Summary of The Moon and Sixpence by Maugham Somerset (51-58 Chapters)

Tahitian, hostess hotel, where the author lived, told him how she found Strickland's wife - Ata, who was her distant relative. Once Strickland and Ata got married, they went into the forest, where Ata had a small plot of land. The next three years Strickland was the happiest person. Ata did what he told her, and she also brought up their child. Strickland developed leprosy. When he learned of his illness, he wanted to go into the woods, but his wife did not let him go. They lived together, not talking to people.When the artist became blind, he still continued to work, drawing on the walls of the house. Only a doctor who came to see the patient, saw that painting, but he did not find Strickland alive. He was shocked. That wall painting seemed to be something great, sensual and passionate. Having created this masterpiece, Strickland got what he wanted: he banished the demon who owned his soul for many years. On his deathbed, the painter ordered Ata burn the house after his death, and she did not dare to disturb his last wish. When the author returned to London, he again met with Mrs. Strickland. After the death of her sister she came into fortune and lived very happily. In her living room Strickland’s reproductions hang, and she acted as if she and her husband had a great relationship. While the author was talking to Mrs. Strickland he somehow remembered Strickland and Ata’s his son.

Review №2

Review №2:  How to Steal a Million (1966)

Cast:

 Audrey Hepburn             ...                            Nicole 

 Peter O'Toole                 ...                            Simon Dermott 

 Eli Wallach                     ...                            Davis Leland 

 Hugh Griffith                   ...                            Bonnet 

 Charles Boyer                ...                            DeSolnay 

 Fernand Gravey             ...                            Grammont 

 Marcel Dalio                  ...                            Senor Paravideo 

 Jacques Marin                ...                            Chief Guard 

 Moustache                     ...                            Guard 

 Roger Tréville                 ...                           Auctioneer (as Roger Treville) 

 Edward Malin                 ...                           Insurance Clerk (as Eddie Malin) 

 Bert Bertram                  ...                            Marcel

Directed by William Wyler
Written by George Bradshaw (story), Harry Kurnitz (screenplay)
Genre: Comedy | Crime | Romance

Storyline:

The action takes place in Paris, where a young woman, the daughter of a millionaire who secretly hunted fake works of art, and a criminal must steal  one of the "masterpieces" of the girl's father from the exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in order to save him from being exposed.

Review:

I believe that in 1966, this film, and even in color, certainly caused a lot of excitement. The plot is criminal, the film is a comedy,on the screen there is a love story and an ingenious trick. Besides, there is very beautiful Audrey Hepburn from who I expected much more, and there is Peter O'Toole who is also very handsome. Here is a lovely duet.

However, the film left me cold. Most of the scenes in the museum are naive. By logic, after disarming the alarm the chief had to send at least one person on duty to sculpture. But it did not happen, they just turned off and calm down. Of course, I realize that it is a comedy but not to such an extent !!!

This is the first movie with Audrey Hepburn, which I watched and I do not like her in this movie. Neither looks nor acting. Peter O'Toole's character strongly resembled James Bond: elegant, smart, intelligent, even aristocratic and comprehensive ironic. But the character still came out interesting.

In general, the film too prolonged. It took too much time for audience to get into the swing and too long to show the events at the museum. I think I don't want to revisit this film. 

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The headline of the article is Who was Bertolt Brecht? The article was created on January 09, 2013 and last updated on January 10, 2013. The author of the article is Amrita Nandagopal. The purpose of the article is to give the readers some information about a famous German poet, playwright and theatre director Bertolt Brecht’s life.

The writer reports that Bertolt Brecht born in Ausburg, Bavaria in 1898. He is most famously remembered for mentoring the epic theatre concept, which was markedly different from the conventional Aristotelian drama. ‘The Threepenny Opera’, ‘Mother Courage’ and ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle’ are some of his renowned productions.

Further writer clarifies that the house where he was born is still preserved as a museum to this day. While his father was a Catholic, his mother was a devout Protestant whose beliefs exerted considerable influence on his writings.

The author explains that Bertolt Brecht met his life-long friend Casper Neher who went on to design many of the sets for Brecht’s plays and was instrumental in creating the distinctive visual appeal of their epic theatre.

