Brokeback Mountain Forum @ ennisjack.com
Around Brokeback Mountain => Our Support for BBM => Topic started by: Edmund-Paul, The Baron of Ree on Oct 14, 2006, 05:21 PM
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Hello Brokeies
I have had one of my ideas. I would love to see BBM adapted and performed as a stage production. :clap:
Think about it. We have the story, the film screen play and the film - far more of a basis than most stage plays ever have. Getting that great outdoor feeling into a stage play would be a real challenge - the charged indoor scenes would be great fun. The implied sex would be electric. This would of course mean working with many of the leading lights who have given us this wonderful work of art in its existing form.
Who wants to help run with this? :ghug:
Thanks Saul
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What a great idea! Thanks!
We have many talented writers here!!
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Hello Ethan!
This is what came to my mind.
Ennis would by now be in his 60's as he was 18 ish in the early 60's. He could meet a new friend and after years of scilence pour it all out. The new love would stand or fall on his ability to resolve his berievement from the past. Younger actors could play flashbacks.
We can throw it out of course if it does not work out and try many other ways.
BBM has affected me in many ways. One of these was that I read a screenplay for the first time in my life. Another was that after 46 years of media watching a work of art really got through to me. I expected yet another film. What I got was an experience that must have happened to the audience of Shakespeare in his time. Profoundly changed.
Over to you again!
Other creative Brokies, please join in!
Saul
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Glad to see this idea posted here. I've brought the idea up several times on the Dave Cullen BBM site. Earlier this year, at a seminar in Missouri, Diana Ossana responded ENTHUSIASTICALLY to the question of Brokeback Mountain being made into a stage play. She did allow as to how she and Larry were busy now with other projects.
It would seem to me that the Ossana-McMurtry team would be the best equipped to take Brokeback to the stage, drawing from both the short story and the movie.
--Think of new unknown actors sinking their teeth (and hearts) into the roles of Jack and Ennis.
--Think of the multiple fresh nuances that live actors will give the play.
--Think of the excitement of having Heath and Jake and Annie and all the others in the audience.
Larry (Oregondoggie)
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Hello Larry,
Thank you for picking up on this thead after so long.
All the points you mention are true. It ould be great if there could be a stage adaptation.
Of course the material is copyright - so the owners whould have to give permission. How to go about promoting this idea - that is the question.What do you think would be the best way forward?
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Hello Larry,
Thank you for picking up on this thead after so long.
All the points you mention are true. It ould be great if there could be a stage adaptation.
Of course the material is copyright - so the owners whould have to give permission. How to go about promoting this idea - that is the question.What do you think would be the best way forward?
Well...first, I think getting Annie Proulx to speak favorably about the idea. But it also occurs to me that some time is needed for things to settle down a bit. If Ossana and McMurtry control the rights, then they are the ones we should hope would go on ahead with it. They can deliver. They are producers and writers. Presumably they have the right connections with the Broadway world. As to talented outsiders getting involved, I would imagine that the rights to the play would cost a substantial amount of money.
This next spring, at the gathering that several Brokeback websites are co-hosting in Denver, the fire for this project might really get lit.
But I shudder to think of a mediocre production. The play has to be on a par with the short story and the movie. And, God forbid, it gets out as a musical or a modern dance beforehand, though I suspect that will happen down the years.
The story of Brokeback Mountain rests securely among the greatest love stories/tragedies ever written. It deserves the best possible treatment.
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Denver might indeed be the place.
A musical would be awful.
The whole thing of getting that great-oudoors all weather feeling onto the stage would be a challenge.
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A musical would be awful.
Agreed !!!!
A stage play maybe, but I sure hope nobody trys to make a musical out of it.
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The only music needed would be on a badly played harmonica!
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Shakespeare's plays have survived every interpretation. Witness Romeo and Juliet. But an opera might be harder to do than a musical! In times to come, there will be attempts to do a ballet. Western themes have successfully appeared before: Rodeo, Billy the Kid, Square dance.
