One Night Only

We have news that Jennifer will be returning briefly to the stage! She will be starring in Tom Stoppard’s new version of Pirandello's Henry IV as part of the Red Bull Theater's Revelation Readings series. The play will also star Richard Easton, Victor Garber, Hamish Linklater, Mamie Gummer, Patrick Page, and Michael Stuhlbarg. However, it is only showing for one night - Monday January 9, at 7:30pm – and tickets appear to be selling fast so if you would like to see it you’d better get booking now.


Also, it has been suggested that Jennifer may be being considered to play a supporting role in Katherine Bigelow's new film, focusing on the US’s hunt to find Bin Laden. She has been listed under the project on IMDb and this article at collider mentions her possible involvement.

We have become aware that Press 53 have been given, by John Ehle himself, several cases of his first editions. If you would like to purchase one, or maybe several, you can find them here.

Lastly, Jennifer has two, yes two, new audio books being released on January 10th- The Wind In the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, both are part of Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quintet.

Just for Hits and Giggles

You would think a blog update that was weeks in the crafting, and for which a 12-hour composing session was lost to the ether by a random flailing of a finger on the keyboard, should be better than this. But here it goes anyway. (There's a whole lotta RH goin' on, so let's hope you're a fan. But a good deal of JE too).

Giggles and more, the JE-centric part.
As we know, Rosemary Harris has been very visible and active in New York recently, leading to some interviewage about "Jen" growing up and grown up.

Barbara Hoffman in the New York Post reported a conversation with Rosemary Harris about her scheduled Reading at 92Y.

The mother of actress Jennifer Ehle (now a mother herself) says she loved reading books to her daughter.

“I read her all the classics — ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ ‘Winnie the Pooh,’ the Narnia books,” Harris says.

“Then Jennifer started reading to me, and that was the most fun. I’d leave a little tape recorder on, just to catch her giggles as she read a funny book like ‘Harriet the Spy,’ I listened to it the other day, and she was giggling so much, she could hardly read!”

CELIA McGEE in the New York Times reports on The Royal Family & some chat with the cast in her jam-packed article (a must read, for more than just the quote included here) titled The Tangle of Branches in a Royal Tree.

Ms. Harris remembers a tiny Jennifer Ehle drawing of herself with her father on one piece of paper; her mother, alone, on another. She was surprised, she said, when her daughter announced, at 14, that she wanted to be an actress. “Of course, I had always taken her with me a lot. We just stuck her in our pockets and off we went.“

Not To Be Missed: My Royal Family Reunion By Rosemary Harris.

[...] "So many things in this play ring true today, particularly the way the women characters find themselves torn between work and their families. Fanny’s line, “Marriage isn’t a career. It’s an incident!” must have gotten shocked laughter in 1927 from all those society ladies, because marriage was a career to them. In 2009, the same line gets understanding laughter. I remember so distinctly when I was doing Hay Fever on Broadway and my daughter [actress Jennifer Ehle], who was about 13, wanted to take a taxi uptown alone to see a movie with friends. I said, “Jennifer, darling, please don’t! I won’t be able to go on the stage, I’ll be so worried.” [...]

Harry Haun's article at Playbill, The Royal Family — A Blast of Troupers! features conversations with the cast and has Ms. Harris talking (although possibly seriously mis-quoted!) about many interesting things!

Harris doesn't subscribe to Fanny's hard line of career-over-marriage, and she hasn't lived it. "It's a juggle," she allowed. "I know Jen finds it a juggle. She has an 11-year-old [????] son and a wonderful husband, and she has to keep everything on an even keel."

"Jen" is her daughter, Jennifer Ehle, herself a two-time Tony winner. She is currently filming an HBO television pilot in Northern Ireland, her mother reported.

The Royal Family would seem to be a perfect opportunity for mother-and-daughter at last to co-star. They have done two films together — a 1992 TV-film, "The Camomile Lawn," and a 1999 feature, "Sunshine" — but, playing the old and young versions of the same character, they never had the chance to do a scene together.

Ehle was indeed offered the play but opted to pass. "She said, 'Mom, you did it, and I would only do it the way you did it.' Comparisons are odious, and maybe, like Julie Cavendish, I didn't want her to be better than me — so I didn't encourage it."

RH is not the only one speaking of JE lately as evidenced by Broadway World's eavestwitting on John Lithgow's September 29th Tweet

"Saw Pride & Glory on HBO and there she was, playing cancer victim Abbey, my next NY leading lady the wonderful Jennifer Ehle."

It's a Hit, the RH-centric part
CHRISTINE DOLEN/McClatchy Newspapers says "The changing season promises to be extra hot this year both on Broadway and off", mentioning The Royal Family, Mr. and Mrs. Fitch, and Cate Blanchett.

The Royal Family's run was Extended by one week before it even opened!
Oh wait, make that Extended by Two Weeks!

Harry Haun at Playbill reported on the play and chat with some of the cast. Jan Maxwell said, "... it's a real honor to play this with Rosemary."

A Playbill article by Matthew Blank includes some nice Photos of the Friedman Theatre

Mondschein's in a review at Third Row, Mezzanine blog found the play disappointing in many respects but noted "It's certainly a worthy goal [to] get Rosemary Harris on a Broadway stage..."

Photo Gallery at Playbill, especially photos 3/5 and 5/5.

In an Interview by Zinta Lundborg Ms. Harris reminisced about the 1975 revival, when she played Julie.

“It’s lovely to be in the driving seat, which Julie is,” said Harris, dressed in a bright flowery shirt, silver hair smoothed back from her unlined face. “But you’ve got to keep your foot on the accelerator all the time.”

With Fanny, she said, it’s a lot easier. “I just pop in and out delivering bon mots.”

At Playbill Kenneth Jones posted the article
Broadway Curtain Goes Up on Royal Family

LINDA WINER at Newsday thinks On Broadway, 'The Royal Family' rules

" ... there are many pleasures in Doug Hughes' sumptuous joy of an old-fashioned revival, including a keepsake performance by the legendary Rosemary Harris as the aging matriarch of the Cavendish (think Barrymore) family. ...

... there is the thrill of seeing Harris, who had the role of Julie in 1975, portray the ailing, stage-enamored star of a mother with a ravishing sense of playfulness."

Terry Teachout in a Review at The Wall Street Journal was less than happy with the play, but more happy with a couple of the performers.

Fortunately, Rosemary Harris and Jan Maxwell manage to give neatly turned performances—Ms. Harris is stately and sardonic, Ms. Maxwell fey and winsome—that are just about worth the price of admission.

David Sheward presents a glowing Review at THR

The leading light of the 1975 staging was Rosemary Harris, who played Julie Cavendish, the glamorous leading lady not unlike Ethel Barrymore, who must choose between her career and marriage to a wealthy old flame. Now playing the matriarch Fanny, Harris is just as glowing and youthful as she was then. She radiates the joy of acting, which animates this feisty, lovable, indomitable figure.

A review By Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY observes,

" ...the central relationship between a grand old dame of the stage and the glamorous, much put-upon daughter following in her footsteps is a fine showcase for two marvelous actresses featured here.
[...] Harris similarly makes us laugh and breaks our hearts as Fanny, a life-long trouper determined not to let age or illness keep her out of the spotlight. Where Julie has clearly had some ambivalence about the personal sacrifices made for her craft, Fanny, though an adoring mother, considers art her greatest passion. Her struggle to carry that flame, with mortality nipping at her heels, is the sweetest, most moving aspect of this play, and the masterful Harris gives it a depth it might not have had in other hands.

