Ali & Jahmarley were running around being fabulous entertainment on top of it all, so extra props to them. Oh, and one more thing: We truly don't deserve Keyboard Sam.
The night couldn't have been much more perfect. Maybe this is the only SHOPTY we get, maybe it's the first of many events to come. Either way, it was special.
