Escape Artists

PodCastle => Episode Comments => Topic started by: Talia on February 20, 2013, 01:27:07 PM

Title: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Talia on February 20, 2013, 01:27:07 PM
PodCastle 248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot (http://podcastle.org/2013/02/20/podcastle-148-bleaker-collegiate-presents-an-all-female-production-of-waiting-for-godot/)

by Claire Humphrey (http://www.clairehumphrey.ca/)

Read by Tatiana Gomberg (http://www.tatianagomberg.com/tatianagomberg.com/HOME.html)

Originally published in Strange Horizons (http://www.strangehorizons.com/index.shtml). Read the story here (http://www.strangehorizons.com/2011/20110718/godot-f.shtml)!

Making friends with Ginevra was like taming a stray cat. First I started hanging around in areas where she might be found. If she showed, I didn’t approach her. I just stood there, smoking, or I read something, glancing at her secretly from behind my hair. Then I started catching her eye once in a while. Then I started smiling.

Then I started dating Christopher Potter; I dumped him after a few weeks, but that got me introduced to Pete Janaczek, which got me the invite to Pete’s party, which got me in the same room as Ginevra while she was tipsy and expansive, and then-finally-it happened.

All that was a lie, you know. As if I could plan anything like that. It’s only in hindsight that I realize why I started spending time in the smoke-hole in the first place. So many of the things we do, we keep from ourselves.


Rated PG.

(http://escapepod.org/wp-images/podcast-mini4.gif) Listen to this week’s PodCastle! (http://media.rawvoice.com/podcastle/media.libsyn.com/media/podcastle/PC248_BleakerCollegiatePresents.mp3)
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Listener on February 21, 2013, 01:50:27 PM
I... am not sure what happened here. I'm not sure where the fantastic element was. To me this was a story about a girl interested in another girl, and one girl has chronic nosebleeds, and eventually they hold hands. It was a nice story, but I seem to have missed the fantasy in it.

I also had some issues with the narration. Her voice was good, but her pauses kept throwing me off.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Devoted135 on February 21, 2013, 03:55:57 PM
I think the fantasy element is that something sinister is happening to the MC at the crossroads, but she can't quite remember what it is or even that it is happening. Whatever is happening to her, it's the cause of her nosebleeds. I think I would get a lot more out of this story if I was actually familiar with "Waiting for Godot", but the impressive thing (for me) about this story is that it makes me want to learn more in order to unpack it. Rather than being frustrated at its ambiguity, I'm intrigued and want to dig into it.

I also can't decide if the narration was a failed experiment, or brilliant. The pauses and sniffs, the ending at least 50% of the sentences with a questioning inflection, the hesitation. Yeah, I'm leaning toward brilliant, but I'm not really sure yet. I also wanted to add that I really enjoyed Peter Wood's intro. :)
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Bartok on February 21, 2013, 04:19:47 PM
I generally hate it when people quibble about about whether something is science fiction or fantasy, but here I am doing it! To me, if I have to ponder and rationalize to try to come up with a way in which a story could be considered speculative... it's just not.

Maybe it's just far too subtle for me, though it's not like I require swords and wizards to call something fantasy. Bottom line, I found this story absolutely mundane - in every sense of the word.

If the story was in any way interesting on its own merits I could be more forgiving, but I'm afraid it was my least favorite Podcastle story ever.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: ElectricPaladin on February 22, 2013, 09:24:04 PM
Oh, damnit. Damnit. Stop posting that nothing happened. I really wanted to finish this story, and I don't know if I can make it.

I read Waiting for Godot. I hated it. My brother tells me that I have to see it, but I don't want to waste the hours of life. The play is unutterably boring to read, and I can't imagine that it's any better to see. If this story has the same "nothing happening, going nowhere" quality, I'm going to ditch right now.

Look, authors of the world - and this includes myself - if you are going to write a story in which nothing to not a lot happens, you need to be extremely good. You need to fill the story with other, incredibly awesome, stuff. You are probably not good enough to pull this off. I am not good enough to pull this off. Night Circus pulls it off... mostly. Maybe - maybe - Neil Gaiman could pull it off, but first of all he's a god, and second of all, he knows better than to try.

Unless this story gets some positive feedback soon, I'm not going to waste the brain cells.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Just Jeff on February 22, 2013, 10:51:25 PM
Beautifully read, but the story did nothing for me.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: eytanz on February 22, 2013, 11:07:36 PM
I read Waiting for Godot. I hated it. My brother tells me that I have to see it, but I don't want to waste the hours of life. The play is unutterably boring to read, and I can't imagine that it's any better to see. If this story has the same "nothing happening, going nowhere" quality, I'm going to ditch right now.

