Something about FASS

Yesterday was the read through for the FASS 2009 script - the theme this year is "Spies" (Live FASS, Die Tomorrow). In all honesty, I'm kind of "meh" about the script this year. While there's definately some funny stuff in there, a bunch of the humour is also not entirely my style, shall we say - a lot seems picked more for the shock or "I can't believe they just said" variety. The plot is also rather thin and doesn't seem well thought out. Not that FASS plots tend to be fantastic works of literature or anything, but this one nonetheless feels like the weakest one of the FASSes I've been involved with, at least at the first read through.

I'm only in one scene this year (again), but at least I've got more than two lines. My character has about a third of the lines in the scene. No song, though, unfortunately. The scene itself is ok and doesn't have any of what I would consider the more "questionable" humour. The scene does, however, seem extremely tangential and really has no meaningful connection to the main plot.

As far as FASS roles go, my best one was, undoubtedly, Roman (2006), with Thurman (2004) being a close second. My 2007 parts probably come in third, with the highlight for that year being that I got to wear a costume that wasn't just jeans, a t-shirt and an accessory. Dr. Toolittle (2001) and this year's part are probably about equivalent, tieing them for fourth, making 2005 and 2008 tied for my least favourite. To be fair, though, in 2005 I was commuting from Toronto so all I wanted was a small part that year.

Overall, I think some of my disappointment with this year's script comes from the sense that there's some missed potential. I think there could have been an interesting, amusing and coherent plot in there, but it mostly comes across as a string of loosely connected scenes where people crack jokes, scheme and plot but in the end, not much happens.

All this is, of course, a matter of personal taste. Even without much of a plot there's stuff to laugh at, though that will vary depending on individual sense of humour. I think it would be interesting to know who was the main writer for each scene as I suspect there may be some correlation with the type of humour in each scene.

Anyway, I think I've rambled on long enough about all that. Should be a fun month, regardless.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

Full Spiral

Today was my first day back in school as I start my PhD at UW, having come full circle, in a way. It's really more of a spiral, though, since I'm not back exactly where I started, as my last time at UW was as an undergrad, so I am moving up in the world! In a manner of speaking, anyway.

The first day was largely uneventful, overall. I went on an epic quest to get office and lab keys, my student card and the like, going up several levels in the process no doubt. No classes today, since the class I've signed up for this term doesn't start until tomorrow, and I'll probably end up sitting in on some other classes as well before finalizing my courses for the term.

I had expected being back on campus for the first time in about eight years as a student to feel stranger than it did, but then I suppose that I'm on campus often enough for things like FASS, orchestra and CTRL-A that in a way it almost feels like I never left, in a way.

Anyway, it seems like I should have a reasonably slow first week or two to ease myself back into life as a student.

Freak Out,
-TFitC