| Author | Message: Re: Hello? | Posted by: "Jae Hunt"
On: 1/25/1999 at 2:55:18 PM GMT
Message #: 23
See headers | Anybody out there??
In the hope of maybe starting some discussion, I'll send something I wrote
posted to the Broadway Talks mailing list, in answer to a question there:
[[['Sunday in the Park' is one of my favourite musicals, but I've always
thought that there are two ways of looking at "Finishing the Hat". One is
to take it at face value - George is a prisoner of his art, his mission in
life. As such, we should feel sorry for him when he makes the noble
sacrifice of excluding everything else in life, like relationships etc.
The other interpretation is that, while George really believes that in order
to be a great artist he must watch the world rather than being a part of it,
he had a choice. He chose to be a prisoner of his art. It's also his way
of justifying the fact that he treated Dot badly. His mission sounds so
romantic and otherworldly, but she brings it back down to earth in "We Do
Not Belong Together", when she says that she has a mission too - to raise
Marie. (The two missions come together in "Children and Art"). Is her
mission any less important? Would it not be an even more noble sacrifice,
if George had given up his art (Or at least, reduced his involvement in it)
to support her and their child?
BTW, I love the song in itself, that's just my take on where it fits into
the character. But my favourite from the musical is 'Beautiful".]]]
Anyone got anything to add??
Just my 2cents
Jae
| | Author | Message: Re: Hello? | Posted by: "rigo de oliva"
On: 1/26/1999 at 1:52:07 AM GMT
Message #: 24
See headers | >sondheim!!!!!!
Hey Jae,
Great point and I totally agree with you. But I feel the
character of George was obsessed with his work. So much to the point
that no one mattered nor no ones opinion mattered. That was why George
pushed Dot out of his life and also with his new way of painting with
true color and light away from the status quo. Its like acting for most
of us I have ended relationships in exchange of my singing or dancing
classes not to mention the time we spend at rehersal; and if you ever
date a non actor its something that others can not comprehend our
passion for the theater and the work we put into so we can have our
chance of fame. Its hard deciding on two things you love one will always
win out.
Georege was apart of the painting not the world "connect George
connect" a line used by the character many times. Or as in the song
"Finishing the Hat" "Finishing the hat
How you have to finish the hat
How you watch the rest of the
world
From a window
While you finish the hat"
Like us can't go to a movie or out to you get the song right or till you
gat the monologue right or a dance routine
At one time in our life we will all be like George do we want to finish
the hat our own art. Or do we want to stop and make a diffirent art such
as having a family and settling down. Not that you can't be married with
kids and act but its a a sacrafice we have to make if you can do both or
have both great. But Dot and George had two differnt goals. But George
could not see past the painting on what he truly had until it was to
late.
I probably bored you all to tears but just a thought.
Rigo
| | Author | Message: Re: Hello? | Posted by: "Jae Hunt"
On: 1/26/1999 at 4:16:23 AM GMT
Message #: 25
See headers | Hi Rigo!
Thanks for your reply! I see your point, and I can understand it. Although
I'm not any kind of artist or creative person myself, I can understand that
a person can be devoted to something to such a degree that they exclude all
else in their life.
To look at the other side of it, it's interesting also to look at the
relationship from Dot's point of view. Just as you understand George's
attitude through your own life, I think maybe I'm biased towards seeing
things from Dot's point of view because I see something of myself in her.
George expressed his love for Dot by including her in his paintings, by
making her a part of his work, that was so important to him. But she
couldn't see that - she felt that she was just being "used" as a model.
Dot needed to "hear the words" - I think maybe she had a low opinion of
herself ("George is very special; maybe I am not special enough for him").
George's inattentiveness and his putdowns, however unintentional, wouldn't
have helped this. She would not have been able to believe that she could be
important to another person, unless they told her outright.
Because she couldn't understand how much George's work meant to him, she
also couldn't understand the significance of being included so prominantly
in his work. Years later, Marie understood - "Mama is everywhere, he must
have loved her so much". Finally, I think Dot does, too - she now
encourages him (or, at least, their great-grandson) to continue to create.
Again, that's just how I see it!
Thanks for an interesting post... Not boring at all!
Jae
(anyone else want to add something?? Let's get this group talking!)
