Mechanismus proudly presents Terrorfakt with guest Pixelpussy live November 30th.
DJ’s Savak, Omega Brain, and V.O.M
Special dance show by
Panzer Girls and Ginger The Wicked
$4 Vodka Tonics, food specials, and infused liquors
9pm, $7 Cover, 21+
In the world of birds, late fall is a time of lean feeding options. Here on the Hill, this means an increase in action at backyard birdfeeders. One frequent feeder visitor is our neighborhood’s most common woodpecker: the northern flicker. Unlike smaller birds such as chickadees and juncos, flickers can demolish a feeder’s food stash alarmingly quickly—but it’s fun to watch them eat.
The northern flicker is brownish overall, with black bars on the back and black spots on the front. It has a dapper black crescent on the breast and red markings around the head and wings. (Some individuals, called yellow-shafted northern flickers, have yellow rather than red on the wings.) In the wild, flickers forage both on trees and on the ground, locating prey by sight or sound.
When you see a flicker on a feeder, take the opportunity to observe its anatomy up close. Like many other woodpeckers, flickers have thick tails that they use for extra support as they maneuver their bodies along tree trunks. These tails also come in handy as the birds hang on birdfeeders—especially feeders that swing and spin
If you can get close while a flicker eats, you may see flashes of its exceptionally long tongue. This tongue is barbed and sticky, perfect for capturing insects—and pretty effective at demolishing suet cakes, too. The flicker’s skull is specially shaped so its tongue, when not in use, can furl around the eye socket and the back of the head. The shape of the flicker’s skull also provides a cushioning effect so the bird’s brain doesn’t get damaged during drumming.
Flickers are common in backyards and parks throughout the neighborhood. Yellow-shafted northern flickers are relatively uncommon in our region, but I have occasionally spotted them at the Washington Park Arboretum.
Interested in learning more?
Previous Aviary Posts
Melissa Koosmann is a freelance writer and resident of Capitol Hill. She writes about education, culture, and nature — and, sometimes, birds for CHS.
Once again, CHS Capitol Hill Seattle, LLC has filed FOIA requests for certain reports generated by my office’s paranormal investigative unit. I am complying with the request to produce the contents of these reports with some details redacted.
Case 2012-9821w — XXXX 14th Ave. Subject, 45, suspects demonic forces to be at work at the site recorded. Noted smell of strange herb, presence of smoke with possible supernatural narcotic properties. Investigation revealed bakery operating at site. Case closed.
Case 2012-31213a — XXXXX Boylston Ave E — Subject, 35, reported that his ex-girlfriend, XXX, was practicing witchcraft and using “some kind of weird voodoo shit to make sure that he would be unable to date other women after their five-year relationship, which ended after he was found to be having an affair with a coworker. “XXX broke up with me. Then, a week later, the other girl broke it off, too. She said it was because I never told her I had a girlfriend. But I never said I didn’t, so that doesn’t even make sense. Nah, I know it’s XXX’s fault. All the girls I’ve asked out since we broke up? They all say I’m ‘a creep.’ Believe me, it’s NOT just because they’re in high school. It’s because they’re under a spell.” When asked for evidence of XXX’s sorcery, subject noted that “For one thing, she has a black cat.” He further noted, “If she’s not a witch, why the hell does she have so many scented candles?” Case open.
Case 2012-7363 — XXXX 19th Ave E. Subject, 18, reports level 3 contact near construction site. Interviews with staff on site produced evidence files #7363.2, #7363.6 and #7363.2. Each provided testimony supporting level 2 contact. Requesting a Rule 312.12 sealant cap be placed at site to prevent future contact cases.