Under Dough Hughes' sprightly direction, the other ensemble members all perform gamely, if less consistently. As Fanny's foolish, pompous brother, the excellent John Glover wins us over in spite of his role; as his cloying wife, Ana Gasteyer doesn't. Larry Pine is a tad pallid as Julie's wealthy, gallant love interest, while Reg Rogers is a bit overzealous as her brother, a movie idol with a talent for trouble.

None of this detracts, of course, from Harris' and Maxwell's star turns. Women wear the pants in this Family, and they're a joy to behold.

The Royal Family is discussed at tapeworthy blog where some vibrant stills are also included.

"The cast is superb with a bemused Rosemary Harris ... leading the pact [sic] as Fanny (and devastating in the final scene)."

David Rooney in Variety reviewed The Royal Family

"There's a sentimental satisfaction in watching Rosemary Harris -- who played equivocating diva Julie Cavendish in the 1976 Broadway revival of "The Royal Family" -- still navigating the stage with grace and good humor ... while the ensemble work could be tighter, its lead performers rise to the occasion in sparkling turns.
[...] Harris delicately balances graciousness and hauteur [...]"

Tom O'Neil in The Awards Insider (The Los Angeles Times) maintains 'The Royal Family' revival rules Broadway and mentions the T-word.

At Broadway.tv blog is a Royal Family Broadway Review Matrix providing a commentary on several reviews with links.

The Hollywood Reporter's Showbiz 411 blog has coverage of the Great “Royal Family” Opening

Michael Kuchwara [The Canadian Press] write about An effervescent revival

[...] "The cast is headed by the ever-lovely Rosemary Harris, portraying Fanny Cavendish, the grande dame of this exotic troupe.

Harris has a serene stage presence, even when Fanny is zinging the other characters on stage ..."

BWW presents a special feature, Ken Fallin's Illustrations - THE ROYAL FAMILY

Opening night photo galleries Here and Here and Here.

Robert Feldberg says Rosemary Harris leads a triumphant revival.

"Harris, one of the great actresses of the American stage (she began her Broadway career 57 years ago, and played Julie in the 1975 revival of "The Royal Family") is deliciously droll as Fanny ..."

Brendan Lemon at the Financial Times reviews and reveals a discerning eye for the proper way to wear costumes.

"Rosemary Harris, who was Julie in a 1975 revival, resists the temptation to play Fanny with grande-dame hauteur; weakened by health problems, Fanny still possesses the driest wit in the house.

Harris also is an adept at a lost art: wearing a peignoir as if it were a second skin."

Robert Hofler writes about Rosemary Harris at the kick-off part. [The link includes a photo of Rosemary Harris chatting with Tovah Feldshuh at the opening night of 'The Royal Family]

"Legit legend Rosemary Harris returns to the Broadway boards [...] Return visits have their advantages, even after all these years.

"I know all the parts. I hear the whole play in my head," said Harris, who turned 82 last month.

At Thursday's preem party, at Planet Hollywood, Harris said that Eva Le Gallienne's Fanny from the 1975 production was "more acerbic" than her portrayal, while Harris' former role of Julie is "marvelous, very controlled" in the capable hands of Jan Maxwell.

"I was smoking when I played Julie, and after my second-act meltdown, I would be huffing and puffing all the way to the dressing room. Then I stopped smoking during the run, and I could whistle right through it," she said."

Andrew C. McGibbon reviewed the play.

"Rosemary Harris, at the age of 83 is a wonder to behold. She moves about the stage and strikes poses as fluidly as a woman half her age ..."

Chesley Plemmons at The News-TimesMerry and madcap

From a Wilton Villager review By DAVID. A ROSENBERG, who may have found a solution to the energy problem, at least in regard to lighting. (I suspect with JE and RH both being noticeably luminous that the electric bills in the Ryan and Ehle households are significantly lower than average.)

"Genuine stars have a tendency to take over, consciously or not. Take Rosemary Harris who lights the galaxy in the current revival of George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's 1927 "The Royal Family. [...]

[...] As Fanny, the irreplaceable Harris sweeps her words from orchestra to second balcony while eyeing all the folks along the way. In her hands and voice, "get out" is a symphony, "quaint" is a three-part novel. She ought to be bronzed.

The Village Voice review By Michael Feingold

Blogger James Camner remembers seeing the 1975 version at Broadway Bridge and Tunnel Test

"We saw the 1975 revival of The Royal Family, an unforgettable experience featuring magical performances by Eva Le Gallienne as Fanny Cavendish and Rosemary Harris as her daughter Julie. So it is an indescribable and rare pleasure to see the radiant Ms. Harris ascend to the role of Fanny."

Stephanie Zacharek's article at New York Magazine Ladies’ Nights expresses some disappointment with the acting, with at leas one major exception.

" {...} Rosemary Harris, as the dowager matriarch Fanny, may wear the heaviest costumes—she’s draped in exotic, old-fashioned (by twenties standards) velvets—but her performance is the spriangiest, the most fleet, in the show. Her lines have the texture and glow of South Sea pearls; if any voice could reflect light, it would be this one."

Here's a struggling artist anecdote from RH's past By CINDY ADAMS at the NY Post



Other news

[RH at Broadway Flea Market photo by Aubrey Reuben]

[John Ehle photo by Jan Hensley Special to the Citizen-Times]




Miss Harris participated in the Broadway Flea Market. (photo gallery available Here)

The 23rd Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction held Sunday, September 27 raised a grand total of $403,929 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA).

interviews and reactions at the market include this with a starstruck Thomas Sadoski.

Q: Enjoying your experience at the Flea so far?
Sadoski: Oh yeah — anything to help out this organization. It's such an essential organization. You spend a long time working in this business to get to a point where you are invited to donate your time to something like this. It is really cool. I was in the other room signing posters and trying to squeeze my name in as neatly as I could underneath Rosemary Harris. That's a really cool thing.

Rob Neufeld in the Citizen-Times (Asheville) reported that Press 53, a Winston-Salem publisher, launched the release of its 25th anniversary edition of John Ehle's “Last One Home”, the sixth book in his six-novel epic about Western North Carolina.


Sharmistha Gooptu has reviewed Before the Rains





Lizzy rules
The voting may still be open for choosing your Favorite Elizabeth Bennet. At my last peek, the results stood as shown below; had this been a national election it would be a mandate for dictatorship.



Paul Whitington at the Irish Independent has written an article about Austen adaptations and rightly notes,

"... The beautiful Jennifer Ehle was easily the most sultry and glamorous Elizabeth Bennet thus far ..."

Ticket to Read

A Full Weekend
Rosemary Harris has a very beesy weekend scheduled September 26-27.
Linked here some time ago, now Brian Scott Lipton at theatermania has helpfully published a reminder about the 2009-2010 season lineup at The 92nd Street Y's Unterberg Poetry Center.

"Highlights of interest to theater lovers include Tony Award winner Rosemary Harris reading children's literature(September 26 at 11:30am)"

Then on Sunday, as Andrew Gans reports at playbill, Ms Harris will attend The 23rd Annual Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction.