-----Original Message-----
From: rigo de oliva <rjdoliva@h...>
To: sundayinthepark@o... <sundayinthepark@o...>
Date: Tuesday, 26 January 1999 8:09
Subject: [sundayinthepark] Re: Hello?
>From: "rigo de oliva" <rjdoliva@h...>
>
>
>>sondheim!!!!!!
>
> Hey Jae,
> Great point and I totally agree with you. But I feel the
>character of George was obsessed with his work. So much to the point
>that no one mattered nor no ones opinion mattered. That was why George
>pushed Dot out of his life and also with his new way of painting with
>true color and light away from the status quo. Its like acting for most
>of us I have ended relationships in exchange of my singing or dancing
>classes not to mention the time we spend at rehersal; and if you ever
>date a non actor its something that others can not comprehend our
>passion for the theater and the work we put into so we can have our
>chance of fame. Its hard deciding on two things you love one will always
>win out.
> Georege was apart of the painting not the world "connect George
>connect" a line used by the character many times. Or as in the song
>"Finishing the Hat" "Finishing the hat
> How you have to finish the hat
> How you watch the rest of the
>world
> From a window
> While you finish the hat"
>Like us can't go to a movie or out to you get the song right or till you
>gat the monologue right or a dance routine
>
> At one time in our life we will all be like George do we want to finish
>the hat our own art. Or do we want to stop and make a diffirent art such
>as having a family and settling down. Not that you can't be married with
>kids and act but its a a sacrafice we have to make if you can do both or
>have both great. But Dot and George had two differnt goals. But George
>could not see past the painting on what he truly had until it was to
>late.
>
> I probably bored you all to tears but just a thought.
>
> Rigo
>
>
>To unsubscribe from this mailing list, or to change your subscription
>to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at http://www.onelist.com and
>select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left.
>
>sondheim!!!!!!
| | Author | Message: Re: Hello? | Posted by: "Amy Courtney"
On: 1/26/1999 at 8:02:05 PM GMT
Message #: 26
See headers | I LOVE Finishing the Hat! When I was riding home from Bangor, Maine, I
purposely listened to Finishing the Hat like 20 times, and then listened
to the other songs. *hums it*.... I'd have to say that right now it's
one of my fave's from teh musical. Yay! But Move ON rules! (especially
in Bernadette's Live at Carnegie Hall albuM!!!!)
Well, I'mm running out of stuff to say without rambling on and on, so
I'll shut up.
Amy
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>Message-ID: <00b201be489c$cc8c5700$b02362cb@J...>
>From: "Jae Hunt" <jae@n...>
>To: <sundayinthepark@o...>
>Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 08:55:18 +1300
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>Subject: [sundayinthepark] Re: Hello?
>
>From: "Jae Hunt" <jae@n...>
>
>Anybody out there??
>
>In the hope of maybe starting some discussion, I'll send something I
wrote
>posted to the Broadway Talks mailing list, in answer to a question
there:
>
>[[['Sunday in the Park' is one of my favourite musicals, but I've
always
>thought that there are two ways of looking at "Finishing the Hat". One
is
>to take it at face value - George is a prisoner of his art, his mission
in
>life. As such, we should feel sorry for him when he makes the noble
>sacrifice of excluding everything else in life, like relationships etc.
>
>The other interpretation is that, while George really believes that in
order
>to be a great artist he must watch the world rather than being a part
of it,
>he had a choice. He chose to be a prisoner of his art. It's also his
way
>of justifying the fact that he treated Dot badly. His mission sounds
so
>romantic and otherworldly, but she brings it back down to earth in "We
Do
>Not Belong Together", when she says that she has a mission too - to
raise
>Marie. (The two missions come together in "Children and Art"). Is her
>mission any less important? Would it not be an even more noble
sacrifice,
>if George had given up his art (Or at least, reduced his involvement in
it)
>to support her and their child?
>
>BTW, I love the song in itself, that's just my take on where it fits
into
>the character. But my favourite from the musical is 'Beautiful".]]]
>
>Anyone got anything to add??
>
>Just my 2cents
>
>Jae
>
>
>
>
>
>To unsubscribe from this mailing list, or to change your subscription
>to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at http://www.onelist.com and
>select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left.
>
>sondheim!!!!!!
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