Seize the Stars

Okay, after seeing people's photos from this year's Costume Con, I feel a) green with envy and b) inspired as heck! So much pretty! And so much amazing work! I'm completely in awe of koshka_the_cat's fuschia 1860's dress. It's just unbelievable. So now I've got a year to make myself a wardrobe for next year's Con, and I can't wait to get started! I think I have too many ideas, though; the hard part is going to be deciding what to make!

On the TV front, Little Dorrit was just fantastic. I did feel that the last episode could have been a little neater, it had so many ends to tie up that I think it got a little disjointed, but still, fabulous. Did I mention how much I love Fanny and Sparkler? Because I do. So funny. But the whole thing was quite funny; generally Dickens minis are rather dark, but I loved how this had a sense of humor pervading the whole thing. Even Arthur Clennam, stolid Dickensian hero, was adorably comical with his indestructable politeness. But it could still break your heart; poor sweet John Chivery! And Mr. Dorrit! Totally heartbreaking! Plus the whole production was gorgeous. More English novels should have parts set in Venice! But everything about it was just stellar; it's definitely on my list of favorite period dramas!

And thanks SO much to solidor for introducing me to beatonna's Hark! A Vagrant. It's the funniest thing I've seen in ages! If you love history and have a sense of humor, you need to give it a look. Hark! A Vagrant!

Well, my marathon viewing of Jane Austen miniseries continues, and proves to be great fun.

( Mansfield Park '83 )

( Northanger Abbey '85 )

Now, on to Emma!

Finished watching Lillie the other day. What an awesome series. Is there anybody more glamorous than Francesca Annis? I really don't think so. She is so good in this, and it's really well-done in general, a lot of TV period dramas from the 70's are stagey and slow moving, but this moves right along and keeps you interested the whole way. And the costumes! So delicious! And few people could look better in them than Francesca Annis does. I didn't think it was possible for a human to actually look like a Victorian fashion plate, but she does. How she could breath in those corsets I'll never know! And I'm sort of interested to learn about Lillie Langtry now. I knew of course that she was the King's mistress, and famously beautiful, as all the paintings of her one finds in books on the history of fashion will attest, but I had no idea of all the cool stuff she did and all the interesting people she was friends with. It might be interesting to find out more and see what was fact and what was fiction. Thanks to epea_pteroenta for giving me the heads up on this series!

Finished the pink 1815 doll dress. I really have to take a picture of it, it's too cute. I love the fabric, I could make a dozen more doll dresses from it, but I really should get started on a dress for myself. I have the pattern picked out but I never seem to get to it. Must be resolute! Mustn't procrastinate! (But I know I will!!!)

Watched the 1971 version of Persuasion. Surprisingly, I really liked it a lot. The acting was more stagy then, but actually it wasn't too over the top, and I felt they captured the essence of the characters very well. It was almost 4 hours long, so they had time to develop the story and explore the characters fully, which I appreciated immensely. One of the things that bugs me about both other versions of Persuasion is that they were too short, so something was always sacrificed, either the characters or the plot, but the 70's version has both going for it. The sets and costumes of course, leave much to be desired; everything you see on screen screams 'made in the 70's'. Could they have made Anne Eliot's hair in the first episode any bigger if they'd tried? There were a handful of dresses that were actually pretty and reasonably accurate, but mostly it's a lot of electric green plaid and such like. And Kellynch Hall is furnished with hideous Victorian renaissance-revival furniture and green 70's wallpaper. But I eventually was able to forget about all that, and became completely engrossed in the story, which I think is a testament to the quality of the adaptation and the actors. I highly recommend it to all Jane Austen fans.

I've been feeling very Broadway lately, listening to all my favorite cast recordings, so I actually watched the Tonys a few nights ago. I like to catch the Tonys if I can, not because I actually care who wins, but because it's a convenient way for a Midwest girl like myself to catch up on all the new musicals every year. I must say, however, I'm disappointed. Xanadu? Really? That's the best they can come up with for a new musical? And they nominate it for awards no less? I'm terribly distressed by the way Broadway musicals have gone the past couple of years. Either it's modern urban stuff that sounds more like pop music, or it's really campy, commercialized stuff based on some movie. What happened to the old fashioned romantic musical filled with soaring melodies and beautiful lyrics? What happened to musical comedies that were innocent and warmhearted with songs you could sing along to in the car? Maybe I'm just terribly old-fashioned myself, but give me Cole Porter over Mel Brooks or John Waters, Lerner and Loewe over rappers, any day.

Been reading Agatha Christie lately. It's so funny that the latest Doctor Who episode should have been about Agatha Christie! And it was hilarious too! Loved it.

I was all set to cut out the jacket and skirt for the 1914 doll dress, but somehow the fabric got wrinkled, and I cannot find the iron anywhere. Ugh. I think I might be forced to start another project in the meantime if I don't find it soon. The enforced inaction is killing me!

Just remembered I'll have to schlep to the library and get out my research books for reference if I'm going to re-write the ten lost pages of my story. Enforced inaction again. I might go insane but for the happy fact that my holds came in at the library for the DVDs of The Buccaneers, Berkeley Square and the last season of The House of Eliott! Sweet, sweet period drama heaven! And costumes! Oh, the soothing costume-induced bliss! As long as there are BBC period dramas, there is light and hope in the world. ;-D