Off the Couch: Agatha Christie play, classical music coming up

Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
photo Lisa Denton and Barry Courter

LISA DENTON: Barry, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre is starting a new play this weekend, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," by famed British writer Agatha Christie, which reminded me that hers is one of the literary names that can form an anagram that makes sense.

Like Ralph Waldo Emerson rearranges to "Person whom all read," and Arthur Conan Doyle is "Carry on, hound tale" and Tennessee Williams is "Went senile as slime." Agatha Christie is "Rich hag is at tea." Neat, huh?

BARRY COURTER: You really do need to get out more. Maybe take a walk in the fresh air on occasion. While you're out there, you can think about the time you made me waste trying to figure out an anagram for my name. Best I could come up with was "Brash Corruptor Joey," which only works if I become a hardcore rapper in Australia.

LISA: I see all those scribbles on your yellow pad, but next time use an online anagram generator.

BARRY: That's not how we Aussie OGs roll.

LISA: Got it. I'm going with "Tonsil Dean" for myself. It just barely beat out "Olden Stain" and "Noted Snail." And I can't decide between "At Lions Den" or "At Loins End," so I guess it's a tie to round out the Top 5.

BARRY: All solid choices.

There are some good music shows on tap this week, the biggest is probably Neko Case at the Walker Theatre on Thursday, but also a couple from a few local folks. Lew Card will debut his new album of guitar and vocals music on Friday at JJ's Bohemia while bluesman Drew Sterchi is at Songbirds on Saturday.

LISA: If you like classical music, there's a String Theory concert Tuesday by WindSync, a group of award-winning chamber musicians. And the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will perform "Movie Masterworks" on Thursday. They'll do music from movies including "Citizen Kane" and Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride," plus part of Wagner's opera "Tannhauser," which is used in more than 60 movies.

BARRY: That should get everyone ready to see the Broadway version of "Cinderella" this weekend at the Tivoli. There is just something great about seeing a classic performed live.

Get event details every Thursday in Chattanooga Now 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.

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