As to fears about bringing the outdoors, the mountains, onto a stage, a good screenwriter should not have much trouble suggesting the locales off stage. The short story of Brokeback Mountain is rich in dialogue, as well as several scenes, that were left out of the movie.
Every time the play is produced, the ambiguity of Jack's fate, for example, an end that troubles so many fans, can be presented with differing nuances. Fresh, unknown young actors will breath new life again and again into the roles of Ennis and Jack. I look forward to seeing them.
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Thanks Oregondoggie,
You have given me hope that this will happen in the future, BBM as a stage play I mean.
Just got back form London. It was really super! There was some re-enacting going on there too!
J.F.T.
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The only music needed would be on a badly played harmonica!
Definately <^( <^( <^(
And maybe "The Wings."
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Definately <^( <^( <^(
And maybe "The Wings."
Yes. More of the film score would be fine too - as long at the production was not a musical in the scence of people bursting into song. I would hate that so much.
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Got nagging (PM) Wayman Wong over on the davecullen.com site about turning Brokeback Mountain into a play. He writes a column called The Leading Men in Playbill.com. Months back he posted on Playbill a call for hypothetical pairings of singers, should (God Forbid) Brokeback go that route. Anyhow, since the story is really a tragedy borne out of fear, it seems to me that a play ought to be the first step. And a bad musical would engender unlimited derision.
Hope to keep the idea of a play stirred up at the gathering this coming Memorial Day Weekend in Colorado. Looking forward to meeting as many of you folk from ennisjack.com as possible there!
"Ain't no reins on this one." --Except lack of immagination and gumption.
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Thanks Oregondoggie,
To get and keep this idea on the agenda is the thing.
JFT
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Come on! BBM turned into a big musical stage production? What a great idea! We could have Jack & Ennis doin a jig in a big tent, other cast members doin dances with a mountain backdrop and even have dancing sheep! It will be just like Oklahomah! ....I'm just kiddin guys! ;D
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A BBM musical? I don't know about that. Can you imagine some of the musical numbers?
ACT 1
"A Pair of Dueces"
"Let's Drink Together"
"Grazin Up the Mountain"
"Aguirre Ain't Got No Right"
"No More Beans"
ACT II (Who want's to take it from here?)
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A BBM musical? I don't know about that. Can you imagine some of the musical numbers?
ACT 1
"A Pair of Dueces"
"Let's Drink Together"
"Grazin Up the Mountain"
"Aguirre Ain't Got No Right"
"No More Beans"
ACT II (Who want's to take it from here?)
Groan. I think BBM as a musical would be a camp mess.
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Groan. I think BBM as a musical would be a camp mess.
No doubt. How does one end a musical on such a solem note? Camp and tragedy aren't a good mix.
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Lordy, anything but a musical, PLEASE!!!! ^*)
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Lordy, anything but a musical, PLEASE!!!! ^*)
Actually there are musicals which are not musicals if you know what I mean; Music and song in realistic context - not the Rogers & Hamerstein type of production with characters bursing into song accompanied by invisable orchestras, then going back to acting as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Cabaret" was a good example of realistic context as a musical (the stage play was not).
Jack singing "tonight, tonight" before the FNIT- and "Oh what a beautiful morning" the next day - no way! %&)
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Did I just write that last line? &**)
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Did I just write that last line? &**)
Yes you did! Of course it could get worse...Jack could sing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair" after his final meeting with Ennis! ***EEEEWW!!! BLECH!!!**
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Yes you did! Of course it could get worse...Jack could sing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair" after his final meeting with Ennis! ***EEEEWW!!! BLECH!!!**
I don't think he ever did tough did he - judging by the shirts (As Ennis sings "Time to say goodby" :\'()
A musical would be dreadfull. I hope it never happens. A stage play would keep the BBM thing alive and give other actors the chance to give life to Ennis and Jack.
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A dramatic stage play would be much more acceptable.
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Its the only way to go.
Idea. How about amateur productions as part of international get-togethers. Permission should be gettable if we needed it for an audience, or just privatly, no permission needed.