Further the writer tells us that Early in his life, Brecht used to publish newspaper articles as a budding theatre critic. He wrote his first full play ‘Baal’ in 1918, about a drunken, womanizing poet. His next major work ‘Drums in the night’ was written the next year and was about a soldier returning from war. In his work ‘Messingkauf Dialogues’, he credited Karl Valentin with having a considerable influence on him.

The author points out that Brecht wanted to bring the theatre to the common people and many of his ideas were often considered radical at that time. He employed many tactics such as harsh lighting or allowing the audience to see the set being arranged by the actors or other stage hands to prevent the audience from being totally immersed into the play.

Moreover, the famous German poet also collaborated with Kurt Weill on many plays which were very successful. Many of Bercht’s works were as a response to other works, either by him or by others. The famous ‘Threepenny Opera’ was actually the German version of John Gay’s ‘The Beggar’s Opera’, with new songs and adaptations.

The writer clarifies that Throughout his life, Brecht was linked with many women romantically, from Paula Banholzer with whom he had a son in 1919 to Marianne Zoff whom he married in 1922. They had a daughter Hanne Hiob, who went on to become a successful German actress.

However, Brecht later married the actress Helene Weigel in 1930, with whom he operated the theatre company ‘Berliner Ensemble’. Their daughter, Barbara Brecht is also an actress. He also had a son with her, Stefan Brecht who became a poet and a theatre critic.

In conclusion the writer say that Brecht’s leanings towards Marxism forced him to flee Germany in 1933 when Hitler came to power.  He lived in Denmark, Sweden and the Soviet Union after that before he finally settled in United States in 1941. He worked in Hollywood on a few screenplays during this time, though he was not very successful. Brecht passed away in Berlin in 1956 of a heart attack.

  

To my mind, this article is really worth reading. Having read about Bertolt Brecht’s biography I was really amazed. I have learned about his stages of life, especially I was struck by the fact that he worked in Hollywood on a few screenplays during the Second World War and it’s a pity that he died in 1956 of a heart attack.

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The headline of the article is A short history of the Globe Theatre. The article was created on March 26, 2013 and last updated on March 27, 2013. The author of the article is Chase Smith. The purpose of the article is to give the readers some information about the history of the Globe Theatre.

The writer reports that in 1642, when the Globe theatre in Southwark London closed its theatre doors for the last time, England’s Puritan’s; a protestant group passed an act through parliament by Law demanded that all playhouses to be closed to the general public. Then two years later in 1644 the theatre was torn down so Tenement rooms could be built instead.

Further the author tells us that forty six years previously, in 1598, James Burbage - a joiner by profession and amateur actor who was part of the Lord Chamberlain men - along with the rest of the acting company had been evicted out of Blackfriars theatre. The outlook for the actors was looking bleak, especially if they wanted to compete with there rivals the Admirals men who owned the Rose theatre. 

The writer clarifies that in answer to the obstacles facing James his only option was to build another theatre in Shoreditch, London. James invested his own money but it didn’t cover the building costs needed to construct it. He came up with a plan, the theatre should be funded through shareholders. James would own twenty five percent, Lords Chamberlain men owned fifty percent, three other members (one of them Will Kemp, an actor who pulled out of the share deal) would co own twelve and half percent along with up and coming playwright who started writing plays for them William Shakespeare. 

Further the author reports that James died after the theatre was built in February 1597, leaving it to his son Richard Burbage, a professional actor who had left the Admirals men to join the Lord Chamberlains men. Richard soon discovered, after he inherited the theatre from his father, the land leased to the theatre was built on expired in 1597.

Then the writer explains that Giles Allen, the landlord of the theatre, should have by law been the rightful owner. Not wanting to lose the theatre to the Landlord, the Chamberlain’s men managed to perform plays at a nearby Curtain playhouse while a lengthy two year dispute with the landlord continued. Richard, along with his brother Cuthbert, decided to remove twelve large oak beams and moved them by boat to Southwark; on a plot of land that he had bought the lease which was just opposite the Rose theatre. It formed the polygon foundations of the new theatre and the Globe theatre was born.

