Cyrano De Bergerac: A review

"I shun the normal and the commonplace," proclaims Cyrano de Bergerac, writer and duelist. "My style comes from within!" The 17th-century swashbuckler was a real Frenchman whose life was the basis of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac, now on Broadway at the American Airlines Theater.

Douglas Hodge, Tony winner for La Cage aux Folles, stars as Cyrano -- and it's an inspired, riveting performance. Hodge imbues Cyrano, famed for his impressive wit, freethinking and large, ugly nose, with energy and vulnerability. His pugilistic impulses, which rally his loyal friends, are muted by his love for Roxanne (Clémence Poésy).

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'Finger Painting' a brush with love

Rehearsals for the fall play at Highland Community College are in full swing with the play “Finger Painting in a Murphy Bed,” which opens Oct. 5 at the Ferguson Fine Arts Theatre in Freeport.

Under the direction of Elwyn Webb, this romantic comedy offers a twist on the traditional ideas of romance.

Webb said this show is a “gem,” and adds not only is the writing “superb,” but the three actors deliver on a play he is excited to bring to the local stage. The play is written by David Paterson.

“This is a newer play that I am sure most people have not seen,” Webb said. “It’s a quirky romantic comedy.”

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For more information about a wonderful romantic comedy please visit What Would Meg Do? 

Cybeline: A review

Although over the years I have had the fortune to hear all of Shakespeare’s plays performed (including the disputed ones), until now I had never witnessed a coherent, let alone credible,Cymbeline. Lurching back and forth from comedy to tragedy to history to pastorale, it is generally classed as one of the late-period “Romances” with such other problem children as A Winter’s Tale orPericles. Like them, it has in recent years become a popular challenge for adventurous directors (another production comes to the Broad Stage in Santa Monica in December).

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For more information about a wonderful romantic comedy please visit What Would Meg Do? 

Alberta Ranch hosts stars of 'The Right Kind of Wrong'

It seems an idyllic day on set of The Right Kind of Wrong near Pincher Creek.

The wind is unusually calm. The sky is a cloudless blue. Cows are roaming nearby and actress Sara Canning has spent the better part of the morning punching her leading man in the face.

The action may seem a little out of place given the glorious surroundings. But that’s the point. Today’s scene, without giving too much away, involves a wedding, a wedding crasher, a reluctant bride and, finally, that surprise right hook. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.

“It’s funny, throwing punches on film,” says the Edmonton-raised Canning, still sporting a wedding gown while on a lunch break from shooting. “Not that I walk around punching people every day. But there are a lot of specifics (on film). Certain camera angles will sell things differently and at different speeds. It gets very technical.”

So the scene is done over and over, all under the watchful eyes of Alberta stunt co-ordinator Guy Bews and director Jeremiah Chechik. Our leading man, Australian Ryan Kwanten, takes it all with good humour, slipping in and out of a flawless American accent as the cameras start and stop.

Hours later, however, the scene still isn’t finished.

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For more information about a wonderful romantic comedy please visit What Would Meg Do? 

The guys weigh in: 10 Romantic Movies that they secretly love

Look, I don’t always like to group things into categories of “for men” and “for women” but it can’t be denied that common belief is that guys like action movies and women like romances. And frankly, most men I know would confirm that (women’s opinions seem to be more split). But deep down, I think a lot of guys have a soft spot for at least one stereotypically “girlie” movie, and sometimes, they aren’t even ashamed of it. And rightfully so, some of these movies are undeniably awesome.

An informal poll of some friends, and some of my own experiences, contributed to this non-comprehensive list.

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For more information about a wonderful romantic comedy please visit What Would Meg Do? 

The Way They Were: Review

My choice for second-best romantic movie is The Way We Were (1973 with Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand). It is the story of a Jewish Marxist and a WASP playboy, and it covers a period of more than 20 years. It was directed by talented Sydney Pollack.

The movie starts in the ’30s with Streisand supporting leftist political causes while at university, and Redford dallying with his social circle. The story goes on to World War II and to the anti-communist paranoia of the 1950s. We see the two stars interacting throughout the years, including falling in love, having an affair, and going on to separate lives.

Like Dr. Zhivago, The Way We Were looks at a society over the long term, the significant political and social events and trends of the years, and the changing of the two young people, including their influences on one another. The acting is superb, the affair very engaging, and the story remarkable. It offers humour, pathos, and spirit. It is the second best love story on film in my opinion, and it has a considerable impact on the viewer.

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For more information about a wonderful romantic comedy please visit What Would Meg Do? 

Robert Pattinson's favorite 'Twilight' moment

In an interview withTeen Nowmagazine (viaPerez Hilton), Robert Pattinson revealed which of the romanticTwilightscenes with Kristen Stewart were his favorite to shoot.

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For more information about a wonderful romantic comedy please visit What Would Meg Do?