Watching Waiting for Godot on stage, if it's well directed and acted, is an amazing experience. Though I wouldn't recommend it if you come in expecting to dislike it, because it's the type of art that rewards the audience for making an effort to engage, not the type of art that's easy to consume.

Quote
Look, authors of the world - and this includes myself - if you are going to write a story in which nothing to not a lot happens, you need to be extremely good. You need to fill the story with other, incredibly awesome, stuff. You are probably not good enough to pull this off. I am not good enough to pull this off. Night Circus pulls it off... mostly. Maybe - maybe - Neil Gaiman could pull it off, but first of all he's a god, and second of all, he knows better than to try.

I normally agree with most of what you post, but that's a very narrow and prescriptive view of literature.

Quote
Unless this story gets some positive feedback soon, I'm not going to waste the brain cells.

I haven't actually listened to the story yet, so I can't say whether it's any good. But I strongly disagree with your general point above.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: benjaminjb on February 23, 2013, 05:07:27 AM
I've always loved science fiction and fantasy stories, but I spent a lot of time in college reading literary fiction, the sort of story where atmosphere and mood carry the story more than an overt plot. I still enjoy an occasional story that infuriates with its lack of closure or meanders.

But this didn't quite do it for me. I enjoyed the intro, which stressed the importance of "necessitating a choice" for drama. Was there a choice here that the POV character made? Or did she just moon over the other person and then faced no real conflict or opposition? I could add that I didn't feel very much speculation here, but I didn't feel much story here.

Damn, though, I love that title.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Liminal on February 23, 2013, 04:20:09 PM
I like this story a lot and find it intriguing. Humphrey doesn't provide any answers and she lets the gaps and silences in the narrative itself become as important as what is actually there. Does that work for everyone or for every story? No. But if you enjoy mysteries and an exploration of desire for the love of a particular person, I think you'll find enough in this short story to charm you.

P.S. Beckett's work is FUNNY but in a dark and very bleak way. There is a tremendous amount of slapstick and vaudeville that should inform any decent production of nearly any of his shows that makes you laugh (there's a reason why Robin Williams and Steve Martin took on the leads for a Broadway production several years ago and why Bert Lahr (the Cowardly Lion) was in the original Broadway production).
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Liminal on February 23, 2013, 04:21:14 PM
I also can't decide if the narration was a failed experiment, or brilliant. The pauses and sniffs, the ending at least 50% of the sentences with a questioning inflection, the hesitation. Yeah, I'm leaning toward brilliant, but I'm not really sure yet. I also wanted to add that I really enjoyed Peter Wood's intro. :)

Thanks. :)
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: ElectricPaladin on February 24, 2013, 06:07:59 PM
I normally agree with most of what you post, but that's a very narrow and prescriptive view of literature.

Well, you can't win 'em all. Don't worry - I won't take it personally.

To be fair, this is not a point of view based on theory. This is based on my personal experience as a long-time consumer of literature. I have experienced stories in which the author did not make an effort to ensure that things happened, and I was bored. These were inevitably stories with good prose, halfway-decent characters, and - usually - a beautiful and compelling setting. The author just forgot the "plot" part.

That said, YMMV and all. I like things to happen in my fiction - this isn't true of everyone.

I'm also entirely willing to read something that is and presents itself as a character study or a travelogue of a secondary world (actually, I'd really enjoy reading that). It's just not a story. When I come in expecting a story, and what I get is a flimsy story attached like a hideous parasitic twin to a character study or travelogue... why bother, you know? Just write the character study or travelogue. Don't bore me with a lame, halfhearted story.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: DKT on February 25, 2013, 04:56:11 PM
Oh, damnit. Damnit. Stop posting that nothing happened. I really wanted to finish this story, and I don't know if I can make it.

I read Waiting for Godot. I hated it. My brother tells me that I have to see it, but I don't want to waste the hours of life. The play is unutterably boring to read, and I can't imagine that it's any better to see. If this story has the same "nothing happening, going nowhere" quality, I'm going to ditch right now.

Look, authors of the world - and this includes myself - if you are going to write a story in which nothing to not a lot happens, you need to be extremely good. You need to fill the story with other, incredibly awesome, stuff. You are probably not good enough to pull this off. I am not good enough to pull this off. Night Circus pulls it off... mostly. Maybe - maybe - Neil Gaiman could pull it off, but first of all he's a god, and second of all, he knows better than to try.

