"I don't like Mondays.  Tell me why.  I don't like Mondays.  Tell me why."

Does anyone remember that song by Boomtown Rats, written by Bob Geldof?  It aptly describes how I am feeling this morning.  The temperature has dipped and this a.m. I just wanted to stay in bed under the covers and wait it out until Friday rolled around again.  Alas, there are blogs to be written, shows to be seen, gossip to be heard and while it might be tough to get going today, it is nice to reflect back on an excellent weekend and dish with you all just a bit.  So without further adieu, here is today's Dark Day Dish...

Horrifying Friday Night

This time of year the film studios begin releasing all their Oscar worthy films and the movie theaters are jammed with big name stars in very important movies.  One such movie is NOT 30 Days of Night with Josh Hartnett.  Of all the high caliber movies out right now, my friends dragged me to see this piece of horror schlock about vampires in an Alaskan town.  Yikes.  It was not good, but we had a ton of fun.  Who doesn't love a swarm of vampires ravaging a small town? 

Saturday's Rain in Spain

On Friday I posted about the glamorous and exciting red carpet for Pygmalion with Claire Danes.  Well, the reviews came out on Friday and then I had a chance to see the show on Saturday.  The reviews for this production skewed pretty negative although Ms. Danes received mixed notices.  Here is a sampling of some of the criticism.

"Roundabout's charm-deprived revival of the 1914 play is a starchy, mostly joyless affair..."  Variety's David Rooney

"Which leaves the enchanting Danes, making her professional stage debut.  You would never guess it, for while her vocal projection is sometimes unsteady, she gently but firmly dusts the floor with the Broadway professionals around her. The way this human Galatea develops from cocky asperity (she looks like that wonderful Hogarth painting of "The Shrimp Girl") to swan-necked uncertainty at a tea party and on to a self-assured, upper-middle-class Englishwoman is handsomely done, and Grindley shares directorial credit for her transmogrification, if not her charm."  NY Post's Clive Barnes

"Ms. Danes works hard at maintaining audibility, while conveying the accents of the cockney Eliza and the gentrified version of the later scenes. But the effort pre-empts her relaxing into anything like spontaneous emotions. (Tellingly, she's at her best in the comic scene where a robotic Eliza visits Henry's mother to test her command of the Queen's English.) And there's no fire in her final face-off with Henry."  New York Times' Ben Brantley

Just to throw in my two cents.  I quite enjoyed Pygmailion.  I was enthralled by Jefferson Mays bold interpretation of Higgins and charmed by Ms. Danes' performance.  This production made it clear why someone thought this play would be an excellent musical (My Fair Lady) the text is extremely interesting (that Shaw can write!) and Grindley's directing was so "old school" that it was some how fresh and inventive.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Saturday night brought a fun dinner with some friends and a bit of gossip about How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  This holiday treat that is swooping down on "the Broadway" for the second year in a row and stars Patrick Paige as the Grinch.  Word on the street is that the man in the all green costume is a bit of Diva and that he is "over" working with the hordes of children and has purchased ear plugs to wear to rehearsal to block out their screams.  Now that is the true spirit of Christmas!

Celeb Sighting Sunday

The weekend was coming to a close and I was already getting the Sunday night blues (and it was only 10:00am).  My day perked up when Margaret Cho breezed into the restaurant I was having bfast (looking fabulous with a stylish unknown gentleman).  Then Molly Shannon, pushing a double decker stroller,  strolled by (glowing in the Sunday sun).  That perked me up enough to do laundry!  Yes folks another Dark Day Dish and another load of clean laundry!

Sunday night my friend Marguerite Stimpson and I shuttled downtown to see an interesting show at HERE.  HERE is an arts center that presents new and innovative work by up and coming artists.  Last night we saw a production called Dead Letter Office by Performance Lab 115.  Often downtown NY theater can be cool and intellectual, but this show was incredibly charming and engaging.  The central conceit of the show was based on the Dead Letter Office - the United Postal Service's actual office where un-delivered and un-returned mail goes.  It was a brilliant idea.  The show explored the idea of what it means to lose, look for and find something you have lost.  Stay tuned for more and exciting things from this smart and talented crew!

That is it for today.  I am so tempted to climb back into bed and sleep for two days, but I can't.  There is a ton of stuff coming down the pike this week; potential stage hand strike, the Passing Strange transfer, and the Ethan Hawke directed Things We Want starting previews (and more!).  So - have a great Monday and I will...

~ See You On The Aisle