Legs.

It’s Monday and I’m still thinking about that Cudia boot.

What I love about theatre is that no matter how many times you’ve seen a show or even a particular actor’s performances, there’s always room for surprise. I always liked John Cudia, but that boot was distinct from all his other performances. He just walked into work that day and said “I feel like being more feral than usual.”

This Week's Phantom Spotlight: Marcus Lovett

He's not everyone's cup of tea, but after going back and forth about this a few times with different watches I've decided he's mine (oddly enough).

Detractors call him stiff (and he is) and aloof (I get it), but those are choices that make sense when you understand the logic behind his portrayal. "Unsocialized" doesn't [always] have to look like "unhinged;" it can also look...detached, hyper-rationalizing, wheels turning in head at all times.

^^^ And that would get old were it not for the fact that Lovett plays that vision very methodical and consistent so that it can all be undone in the final lair. His Erik's arc is calculating/processing by imitation -> learning how to feel organically. His tension: "Oh shit, I'm actually feeling things. I wasn't supposed to feel things."

Slightly hard to tell bc of the glare in the boots, but 95% sure he embraced Christine back (hesitantly) during the kisses/hugs and also held AO'B's hand, and that decision matters for his portrayal (saves it from being too stiff and consistent and he plays it like he's embracing her despite himself--stopped thinking, started to feel).

Also has to be paired with the right Christine, which he was with Anna O'Byrne. She got it; they played off each other well.

Forget Raoul, that veil is Lovett's real antagonist in the final lair.

Phantoms: Sad Wet Cat or Crazy Bitch?

Inspired by this tweet by @glindaupland (i think). May delete because, well...

Earl Carpenter: Duh, the OG sad wet cat OG.

Kevin Gray: Definitely a crazy bitch, but makes me a sad wet cat watching him.

Ian Jon Bourg: Sad wet cat pretending to be a crazy bitch.

Tim Martin Gleason: Name a difference between his final lair and a kitten left out in the rain?

Hugh Panaro: Psycho bitch who becomes a sad wet cat for 1.5 seconds when he says "my angel."

Davis Gaines: Sad wet crazy bitch.

JOJ: Crazy wet cat.

David Thaxton: Is a crazy bitch because he's a sad wet cat.

Ramin Karimloo: Extra crazy bitch. No cat in him whatsoever, unfortunately.

Jeremy Stolle: Was a sad wet cat in his early days as an understudy but graduated to crazy bitch and sex god in the 2020s.

Greg Mills: People literally call him finger lickin' Greg...but he's still a wet cat.

Ben Crawford: Crazy bitch who swears he's not crazy.

David Shannon: Sad wet cat who is also injured.

John Cudia: Sad wet cat who makes my cat w—*phone dies*

Suing John Cudia for Emotional Distress for:

The way his evil laugh sounds like a wail/sob.

Looking upward during the portcullis sprawl like his soul is going to leave his body with Christine brushing up against his--

Panicking and considering CPR when Christine faints.

HANDS (see items 5-7)

Doing motions that make me squirm during STYDI of all numbers when most Phantoms are concerned with the crawl.

Clutching at everything--fabric, air, his own knees and legs--during PONR.

Balling up in a fist when Christine kisses him and then stationed like they're almost protecting his heart afterwards.

The way he slides his whole body up against Christine during PONR.

The way he slides his whole body up against Christine during the final lair kiss.

Laying ON TOP of Christine when he's spiraling during the final lair.

Turning his neck at a damn near 90 degree angle when Raoul arrives in the graveyard.

Cheekbones.

It was all intentional. Lawyer up.

David Shannon & Gina Beck

The Golden Girls – 5.26: The Presidents Coming! The Presidents Coming!

I don't think you understand how John Cudia's STYDI hands have disturbed me on a visceral level. He went OFF in this boot.

A heartbreaking Davis Gaines hand thing.

Edit: Boots are cinema because do you SEE how this master lets the camera linger on the empty space even after Christine leaves the frame? Do you understand we give filmmakers oscars for this kind of thing?!

The Last Black Man In San Francisco (2019)

dir. joe talbot

Me: *Has the thesaurus open in multiple tabs.*

Also me: *Opens another tab and types in "redundant synonym."*

*a few minutes later opens another tab and types "excessive synonym."*

*and another tab: "compulsive synonym."*