Further the author gives us information about The Lord Chamberlain’s men decision to fly a flag of Hercules with a Globe over his shoulder, which they named the Globe theatre. The main entrance to the new playhouse had the motto above "Totus mundus agit histrionem" (the whole world is a playhouse). Two doors on either side of the stage allowed actors to enter and leave, the central balcony was flanked by two other balconies for wealthy audiences. The courtyard, which was on the ground floor of the playhouse, was five feet below the stage. The Lord’s Chamberlain men changed there name to the King’s men in honour of King James 1.

Further the author reports that while William Shakespeare became famous from having his plays performed at the Globe theatre, Richard Burbage became one of the most famous actors of his era. On 29 June, 1613 during a performance of Henry V111 a misfired cannon from the stage ignited the thatch roof of the Globe. No one was hurt when fire broke out at the Globe, but the playhouse burned to the ground. A year later it was rebuilt and for further twenty eight years the playhouse continued to perform plays to the general public. That was up until the Puritan Law which was passed in 1642.

In conclusion the writer say that in 1996 plans to rebuild a Shakespeare Globe theatre was commissioned, close to the original location of the Globe. Archived designs which formed the original plans used in 1599 to 1613 were used in the building of Shakespeare’s Globe.

To my mind, this article is really worth reading. Having read about the history of the Globe Theatre I was really amazed. I learned a lot about this theater. For instance, James Burbage who was part of the Lord Chamberlain men was to build another theatre in Shoreditch, London. James invested his own money but it didn’t cover the building costs needed to construct it.

Summary of The Moon and Sixpence by Maugham Somerset (41-50 Chapters)

The author still led Strickland to his home, despite the fact that the latter nauseated him. However, Strickland did not worry about other people's opinions about him. He didn't care about the death of Blanche, who loved him. Moreover,  Strickland wasn't anxious about the fact that he  messed up Dirk Stroeve’s life. The painter did not want  Blanche  to go away from Dirk  to him. Everything what he was interested in was just his sexual desire to her, and Strickland  wanted to draw Blanche naked. He believed that women were created only in order to satisfy his needs. Then the painter decided to show the author his paintings. Seeing them, the narrator was very impressed. The pictures seemed to him outrageous, but at the same time there was something exciting in them. The author found that they had a mysterious meaning.  After a time, Strickland went to Marseilles and the author never saw him again. When fate threw the author to Tahiti, where Strickland  spent the last years of his life and became finally known, he asked everyone about the artist. There the author met Captain Nichols, who helped Charles Strickland  to get to Tahiti. Captain Nichols told the author that he and the painter lived in the port of Marseilles without a penny to their name, about how Strickland ran for Tough Bill, who had vowed to kill him and the artist escaped from that place, fleeing by boat to Australia. The inhabitants of Tahiti considered Strickland to be a common tramp. Now, however, they regretted that they had not understand the value of his paintings, which were now worth a fortune.

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The headline of the article is The impact of Edward Craig on stage design. The article was created on February 11, 2013. The author of the article is Annette. The purpose of the article is to give the readers some information about an English modernist theatre practitioner Edward Gordon Craig’s life and his significant influence on stage design.

The writer reports that Edward Gordon Craig was born in England in 1872 to the actress Ellen Terry and her architect partner Edward Godwin. Edward acted for the first time on a US tour with his mother, at the young age of 12. Five years later he became an actor in Henry Irving's company at the Lyceum Theatre.

The author explains that when in 1893 Craig met with the Beggarstaff Brothers, he learned wood engraving. This had a significant influence on his design ideas which started to take shape when he designed and directed "Dido and Aeneas" in 1900. His production of "Hamlet" at the Moscow Art Theatre is seen as a landmark production with regards to the development of design.

Further the writer clarifies what influenced on Edward Craig. His mother was the leading actress at Henry Irving's theatre so Craig was exposed to theatre from a very young age. Hubert van Herkomer, who staged many experimental productions at his independent art school in London, inspired Craig. He admired van Herkomer's use of lighting and creative design. Herkomer believed design should reflect the mood of the text rather than being a realistic reproduction. The art of woodblock that he learned from the Bergstaff Brothers, James Pryde and William Nicholson, influenced his perception of stage lighting. He envisioned the dark wood block as the stage and the carved white space as the light.

Moreover, the dancer, Isadora Duncan, whom he lived with for two years, introduced him to the power of movement. His father, Edward Godwin worked on providing him with archaeological evidence for Shakespeare plays and Martin Shaw, the actor, provided him the opportunity for his first productions. Craig further admired the simplicity of the medieval theatre style and specifically the pageant wagon which was the antithesis of naturalism.