After what happened in London, doing the whole thing is just the next step!
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Wow, this is a really great thread. A BBM play would be so awesome. I, too, think a great script (but NO singing...ugh!) and the right actors would truly make the experience live on.
An amateur production is a good idea, too.
Del_Marvelous
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I've had thoughts of BBM being done as a stage play for a year now. I'd fly anywhere to see it, and I'd be first in line to buy a ticket, and I'd be in the front row! O0
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I've had thoughts of BBM being done as a stage play for a year now. I'd fly anywhere to see it, and I'd be first in line to buy a ticket, and I'd be in the front row! O0
The thing is - how do we get this off the ground? I think permission from the studio to use the script.
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I've had thoughts of BBM being done as a stage play for a year now. I'd fly anywhere to see it, and I'd be first in line to buy a ticket, and I'd be in the front row! O0
Get your tickets to the Netherlands!
Brokeback Mountain is now a play! It was announced Feb 9th over on Bettermost.net that a two man Dutch version of Brokeback Mountain would be premiering that same night. See: Bettermost.net: Brokeback Mountain Forums: Bettermost User Community: Chez Tremblay: BBM Now A Play --Premier Tonight.
Director is quoted as saying he used only the short story. That he went for the essence of the story. There are some songs.
Will have to rely on our Dutch friends to see it and to translate any reviews.. How long until a great English version appears?
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Thats right! The Dutch got there first! Well we would wouldn't we! &**) I have booked for Hilversum on the 23rd of Feb. as it is just 10 min by car from where we live. I'll give a full review here of course!
Mind you, the actors do not look quite the same. Here are the two links, in Dutch.
[/url]http://theaterachterom.nl/index.asp[/url]
[/url]http://www.wettenvankepler.nl/indexsite.php[/url]
So come on professional English Theatre groups! The public demands BBM on stage.
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what fantastic news &**) can"t wait to hear all about it-
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what fantastic news &**) can"t wait to hear all about it-
Yes it is! This production is clearly meant to stand on its own. A wise decision.
If you go to see "Cabaret" or the "Sound of music" there is nothing worse than having Julie Andrews & Liza Minelli look-alikes doing impressions. You want actors that make the parts their own. So for the audience it will be a case of going to BBM, but in another dimention and with a different slant - not to mention a different language, which is an enormous challenge.
Thankfully this play is not produced as a musical!
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Was just wondering how the play went- Hope we get an update soon!!!
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Was just wondering how the play went- Hope we get an update soon!!!
Hi Carlton,
I've been ever so busy the last few days. Anyway, here is what I have to say:
Brokeback Moutain stage production. The Netherlands. 23rd feb. 2007. Willem Schouten (Jack) & Sieger Sloot (Ennis).
The entire play was acted by two men. They told the story to the audience, and from time to time assumed rolls as appropriate such as Aguirre, Jack & Ennis. So it was was largely a rendition of the story - being told both as a narrative and acted. The performance was done for about 95% in Dutch with some English. There were some songs, but these were sung without accompaniment, such as Water Walking Jesus. So the musical horror scenario was avoided.
Every key line was included. Of course there was nothing novel from the film screenplay. The sex was more described than acted, but no one was left in any doubt as to what was going on. The fact that Ennis and Jack had a long term intimate relationship was if anything more clear than in the film.
The set was very simple with large crates onto which extreme closeup pictures were projected of mountains, sheep and wives. The crates were on tracks and got pushed about to indicate scene changes. The only other human appearance was a female voice playing Laureen on the telephone.
As far as the translation was concerned - It worked about as well as a Dutch translation of a Shakespeare play would for example.
The actors managed to do the entire thing from rote memory, as actors should. They made the story their own. The play lasted about 1 1/2 hours.
There was a projection film of a hand - someone nervously flapping something which went on quite a lot, at the end it was clear this was a postcard of BBM. It did bring tears to the eyes.
