ironymaiden | that was a good king

we went to Beowulf tonight at Town Hall. (somehow, this was my first visit to the venue even though they often host literary events.) it was just lovely. the Early Music Guild always starts you with a preshow lecture for context, the room is remarkably live and has lovely barrel ceilings and stained glass, and Bagby himself is charming and expressive. he holds the room in thrall from the first "Hwaet!". thank goodness for supertitles. some lines are remarkably close to modern english and other parts...well, that's where the bard makes a difference. we bought a DVD and look forward to digging into the extras and being able to pause and repeat. (frex, i've never actually done Beowulf in a class, i've just read it on my own. i have no idea how you say "Geat". i was trying all night to pick it out and failed.)

we found time to chatter with friends before and after the performance, and logistically it was ultimately just so: we got a ride to Capitol Hill, we had a restaurant where we could order asynchronously and C could have a GF roll, there was time for Vivace coffee, the rain tailed off before we walked to Town Hall, and then there was a car2go nearby and we zoomed home to take care of the dog. i'm really happy with car2go as a complement to zipcar and the bus.

i think i might have the confidence now to attempt Hwaet. Benjamin Bagby has a pair, after all.

sidenote: what if The Wheedle on the Needle is a bowdlerized Grendel? they're both annoyed by noise, after all.