Unless this story gets some positive feedback soon, I'm not going to waste the brain cells.

Beckett ostensibly wrote a masterpiece where "not a lot happens" with Godot. You hated it (which is fine), but I think "good enough" is a very relative term here. I think your issues have less to do with whether or not the authors of the world are good enough to write this kind of story, and more to do with whether or not you're interested in listening to/reading that kind of story. 

I'm not suggesting you waste brain cells -as I've said, if you don't like it, that's fine. But please don't ask authors to throw in the towel when they try to do something different because that kind of story isn't your thing.

I'm always hesitant to heap praise on authors on the forum because it should be assumed that I love every story we feature here, but I'm going to go ahead and do it anyway in this thread. I think Claire Humphrey is that good. She has an incredible voice, and I love reading her fiction.

To be fair, this is not a point of view based on theory. This is based on my personal experience as a long-time consumer of literature. I have experienced stories in which the author did not make an effort to ensure that things happened, and I was bored. These were inevitably stories with good prose, halfway-decent characters, and - usually - a beautiful and compelling setting. The author just forgot the "plot" part.

That said, YMMV and all. I like things to happen in my fiction - this isn't true of everyone.

I'm also entirely willing to read something that is and presents itself as a character study or a travelogue of a secondary world (actually, I'd really enjoy reading that). It's just not a story. When I come in expecting a story, and what I get is a flimsy story attached like a hideous parasitic twin to a character study or travelogue... why bother, you know? Just write the character study or travelogue. Don't bore me with a lame, halfhearted story.

Oh, there's quite a few in the vein of this, including the short story Ken Liu was nominated for this year (http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/the-bookmaking-habits-of-select-species/). (I've seen it done by Le Guinn and Catherynne M. Valente too - can hunt up links, etc., later, if you're interested.)
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Talia on February 26, 2013, 01:48:01 PM
Aw, c'mon, EP. :) You've been around long enough to know you've got to wait until there's more than 3 posts to make a full assessment of reader opinions. :) There's almost ALWAYS wide variance.

Also, for what it's worth, there have been plenty of times when my opinion on a story has differed greatly from some posters. I guess if you perceive it features a  pet peeve of yours nothing wrong with trying to avoid it ('NO. YOU MUST LISTEN TO EVERY PC STORY EVER,' proclaim the evil PodCastle gods. 'ELSE, fearsome sea creatures will rise from your bathtub and nibble your toes.' OK, they might not have said that). I'd suggest offering criticism based on the story itself, though, not based on other people's feedback.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Scattercat on February 26, 2013, 05:09:43 PM
This story was utterly brilliant.  Top, top, top marks, with perhaps a soupçon of disappointment about Another Coming Out Story.  (It's a popular theme with a lot of useful ores to dig up, but it's pretty heavily mined these days.)

I'm leaning towards Satan being at the crossroads (because that's both mythologically accurate and also an amusing counterpoint to "It's not God that they're waiting for.  It's more personal than that."  God, after all, is the ultimate reshaper, the conformity of holy unity, the Singularity of I Am; the Devil, on the other hand, wants to separate you from the herd, to isolate you.  God loves everyone; the Devil wants you.)  On the flip side, nosebleeds suggest Roswellian alien abductions, as do the bouts of missing time/foggy memories, and comparing SETI's likely fruitless quest with Vladimir and Estragon's anxious awaiting of Godot also amuses me.

It's really not important, of course, and I strongly appreciate the story not forcing the issue.

Also, "Waiting for Godot" is one of the best plays ever, read or performed.  (Except for when people try to make it heavy, portentous, and boring and thus somehow more artistic.)
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Max e^{i pi} on February 26, 2013, 06:45:47 PM
I have no idea what this story was about, or even if it was about anything at all.
The narration was (IMO) absolutely awful. Between the agonizingly. Slow. Reading. And. The. Inexplicable. Pauses. I. Couldn't. Really. Follow? Not to mention the half-swallowed words.
The story itself was not too good either. The profusion of (probably theater-related but to me) inexplicable terms helped throw me off.
And I really really don't like stream-of-consciousness stories.
I spent the whole time looking at my player and just waiting for it to be over. "Are there 7 minutes of outro+comments? 6 minutes? Is is almost over yet?"
Two thumbs down. Let the tiger get this one.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: FireTurtle on February 26, 2013, 06:46:31 PM
I know I read "Waiting for Godot" in college. I know that I did. And, it left only the tiniest sliver of impression on me.
Me: "Brain, we read Waiting for Godot, didn't we? What was it all about?"