Case #2012-2341 — XXXX 15th Ave E. Subject, 22, reported yet another ghost sighting at the site — a tavern. Here is a transcript of her call to the hotline: “I was at the bar with my friends on Tuesday night…it was, like, one in the morning, and there was this weird guy, like, sitting at the bar? I didn’t see his face—I’m guessing he didn’t have one. Anyway, I look away, and when I look back, like, ten minutes later? He’s GONE! Just…vanished. And then—get this— I put my drink down, and went to the bathroom? And when I came back, it was, like, six inches from where I left it. It HAD to have been the ghost. It really freaked me out.” Case closed pending further complaints.
Case #21012-4320s — XXX Broadway. Subject, 45, reports strange thumping noises at night, rhythmic in nature and increasing during the weekend. Subject reports not being able to sleep and having to turn television up several notches to enjoy programming. Case open.
Bernard is a new CHS contributor.
I got a jolt earlier this month when I encountered dozens of people with extremely conservative and religious views at 15th and E. Pike. I had never experienced that in my 7 years living in the liberal bubble that is Capitol Hill.
Now, these people weren’t actually on the hill. I talked to them on the phone as I joined about 30 volunteers at Temple de Hirsch Sinai, turning two basement conference rooms and a hallway into a makeshift call center for marriage equality. We talked to residents across Washington state, from Colfax to Kennewick, Spokane to Vancouver, Bonney Lake to Bellingham.
Washington United for Marriage, the group supporting the approval of Referendum 74, organized the phonebanking event as part of its final push before the November election. My good friend Robert is one of the organizers and he asked if I would help. I said yes.
Most of the volunteers had a vested interest in spending their weekend calling up strangers. There was the gay couple who got married in Canada and wants their union recognized in Washington. And there was Shelly Cohen, who along with her female partner of 10 years, raise two young daughters. Two decades ago, Cohen helped write Seattle’s first domestic partnership ordinance. She can hardly believe the community is at the cusp of gaining marriage equality.
“When we were working on the city ordinance, one guy suggested we should go for marriage. We thought he was nuts,” said the 54-year old Cohen. “Back then, I couldn’t have fathom this. I never thought I would see this in my lifetime.”
There were also volunteers who technically wouldn’t be affected by the referendum’s outcome, yet felt strongly enough to offer their time. Lacaia Sauer, a 20-year old Seattle Central Community College student, said she hates “pushing my views on people”, but wanted to do this for her aunt.
“My aunt and her partner have been together since I was born,” Sauer said. “I think they and everyone should have the right to marry.”
Seated next to me was a really cool blonde named Katie Chapman who looks just like Kate Hudson. Chapman is outgoing and loves talking to people but, more than anything, she was there for her sister.
“It’s so sad she can’t do the things I can. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be a second class citizen,” said Chapman.
Some volunteers brought their laptop, others were assigned one. We all fired up a special program that teleconferences in our cellphone, while automatically dialing the numbers of registered voters.
We held on the line until we heard a beep, which signaled someone had answered on the other end and we should start talking. We learned to dive right into our introduction because more often than not, we got just a few seconds before the person hung up.
Prior to this effort, I had never phonebanked. It took a few dozen calls to get used to being hung up on in mid sentence. Chapman, who worked for years as a telemarketer, assured with a smile that it’s just a normal part of the business.
What was more jarring was when some of the people actually started talking. I got a, “That’s an abomination.” Sauer, the Seattle Central student, got a, “Go to hell.”
To be sure, there were also people who supported marriage equality and said they intend to vote to approve Referendum 74. On the whole, though, the takeaway for me was how polarized the state is.
If you live and socialize on Capitol Hill, you may think Referendum 74 will pass based on the comments you hear around the neighborhood. But talking with, and sometimes being lectured by, folks in other parts of the state, you really appreciate there are people whose core convictions simply point them in a different direction. And their vote counts just as much.
After three hours on the phone, I notched perhaps a half of a “persuasion” – the group’s term for a voter who changed their mind during a phone call – when a man said he may consider marriage equality after initially saying he was opposed to the law. Cohen recorded two persuasions, which I was told is rare since most sessions end without even one.
With days to go before the election, Washington United Marriage has planned many more of these phonebanking events. You can see the schedule at their website.
