I Am The Walrus

Just had two front teeth pulled.


Not so terrible. Everyone has horror stories about tooth-pullings, but apart from the emergency one I had done at Kings County Hospital (I can still viscerally feel that one being wrenched from its socket) mine have been . . . well, not a breeze, but not as bad as having a cavity filled, as far as I'm concerned. This makes six teeth taken out of my head, only two of them wisdom teeth (I'm getting the last two wisdoms out later this year - I'm trying to get my front teeth fixed prior to Ian W. Hill's Hamlet; I might make it).


The problem with the pulling isn't so much the pulling, as the sheer annoyance for a day afterward . . .



Goo goo ga joob!


Ah, yes, the wonderful gauze in the mouth! GOD I HATE IT!


So, I'm trying to get these two teeth (not quite symmetrical, one is next to one of the very front ones, the other is two teeth off, by a canine) replaced for the show. Even if I don't though, I can tell already that my smile looks better and acceptable without the two blackened stumps that I had in there. I'm having two other teeth (next to the pulled ones) fixed on Thursday, which will remove some large stains and discolorations, so things will look better all around.


I spent most of my time in the chair today going over my lines in my head, at least for the first couple of scenes -- with Claudius and Gertrude, then the monologue, then with Horatio, Marcella, and Bernardo. I have barely studied my lines since I've been up here, and that was a big part of the plan in coming up, but the time between appointments has been somewhat filled with helping my mom out on some Spring cleaning, which she really needed done. I should be able to spend all my free time today through Thursday on the script, though.


Still, being in the chair focuses the mind greatly -- while Dr. Dheeraj Pamidimukkala (nice guy, good work) was snapping, twisting, and pulling the buggers out, I was pretty well able to get through the entire sequence, including the "Oh, that this too too solid flesh--" speech, with almost no blips in my head. I tried it out loud in the room between the two pullings, as they gave me time to rest, but it sounded a little too odd:


Ohhh, dhat thiss too too tholid fleth would melllt,
Thaugh, ahnd frisolth itshelf into a doo--


I was worried it would get stuck in my head that way and I'd spend a lot of rehearsals holding back giggles, so I stopped.


So today is script work and biting down on gauze. Nice.

THE PRETENTIOUS FESTIVAL

Ladies and gentlemen, the schedule of fine events selected to be included in The Brick's PRETENTIOUS FESTIVAL - the most important theatre festival on earth! - is now available for the perusal of discerning theatregoers.


Pray visit it, at your leisure, here.


The fine people behind this important event have also deigned to embrace the IntarWeb and create a PRETENTIOUS FESTIVAL BLOG, which shall update any and all who wish to know even more about the many artists and events comprising this earth-shattering event.


Please excuse our apparent pandering as we deign to note that the Gemini CollisionWorks production of Ian W. Hill's Hamlet will be included in the proceedings for an exclusive engagement of four performances only.


Those of us involved in this important work are sure that you readers are among the most demanding of spectators who will have your blackened, shriveled souls delighted, entertained and transformed by our Art.


yr. obt. serv.,


Mr. Curt C. Dedd
Publicity Manager
Gemini CollisionWorks