A Show-Busy Day

I'm not sure when, exactly, the tradition of "family movie night" began, but it's been going for several years now. Whenever Jeri comes home, we get together for "family movie night."

This year it had to be "family movie afternoon," since I had to review a show that night, but there was no question what we would see. Of course we would see Sweeney Todd! What else would a showbiz family go to see?

My mother, Jeri and Phil had spent Christmas night at Ned & Marta's and arrived here in the late morning, giving my mother a bit of time to play with Half Pint before continuing on her way home. Jeri and Phil stayed here.

We went to the early show of Sweeney Todd, and found it be as bloody as we expected, but well done. I'm still not sure how I felt about Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, but Johnny Depp made a great Sweeney. Kind of Edward Scissorhands on crack.

And is there a more malicious villain than Alan Rickman?

So we had our family movie afternoon...there must be something that can be said about the family that sees slasher films together!

We came home and I think we each took a bit of a nap. Jeri, Phil and Walt were going to dinner at the home of some friends; I was going in to Sacramento to meet Peach for the "final tour" of Riverdance.

("Final" is a relative term. The "final tour" will take 3 yrs in the United States, there is another "final tour" touring Europe and they have yet to take the show to South America or Africa, both of which are planned. There is some sort of permanent thing which may be set up in Dubai and they want to return to China. So I think nobody needs to weep any tears for the demise of Riverdance just yet!)

Peach had not seen the show live before and loved it and we had the additional treat of getting the backstage tour from our cousin Kathy's husband, Fred, who works the stage door. I've been in the Sacramento Community Theatre countless times, but never stood on the stage and looked out onto the 2,400 seats before. Pretty impressive.

Everyone at home had gone to bed by the time I returned, so the dogs had settled down and my return got them all revved up again. But as I write this, it appears I am the only one awake in the house. The others are going to Santa Barbara tomorrow, but I will stay home because Cousins Day is on Friday and we have a lot to talk over with our respective Christmases! It seems I had the best of the bunch...but I'll hear more about that on Friday.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

From Christmas night.
You should also check the Photo of the Day from one year ago.