Sunday, June 28, 2009

Next stop...



I leave for Japan tomorrow.

I'm heading straight for the north of the country, to visit Matsushima, one of the country's most beautiful places (officially - the other two in the Three Famous Views of Japan are Itsukushima/Miyajima, near Hiroshima, and Amanohashidate, in the centre of the country... I plan to visit all three this year!) 

Wanna come with?

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Agency




I want a literary agent.

Type that sentence. in Google and see what strange results you find! (Maybe I should have clicked 'I'm Feeling Lucky' - next time, for sure...)

Meanwhile, if you're from William Morris, Random House, or The Firm, and you're actually reading this, get in touch! I have lovely lovely things for you. 

You too, Oprah. My novel will DEFINITELY be one of your favourite things...


Wednesday, May 13, 2009

What's Going On













So, for those of you in far-flung places who couldn't make it to see the show at UCLA, here's some photos from it, on Picasa...

The show was a set of three Modern Noh Plays by Yukio Mishima, translated & directed by yours truly.

1. Yuya


2. Dojoji


3. Yoroboshi



And, in memory of the time when this blog was 'Conor's Loves'... here's my current playlist, bouncing out of my speakers just loud enough to madden my crazy roommate. God love him. (I don't.)

Michelle Williams - Break The Dawn
Kreesha Turner - Simple
Jully Black - Seven Day Fool
Kylie - Speakerphone
Katy Perry - Hot N Cold
Lady Blah-Blah - Poker Face
Beyonce - Single Ladies
The Killers - Human
Cyndi Lauper - Same Ol' Story
Kylie - Can't Get You Out of My Head (Greg Kurstin Remix)
Kylie - Giving You Up (Alter Ego Remix)
RuPaul - LadyBoy
Roisin Murphy & Marius DeVries - Yellow Moon (Song of the Year!!!)
Madonna - Nothing Really Matters (which sounds very similar to the previous track, but in a really good way...)
Madonna - Triggering Your Senses (Rare cut from the Confessions Sessions, silly but very good.)

Kyoto



I'm going to spend much of this summer in Kyoto.

Wanna come?!

Confession



In conversation with an audience member after the Modern Noh Plays closed last Saturday, I was asked what on earth gave me the idea to put corsets on the women in one of the plays. Of course I vamped with a series of ideas discussing the oppression of women (also reflected in the projections that formed part of the set design) and the notion of uprightness and forbidding virtue expected of a Japanese woman. Since we couldn't have them wear kimono, I felt it would be interesting to experiment with western equivalents that at once enhance and yet constrict the female form... Blah blah blah...

All of which is true, admittedly, but the OTHER inspiration for the corsets is rather more basic...





I hate Perez




Separated at Birth???

At what moment did Perez become the patron saint of Gay Rights? It was bad enough that he's gone from having a razor-sharp blog that skewered celebrity culture to one that is merely a tame version wherein he's too scared to mock his new 'friends' - or worse, incessantly PROMOTES them. But now his endless attacks of Carrie Prejean are becoming just plain tiresome.

Don't get me wrong - I'm delighted that he's gone on such a manic campaign to bring down St. Carrie of La Jolla (thank you Keith O), but doesn't it feel like he's more likely to do harm than good by being so obnoxious about it?

Perhaps Mario would be more acceptable as a warrior for gay marriage if there was even a remote sense that he was likely to GET married. Ellen, George Takei, Elton John - to name a teeny tiny few - all have made their case with dignity, with pride, and with their partners. But I find such rage and hatred from one catty blogger who made his name drawing penises and coke-trails - and who devotes such energy to lusting after Zac Efron and Robert Pattinson - more than a lot to take.

Love the message, shoot the messenger.