"The outdoor fundraiser in Shubert Alley raises money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and features a host of theatrical memorabilia donated by the theatrical community. The day-long event also boasts a Celebrity Autograph Table and Photo Booth, where theatre fans can purchase autographs by or photos with their favorite stars [...]

Some of the items that will be featured in the Grand Auction include ... opening-night tickets to ... The Royal Family [...]

Celebrities scheduled to appear at the Celebrity Autograph Table and Photo Booth in exchange for donations to BC/EFA include: ... Rosemary Harris [...] "

Dan Bacalzo at theatermania also reported on the event and noted "All auction items will also be available for online bidding in September for those unable to make it to New York. For more information, including how to place a bid, visit broadwaycares." [Better than EBay!!]

All this in addition to two performances of The Royal Family on each of those two days ... one weekend after her birthday (September 19th, mark your calendars) If I had as much energy as this marvelous lady, you'd be reading blog updates here more often.


She's not the only Reader in the Family

Valerie MacEwan's Blog: and Kathryn Stripling Byer's Netwest Mountain Writers and Poets Blog alert us to an event on October 10th in Asheville NC.

"Internationally acclaimed author and Asheville native, John Ehle, will read and sign books on October 10 at 2 pm. The event, sponsored by The Writers’ Workshop, will be held at the West Asheville Public Library at 942 Haywood Road. It is free and open to the public. A reception follows, hosted by Friends of West Asheville Library. Books will be available for purchase at the book-signing.[...] A luncheon for Mr. Ehle will be held at noon, prior to the reading. For more information about the reading or luncheon, please email writersw@gmail.com , or call 828-254-8111."

Getting Close to The Royal Family
Previews are less than a week away.

playbill reports on the Photo Call

Single tickets available for purchase at the box office.

In addition, Tickets are on sale now via Telecharge (where the schedule shown below can be seen) or by calling (212) 239-6200.


Since last posting here about the play, casting changes and additional casting and other news were announced at backstage blog and theatermania. And I can't resist including Michael Kuchwara (AP) from the Washington Examiner simply because he writes "The always incandescent Rosemary Harris plays its matriarch"

Alexis Soloski in The Village Voice writes about an Interview with director Dough Hughes in which is revealed "Hughes hand-picked this varied cast, having first persuaded Harris to be Fanny."

A "little royal family"
Robert Simonson shared PLAYBILL.COM'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER with the Queen herself. It's a charming interview, be sure to read the entire article. (Now we have circus ponies and sled dogs along with chicks and bees to add to this blog's signature references!)

"[...]
Playbill.com: With your daughter, Jennifer Ehle, do you sometimes feel like you have a little royal family yourself?
RH: Who knows? (Laughs) She's just given birth to a little girl, so who knows? Who knows if she'll tread the boards or not? Who knows? "

Thrones
The latest biggest news is the casting of Lena Headey (aka Blanche Glover, Christabel LaMotte's BFF) as Cersei. The announcement was widely covered as you can see by the links below. It's amazing and confounding though that everyone seems to have missed the opportunity to recognize that JE and LH had worked together before in Possession. I saw only one connection made & that was in a reader comment, not the body of the article.

Read all about it at these links:
Scifi.About
Jacksonville-TV-Examiner
iftn Lena Headey Joins ‘Game of Thrones’
TV Overmind
Aceshowbiz
Collider
Zap 2 It News & Buzz
Chicago Tribune Features Blog (This one has several comments. You have to love the commenter who wrote "She's won two Tonys for roles in play by Tom Stoppard -- 'The Real Thing' and 'The Coast of Utopia'. You don't get to phone it in with Stoppard: He demands actors who are intellectually and emotionally bringing their A-game all the time. "

It remains to be seen if any tables will be overthrone in this new project --



Look who's getting into the act
Not to be outdone in the Royals & Thrones arena, just look who is going to play the role of Queen Elizabeth II's father King George VI in "The King's Speech".



Let's not forget the Fitches

Variety
New York Theater Guide

Hot Summer in the Country

VISUALS
A treasure trove of rare interview footage has been uploaded to YouTube by one of Jennifer Ehle's most stalwart fans. I posted two of them last time but there have been many more added since, so do not miss terrykip's videos.

Although the most brief, I think this is my favorite (despite perhaps the need for a more clued-in interviewer).



Also, many thanks to sharonalee who let us know about the excellent P&P photo gallery she has created and for volunteering to share it.


Bright Sunshine
After watching Sunshine for the first time recently, Antti Alanen in his Film Diary blog reported his very favorable impressions.

"There are gorgeous female roles in the film, and especially the scenes with the bright Jennifer Ehle radiate with intelligence, courage, sensuality and frank sexuality. - Rachel Weisz would have deserved more screen time, but of course the film is long as it is. Rosemary Harris is excellent as the grown-up Valerie. - Although Ralph Fiennes in his triple role portrays the three main characters, finally, Valerie is the soul and heart of the film, the only one who never loses her inner compass. - A film I decided I want to see again even while still watching it."

Hot Wings
The temperature when I left work yesterday was 100F (37.8C) and will be about the same when I depart today. If the weather has been as unbearably hot where you are as it has been here, keeping animals under your care comfortably cool can be a concern. Let's say, for example, you have chickens. A number of them; maybe seven chickens. If so, Poultryone.com has some valuable tips for you about
Keeping Your Chickens Healthy and Cool in Hot Summer Heat
[...] "Water is essential" [...]"


[picture by T. McCracken via McHumor.com]










Hot Things
The Forsyth County ((Winston-Salem is the county seat) Library site has a fine Biography of John Ehle compiled by Sheryl Monks. Included is a nice photo of him with Joe Pye. It has information not in his Wiki article (so far) and worth a read. Just a sample:

[...] Originally released in 1964 by Harper & Row, The Land Breakers is the first book of seven in a sweeping saga detailing the opening up of the North Carolina Appalachian frontier. Rob Neuland of the Asheville Citizen Times has called Ehle’s series, "the greatest epic of our region." [...]

At livejournal two of our favorite ladies made list of Ashmh'sTop Ten Favorite Miniseries. Mom beat daughter in this one.

2. "The Chisholms" (1979) - This excellent three-part miniseries followed the adventures of a Virginian family during their overland trek to California in the mid-1840s. Based upon Evan Hunter's novel, it starred Robert Preston, Rosemary Harris and Ben Murphy.
[and]
7. "Pride and Prejudice" (1995) - Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle co-starred in what I consider to be the best version of Jane Austen's classic 1813 novel.

Suzanna Bowling in the Examiner writes about some upcoming productions, including The Royal Family and its award-laden cast.

MTC is also bringing The Royal Family. This is the classic comedy of theatrical manners, written by two of the theatre's greatest writers, George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, whose other storied collaborations include Dinner at Eight and Stage Door. This devilishly funny play follows the Cavendishes, the famous family of stage stars, as they go about the drama of the day: choosing scripts, dashing off to a performance, and stealing kisses with handsome beaus. Directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes (Doubt) with a fantastic cast that includes Emmy nominee Stephen Collins as Gilbert Marshall,Tony winner John Glover as Herbert Dean,Tony Award winner and Oscar nominee Rosemary Harris as Fanny Cavendish, Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Jan Maxwell as Julie Cavendish,Tony nominee Tony Roberts as Oscar Wolfe,and Drama Desk Award nominee Reg Rogers as Tony Cavendish. Previews start September 15th.