Brain: "I dunno. Bunch of guys, with nothing else going on waiting for some dude who doesn't show up. But, it was REALLY REALLY important because smart people really liked it, so its a good thing we read it, because we want to be a smart person too."

Me: "Um, ok. That's good then."

So, yeah, glossing over the literary significance thing. WTF nosebleeds? Nosebleeds? I was having the same thoughts as the protagonist during the story...the meaning of everything kept just slipping away, just out of reach.

My nice human brain kept trying to shove some sort of pattern onto the nosebleeds. All it came up with was that they occur with The Gay Thoughts. Think The Gay Thoughts, get nosebleed. So, um, then what was with the pen? Did she lobotomize herself? Of course, the physician in me decided she had leukemia and should really go get checked out for those. Argh.

I am not going to let a science fiction short story make me feel bad for forgetting "Waiting For Godot".

As for the narration, I thought it was exceptionally well acted. BUT, I thought it was to good. Let me attempt to articulate:
Plays are acted because, they are plays and dialogue is pretty much all there is. Stories are read because they are stories and have a narrative that is not (mostly) dialogue dependent. This story got "acted" and I think it interfered a bit with my ability to follow what had originally been a narrative. The non dialogue bits got kind of smooshed into dialogueness and well...it didn't work for me.  


 
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: chemistryguy on February 26, 2013, 07:57:05 PM
Not having read, nor ever heard of "Waiting for Gorot", I started into the play hoping it might shed some light on this story.

I got about 10 lines in and decided that perhaps I'd be better off Youtubin' the play itself.

I made it through 9 minutes before pulling out.

I like surreal and I like dark comedy, but something about these two stories just doesn't jive with me.  The combination of weird and dark humor sounds like it should result in discomfort, but I was mainly bored.

Nothing to be done about it.  I'll just stand here and wait for something to happen to me.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Alasdair5000 on February 26, 2013, 08:12:55 PM
A couple of years ago I saw a production starring Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen.

It was GLORIOUS.

If you can, find that online, it'll raise the text immeasurably.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: ElectricPaladin on February 26, 2013, 08:43:19 PM
A couple of years ago I saw a production starring Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen.

Well, they could make anything glorious. Seriously, I'd pay to listen to them take turns reading the phone book.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: DKT on February 26, 2013, 09:17:44 PM
A couple of years ago I saw a production starring Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen.

It was GLORIOUS.

If you can, find that online, it'll raise the text immeasurably.

Looks like they're gonna be doing it again (http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/01/patrick-stewart-and-ian-mckellen-heading-to-broadway-in-waiting-for-godot). Damn. I'd love to see that. 
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Unblinking on February 27, 2013, 03:01:47 PM
I've never been very involved in theater, other than a couple bit parts in college drama club.  I've never seen Waiting For Godot all the way through (I've seen actors doing the opening 5 minutes or so which were entertaining enough but I don't know if it would hold up through the rest).  Even after the intro I have no idea why an all-female production is supposed to be more of a hook than any other production of this particular play--it adds words to an already wordy title so it must be intended as a hook, methinks, but I have no idea why.

I'm guessing I'm just not the target audience for this story.  I listened about 2/3 through, but nothing much had happened besides the protagonist crushing on another girl and getting nosebleeds.  I'm not opposed to not much happening, but it has to happen in a much more entertaining way than this.  There was nothing to engage me.

Oh, there's quite a few in the vein of this, including the short story Ken Liu was nominated for this year (http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/the-bookmaking-habits-of-select-species/). (I've seen it done by Le Guinn and Catherynne M. Valente too - can hunt up links, etc., later, if you're interested.)

There's some really genius worldbuilding ideas in that.  It's a real shame the outline got published instead of a story based upon it.

Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Bdoomed on February 28, 2013, 03:50:08 AM
So... I gave this story a listen, and... well it's as if I can see what it was getting at on the horizon, but I can't quite make it out.  Which is frustrating.  I don't think it's the story's fault, rather mine.  There's ... something... there about the crossroads.  I love the idea of the crossroads, and there have bee many other stories on PC about them.  I love that PC keeps coming back to them too.

I did, however, enjoy the big 'screw you' to the sexist prick who wrote the play (never seen/read the play though).