With a 7.7 earthquake to the north at Haida Gwaii and Hurricane Sandy threatening the East Coast, it feels like a good time to talk with emergency management expert Carol Dunn, emergency preparation expert, about a higher-risk group: renters.
What are some things renters can do to help protect themselves?
The impact from disasters can be reduced when communities work together in advance to identify and reduce risks, to gather supplies, and to train to work as a team to respond to disasters–but this can be harder to achieve in areas with a high number of people who are renting. In King County, there are a number of cities where more than half the people rent and not own. Because renting can lead to more frequent moves within the community, individuals may not feel vested in the neighborhood or community. And, local preparedness training efforts can be hampered by residential turnaround.
But as a renter, you can provide guidance to other residents—help teach them how to safely conduct light search and rescue/first aid, and do welfare checks after a disaster. Work with your management company or property owner to see if they will be willing to provide emergency information to new tenants: perhaps a simple handout with contacts listed, info on tools and other equipment stored inside the building and how to access them, emergency exits, nearby emergency shelters and medical aid, etc.
Reach out and talk to your neighbors. Share your telephone numbers, and a number of a contact who lives out of the area. If you are away from your home and a disaster strikes, you will be relieved that you have someone you can talk to who might be able to tell you the status of your location. This is particularly true if you are the caregiver for someone (person or animal) who can’t communicate on their own. Out-of-area contacts are useful after disasters if no one can return to their original location, and in the period immediately after a disaster, when local phone lines are more likely to be jammed than long distance lines.
Rental insurance is really important. The owner of the property will have insurance that covers their building, but not the things you have inside the building. Also, a lot of people don’t realize that property owners aren’t required to rehouse and repair units damaged by a natural disaster. I’ve seen situations where property owners simply declare the buildings too damaged to be used, so, since disasters are considered Acts of God, the residents are not allowed back, and not given any assistance by the property managers to find new housing.
Mind you, this can also be an advantage in a post-disaster period: if your unit becomes inhabitable your lease is no longer valid, providing flexibility that allows you to relocate to an area that isn’t damaged. This can make recovery faster and easier. But, studies have shown that being forced to relocate with no advance warning is emotionally hard no matter what the circumstances, so be sure to take advantage of opportunities to talk with counselors who have specific experience working with people who have undergone disaster related trauma.
Frequently multi-housing units are electric only—heating, stove, refrigeration. This makes a power outage in extreme weather hit harder. Have backup heating, lighting that doesn’t require any sort of flame or burning anything (candles, camp stoves, etc.), backup food that doesn’t require heat. Fire and carbon monoxide poisonings frequently happen in the period after the cause of the disaster have passed. Multi-housing units may depend on electric pumps working for water to reach apartments—and may not have water heaters in individual units. This makes water a more serious problem.
Do you have other advice?
The very nature of multi-family units mean that you are living with others nearby, so the mistakes of others can impact your life. Be sure to have a carbon monoxide detector with a battery backup. If a nearby family uses charcoal or a generator inside, creating odorless, invisible, dangerous gas, you will be warned that the gas is in the air. Don’t assume that your smoke detectors work: Test them yourself.
Often there are rules on whether you can bolt furniture to your apartment walls. If the rules say you can’t, work with other residents to try to influence the owners of the property to change the rules. In the meantime, consider the location of furniture that might fall down in an earthquake. If you can’t brace your furniture to the wall, you should at least move it away from places where it might tip over and hit someone (i.e., near beds, chairs, and couches). And you don’t want furniture where it can fall and block doorways and hallways and any other exits.
Unrepaired masonry (Photo: Carol Dunn)
Since we live in an area with flooding, landslides and earthquakes, it is important to spend time evaluating whether the place you want to live is at risk from each of these hazards. Your ability to make it through a large disaster will largely depend on how well the building you’re in holds up to the disaster. People living in buildings that are not in flood zones have radically different experiences during a flood than people living in buildings in flood zones.