The Rosemary Harris film Is Anybody There? earned a favorable review
by John Petrakis at christiancentury.org recently. He wrote, "We are introduced to some of the other Lark Hall residents, who are portrayed by a who's-who of outstanding British and American character actors, including the still-lovely Rosemary Harris as a former dancer."

A short (19 minutes) film, The Monday Before Thanksgiving featuring Rosemary Harris was shown at Worldwide Short Film Festival 2009 . Shannon the Movie Moxie described it as "Adeptly light handling of complex life events and choices"

Party with Liz and Darce
Romance inspired die-cuts are ideal for weddings, St Valentines day, birthdays or just to say 'I love you'.
Meslyncrafts can offer the ULTIMATE in romantic couples 'Miss Elizabeth Bennett and the gorgeous Mr Darcy'.



--------------------------------------

A JE Snr special (+ newsly items)

First things first, we wish cartloads of happy returns to John Ehle, who celebrates his birthday today! We thought this would be an apt time to draw attention to some of his achievements (of the literary variety at least) followed by a reminder of how you can lay your fine eyes on them.

#1: THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST KING

• What's the story?

It is 1815, and a North Carolina farmer heading home for the winter discovers a young slave girl and must decide whether to illegally help her gain freedom.

• Adaptations?

Yes! It was turned (by John Ehle) into a 1995 film starring Thandie Newton and Sam Waterston no less. Britishers may have seen it broadcast in the last fortnight.

• Is it good?

Apparently so. One viewer has written the following:

[...] I loved this movie. ... The Conflict and journey August faces reminds me a bit of the conversion of Francis of Assisi. It poses a question, "how much would you give, and how far would you go?" If you want a movie that will boost your hope, this is a movie for that. ... It has excellent immersion ... I think it is one of the best stories told in film. [...]

Meanwhile, all four Amazonian reviews of the book are extremely laudatory and furnish the full 5 stars - a story repeated in 10 of the 12 reviews of the film. The convinced and the yet-to-be-convinced should all take a peek.

• Wow! They are good reviews. Ok, I want to read it / see it. Where do I get hold of it?

Amazon have the book, the film, and if you're feeling particularly enthusiastic, the poster.

#2: THE LAND BREAKERS

• What's the story?

Set in 1779, 'The Land Breakers' follows young Mooney and Imy Wright deep into the Appalachian wilderness where they become the first white pioneers to settle deep in the mountains of Western North Carolina. What ensues during these six years is an often violent struggle: first merely to survive and then to create a viable settlement, some human community that might last. For in this stark mountain fastness, each of the important characters-male and female alike-is seeking two things: family and community.

• Adaptations?

Not that we're aware of.

• Is it good?

Seems to be. The first line of the first Amazon review is:

[...] This is the first Ehle book I've read and I can say categorically that he richly deserves every award won, and more. [...]

See that link for seven variations on that theme. The book also led Harper Lee to call John Ehle 'our foremost writer of historical fiction'. (See the product description for evidence). The New York Times said in 1964 that the book had 'a rare degree of greatness'.

• How can I get hold of it?

Very easily, via Amazon.

#3: THE WINTER PEOPLE

• What's the story?

[...] While sitting in her 150-year-old cabin in the mountains of North Carolina at the beginning of the Depression, Collie Wright sees furtive figures emerging from the woods on a chilly, near-winter evening. The figures turn out to be clockmaker Wayland Jackson, a widower on his way to Tennessee to seek work, and his 12-year-old daughter, Paula. ... Collie allows them to stay the night, and Jackson is immediately taken with her. But she is an unmarried woman with a newborn baby and dark secrets. ... Jackson stays to build a clock tower for the community and to court Collie. But the father of Collie's child, a wild young man from a mountain clan long in conflict with her family, soon returns to claim his rights, and a violent showdown forces Collie into the most painful decision of her life. [...]

• Adapted?

Yes, in 1989. Stars Kurt Russell.

• Is it good?

No one has written an Amazon review, but based on the quality of the others, it looks like quite a safe bet.

• Where can I get it?

Three guesses. (The book/the film)

#4: TRAIL OF TEARS: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CHEROKEE NATION

• That sounds like a large book. What's the story?

As it sounds really. 'The moving, searing story of the betrayal and brutal dispossession of the Cherokee Nation', quotes Amazon.

• Adaptations?

We don't think so. But please correct us if you know otherwise.

• Is it good?

New York Newsday called it a 'beautifully written and emotionally mature book . . . a must'. There are a few Amazonian nays, but these are outweighed by a majority of comprehensive and almost top-notch yays.

The first paragraph of one is particularly nice:

[...] John Ehle, a native son of North Carolina, has dedicated most of his life toward using his pen to bring to life the rich history of his birthstate. With Trail of Tears, he has succeeded again where so many others, in this day and age of political correctness and historical revisionism, have failed. Ehle's work is factually rich, it is obvious Mr. Ehle spent many hours in archives thoroughly researching the book's subject matter. The book's narrative structure is compelling, focusing on the role of several prominent families within the Cherokee Nation to animate the hierarchical structure of Cherokee society and the stratification of power therein. [...]

• I want to part with roubles in exchange for this book. To whom do I give them?

How about Amazon?

• I want to find out more about John Ehle. Where do I go?

You may want to check out our past posts which have the label 'John Ehle'. See the list on the right. Alternatively, the rest of the internet has a (few!) links. First, see Mr Ehle's page on publisher Press 53 for short but trustworthy info (and that lovely photo of Mr Ehle with the adorable-looking Joe Pye).

Alternatively see NC Writers or Wiki. John Ehle has written seventeen books altogether - eleven fiction and six non-fiction.

Other Posterly Business

• Good news here today too. Theatermania announce that Oscar and the Pink Lady (see past posts) will begin a New York run next month. If you did not get a chance to see Rosemary Harris' one-woman performance in San Diego or New Jersey, head down to the Florence Gould Hall between January 16 and February 1st 2009.
• Colin Farrell speaks to XPress about Pride and Glory, and describes the story as follows:

[...] A multiple murder has taken place on both sides of the law. Four officers have fallen in a raid that’s gone horribly wrong. There is basically a massacre at the start of the film. There’s an investigation and we find out that a few of the cops are dirty. It tears a family apart. By the end there is too much going on for each character. In fact, there are absolute consequences for everything that you see in the film. For every action that is taken there is a definite reaction. The consequences are very painful. [...]

• BroadwayWorld and Playbill announce new projects for Martha Plimpton and David Harbour respectively.
• Lastly, below is a rather nice photograph we have come across from Holocaust (1978), starring Rosemary Harris.

Proud and Glorious

DVR Alert

• First up, Action 3 News tells us Edward Norton will be appearing on Live with Regis and Kelly on Thursday, October 16 to promote Pride and Glory. Be sure to set your TiVo.

