Dangerous Common Sense

“Between Two Knees”

By Galen|2019-06-08T06:50:23-07:00May 18, 2019|osf, plays|

After trying for a month to moderate my initial reaction to the show, I admit failure. So, I reluctantly tell you, "Run! Turn your tickets back!! Seeing Between Two Knees is a waste." The "play" is a two-act, juvenile, mental-masturbation orgy of insult humor written without wit and performed without inspiration. It feels unedited, unworkshopped, and unrehearsed, OSF protestations to the contrary notwithstanding. About the cleverest thing about Knees is how it inoculated itself against criticism by suggesting that any complaints directed toward it are based on white fragility, insensitivity, or worse. Aside from this self-vaccination against disapproval, there is [...]

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“Mother Road” at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

By Galen|2019-04-14T15:47:57-07:00April 14, 2019|osf, plays|

World Premiere by Octavio Solis directed by Bill Rauch Mark Murphey (William Joad), Tony Sancho (Martín Jodes)Photo by Jenny Graham, Oregon Shakespeare Festival. My subconscious has delayed my writing comments about Ashland's Mother Road. I saw it opening night in early March, but I haven't felt like it was time to write about the play. Not when I first saw it. Not when I got back home and had a chance to think about it. Not ever. The problem is that I want to construct an enthusiastic collection of comments that matches the applause the audience -- including me -- [...]

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Day 189: Walkies!

By Galen|2019-04-02T20:31:08-07:00March 31, 2019|dachshunds|

Despite working seven days a week, Geoffrey has taken Auroara out on 23rd Street for her first two outside walks this past Sunday and the Sunday before. Her first excursion was on her six month birthday, and we took some pictures of that event. Today, Auroara remembered that going out front was not the end of the world. She hung back a little at first, but after just one house, she was surveying the street and deciding that the front door world at least smelled interesting. Day 189 - Surveying the Street She did quite well walking, sniffing, and exploring... [...]

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“Hairspray” at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

By Galen|2019-03-29T14:40:40-07:00March 29, 2019|osf, plays|

Hairspray created and written by John Watersbook by Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnellmusic by Marc Shaimandirected by Christopher Liam Moore Prepare to smile, laugh, feel good, applaud, and appreciate an uplifting story sung and danced into your heart by a strong, beautiful, coordinated cast. Get ready for a perfect production of a archetypal feel-good big musical. Beyond the summary above, everything else is just dreary supporting detail. The story has a socially marginalized fat girl scoring a position on a TV dance show that is a bastion of white privilege and teenage snottiness. She and her black friends break barriers [...]

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Day 182 – The Sixth Month Birthday

By Galen|2019-03-25T20:13:02-07:00March 23, 2019|dachshunds|

Happy Six Month Birthday to Auroara! We celebrated with lots of affection in the backyard. Day 182 - Mutual Affection at Six MonthsDay 182 - Galen holding the 6-month puppyDay 182 - Galen and Auroara both Mugging Click on any picture for a larger version. We neglected to weigh her, so we'll have to go with 11 pounds, 11 ounces... what she was at the vet's last Monday. We'll have to check, but this may make her our heaviest girl. But, she's perfect, says, Dr. Chase! After Geoffrey did her nails, he put a harness on her. The three of [...]

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“Cambodian Rock Band” at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

By Galen|2019-12-29T11:03:39-08:00March 22, 2019|osf, plays|

Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yeedirected by Chay Yew Photo by Jenny Graham. Understanding your parents and their motivations is a difficult and uncomfortable act for most of us humans. In Cambodian Rock Band it's an impossible task for first-generation American Neary (played by Brooke Ishibashi) whose Cambodian-born parents don't talk much about the pre-USA times. Neary, a thoroughly American young adult, has decided to go to Phnom Penh and work with NGOs to bring to justice people who helped the Khmer Rouge. She's gathering evidence against the superintendent of S21, a notorious killing prison, when her father (Chum, played [...]

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“The Underpants Godot”

By Galen|2019-03-21T08:08:28-07:00March 19, 2019|plays, Theatre Rhino|

The Underpants Godot By Duncan PflasterDirected by Alan Quismorio Jordan Ong (as Mark, an actor playing Estragon) and Francisco Rodriguez (as Tim, and actor playing Vladamir) Photo by Joseph Tally. What fun! Especially for a theater fan who still cringes when he remembers going to a production of Waiting for Godot when he was precocious senior in high school. I was too young, too tired, or too something for the non-action on stage. I don't remember the details of the play, but I remember the agonizing pacing, and I remember wondering if the plaudits for Beckett's writing weren't a giant [...]

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“As You Like It” at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

By Galen|2019-03-28T20:41:42-07:00March 16, 2019|plays|

As You Like It by William Shakespearedirected by Rosa Joshi As You Like It (2019): Román Zaragoza (Orlando), Jessica Ko (Rosalind). Photo by Jenny Graham. At the very least yet another romp through Arden Forest should be enjoyable fun. Done with artistry, a director can use this comedy to make Shakespeare seem like a feminist. After all, the freedom to love will win out and the women's decisions share the shaping of action in Arden Forest. At least I think they do. On the other hand, the current Oregon Shakespeare Festival's offering didn't even amuse me. The show is both [...]

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Day 134 – The Final Puppy Shots!

By Galen|2019-03-08T17:09:31-08:00February 4, 2019|dachshunds, Uncategorized|

Finally! Ever since Auroara (aka then as MUNI) started venturing out of the whelping box on to the floor where people stepped, we have been taking off our street shoes at the door. And, washing our hands before petting her. Puppies are not immune to many serious viruses that are Out There. They need a series of shots and booster shots against common illnesses. Parvo is the disease the vets are most worried about, but there is distemper, canine influenza, kennel cough, leptospirosis, and other nasty bugs out there. So, we've kept our shoes off and asked visitors to de-shoe [...]

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Day 127 – Auroara Goes Down

By Galen|2019-01-28T14:31:40-08:00January 27, 2019|dachshunds|

Geoffrey did it! He got Auroara to go down all five steps to the back yard! Up until about noon today, Auroara would willingly only jump down one step to the back door landing. Then she'd fuss and bark to get lifted up, held, and moved down to the ground. This past week, I started lifting her down one more step from the top. She'd be scared and completely stiff. I'd do it again, and she would loosen a little, look at the final stair and the waiting ground. She'd often take that two-step adventure on her own, although a [...]

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