The Rope & Party

Thats the film version of the show I went to last night. The play is quite a bit different, but the same general plot. 2 Friends kill a 3rd friend for the sake of the pure, motiveless, emotionless, perfect crime. One lead is dominant, the other more submissive. They strangle their friend with a rope and stuff his corpse into a chest, then they plan to take his body with them to Grad School to dispose of it - but first they hold a party. They invite their friend's father & aunt, a couple inferior minded friends, and a respected poet/former teacher. They serve dinner on the chest, and of course the whole thing unravels.

I can remember watching the movie at my friend's house last year - probably summer time, or around the time I got home, and his strong decision that this was the next play that he'd put on at the school. So that's what it was.

I can't claim to have seen the whole final product, despite going opening and closing night my body failed me before the final act. Thursday night I came home. Last night I knew there was to be a cast party, so I decided to stick it out and slipped back stage at intermission to find a more comfortable seat. I can't tell you how many shows I have been a part of in that theater, actually to be frank, I probably could if I thought hard enough - I was part of the first show ever held in the blackbox.

This show I only had bits and pieces to do with, I supplied a couple props, donated an electrical plate to the set, and hung out a couple Saturdays on Stage Crew to offer advice when and where needed.

Realistically I had little right to be at the cast party, except that it was held by the director who is one of my best friends, in his house - which I have keys to, and was also attended by a few other close friends, all grads of the same school, all former techies themselves. Actually every guy in the apartment last night was either a SJ student or SJ grad, every single one. Kind of cool. Hell one of the mentioned friends is renting the 1st floor apartment from my friend who owns the two family.

So anyways, I had a great time at the party. Just laughing and talking in my usual way, my usual ease. I was quite pleased to have a chance to interact with one of the cast members in particular, who had asked after my health back stage - and not trusted me for one second as I told him "I'm fine" as I stood there swaying, hahaha, which is fine, I'd not have trusted me either - I know doubt looked like hell and was having trouble hiding the pain, the tell tale sign was one of my hands gripping my ribs. But I'm a tough guy so I sucked it up and helped get the chest we used into the trunk of the Olds so I could return it to my friend's dining room.

The food at the party was excellent, as was the company as I said, and it's the first time I've had a real chance to interact with that dude, who I've been talking to online for ages now. So that was pretty special. Haha he's too young to pursue, but he's cute, has a kick ass personality, and is smart. He'll make someone very happy someday.

At any rate as the night wore on the high schoolers cleared out, and the grads remained. Out came cognac, champaign, and such for the drinkers, and cigars, home rolled cigs, and my pipe - for the smokers. We sat in his living room in high back chairs, and on a 20's couch, feeling like lords of all creation, just chatting about this and that, the old days, the current days, exchanging stories and jokes and laughing until the wee small hours of the morning.


It's funny sometimes thinking back... here I am at 19?

probably having just said something amazingly inappropriate about how Ashlie, the girl getting ready to hit me, was dressed. Its probably not hard to figure out the comment. The fellow behind me in the picture was there last night until not long before I left. That was taken at one of those cast parties, probably for Hamlet... orrrr ummmm Becket! I think it was probably Becket!

At any rate, its one of a dozen or so cast parties held in that apartment, some faces change, some remain the same. Thats how it goes.

Anyways, I haven't slept yet, and there is a vicious rumor that I am being dragged coherent or not to a SuperBowl party tonight at 6, incidentally in the apartment below the one I was in last night, with the same faces, as well as a few more old friends - without a doubt all 3 of us guys in the picture I posted will be there.