Likewise, people living in buildings that were built to handle earthquakes have radically better chances of recovering quickly from an earthquake than people living in buildings that can’t withstand shaking. Take the time to evaluate your building and its risk of being damaged in a disaster. A benefit to renting is that if you learn you’re in a risky building, it’s easier to move to a safer building pretty quickly.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that landlords can’t offer units for rent that are in bad earthquake buildings, or located in an area known to flood. Local laws state that only new buildings, or buildings that have undergone major structural renovations, need to meet current earthquake codes. We have literally hundreds, if not thousands, of rental units in the Puget Sound region (See this Capitol Hill map–ed.) that are in buildings made with materials and techniques that cannot handle earthquakes well, or are in areas that flood.
Since there is no law requiring property owners to make such buildings safe for earthquakes and flooding, it is up to us as individuals to make sure we don’t live in them. Learn how to recognize buildings that don’t handle shaking well, or are in flood zones.
LINKS:
Photos from Sunday’s Hilloween celebration.
Boo! Boo? Boo boo.
| ELINOR, 122 |
What are you up to this evening?
The crushing loneliness of non-corporeal existence causes me such pain. Such pain, the likes of which you cannot begin to comprehend. Oh. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
So … you’re just hanging out?
(gasp) Hanging? Yes. Hanging, as it were… You know, that is how they found me, after the wedding party left, and my betrothed failed to arrive at the cathedral at the appointed hour of our nuptials.
Omigod! Elinor, I am SO embarrassed. I forgot that you hung yourself.
Grammatically, it’s “hanged.” Only in the instance of hanging, as in by the neck until death, of course. Otherwise, the past tense would be “hung.”
That is true. So, do you live on the Hill?
Live? Live? Vile woman, why must you mock my crushing and unending pain?
No! Really, I’m sorry. I know you’re a ghost, and I shouldn’t have…
I prefer the term “Non-Corporeal American,” thank you.
Right. So, as a Non-Corporeal American, I bet you’ve seen a lot of changes in this neighborhood over the years.
I have. I fear that even those of us who have been lurking and weeping in this area for more than a century will be… what is your fleshy human term? Oh, yes. “Priced out.” For instance, I fear that my home will soon be turned into has been described as “soulless condominiums.”
Some of the newer buildings are very innovative; I’m not sure you can say that all of them are “soulless.”
My good lady, I mean literally, not figuratively. The new buildings have no ghosts. Ghosts are like artists. People move to a place to be near them, then, in a short space of time, we are chased out so that all these new railroad magnates and horse carriage manufacturers can move in. Then the artists and ghosts have to move to White Center, and raise the property values there. I fear that will happen to me. And then I will have fewer Public Houses in walking distance. Oh, the pain. The paaaaaaaaain!
So, what are some of your favorite local, um, haunts?
The Canterbury, for one. I’ve been going there for years. Since before it was popular.
“Since before it was popular?” You sound like a hipster.
By which I mean, since before it was a Public House. It was once a Shoppe of Sundries for the Occult, and they summoned me often. Also, I enjoy frequenting the Capitol Club, upstairs in the back. And the bar that used to be a funeral home, by what name is it now called?
Yeah, we’ve already given them a lot of free advertizing this year. Where else do you hang—er, frequent?
Hugo House, of course. You see, I write my own poetry…
Of course you do—doesn’t everyone on the Hill? What are some of the things you write about?
The endless pain of love. And vampires. Dark, handsome, brooding vampires.
Any one vampire in particular?
There is a certain worthy gentleman by the name of Victor… He is so very handsome and charming! Ah, good lady, I am getting the vapors at the mere thought of him. Why, oh why, has he not yet asked me for a handkerchief as a token of my affection? Do you think he holds me in high regard? Do you think he will propose marriage?
Listen, I have to be honest. These days, wearing a wedding dress will scare off most single men. Besides, I’m pretty sure Victor is gay.
Of course he’s gay! I, too, was once gay.