Woodstock News Feed

• Pride and Glory has been generating quite a bit of excitement since it was shown at the Woodstock Film Festival on Thursday night. The Times Union's blogger Graeme McKenna, for instance, writes about Day 2 of Woodstock:

  So, the big buzz today has been around the film Pride and Glory starring Edward Norton, Colin Farrell and John Voight with a release date of October 24th. This is one to keep on your radar.

• Similarly, Filmonista reports:

  Another feature getting rave reviews is Pride and Glory starring Edward Norton and Colin Farrell and directed by Gavin O'Connor. I've been hearing folks compare the pulpy cop drama to James Grey's We Own the Night [...]

• A third blogger in attendance thought the acting was "superb," but felt the movie as a whole had "too much gore."
  
  
• An article in the Daily Freeman provides us with some quotage from Gavin O'Connor's post-screening Q&A session:

  Even though most of the police depicted in the Woodstock Film Festival's opening movie "Pride and Glory" were corrupt at some level, Gavin O'Connor, the director and co-screenwriter, described it as "a celebration of honest cops."

  Speaking at a question-and-answer session following Thursday's 6:15 p.m. screening, O'Connor, who also directed "Miracle," said he was nonetheless worried about how New York City police would take the script when he approached the department for guidance, but was pleased to find "they understood what we were trying to do."

  . . .

  O'Connor noted he was "committed to the language of the world" and that he resisted the studio's desire to add subtitles to scenes in which characters speak in Spanish, as the movie would be more "truthful." Language is unimportant, he said, when the emotion and orientation of a scene is properly expressed.

  O'Connor and his brother said they were interested in exploring the world of New York City police, as their father worked for the department. The project came to explore "institutional corruption" and the "impenetrable ... blue wall of silence." [...]

  Read the rest of the article for comments from a couple of regular folks who had the good fortune of seeing the film. (I should warn you that one of these comments contains a major spoiler!)

Film Festival Circuit

• Pride and Glory will be hitting two more festivals prior to its US/UK release. First, it will be shown at the Chicago International Film Festival on Wednesday, October 22 at 7:30pm. Then it's off to Italy for the International Rome Film Festival, which will take place October 22-31. I can't find the relevant screening date/time, but according to Variety and AFP, Pride and Glory has the distinction of being the only American feature film included in the lineup. Woot!

Predictions

• GoddOSS.net speculates about how Pride and Glory will fare once it's released on October 24:

  Lost in the shuffle this weekend is likely to be Pride and Glory, a crime drama starring Edward Norton and Colin Farrell. They play police officer brothers in the NYPD who get embroiled in dirty cop deeds. Norton investigates the wrongdoings and family strife ensues. Jon Voight plays their father.

  In truth this looks like a fairly solid effort, showcasing the acting talent that Norton has (especially in his smaller fare) and a possible second wind for Farrell’s career. It could be a very good film and an attempt at a relatively early awards contender.

  However, the release date is pretty bad. The weekend is already crowded and marketing space is going to be limited. The one strength Pride and Glory has is that it might serve as good counter-programming. With younger-skewing crowds going for any of the other three films, older (mostly male) audiences may choose this instead. If they know about it.

Non-P&G news:

• Jim Booth of Scholars and Rogues includes John Ehle in a list of authors he deems worthy of winning the Nobel Prize for literature!

The 'beauteous' Jennifer Ehle

First of all, a belated happy birthday to Rosemary Harris, who turned 81 years young yesterday. We wish her all the best.

Yesterday was also Day 1 of the ten-day Jane Austen Festival in Bath, UK. Some of the 29 events have sold out, but if you fancy promenades, soirees and putting on a bonnet, it is definitely the place to go. If you can't make this year though, despair not - the dates for next year have already been finalised.

On the review table today...

Michael H. Kleinschrodt of The Times-Picayune liked Rains, but would like to have seen even more of it:

[...] Before the Rains features elegant visual details, but the story seems rushed in a film that stretches just past the 90-minute mark. More time for character development would have been welcome. Still, the story is compelling and the performances are moving. [...]

The Winston-Salem Journal (providing a nice still, left) are justifiably proud of their 'native' in their brief summing up of Rains, while the DVD release has prompted a few more thoughts from the public:

The only Blockbuster to comment thus far said the following...

[...] Was a great movie! Kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time. Highly recommended! [...]

There is also a barrage of niceties from Amazonian number 3:

[...] It's exquisite to look at, while actually boasting a plot that moves right along, and stars some gorgeous people giving us a passionate, moving story of a mature interracial love affair. ...

The beauteous Jennifer Ehle turns in a restrained performance as [wife] Laura. ... Rahul Bose turns in a thoughtful performance as TK Neelan, a resident of the local village, caught between his respect for the past [and] the always reliable veteran John Standing is Charles Humphries, a grandee of the local expat English community. ... The beautiful Nandita Das is [also] stunning as Sajani. ...

Add a star if you are a particular fan of the Raj; and, whatever you do, keep the tissues handy. [...]

Similarly, Art and Tea 'really enjoyed' the film:

[...] It was a bit melodramatic but I loved every minute of it. Beautiful to watch. So lush and vivid. [...]

In other areas, a few last Toronto pieces are popping up. The Irish Voice wonder whether 'Pride will earn Glory', summing up some of the not-so-happy past reviews but refusing to take them as gospel. Meanwhile, Premiere found Pride and Glory 'competent' and 'slick' but 'predictable', and the Metro's surprised Steve Gow has placed it top in his 'This Is Going to Suck, But Didn’t' category:

[...] With amazing performances from Edward Norton, Colin Farrell and even Jon Voight, this honest and gripping story about a family of New York City cops who get tied up in a case of corruption was shockingly engaging. [...]

Elsewhere on the web, the CM Lit Fest blog have a nice still of JE Snr reading from his book, Trail of Tears at the Carolina Mountains Literary Festival, one of two listed appearances made by the author at the event. A reminder that six books of John Ehle's can be purchased on Amazon.

Lastly, did you see Pride and Glory at the TIFF? Have you ordered Before the Rains and are itching to talk about it? Or maybe you haven't seen either, you just want to! Whichever, please feel free to drop into our Forum or Chat Extension. As always, we'd love to hear from you.

A few tidbits plus a tasty treat for dessert

Since it's always best to start with dessert...

(A special thank you to googlemeister Janet for finding the following gem of a link and thereby preventing this post from becoming a complete flop!)

The letters of the North Carolina writer and activist Paul Green, who was a friend and mentor to John Ehle, have been published as a collection in A Southern Life: Letters of Paul Green, 1916-1981 (1994). The book contains one of Green's letters to Ehle, which can be viewed at Google Book Search. Here is what the letter says:

Dear John --

The Winter People script arrived all okay, and I've just finished reading it. Thanks for sending it and thanks too for the lovely photo of you three. Jennifer is already a beautiful young lady. Think of that! Well, naturally she would be with such parents.

When I think of the amount of work you have put into this novel and others - as well as the multitude of creative things you bring to pass outside and beyond your writing - I berate myself for my laziness.

According to the footnotes, the "you three" refers to Ehle, his wife, and his daughter (as I'm sure you were able to figure out!) while also pointing out that Jennifer was twelve at the time. The notes further explain:

"Elizabeth always asks for evidence of Jennifer's growth and health," Ehle wrote, "so I'm sending [the snapshot] along to her as proof" (John Ehle to Paul Green, 3 March 1981, PG-SHC).