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I liked it, even if I didn't get everything that I believe the story has to offer.  :)
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Scattercat on February 28, 2013, 04:21:31 AM
It wasn't sexism, Bdoomed.  Beckett was just a complete obsessive about the "right" way to do his plays, and he wrote this play for an all-male cast.  He pitched equally extreme fits when people tried to change the setting or the costumes or even the stage directions of his plays.  (Seriously, his stage directions go on for *paragraphs* and are ridiculously detailed.)

One company once tried to do something with the tree in this play, turn it into something else, and IIRC Beckett banned them, too.  Dude emphatically did NOT believe in the death of the author.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: i.wright on February 28, 2013, 01:21:54 PM
This has been titled in Itunes as "Podcastle 148: ..." if anyone is OCD enough to want to correct it.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: chemistryguy on March 01, 2013, 12:01:20 PM
A couple of years ago I saw a production starring Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen.

It was GLORIOUS.

If you can, find that online, it'll raise the text immeasurably.

I would indeed give this version a try.  It isn't available on YT, but I'll look around elsewhere.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Lionman on March 01, 2013, 04:04:14 PM
I wanted to pop in and mention that I thought that the narration of this story was so very, very well done.  It wholly brought forward the feelings I had for the story itself.  I'm listening to a character who is completely bored with things...just, kinda like I thought the story was.  I kept asking myself through the podcast, "So, is this going to pick up, or will it just be Plain Jane all the way through?"

I'm afraid that's time I'll never get back.  But, the narration was, as I said, spot on.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: jdarksun on March 05, 2013, 01:58:32 AM
Loved the reading, lukewarm on the story (not due to quality of content, but for lack of action), confused as to why this is on Podcastle.   The hint of a hint at the crossroads?

...that said, I didn't dislike it.  Mainly because it reminded me of high school.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: InfiniteMonkey on March 05, 2013, 03:45:12 AM
I think I have a problem with the narration? Because it's like everything ends in a question? And I'm not sure if we're supposed to believe what she's saying? Or if SHE believes what she's saying? About anything? You Know?

Actually, to be fair, I think it was a fairly good reconstruction of the sound of tentative adolescence, but that doesn't keep it from annoying the living #&@()* out of me. It's that particular verbal tick that annoys me, not the narration. The world would be much better off if young people had a bit more confidence in what they were saying; not the confidence of a sociopath, mind you, but enough so that saying your name doesn't sound like in ends in a question mark.

As for the story, and what happens in it, is it fantasy, blah-blah-blah. No, it's not Tolkien or Conan. That's ok.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: chemistryguy on March 05, 2013, 12:20:24 PM
I think I have a problem with the narration? Because it's like everything ends in a question? And I'm not sure if we're supposed to believe what she's saying? Or if SHE believes what she's saying? About anything? You Know?

Actually, to be fair, I think it was a fairly good reconstruction of the sound of tentative adolescence, but that doesn't keep it from annoying the living #&@()* out of me. It's that particular verbal tick that annoys me, not the narration. The world would be much better off if young people had a bit more confidence in what they were saying; not the confidence of a sociopath, mind you, but enough so that saying your name doesn't sound like in ends in a question mark.

Most of this is taking place inside her head.  Thoughts can't just be copied and put into print.  Whatever you're reading (or listening to) is an interpretation.  Nothing more.

I remember my teenage years not necessarily questioning everything I did, but lacking any form of confidence.  I didn't know who I was, and if there was an inner dialogue running it would have probably sounded like the way the story ran.  Throw homosexuality into the mix, and things get even more confusing (I'd imagine).

Though not a fan of the story, it (story and reader) did a bang up job of moving us into the mind of another.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Devoted135 on March 05, 2013, 04:11:56 PM
I also can't decide if the narration was a failed experiment, or brilliant. The pauses and sniffs, the ending at least 50% of the sentences with a questioning inflection, the hesitation. Yeah, I'm leaning toward brilliant, but I'm not really sure yet. I also wanted to add that I really enjoyed Peter Wood's intro. :)

Finally decided it was brilliant, because without it I would have been frustrated rather than intrigued by the story. So yay for that. :)
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: ancawonka on March 25, 2013, 05:15:20 AM
I'm not sure what it says about we here in the forums, complaining that "not enough happened" in a story based on "Waiting for Godot".  Is that irony?

The narrator did a great job, especially around the part where she actually goes to the crossroads and something ... happens.  The girl's voice becomes more confident for just a bit, and then she's back in her shell.   The symbolism, between nosebleeds, blood, cemeteries, and Godot, seems complex and worth thinking about more. 