You mean, like, in college?
I was gay and carefree and full of joy, until I was left at the altar on my wedding day! But would Victor give me his heart, I could dare to be gay once again. If he does not, I shall plunge a bare bodkin into my chest, again and again and—
Yeah. I wouldn’t lead with that. Any plans for Halloween?
I shall re-enact my death. Thereafter, I will go slightly move a glass at the Canterbury, and perhaps flicker the lights. You know, as one does…
| VICTOR, TIMELESS |
How long have you lived on the Hill?
I moved here when I was about 30, so…30-something years?
Wow. You’re very well-preserved. What do you do for a living?
I’m an actor/model/musician and an amateur phlebotomist. Right now, I’m in this new reality show called the “House of the Undead,” which we’re filming in a so-called haunted house here on the Hill. It’s me, and this weird ghost chick, a zombie, a mummy, a demon, and Kid Rock. You know, the usual suspects.
Isn’t reality TV, I dunno…fake?
I think of it as acting, rather than “being fake.” My agent says it’s a good way to get into SAG. But I’ve been on ton of reality shows now, and still waiting.
What other shows have you been on?
I was featured on “MTV Crypts,” “Gay Vampires” on Bravo, and “Pimp My Ride.”
I think Elinor has a crush on you.
Yeah, poor girl. She is simply not getting the message. Gaydar wasn’t invented until the mid-20th century, you know — Elinor doesn’t even have the Beta model. The fact that she doesn’t have a penis is one thing, but the fact that she doesn’t have a body? That’s an issue. And what’s up with the wedding dress? I’m all, “Elinor? Miss Havisham from Great Expectations called. She wants her weirdness back!”
Is not having a body a dealbreaker for you, when it comes to relationships?
It may not be politically correct, but I’ll say it. Dating someone without a body is WAY less fun.
Some of our “non-corporeal” readers may be offended by that.
Well, they can go on the Internet and complain about it.
Do you live on the Hill?
Yes, my lair is right next to Volunteer Park.
You mean, in the cemetery?
What? You think I live in the friggin’ cemetery?! You just assume that because I’m a vampire… I live in a condo, not a tomb. Geesh.
I’m sorry. I guess I have some pre-conceived notions about vampires. For instance, I thought you guys couldn’t be photographed or seen in a mirror?
Nope. Not true. And we don’t all sleep in coffins, either. My new lair has stainless steel appliances and everything. The neighborhood used to be a lot more run-down back when I was alive.
Based on your outfit, I’m guessing that was the 1880s?
No, actually, it was the late 70s. I got vamped at a David Bowie concert in London. You couldn’t tell who was a vampire and who wasn’t at those things.
What are some of your favorite hangouts on the Hill?
I like Cupcake Royale. Also, The Men’s Tomb.
You mean The Men’s Room?
No, no—it’s a bar for the undead and their allies.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I’m in a band called “Trans.” We do a lot of ambient-electronic pipe organ music.
Tell me about the name of your band, “Trans.” Is that a reference to transgender?
Yes, but also “Transylvania” and “transgressive” and “Trans Am.” See? It works on a lot of different levels.
Wait…Trans Am?
Like I said, my heyday was in the 80s. So sue me, Yuppie!
Wow, you are from the 80s. What do you think is the sexiest spot on the Hill?
My lair—ha! That, or Club Mercury. People there think I’m actually alive, since I’m less pale than most of the other patrons. When I’m there, I feel like I’m only 62 again.
Victor photo by Keith Johnson
| DAVE, 29 |
Do you live on the Hill?
No. But I am dead here!
(Groan.) Are you a Seattle native?
No, I’m originally from Sunnydale, California. I came here after the entire city collapsed into a giant hole. Amazingly, it wasn’t on the news in most places.
What brought you here?
I was following the scent of fear that emanates from live humans … you know, like you do after graduation. At the end of the trip, I ended up in Seattle and never left.
What are some of the things you like best about this area?