Too bad the “evidence” is not included!

The rest of the footnotes contain more information about John Ehle and the context of Green's letter. Unfortunately, the google preview does not continue on to the next page of the book, so we can't see what follows...

Now on to the tidbits:

• First up is a video interview with Linus Roache and Before the Rains producer Doug Mankoff at the AFI Dallas Film Festival, which slipped by us last Spring.
• There is a mixed (and occasionally ouchy) review of Before the Rains at the Colorado Springs Gazette, but the ouchiness is easily forgiven thanks to this perceptive observation:

  [...] Where "Before the Rains" excels is in its painterly cinematography, its representations of two different cultures set on a collision course, and the performance of the wonderful Jennifer Ehle, an actress woefully underutilized since her star turn in A&E's "Pride and Prejudice." [...]

• For further reviewage, check out the Providence Journal and the Tallahassee Democrat. The latter claims:

  The culture-clashing costume drama 'Before the Rains' is such a beautifully photographed film that you want to stop it occasionally just to gawk. [...]

• Does Mr. Darcy have a potential rival? Vancouver's Straight.com Blog alerts us to the "male eye candy" in Before the Rains (which takes the form of a shirtless Rahul Bose) while simultaneously alerting us to the fact that the film will open in Vancouver on Friday, July 11.
• Lastly, you might be interested to know that the hip-hop artist and poet, Paul "Sage" Francis, is currently working on the Pride and Glory soundtrack. According to Oziemcee's blog:

  [...] Mark Isham is composing the music to which Francis is writing lyrics, speaking the conscience of the main character, played by Edward Norton. [...]

P.S. Another special thank you to Abi for doing such a fantastic job of solo-blogging this past month! xxx

Pit Stop

Greetings all!

Firstly, can I just second the thanks for the Blog's birthday wishes, and thank you again to the phenomenal T!

Rains-wise today:

• The Adirondack Daily Enterprise note that Before the Rains will be shown at the Lake Placid Film Forum, occurring June 12-15:

[...] “Before the Rains,” which will also be screened on June 12 at the Palace Theater, is set in 1937 in a picturesque hill station in the south of India. Director Santosh Sivan, who also did the sublime cinematography, creates an increasingly tense atmosphere as his leading character, an English plantation owner played by Linus Roache, begins an affair with an Indian house maid. [...]

The Forum's website adds that 'Paul Hardart, one of the film's producers and the president of Adirondack Pictures, will host this screening.'

• There are more tidbits on the three Houston wins (Film, Cinematography and Music). See Galatta and IndiaFM.
• One Rediff reporter was happy with the film, although 'tut tut' to the mistake:

[...] In the early hours of the New York morning, Sivan's film transported me back to pre-independence Kerala. Sivan's stunning camerawork and Rahul Bose's quiet and moving performance made up for the lapses in the film's script. ... Two days later, I was at the Soho House...in the Meatpacking district of Manhattan for the press day of Before The Rains. Bose and Nandita Das were there along with the two British stars of the film -- Linus Roache and Jennifer Ehle. [...]

Another blogger is equally complimentary, calling the film 'visually breathtaking'. She adds:

[...] As the wife of the English planter, Jennifer Ehle gives an amazing performance. When she realizes what has happened between her husband and the servant girl, I thought her glare alone would kill her husband. [...]

• The critics are ushering lots of love in the direction of Mr Bose (see India FM for a taster). Also, ION Cinema speak to the actor, while Movie Web have a video chat about the film and Mr Bose's other passion, professional rugby. Elsewhere, Linus Roache tells Daily News about working in India.

Rains info from the first of those is as follows:

[...] Before The Rains releases in America on May 9. It's going to play in New York and 10 other cities. Not in the NRI theatres, but it's definitely an art house release. So director Santosh Sivan and I hope to make an impact beyond the song-and-dance formula with this one," says Rahul from Los Angeles. [The film] goes to the UK in summer. [It] has just won three major awards at the Houston Film Festival. "It's a triumph for Santosh on so many levels. A film in English from India winning the awards for Best Film, Best Cinematography and Best Music… it's incredible!" says Rahul, who plays the male lead in Santosh's cross-cultural colonial love story.

Rahul is in LA for the screening of Before The Rains before he moves to Houston for a gala screening. "There'll be an auctioning of the film for me by the NGO Pratham. My sympathies with the people who'll have to lunch with me," jokes Rahul. About the film, Rahul says, "It's a film-noire about an illicit love relationship and how I get caught. It's definitely an art house product with an element of the whodunit." [...]

• Rukus Avenue have a picture of the-man-behind-the-music, Mark Kilian, in action at the IFFLA. (Second photo down). They consider 'walking out of Santosh Sivan’s Before the Rains screening and finding the film’s composer...performing selections from the soundtrack' to have been one of the most memorable moments of the Rhythm Village Festival.

In other news:

• Playbill note that Time magazine have listed Tom Stoppard as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The page on Sir Tom was written by a certain Mr Hawke. Here is a snippet:

[...] I remember when I was younger being intimidated by the intellect, scope and verbiage of his plays; they were impressive but written for some elite group to which I had not been given membership. But I came to find that more often than not, the audience left the theater impressed with themselves. He'd challenged them, and they'd answered. [...]

• The Rankin Vault urge everyone to pick up the works of J. Ehle Snr:

[...] If you haven't read any of Ehle's novels about Western North Carolina, you are missing one of the greats. His novels clearly show he is a man who wrote ahead of his time. [...]

• TimesOnline chat to Peter Hall as he uncovers another new star, and he re-tells the story of how he discovered someone else 17 years ago:

[...] “I always write on my audition notes something that will help me remember them afterwards,” he recalls. “This extraordinary girl came in and read, and was remarkable. And I wrote on my sheet of paper ‘voice like Rosemary Harris’. And, of course, it was her daughter, Jennifer Ehle, whom I didn’t know.” [...]

• Lastly, one lovely blogger gives an insight into the many and varied ways the world enjoys Pride and Prejudice:

[...] I ironed a ridiculously wrinkled pair of pants while watching part of the BBC (Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle) version of Pride and Prejudice. [...]

Well, why not?! Being mentally in Meryton certainly makes household chores more bearable!

Rainbows, Rains and Rockefeller

Greetings all!

On Monday night, Ms Ehle was one of many well-known faces who went along to the Rockefeller Plaza's Rainbow Room to support playwright Neil Simon, who was receiving the Monte Cristo Award from the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. (Photo from Theatermania).

The Courant have more information, revealing that Ms Ehle was also more than just a spectator in the event:

[...] The 80-year-old Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer...was feted with dinner, speeches and scenes performed from his plays. ... Among the performers were Lucie Arnaz...and husband Laurence Luckinbill, who did a scene from "Chapter Two;" Jennifer Ehle was poignant in a scene from "The Good Doctor"; and Bob Dishy and Dick Latessa scored huge laughs with a scene from "The Sunshine Boys". [...]

• Before the Rains meanwhile continues to make its way round the film festivals. With the Sarasota Film Festival having recently ended, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) began yesterday and will continue through April 27. For any in the vicinity, Rhythm Village note that Before the Rains soundtrack composer Mark Kilian will be performing tracks from the film live tonight between 9 and 9.30pm. The film itself will be shown tonight at 7.15pm.