We sat on the front row of course. I was the first to stand at the end, causing a standing ovation. Well I would wouldn't I!
I am now left with three versions of BBM in my head: the story, the hollywood film, and the stage play. All co-exist quite happily in parallel universes.
The film of BBM stands alone as a masterpiece - but the future is with stage productions. This is but the first of many stage productions - there is no doubt about that.
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Thanks JFT for the review, I liked it when you wrote
I am now left with three versions of BBM in my head: the story, the hollywood film, and the stage play. All co-exist quite happily in parallel universes
That's very well said ^-^
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My thanks too ,JFT. You were so lucky to have attended the play- I am so envious - Wish I could have been there-Hopefully someone will produce a play in the USA eventually- With all the successful reunions that have occured,wouldnt it be a blast to have a reunion in a city that was staging the play and have the theatre packed full of Brokies?? Thank so much for the information and update :clap:
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Thanks JFT for the review, I liked it when you wrote
That's very well said ^-^
Thanks Chameau. I was frightened one would spoil the other. In fact the whole experience is only better. There is nothing worse than going to see, for example, a stage production of The Sound of Music to be faced with a Jullie Andrews impression. These actors did not even attempt to act like it was in the film, very wise and their apperrence was very different from Heath & Jake. In a way - closer to the descriptions of the characters in the story.
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My thanks too ,JFT. You were so lucky to have attended the play- I am so envious - Wish I could have been there-Hopefully someone will produce a play in the USA eventually- With all the successful reunions that have occured,wouldnt it be a blast to have a reunion in a city that was staging the play and have the theatre packed full of Brokies?? Thank so much for the information and update :clap:
I think this will happen. At the London get-together there was a bit of fun with enacting scenes. I think serious full productions are going to catch on in many parts of the world. It is in fact easy to stage as it is basically just the telling of a tale to an audience. The thing is to make the most of the stage and live acting factor, and forget all about the film adaptation.
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The film of BBM stands alone as a masterpiece - but the future is with stage productions. This is but the first of many stage productions - there is no doubt about that.
Hot damn! If the script for an English version were available, we could stage it at the big Brokeback Mountain get-together in Colorado at the end of May. Maybe someone could put it together... Friend, your prediction is goin' a come true one way or another.
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Friend, your prediction is goin' a come true one way or another.
I'll see what I can do. The theater company here must have had clearence to use the material for a stage production. This was almost certainly done from an English language stage play. If not it is fairly easy to make a stage play from the story. It is a short story crammed full of punchy lines and graphic description.
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I'll see what I can do. The theater company here must have had clearence to use the material for a stage production. This was almost certainly done from an English language stage play. If not it is fairly easy to make a stage play from the story. It is a short story crammed full of punchy lines and graphic description.
There's gonna be a shoot-out as to who gets to be Jack and who gets to be Ennis. And then there's the matter of disposin' of Ennis' washrag!
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There's gonna be a shoot-out as to who gets to be Jack and who gets to be Ennis. And then there's the matter of disposin' of Ennis' washrag!
Funny you should mention that. In the Dutch production it gets trown at the audience!
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Would love to have seen this production. Didn't have time to read all the posts to this thread, but is there any chance that this was filmed and we might get to see it? I hope, I hope I hope.
Donna (:)
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I have a feeling that the Dutch play is goin' a mosey over into English
and will be around for a long, long time.
Another good sign: A scholarly work, called Reading Brokeback Mountain,
a collection of 15 essays "from a wide variety of perspectives" on the story and the film, Jim Stacy, ed.,
is about to come out in May. It will be published by McFarland Press. Mr. Stacy is on a university
faculty in Louisiana.
Looks like there "Ain't no reins on this one"!
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I have a feeling that the Dutch play is goin' a mosey over into English
and will be around for a long, long time.
Another good sign: A scholarly work, called Reading Brokeback Mountain,
a collection of 15 essays "from a wide variety of perspectives" on the story and the film, Jim Stacy, ed.,
is about to come out in May. It will be published by McFarland Press. Mr. Stacy is on a university
faculty in Louisiana.
