Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
LISA DENTON: Barry, I was so taken by your story in last week's ChattanoogaNow about "A Celebration of Harold Pinter," I looked up reviews of the show, which stars British actor Julian Sands.
Local audiences can be their own judge Tuesday night when the show comes to the UTC Fine Arts Center for the inSight Patten Performances series, but if it matters, Ben Brantley of The New York Times liked it.
Brantley said his favorite part was when Sands demonstrated the instructions he got from the exacting Pinter on how to perform the readings of his poetry: "This is a beat. This is a pause. This is a silence."
BARRY COURTER: Sands was gracious enough to give me a call on a Saturday, from Europe no less, and we talked at length about how Pinter selected him to be the sole presenter of his works. They spent hours going over things like emphasis, nuance, pauses, breathing and meaning.
It was meant to be a one-off, but Sands said his good friend and fellow Pinter devotee John Malkovich later suggested they do a full-on stage show. Sands emphasized that the show is not 90 minutes of him standing in semi-darkness reading poetry.
"It is theater, and it is about being entertained," he said.
LISA: Here's one of Pinter's poems:
"I know the place.
It is true.
Everything we do
Corrects the space
Between death and me
And you."
I'll let you figure out where the beats, pauses and silences go.
Speaking of actors, Dylan Kussman, who was in the movie "Dead Poets Society" and, more recently, TV's "Vital Signs," will be the guest for tonight's meeting of The Backlot: A Place for Filmmakers at Heritage House. For what it's worth, Kussman was also in the Denzel Washington movie "Flight," playing Two Beer Barry. Wasn't that your nickname in college?
BARRY: "Two?" I was fast-tracked. Seriously, the Backlot folks do a lot of cool things related to movies and filmmaking, and if anyone is remotely interested in either, you should look them up.
Also, there are several other big events next week. Hank & Cupcakes bring their indie-rock sound back to Revelry Room on Friday, and Italian bluegrass artist Beppe Gambetta is at Barking Legs Theater then as well. And the Tedeschi Trucks Band will be at the Tivoli on Saturday. Derek Trucks is one of the very best blues/rock guitarists on the planet right now, I think.
LISA: I can't argue with that.
And Phil Kranz from the "Blackdog Morning Show" on WAAK-FM 94.7 in Ringgold, Ga., called the other day to say he's planning a benefit show for homeless veterans Thursday night at the Ringgold Depot. He has six acts lined up - Scott Brown Band, Bob Corley, Scott Sharp, Dave Gore and Dustin Craig - and he says every penny will go to the nonprofit Operation Stand Down Tennessee.
Oh, and maybe we should mention that The Chattery's "Stab, Stab, Stab! Needle Felting for Stress Relief" class Thursday night at Chattanooga WorkSpace has sold out. There's a waiting list, but maybe all those frustrated stabbers should consider the Mellow Murray Weekend at the Mellow Mushroom in East Brainerd. They'll have beer and food specials Friday through Sunday, including menu items named for Bill Murray movies, like a Ghostbusters pizza and Caddyshack burgers. I'm not sure why they've timed it to this weekend - his birthday's in September - but, like, cool and whatever.
BARRY: I wonder if they'll have a What About Bob Burger?
Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281. Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.