• And just when you thought that was it, the Tribeca Film Festival also starts today! That festival will run through May 4, with Before the Rains being screened April 29, May 1 and May 2.

In other news:

• The Kudzu Gazette speak to John Ehle about the aforementioned NCSA name change:

John Ehle, a founding father of the school, thinks the name change is a “tricky” situation. “It [NCSA] is not a university,” Mr. Ehle said in a phone interview. “If it is characterized as a university it will become the only university in the system that picks its students based on auditions and portfolios.” He went on to add, “The school has a dynamic chancellor and maybe he can make it work out, but I don’t know what will happen after he leaves.”

The Carolina Mountains Literary Festival also report that Mr Ehle will be one of many authors participating in that event which is being held September 12 and 13 in Burnsville, North Carolina.

• Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere stands up for Pride and Glory and lists Jennifer Ehle as one of those who give a 'special' performance in the film. There is only one thing that puzzles him:

[...] (Her) head is shaved in this thing - what's that about? [...]

• And very lastly, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette have a nice piece on ex-Utopian Erika Rolfsrud, while Tom Stoppard makes Oxford University smile by speaking to their student newspaper, the Cherwell.

Happy Birthday John Ehle!

A very happy birthday to John Ehle, who is 82 years young today!

Rhapsody in Silver

There are more photos of Jennifer Ehle in her Greek goddess getup at the NYPL Library Lions event at Star Pulse and Wire Image. (Thanks to Annie for letting us know!) Additional photos can be found at PR Photos, including the one on the left, which is also at Exposay (minus the watermark). There is also a picture at Yahoo Movies UK.

In other news:

• There is a piece about Pride and Glory at Cinematical, though they don't report anything new, and the Movie Blog at Media Hollywood wonders why the movie is taking so long to be released:

  [...] My only reservations are that, if I remember correctly, this movie finished filming a long time ago, and that leaves me wondering what's keeping it so long. Then again, The Assassination of Jesse James came out nearly two years after it finished filming and turned out to be a brilliant masterpiece, so I guess that shouldn't worry me too much.

• Someone on the tagboard had trouble viewing the Pride and Glory trailer we posted. If the links we've provided don't work for you, you might want to try watching it at Youtube.
• Jeff Lunden of NPR (National Public Radio) recently interviewed Tom Stoppard about his latest play, Rock 'n' Roll. At the NPR website, you can read the interview, listen to audio clips from the interview, and listen to audio clips from the play. Very interesting stuff!

Finally, the News & Observer reports on the "Free Men Reunion" and includes some great quotage from John Ehle:

Forty-five years of history fell away at UNC-Chapel Hill on Thursday night.

Participants in Chapel Hill's tumultuous civil rights demonstrations of the early 1960s said that, in some ways, a lot of progress has been made. In others, there's still a long way to go.

They met for a panel discussion at UNC's Wilson Library to celebrate the republication of John Ehle's 1965 book "The Free Men," which chronicles Chapel Hill's desegregation.

...

But Ehle said he thinks the goal of the 1960s protests was to bring about equal protection under the law for blacks.

He said he remembered watching a march in Raleigh where demonstrators gathered and sang. "It was one of the most moving things." he said. "If they wanted to integrate with me, they didn't say so. They wanted their rights."

Ehle, 81, said before the panel discussion that he was pleased his book was being reprinted by Winston-Salem publisher Press 53.

"This is a story of people," Ehle said, "many of them dead, some of them still alive. Of events in North Carolina history that were significant."

And the republication more than 40 years later is very different, he said. One difference -- "I don't get snubbed on the street."

When published, Ehle said, his book about acts of civil disobedience was not well-received -- even by Chapel Hill's progressives. "I would say it was not welcomed by many of the liberal people," he said. "It was very disruptive what the young people did, what the students did. ... They did not work within the established boundaries.

"Blocking traffic in Chapel Hill on a sports day was not really a civilized thing to do," he said slyly. [...]

Pink Ladies and Free Men

We're a bit short on news today, but here are a couple of things about Jennifer Ehle's lovely parents:

• First is a fabulous radio interview with Rosemary Harris. Tom Fudge at KPBS Radio San Diego talks to Ms Harris about her role(s) in Oscar and the Pink Lady, which will play at the Old Globe Theater through Sunday, November 4th. You can listen to the interview at the KPBS website (it's about 15 minutes long). Here's the intro:

  Tom Fudge: Most Americans, today, know Rosemary Harris as the woman who played the role of Aunt May in the modern Spider-Man films. But that role is just one of many that the English-born actress has played. Above all, Harris has been a star of the British and American stage. She won a Tony award for her role in A Lion in Winter. She's inhabited many of the great Shakespearean parts. In fact her daughter, Jennifer Ehle, has become a fine and well-known actress. Now, Rosemary Harris is in San Diego, starring in a one-woman show at the Old Globe. The play is called Oscar and the Pink Lady. It's about a young boy who's dying and a hospital volunteer who befriends him.

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will be having a "Free Men Reunion" on November 8th, and John Ehle will be there to speak about his book:

  [...] Participants in and witnesses to desegregation protests that rocked Chapel Hill in 1963 and 1964 will come together in a program Nov. 8 at UNC's Wilson Library to recall their experiences and celebrate republication of a landmark book about the era. John Ehle's The Free Men chronicled the quest to desegregate Chapel Hill's public accommodations in the face of forceful, sometimes violent opposition. Ehle will speak about his 1965 book, reissued in February by Winston-Salem, N.C., publisher Press 53 [...] Attendees will also be able to examine archival selections from the Manuscripts Department in Wilson Library, home to the papers of Ehle, Parker, and Dunne. On view will be photographs of events depicted in The Free Men; the journal in which Parker reflected on her experiences as a student and demonstrator in 1963-64 ("On Saturday the 14th, I decided to go to jail. It was no fun at all."); and a 1964 letter Dunne wrote on a paper towel to his parents from the Orange County Jail, describing sentences imposed on him and conditions in the jail. The Bull's Head Bookshop will offer copies of The Free Men for sale at the program, which is cosponsored by the Library and Press 53. [...]

Drove those other childs wild

• You'll already have seen this if you keep track of the tagboard, but the photo of the two J. Ehles over there was sent by a tipster (gracias). Apparently it's from a book cover. Too cute, innit? The same person also brought our attention to an article about Natalie Herzen in the Russian Review, which you can read if you've got access to academic journal databases.
  

• Thanks to Ann for sending scans from American Vogue, one about how Jennifer Ehle proves God's existence, the other about Coast of Utopia's "crass commercialism" (not). She found a photo of Ms Ehle at the Romeo and Juliet gala from Broadway.com as well (yep, a little behind here).
  

• Listen to three gorgeous tracks from Before the Rains' score at the website of composer Mark Kilian.

• An interview with Santosh Sivan in the Times of India - hopefully not a double post:
  

  [...] “I’m looking forward to Toronto where the film will be premiered and where our film is positioned with other interesting films,” says Santosh.
  
  The Rains is set in Kerala during the British times. “Our protagonist is a British planter who shares a bond with Rahul Bose who works for him. The film’s essentially a human drama and about individual choices,” he says.
  
