By Elliot Boswell
ATTEND ... BODAS DE SANGRE (BLOOD WEDDING) as performed by the Miracle Theatre Group, a Spanish theatre located at 425 S.E. 6th Ave. Written by Spanish literary icon and Franco victim Frederico Garcia Lorca, Bodas de Sangre is a bleak tale of family, lust and betrayal.
When The Bride leaves The Groom for her jealous lover Leonardo (the only character without a proper-noun name, a trait that is recycled in the "Kill Bill" films) on her wedding night, The Groom swears revenge, with tragic results.
Lorca's highly allegorical, Dali-influenced writing style is brought to its full vividness under the direction of Olga Sanchez, who does away with elaborate sets and costumes to pull the text to the forefront of the performance, and gained rave reviews from both The Oregonian and Willamette Week.
English subtitles are provided on Thursday and Friday nights and the Sunday matinee, so unless you're very, very comfortable with your Spanish comprehension abilities, plan for one of those times. Plays through Feb. 23.
GO SEE ... CARAMEL, a Lebanese film playing as part of the Portland International Film Festival. Directed by, written by, and starring Nadine Labaki, "Caramel" tells the story of five women who work at a beauty salon and their various problems with men and relationships in general.
Tenderly directed, it has been critically applauded for delving deeper into the hearts and passions of Middle Eastern women, and for its ecstatic portrayal of the city of Beirut. If it sounds like a chick flick, that's because it kind of is, but let's face it, foreign films generally don't come to this country unless they're good ones.
Plays this Saturday night at 8:30 in the NW Film Center, located in the Portland Art Museum.
BE WARY OF ... JACK JOHNSON/ SLEEP THROUGH THE STATIC - "Dude, brah, did you get the new Jack album?"
"Oh yeah, I listened to it last night over a six-pack of Mike's Hard. Baseball practice was a little rough the next day, but I don't even care, brah! But I love it - Jack totally speaks to my soul."
"Dude, that's so tite! I completely love it also, I mean, when Jack says, 'Who needs please when we've got guns/Who needs peace when we've gone above?' Hella political."
"First thing I did, put it right in my truck and listened to it all the way down to the beach. Every wave I rode, I couldn't get Jack out of my head - and I rode some hella waves, brah!"
"Dude, that sounds so good right now, not even kidding. I'll probably, like, I'm gonna invite this girl over later - I mean, I don't even know who yet, but it'll be someone, no worries - and just put the new Jack on and chill. Maybe crack some Mike's Cranberry, it doesn't even matter dude: with Jack, the mood is always perf."
"Brah, now that is a good plan. I just love chillin', with chicks, or all you guys ... or just you ... and Jack, of course ... obviously ..."
"You love what?"
"Just, just chillin' brah, like I said ... just, like ... in general..."
"Bro, I'm not gay! I'm getting out of here."
