“We used to be friends a long time ago/But I haven’t thought of you lately at all . . . “ I recently returned from a week in Los Angeles, and boy, did the City of Angels treat me well! Sondheim at the Hollywood Bowl! Edward James Olmos at the Aero Theatre! I breakfasted with friends … Continue reading GIRL GONE NOIR: The Saga of Veronica Mars
Life
BARBENHEIMER AND ME
All my life I’ve loved going to the movies. I grew up in that awkward era between the movie palaces and the multiplexes, but I have to say that growing up in San Francisco meant I had lots of options. There were a few grand old theatres still around, like the Castro on Castro Street … Continue reading BARBENHEIMER AND ME
HIS BOOOOOOKS!! What I Read on My Summer Vacation
Before I left for sweatier climes, I promised all you bibliophiles the following: I would make a pilgrimage to the Strand Bookstore (Broadway at 12th Street) and the Mysterious Bookshop (Warren Street) in downtown NYC; I would read three books and bring back reviews. Done and . . . almost done. On the hottest Thursday morning … Continue reading HIS BOOOOOOKS!! What I Read on My Summer Vacation
WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION: The Plays
He's baaaaackkkkkkk! My trip to the East Coast this year was relatively brief and oddly shaped. Two days in New York to see a show and hang about Hell’s Kitchen, followed by five days canoeing on a private lake in Connecticut and eating my way through Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan and Darien (pronounced Dahr-ee-ENNNN). Then … Continue reading WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION: The Plays
A HOLIDAY FROM MURDER
“Start spreadin' the newsI'm leavin' todayI want to be a part of itNew York, New York.” Well, technically, I leave tomorrow – morning flight, no time to blog – but that’s right! I’m taking my first vacation since summer 2019! Frankly, I’ve never been much of a travelin’ man, but there are two places that … Continue reading A HOLIDAY FROM MURDER
HOW TO SURVIVE A CLASSIC CRIME NOVEL
Imagine, if you will, that I was a book reviewer for the New York Times, and my boss – a scarlet-taloned woman named Glenda DeLage – pulls me into her office and purrs: “Bradley, I know your propensity for classic detective fiction. Why don’t you take the newest publication from the British Library, How to Survive … Continue reading HOW TO SURVIVE A CLASSIC CRIME NOVEL
“The most unkindest cut of all”: On Re-editing Christie
Fasten your seat belts: let’s talk about censorship. In March, the Guardian reported that Agatha Christie’s publisher, Harper Collins, would be scrubbing some of the more problematic language out of her books in future reissues: “The updates follow edits made to books by Roald Dahl and Ian Fleming to remove offensive references to gender and race in … Continue reading “The most unkindest cut of all”: On Re-editing Christie
KIDS, DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME! The Mini-Mega Hitchcock Draft, Home Edition
Screen Drafts is a podcast that helped me survive the pandemic and, along the way, captured my heart through the sense of camaraderie that permeated each conversation. Since I first wrote about it nearly seven months ago, I have caught up with all the publicly posted episodes, and I have joined the Patreon group and dabbled … Continue reading KIDS, DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME! The Mini-Mega Hitchcock Draft, Home Edition
THE PLAY’S . . . SORTA THE THING: Opening The Mousetrap
Today marks opening night for the production of The Mousetrap that I directed at the high school where I spent twenty-eight years teaching drama. I woke up all too early and checked my e-mail, only to find this missive, sent to the cast and crew from our play’s stage manager, a remarkable young woman named Kelania: "Hello, … Continue reading THE PLAY’S . . . SORTA THE THING: Opening The Mousetrap
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT: My Tea with Agatha
My experiences meeting famous people have been few and far between – and they never turned out as I might have expected. I’m not an autograph (or, in these days, selfie) hound. I don’t want to bother someone who has just performed for me or who is on vacation in order, just so I can … Continue reading THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT: My Tea with Agatha
Ah Sweet Mystery! 