It took me just about a year to write my pre- Yael Farber Crucible post, and just 30 minutes to post something after viewing. There’s much to say about the production, ( my take on most of the play was not changed, but rather affirmed, in many cases and I found the production and Armitage powerful and gripping- it was worthwhile, and it will be better next time. I have some criticism. I have to acknowledge the limit of even a well-edited film over what was the live production – for example, Proctor off screen when I wanted him on screen – for valid reasons). I will write about it. But first, I’ll share “the viewing experience,” which may only exceed someone watching on a cell phone while walking.
Read this in the mood in which it was written. Eventually, it turned quite humorous – but not exactly what I was looking for when watching The Crucible for the first time. It was more like A Comedy of Errors. I’ve had only about three dreams in which Richard Armitage appeared, and in the latest, it was one of those dreams where I couldn’t get where I wanted to go, and he was in that place. It was prescient.
Digital Theatre at home is the only way I’ll be seeing the Crucible on Screen.
I’m going through this part fast, because it’s boring. It took 6 hours to download the HD version, and then, the box under the download box said ” verifying.” Verifying, for a very long time. And then it said, ” 0 of 3 HD.” Huh? Nothing I could do would change this. I was directed to again download. ( What – another 6 hours?) I located The Crucible file in my computer – it was an MPsomething. VLC said it was 4 – SD- 3hrs. 19 mins. It wouldn’t appear in the DT Desktop Viewer and no other program I had would open it. ( I know sometimes there are issues with HD vs. SD and whether HD will play or not, but I assumed DT had that covered. I feel a credit coming.)
Meanwhile, I’d had the laptop hooked up to the TV for hours. No problem.
I quickly shot off a few emails and tweets to Jonathan Ware at DT Support, together with screen shots, and decided to stream the play over the internet and look for a response and solution later. I stream a lot here, and I only get buffering sometimes.
This was one of the those times. For the first hour of the play, it buffered for very short spurts about every ten minutes. I saw some weird screenshots.
Then the connection from laptop to TV became a little wonky and I had to fiddle with it to get the picture back on.
Then, the weed whacker next door started up.
The buffering stopped.
Then weed whacker shut up.
The screen went dead.
I checked every connection until I realized that there was no electricity.( This is Mexico). Just before I called the landlord, it came back on.
Now, I’m somewhere in Part II.
When the electricity returned and I was hooked up again, the DT screen would not allow me to play. I had to log out on line and log back in, and then start over, fast-forwarding to my lost place.
It’s been raining here for 3 days, which made watching in the afternoon a lot easier.
So of course, the sun came out.
Then the sun went away and a rooster starting crowing.
The doorbell rang and it was a worker who was coming to take away the furniture on which my TV sits, because I want it freshly lacquered or varnished. I sent him away.
Then a no-rooster bird started cawing – most unpleasant.
Then my landlord and her own worker came to check out some leaks. I begged them to return later.
Acts III and IV went quite smoothly. all things considered.
Digital Theatre will be up in a few hours and I’ll straighten out the download problem. Meanwhile, I’m going to stream it again, in bed, under the covers, with my electric blanket and a heater on, right through the laptop, and maybe, with something on the side, liquid and amber to warm me up.
Armitage Agonistes 