(I'm really struggling with the "Politics As Entertainment" entry. So much new stuff every day.... I will try my hardest to get it posted tonight. Meantime, I saw two things this past weekend I'll share with you to keep you occupied).

   My beautiful dear friend, Lesley, (an awesome playwright herself), took me Saturday night to see the Venice-based Pacific Resident Theatre's equity-waiver production of Arthur Miller's enduring "Death Of A Salesman". For those who don't know, equity waiver means under 99 seats, and verrrry small spaces. Spaces so small the actors use the aisles to come and go, change scenery as they're delivering lines, and basically perform so close to the audience you can see and feel and hear every flaw. Fortunately, this production had almost none. Intelligently and ably directed by Elina de Santos, even the smallest of characters were performed incredibly by this talented troupe, proving again there are no small roles, only small actors. The four leads - Richard Fancy as patriarch, lifelong-struggling bullshitter Willie Loman, Sharron Shayne as long, almost-silently suffering matriarch Linda, and David Clayberg and Greg Vignolle as wildly different but strangely similar sons Hap and Biff, respectively - were perfectly cast and performed in what must have been Miller's vision of these people. (Unlike, in my opinion, Dustin Hoffman, who drew raves for this role, in heavy age-makeup, but was way too young for it when he did it a few years ago with not enough life under his belt). What really struck me about this performance, and it's very much to de Santos's credit this was so apparent, was the undiminishing effects of Miller's ideas. Miller could be Shakespearian in his writing and this play is the perfect example of material that should, and will, be read or at least seen, in perpetuity. A morality play with a timeless message. My only regret is the run has ended so you can't go see this production. Read it.

   And speaking of morality plays, Sunday afternoon I took myself, (I love going to movies alone), to see the smart, warm "Thank You For Smoking". I just love when a "small" film, that's been so over-hyped, actually exceeds expectations. What a treat! I hadn't read the script, or heard much more than what an out-of-left-field plotline this had, so I was really pleasantly surprised. No one-joke wonder here. Director/writer Jason Reitman, (Ivan's son and heir-apparent), beautifully conducts an orchestra of performers who hit every last note with pitch perfection. The fabulous cast, including highly underrated, wonderful Aaron Eckhart, in a career jumpstarting performance; Cameron Bright, easily the best child actor working; Robert Duval, arguably the best adult actor working; and yes, even Katie Holmes, take what starts as a satire, and without losing one iota of it's edge turn it into a tremendously engaging, funny, smart, warm morality play of a man's rehabilitative efforts to connect with, and live, his life in the face of ridiculous hurdles. Whichever side of the smoking argument you're on is irrelevant here, and that's all the more reason to see, and enjoy, it. This is an absolutely fabulous film that deserves a wider release and huge audiences. So go see it.

   (And I'll try my damndest to post "Politics As Entertainment" tonight...as long as the Dubyah Crew don't do anything else foolish today...it'll be a long one, so go pee, get refreshments, and Buckle Up.....)