Then the author tells us about Craig’s concept for design in theatre. Craig’s non-realist theatre design must be seen in the context of the late 19th-century tradition. Henry Irving’s sumptuous productions provided vehicles for the stars of the day and very little thought was given to the way the design might reflect the mood of the play. Craig, on the other hand, wanted to see a play as a sequence of moments where each moment makes a symbolic visual statement.

Further the author gives us information about key developments in Craig’s journey. Firstly, in 1900 he produced "Dido and Aeneas" which set out the principles of his career. He used symbolist images with striking colour contrasts, a false proscenium and a concealed lighting gantry behind this false arch with no footlights. He used gauze and cloth to create depth when lit.

Secondly, in 1901 it was "The Masque of Love" which he played against a light grey background with carefully designed lighting.

Thirdly, in the 1902 production of "Acis and Galatea" he used lengths of cloth and projected shadows and in the production of "The Vikings at Helgeland" he used a vertical perspective which dwarfed the actors and cast shadows on their faces. Some critics had a problem with the shadows while others noted the symbolism of the half-seen shapes.

Lastly, the "Übermarionette" in 1908 was Craig’s reply to the control of the director over an actor.  He replaced the actor with a marionette.  The production showed strong elements of the masked ritual.

In conclusion the writer say that after Edward’s success with Hamlet in Moscow he designed very few productions, but "Hamlet" remains a landmark production which established Craig’s influence on stage design and lighting.

To my mind, this article is really worth reading. Having read about Edward Gordon Craig I was really amazed by his biography. I believe that this man deserves a lot of respect because he made ​​an enormous contribution to the design in theatre. Moreover, I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that production of "Hamlet" at the Moscow Art Theatre is seen as a landmark production with regards to the development of design.

Summary of The Moon and Sixpence by Maugham Somerset (34-40 Chapters)

One morning the bell rang and the concierge opened the door. Stroeve’s voice was asking whether Crabbe at home. Dirk's eyes were filled with horror. He told the author that Blanche tried to commit suicide. As it turned out, she drunk oxalic acid, but survived. When Stroeve came to Blanche she did not want to talk to him. When the coach arrived, she was put on a stretcher and taken to hospital. So Dirk came to ask the author to go with him to the hospital. If Blanche would not wish to let Dirk again, then maybe she would let Crabbe. At the hospital, they were talking to a doctor who told them that the danger had passed. Stroeve was upset all day and the author’s attempts to somehow distract him from thinking about Blanche failed. The next day, they went to the hospital. The nurse said that the patient does not want anybody to see. Then Crabbe sent Dirk downstairs and the latter dutifully went out. The author was ready to kill Strickland. The next week was awful. Stroeve went to the hospital to his wife who still did not want to see him. After a while Dirk came to Crabbe late at night, and the latter realized that Blanche had died. Dirk was too tired to cry. Then he truly went to sleep the first time for a week. After Blanche’s funeral the author and Dirk went back in the carriage. Crabbe offered Dirk to go to Italy but the latter refused. Then Dirk said to take him to the studio. The author was glad to it. A week later, Dirk came to Crabbe and said him that he was going to Holland to his mother. Dirk told the author that he was good at drawing in his childhood but his father wanted him to become a carpenter. Then Dirk said Crabbe that he met with Strickland. Dirk seemed that Blanche had not died. Back to the studio, Stroeve saw that everything was in its place, as when Blanche was alive. Walking around the house, Dirk felt deeply like his wife had tried to kill herself. Then he found Strickland’s picture which was portrayed Blanche. Despair, jealousy and rage choked Stroeve and he wanted to tear the painting up. However, looking more closely, Dirk acknowledged that it was a true work of art. Then Stroeve said Crabbe that he called Strickland in Holland but he refused. The next day the author saw Dirk off to Amsterdam. Crabbe gradually began to forget about this sad story. But one day, Strickland had come with the author. However Crabbe showed him that he did not want to communicate with him. Nevertheless, Strickland knew that the author liked people who were though bad but gobby. The author did not object Strickland and tried to save his dignity with stony silence and a shrug.