There are a lot of smart people on the Hill. Lots of brains… sweet, delicious braaaaaaaaains.
Is there anything you don’t like?
Yeah, the whole “Seattle Freeze.” People seem really friendly at first. They say, they want to hang out, “You can totally eat my brains sometime!” all that. But then, when you try to reach out to them and try to actually eat their brains? They won’t return your calls, or they hit you with a shovel, or whatever.
That sounds very frustrating. What do you do for a living?
I work in accounts receivable, but that blows. I’m also in a band, though.
Yeah, yeah. You and everyone else. What kind of music do you play?
It’s kind of like Bad Brains. We sing a lot about …braaaaaaaaains. Mmmmmm. Braaaains.
What are some of your favorite hangouts on the Hill?
Volunteer Park after dark, high schools, the cemetery. Oh, and Victrola. Love that place—great mochas!
What do you think is the sexiest spot on the Hill?
The local morgue, at night. It’s a great place for a first date. Their brains are fresh and whenever possible, they’re local and organic and….braaaaaaaains.
Are you okay? Would you mind standing back a little bit?
Mmmmmm. Say, this might seem like an odd question, but, do you mind if I eat your brains?
I’m sorry, but—yeah. I kind of DO mind.
What, you think you’re too good to have your cerebellum ingested by a lowly zombie?
I’m not … no. Really. Nothing against zombies—my cousin’s a zombie! It’s just that I’m sort of, you know, using my brains.
Yeah, you’re using them SO well. Hellooooo? You’re the one interviewing a friggin’ zombie.
Ouch.
That’s what she said! You know, when I ate her brains.
More CHS Crow:
Marguerite Kennedy is a freelance writer, semi-professional thumb wrestler, and recovering New Yorker who currently resides on Capitol Hill. She blogs at www.marguerite-aville.com, and does that other thing @tweetmarguerite.
Washingtonians are already voting on Initiative 502, which, if passed, will move marijuana policy in State of Washington into uncharted territory.
The Initiative would allow adults over 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, 16 ounces of solid marijuana-infused products, or 72-ounces of liquid, but only if they are legally purchased through a state-licensed store. Non-medical marijuana cultivated or sold outside the state licensing regime would remain illegal. The Initiative would not change the legal status of Washington State’s medical marijuana system. Perhaps the Initiative’s most controversial provision is allowing for DUI prosecutions of drivers whose blood contains more than 5 nanograms per milliliter of active THC metabolites. THC is a compound found in cannabis — it is to marijuana what alcohol is to Scotch.
I-502 also creates a framework for taxing legally-sold marijuana. The wording of the bill may be rather straightforward, but the implications of its passage are anything but. I-502 is without precedent anywhere in the United States. There is no “test-case” we can examine to predict the Initiative’s impact- we are the test-case. Depending on your perspective, that either makes us bold national leaders on an important moral issue, or guinea pigs poised to endure the awful side-effects of a poorly-constructed law.
Even if I-502 passes, law-abiding citizens may have to hold off on firing up that victory spliff.
Possession of up to an ounce of marijuana will be become legal once the law is in effect, but the only legal places to buy it will be from state-licensed stores, and those won’t spring up overnight. Despite possession being legalized, trafficking cannabis outside the state’s licensing system will remain illegal, as will its public use or display. Businesses that maintain zero tolerance policies will still be able to fire employees who test positive for marijuana use. Imbibers should also be aware of the Initiative’s strict DUI provisions, which some critics claim could saddle users with a serious criminal charge even after weeks of abstention.
Anyone hoping the initiative would allow them to make some exotic additions to the backyard vegetable garden will also be disappointed: I-502 contains no provision whatsoever for would-be home growers. One local grower, who is critical of the Initiative, described it as a “government takeover,” claiming marijuana reform is “not legalization” until the plant can be freely cultivated.
