2025-11-18
I've shared scenes from this play before, and my thoughts were specific to the scenes I shared, it didn't take into account the whole play.
I've finally gotten around to finishing it. The back half in phenomenal. I could wax poetic all night about the details and the construction, because technically, it's a wonderful play.
I think there are some standout scenes:
The play is so layered and speaks on so much, but I want to focus on how Arthur Miller makes me pity Willy ever the more deeper, in each of these scenes, in spite of Willy showing worse and worse qualities.
See, these scenes demonstrate, in order, Willy's delusion; Willy's stubborness and pride and envy; Willy's coniving ways and anger and finally, Willy's denial in a search for peace. But nonetheless, these are all in the face of terrible pain. These are coping mechanisms for being made to feel smaller and smaller and smaller.
I think if you've ever let yourself down, these feel all incredibly familiar.
Everyone ought to see this play. But be warned, you will no leave this play with any deeper knowledge or satisfaction, it provides no closure. Just depth.
This song screams late 2000s indie rock haha. That acoustic guitar especially.
I think I love the optimism of it. I think everyone, especially given Portal 2, likes GlaDOS so it's kind of nice to root for her?
Sureeee, it's meant to be this passive aggressive joke and she's likely lying ...
But c'mon, I mean when she gets into this stanza:
Now these points of dataThe key changes and picks up and it's almost like she forgot this is meant to be a thinly veiled threat!
Make a beautiful line
And we're out of beat
We're releasing on time!
The outro song!
You know, I'm not certain of GlaDOS's relationship to Chel. On one hand, the lore makes it impossible for Caroline to be Chel's mother and yet ... this "opera" has such parental overtones to it.
Oh, and I really like the mixing of the a capella version. The way the tenor and the soprano/alto come in and out and strike so exactly, it's heart wrenching.
My parents raised me weird. I think I got boundless unconditional love from my mother, and my father ... well, he obviously cares but he just wants me to thrive, he didn't have as much interest in anything else for me. So anything that shows adoring affection for a child will always strike a particularly resonant chord for me.
And well, you can see how I can't help but project that onto here. GlaDOS is basically my dad, and she really does love me ... even if she's sending me away. Parents are weird like that, I guess.
In retrospect, I think my father did and does love my unconditionally. Wish I knew that as a kid. Breaks my heart to imagine children not knowing.
I guess tonight's one where I'm sentimental about parenthood.
My favorite moment is when she smiles, holding back tears of joy. It's so precious.
I guess I feel things the strongest when I feel that lump in my throat.
I vastly vastly prefer Across the Spider-Verse to Into the Spider-Verse, I should say. The first is a taste setter, the second is transcendental.
Also: "I have watched sports!". Delivery there is 🤌🤌
I find it hard to be upset at some people, some times. I see a shade of who I can be and who I have been and who they might want to be.
At least, in the movies and the shows. I wonder if I give that same berth to actual humans.