  Why Kerala? He says, “We adapted the script to Kerala, since it also dealt with the times of colonisation. It has always fascinated me to see these winding roads leading through forests into spice hills and the stories of how the British had constructed those roads with the help of the locals long time back.”
  
  Says Santosh, “We shot the film in Munnar with a mixed cast and crew from London and the US. It was quite interesting to see the chemistry between people from different countries.” Commenting on the film’s cast, he says, “I’ve known Rahul Bose for a long time and I was interested in seeing him in a different role. And Nandita Das is someone who can effortlessly handle the extremes of emoting any role. And we had Linus Roache who is quite a perfectionist.” [...]

• And another. See through a cinematographer's eyes in this two part interview about Mr Sivan's lush visual world at TIFF's South Facing blog. A poet of both light and words! Keep an eye out for the photo of Rahul Bose and Linus Roache in Before the Rains. On his home state, the setting for the film, he says:

  [...] My attempts to capture light are based on my experiences with weather the rain, sun, snow and clouds. In Kerala where I grew up monsoons made heavy rains a part of our life. Besides, there was always a presence of water -- Rain, ponds, sea water or the backwaters. My fascination for water in a very indirect way helped me hone my eye for colour and light in visuals and cinematography. [...] I am lucky to be born and brought up in Kerala. In the predominance of water, there are states like Bengal which are similar but Kerala is a state of visual language. Kerala has lyrics and metaphors and its arts forms. [...]

• Here are the results of our previous poll on readers' opinions of Coast of Utopia. Due to my l33t skillz, "0 stars" and "haven't seen it" were accidently coded as 1 star. Oops.
  

• YouTube goodness: watch Ethan Hawke speaking about Utopia on Jimmy Kimmel's talk show and Tom Stoppard's acceptance speech for the Best Play award at the Tonys.

• If you look up at the right hand bar, you'll see we've got a fundraising project for Broadway Cares. Initially I only intended to donate advertising proceeds from the blog, but since BC/EFA had a new option for group fundraising, thought to draw on the power and the pockets of Ehle fans as a whole. A $1 500 target has been set for the end of the year. Don't let those Colin Firth fans show us up - Colin Firth 24/7 managed $10 000 last year! Skip a coffee or two and donate $10 to help fight AIDS (and maintain Jennite Pride, yo).
  

That's it, the last of umpteen linky lists. I've been meaning to tie up loose ends and sign off properly for months now but by some superhuman feat of procrastination have avoided it, leaving Kate and Abi rather in the lurch. Though they have effectively been holding the reins from before the Tonys, and managed superbly, I feel the need to officially pass on executive powers with a bit of ceremony both for their sake and my own. First there are the practical matters - any news and questions you have can be sent to the team at ehleblog@gmail.com. jenniferehle@gmail.com is being retired although mail to that address will be forwarded to my civilian inbox. The DVD library is still running and accepting new borrowers.

To the sentimental stuff. Over two years, with many people's help and almost daily prodding, I've seen the blog grow from a tentative experiment born on a whim to the hub it is today, thriving without my efforts. I've grown up alongside it and learned so much - sometimes the hard way! It has exposed me to the alien and rich world of theatre, and through it I have gained warm friendships that have far surpassed the bounds of co-fandom. It is a joy to be able to pass guardianship of the blog on to a couple of these friends. I can scarcely believe my luck in finding two people with the dedication (coughinsanity) to take on this job, in whose initiative, judgment and discretion I have absolute faith. Kate and Abi, thank you for the hard work you've already put in. Thank you for being willing to adopt my baby.

In the course of this project, I have been moved by great and small acts of generosity. Now's the last time I can name names, so forgive me for rattling on a bit. To Chelsea, original partner in crime and better half, thank you for the crazy fun and yakka and listening and planning and and and. Agent E, thanks for those priceless DVDs and treasure chest, for all the tips and support. Kez, for the creation and liberation of Terry and for one of the most memorable phone convos evar. Sands, for being a friend in those early wobbly days. Mary, for the graphics and for the forum company. To the Jerryboreers, for those three crazy/amazing days of communal excitement. Thanks to the folks from other fandoms who have helped us out. Most notable are the girls at Colin Firth 24/7 and Josie. Also, thanks to AustenBlog and Pemberleans for tolerating ever so much potbanging, and to various cooperative Officials of the Public and Lincoln Centre Theatres. To the ever-vigilant tipsters and contributors, thanks for making the job that much easier. And thanks to everyone who has kept up with this thing, and spoken from the void. Finally- she who is made of awesome, who inspired the whole mad adventure. Who has put up with so much and given so incredibly, impossibly generously - nope, not over it yet. Whose work still elicits awe and LMAOs and excessive blinking, who still intrigues, electrifies and astonishes even when you think you've seen it all. Thanks for everything. It has been a pleasure and an honour, and I can't wait to see whatever comes next.

A Quickie Post

• Reelz Channel is already stirring up some Oscar Buzz for Before the Rains and the other films that will be premiering at the Toronto Film Festival:

  The Toronto Film Festival (TIFF), which takes place in September, is heralded as the beginning of the annual Oscar race. That is to say, studios often save up the films they think will be contenders to release in the fall (they don't trust the Academy's memory to reach back more than a few months come nomination time), and often debut said films at the TIFF. [...]

• At The Hindu, director and cinematographer Santosh Sivan addresses some of the difficulties involved in shooting a movie in Kerala and he briefly mentions Before the Rains.

  [...] Quizzed about his ongoing projects, Mr. Sivan said he had completed principal filming and post production for a Hollywood film ‘Before the Rains.’ Shot in Munnar, the film takes a look at life during the colonial era in 1937. “I have tried to maintain a flavour of Kerala in the film, which is all about human drama. The language is a mix of English and Malayalam,” he explained. ‘Before the Rains’ has been selected for the Toronto film festival in September this year. [...]

• DNA India has a short article about Rahul Bose, Jennifer Ehle's co-star in Before the Rains.

  His social initiatives definitely get more news coverage than his movies. However, that doesn’t mean his acting skills go unnoticed, at least not among the international movie buffs. While Time magazine may have given Rahul Bose the recognition as ‘the superstar of Indian art house cinema’, a South Asian Arts festival ‘Masala!Mehndi!Masti!’ in Toronto has a retrospective planned of the actor this year. “I have two kinds of reactions. Firstly, I was flattered by the recognition that I was receiving, complimenting me on the various genres of cinema that I have been associated with. Secondly, it was bit strange to get a retrospective at 39, which means it’s a warning that at the most I have five more years to go before I retire!” says Rahul laughing. [...]

• For Nostalgia's sake: Dennis Grunes has posted an in-depth review of Paradise Road, comparing it to other films such as Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun. Here is what he has to say about the cast:

  [...] The lead performance is also an asset; Glenn Close is excellent as Pargiter, an unpleasant person with an immense gift. Even better are Pauline Collins as Daisy “Margaret” Drummond, a missionary, and young Jennifer Ehle as Rosemary, the wife of a soldier, who recounts their courtship in one of the film’s most moving passages. [...]

• Finally, to fans of the other J. Ehle, Press 53 has announced that they are auctioning a limited edition signed collector's copy of John Ehle's The Land Breakers. See their blog entry for more details or go to the Press 53 website to place your bid.