Whatever Washington voters decide, marijuana will remain a banned Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. Federal drug enforcement has been unequivocal in opposition to any legalization efforts, and will likely sue the State of Washington to prevent implementation of the law. Whatever the courts decide, a lawsuit would likely leave many or even all provisions of I-502 blocked by injunction for the foreseeable future. Some have worried the Initiative’s passage could provoke a federal crackdown on marijuana in Washington. Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, who supports the law, concedes the feds won’t be happy if voters approve I-502, but believes they’ll ultimately back down, although other legal experts disagree.
Support for the Initiative among Seattle’s marijuana “industry” is tepid at best. Some feel I-502 was crafted to win over swing voters, and doesn’t reflect the practical reality of marijuana consumption in the State. Participants in both the quasi-legal medical community and the illegal black market have voiced concerns the Initiative will make their lives harder and expose them to legal trouble from federal authorities. Many users are particularly critical of the DUI provisions. The proposed legal limit of 5 nanograms per milliliter of active THC metabolites is unscientific, and dangerously low according to critics, who claim it will render even casual smokers at perpetual risk of a charge. For many in this community, legal trouble comes from federal, rather than state employees, and they don’t see changes to state law as an effective way to shield their businesses from prosecution. As one former dispensary proprietor put it, “until marijuana is rescheduled, we’re just blowing smoke.”
Flaws and all, some patients and providers do support the Initiative, “I’m worried about medical marijuana patients being seen only as folks with minor inconveniences trying to claim a privileged access to marijuana,” said one local patient. Supporters point out that marijuana reform that doesn’t make concessions to the concerns of moderate voters doesn’t stand a chance of passing, and that despite the Initiative’s drawbacks, proponents of legalization have a moral duty to stop arrests and incarcerations stemming from prohibition.
Recent polling puts support for I-502 at 57%, with 34% opposed and 9% undecided. Even if that lead holds, don’t expect to wake up on November 7th to a city that smells like the bleachers at Cal Anderson on a warm summer day.
UPDATE — Wednesday, November 7, 2012: With I-502 cruising to victory, here’s what the Washington Liquor Control Board — the body charged with regulating and operating the state stores that will sell the drug — says:
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a production of Skriker, a play written by Caryl Churchill and produced locally by Janice Findley Productions at the Erickson Theater off Broadway. I found this play to be quite a spectacle. Straight away, the opening 10-minute monologue, delivered by the Skriker herself, engages you in her fairy world completely and then takes her message to the material world as she attaches her spritely interests on two young women in London.
Beyond the play on words between nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and other language from the underworld, this play offers a visual feast for the eyes. A dark background is played up with interesting costumes, often offering humans in animal attire, and fanciful set designs – I absolutely love the elaborate dining room setting. Also, it’s perfect for the Halloween season – with a macabre scene of the underworld played out.
The strongest performance comes from the Skriker herself, played by Mary Ewald, who does a sensational job with the myriad of roles she plays in the material world interacting with Lily and Josie – the two teenagers she is attracted to help and grant their wishes. I found that piece magical – granting wishes. Wouldn’t we all love to have a fairy who grants our wishes – even if we risk them turning into nightmares?
Skriker offers a play on all of those fairy tales we grew up and learned to love by heart. The Skriker exposes many of them as the violent and harsh stories that they actually are. Yes, we were entertained as children by these tales, but when you dissect them, as the Skriker does, the stories are often quite scary. Remember Hansel and Gretel? No fun being put in the oven after being fattened up on sweets. There is a darkness to this play and it’s revealed in such stories being exposed by the Skriker.
The Skriker offers an interesting night out at the theater – especially during this season of spooks and ghouls. it runs through November 11th.
As you can see, CHS has upped its budget on this important holiday tradition.
Now is your chance to put a big vintage cloak of faux fox fur to good use this Halloween. With the right amount of gel and a muscle tee, no one will be able to tell you two apart.
And if you’re more into the dark and mysterious type, or just a good wingman, we have a Halloween look for you, too.
More Hilloween 2012 on CHS