Looks like there "Ain't no reins on this one"!
Thanks Oregondoggie! I did read about this collection and I am hoping to get it. Serious work like this is always welcome.
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Would love to have seen this production. Didn't have time to read all the posts to this thread, but is there any chance that this was filmed and we might get to see it? I hope, I hope I hope.
Donna (:)
I have been rushed off my feet over the last few weeks. Things are setteling down again now. I will contact the theatre company soon about the script and will also ask if this production has been filmed.
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It is really happening...BBM as a stage play. Thanks for the update, JFT.
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It is really happening...BBM as a stage play. Thanks for the update, JFT.
I think it has ended its run now. They did a tour of the Netherlands.
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Be interesting to find out what Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry think. Could there be different productions elsewhere? (Would like to see a fuller version with other roles included.. Aguirre, the wives, Jack's parents, etc.) Gonna ask about this at the gathering up at Estes Park in Colorado over Memorial Day Weekend.
Larry
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Be interesting to find out what Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry think. Could there be different productions elsewhere? (Would like to see a fuller version with other roles included.. Aguirre, the wives, Jack's parents, etc.) Gonna ask about this at the gathering up at Estes Park in Colorado over Memorial Day Weekend.
Larry
That would be great. The thing is though to go out from the story - not from the film. Thats what made the play I saw stand on its own.
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Hugh for Brokeback stage play
The Courier Mail July 27, 2007
TALK about being typecast. No sooner had Hugh Jackman put the gold lame pants back in the wardrobe – after playing gay singer and songwriter Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz – than his name is touted for a stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning movie Brokeback Mountain.
The Many Faces of Hugh Jackman gallery The Australian star – who would admittedly have the riding skills off pat – is reported to be the No. 1 choice to play a gay cowboy alongside his X-Men co-star James Marsden, who also showed off his vocal abilities in the recent flick Hairspray.
No word yet on whether Hugh would be playing the role which led fellow Aussie Heath Ledger to worldwide critical acclaim, or that of Heath's on-screen lover Jake Gyllenhaal.
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Hugh for Brokeback stage play
The Courier Mail July 27, 2007
TALK about being typecast. No sooner had Hugh Jackman put the gold lame pants back in the wardrobe – after playing gay singer and songwriter Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz – than his name is touted for a stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning movie Brokeback Mountain.
The Many Faces of Hugh Jackman gallery The Australian star – who would admittedly have the riding skills off pat – is reported to be the No. 1 choice to play a gay cowboy alongside his X-Men co-star James Marsden, who also showed off his vocal abilities in the recent flick Hairspray.
No word yet on whether Hugh would be playing the role which led fellow Aussie Heath Ledger to worldwide critical acclaim, or that of Heath's on-screen lover Jake Gyllenhaal.
Where? When? :d)
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That's all I've been able to find but it wouldn't be before next year as Hugh is busy filming a movie in Australia with Nicole Kidman atm.
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well if ever hugh jackman kisses james marsden I WANT to see it!!! :d)
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If it ever happens I hope they'll advertise it in advance... I would fly to Australia to see it and... meet some Brokies Down Under. <^( Just need to save some money. :i
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I didn't even know this thread was here! What a great idea; why didn't I think of that? %&)
The ss could be wonderful as a stage play! In spite of all the descriptions of the "wide open spaces", Ennis's world is more and more confined, "walking around the coffepot...". I hope a good production will be mounted in the U.S. sometime soon.
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I know I poo pooed the idea sometime back, but a serious stage play
would fare better in my mind than a musical.
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If it ever happens I hope they'll advertise it in advance... I would fly to Australia to see it and... meet some Brokies Down Under. <^( Just need to save some money. :i
Wouldn't that be amazing having a brokie meet in Australia and heading off to a BBM stage play.
<^( <^(
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I know I poo pooed the idea sometime back, but a serious stage play
would fare better in my mind than a musical.
Yes. The Dutch version was super and it was a serious stage play.
JFT