I admit I skipped the intro, as it was going on a bit too long. 
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: chemistryguy on March 27, 2013, 12:01:25 PM
I'm not sure what it says about we here in the forums, complaining that "not enough happened" in a story based on "Waiting for Godot".  Is that irony?

Yes. 
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Fenrix on March 27, 2013, 06:23:44 PM
Thumbs up to Peter's intro. I like getting to understand the whole cast of characters around here better.

I also can't decide if the narration was a failed experiment, or brilliant. The pauses and sniffs, the ending at least 50% of the sentences with a questioning inflection, the hesitation. Yeah, I'm leaning toward brilliant, but I'm not really sure yet. I also wanted to add that I really enjoyed Peter Wood's intro. :)

Finally decided it was brilliant, because without it I would have been frustrated rather than intrigued by the story. So yay for that. :)

I don't think I am quite arty enough for this story. I've done a little drama, but enough so the greek chorus in San Francisco story worked for me where this one didn't nearly so well. Further, I have no exposure to the play, and I'm not sure I'd be inclined to like it because I tend to dislike moody things without plot. However, I'll agree entirely with Devoted on the brilliant reading, including the self doubt about said brilliance.

A couple of years ago I saw a production starring Patrick Stewart and Ian Mckellen.

It was GLORIOUS.

If you can, find that online, it'll raise the text immeasurably.

Looks like they're gonna be doing it again (http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/01/patrick-stewart-and-ian-mckellen-heading-to-broadway-in-waiting-for-godot). Damn. I'd love to see that. 

That would be a thing indeed. I think if I were to experience Godot, it would need to be like this. This just might be worth making long-term plans for.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Dave on April 04, 2013, 02:27:57 AM
Gripping, but not fantasy, and not finished. =(

The narration was perfect- at first I was a little annoyed until I realized the narrator is channeling the main character* flawlessly.

*(I can't call her a protagonist, as she didn't really protag anything)
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Special Ed on April 11, 2013, 01:44:36 PM
I want to be the sort of reader that can honestly say "oh wow, that was deep and moving."  I want to be the sort of reader that can find and appreciate the depth of a story like this. 

Instead, I'm the sort of reader that says, "What the hell was that?"  It comes off as pretentious crap like a wine taster that says something about tannins and hints of random fruits or trees.  From a quick skim of the Wikipedia page for Waiting for Godot, the play and Becket himself also come across as pretentious crap.   And yes, a quick skim was all I gave the Wikipedia page; it deserves no more of my time.

I enjoy a good puzzle.  I find few things more frustrating than a bad mystery masquerading as a puzzle.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Sgarre1 on April 11, 2013, 02:14:10 PM
In 2009 I had the pleasure of seeing a one man show version of Beckett's rarely produced text "The Lost Ones" - it was one of the most intense and fascinating things I have ever experienced (and there is no plot) - something like the mood of Thomas Ligotti evoked into the real world.  Amazing stuff - if you have a chance, never deny yourself the challenge of Samuel Beckett.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: Special Ed on April 11, 2013, 02:52:18 PM
... it was one of the most intense and fascinating things I have ever experienced (and there is no plot) - something like the mood of Thomas Ligotti evoked into the real world...

Intentionally or not, you just revealed to me where I went astray with this story.  I expected a plot.  If instead I had expected a verbal painting of a mood or atmosphere, I would have appreciated it.

If I ever have the opportunity to see a Beckett play, I'll have to remind myself to expect a mood not a plot.
Title: Re: PC248: Bleaker Collegiate Presents an All-Female Production of Waiting for Godot
Post by: childoftyranny on May 30, 2013, 01:41:08 AM
I thoroughly enjoyed this. I have not a clue what half the symbols means but I really enjoyed the writing, I enjoy the narrations, I even enjoyed the pretentiousness! I was never much for the perfomance arts, but I was involved in poetry at my college so while I do actually find some out that "feeling" annoying it fits so perfectly into the story that any aggravation was washed away.

In many ways I think the best reponse to "is this insert-genre-here", at least in these podcasts is that fore-most I think the focus is speculative fiction, and then the genres are where the podcasts focus within that arena. That being said this story felt very fantastic, in the mind-fog it creates. Really its a fairly normal scene either in high-school or college, but them it grows more dramatic, perhaps the girl is just sick, but perhaps thee is more to this town somwhere in mysterious Canada!