Connected the Musical - Edinburgh Fringe

First impressions are EVERYTHING (literally)

Waiting for the show in Pleasance Courtyard

I've never been to Edinburgh Fringe before, and with the amount of shows and acts on filling up a yellow pages sized booklet, it wasn't surprising that I was a bit overwhelmed and lost for what to choose to see first. I have a thing for musicals (I might have mentioned that a bit earlier when I reviewed Avenue Q) so, without too much of a second thought, I quickly flipped to the correct page. There were loads of musicals that caught my eye, but what really interested me was this one: Connected the Musical. From glancing over the blurb, I gathered it was a modern musical performed by an Australian group that focused on cyber bullying in a high school setting.

Well, despite being a immature adult now, I still feel emotionally attached to my teenage years. So, Connected it was.

And I have to say, I was deeply impressed. There were only four actors, all looking quite a few years younger than me (which simultaneously made me feel very untalented). The singing was incredible, and the acting was equally as brilliant, but what really topped it off for me was, quite honestly, the story itself. Without being overly complicated, the play presented the reality of the dangers that anyone, even the most innocent of all users, can face while surfing the internet. Once you upload something it can travel through cyberspace faster than the speed of light. Heard of the phrase "gone viral"? That's what happened here. And lies can quickly become the truth. Needless to say, it really does affect your image and what other people will think of you. The culprits may eventually get caught, but the damage they caused is irremovable, and the scars they leave are everlasting.

Moral of the story

Although the plot was based on online gossip within high school, I think its message can definitely apply outside of this context. There's no other way of phrasing it than using the old fashioned way:

Think twice before you speak - be cautious on the web when you're "Connected".

The Library of Unrequited Love by Sophie Divry

92 pages

When choosing for books, I tend to opt for the thicker novels that are incredibly DNM (deep & meaningful, fyi). I like to escape from reality through the passage of words, similes and alliteration into a parallel world, where fantasy and dreams have no limits and time appears to be infinite. So it's fair to say that short stories and I hardly ever join hands and walk in unison. But there are, on certain and random occasions, that I go out of my comfort zone to try something new. And in this case, it was the colorful cover and interesting title, The Library of Unrequited Love, of Sophie Divry's soliloquy that caught my attention.

It's not a long read. In fact, I finished reading it on my train journey up to Newcastle today. There are no chapters, just words, structured in one long continuous paragraph lasting for, I repeat, 92 pages. It's not particularly happy, nor particularly sad. I think the best way to describe it was that it was expressive and slightly philosophical. It essentially focuses on a conversation between the narrator, who is a librarian, and the reader (i.e. yourself) who assumes the role of a male that has been locked in the library overnight. It's critical, sharp and crisp. You're basically left to hear about the librarian's outrage and criticism of modern-day politics, the Dewey Decimal System's pros and cons, and, at times, her grumpiness towards the (unpleasant) manners of those that visit the library. On a sweeter side, you learn about her unrequited love for Martin, a researcher who she deems has a "beautiful" neck. 

I'll agree - it's quite a lot to fit on just 92 pages isn't it?

Was I happy, moved or upset? Not at all. In truth, I felt quite neutral after reading Divry's work. It's not the usual happily ever after fairy-tale story that I tend to lean towards. Nevertheless, it was certainly interesting to see what exactly goes on in the mind of the silent but ever-present librarian. 

Looking Glass Books - Edinburgh

Lunchtime at Looking Glass Books

The original home of my copy of The Library of Unrequited Love. A coffee, gift and book shop, I think you'd be absolutely MAD if you weren't attracted to some aspect of this lovely boutique. With an atmosphere created by the smell of freshly-made coffee, checkered tables, and teal and purple felt sofas, visitors can comfortably tuck into a delicious sandwich and/or cake whilst devouring a good read from an eclectic range of literature. 

Tempted? You'd better be.

x

Trendin' The Lovely Bones

Travel companion

My little Scottish weekend getaway

I think it's fair to say that I'm an explorer by heart and practice - I just love travelling, especially if it involves castle hunting! It's a solo job technically, but it's not to say that I wouldn't mind having a companion or partner with me. No no. Being alone helps you to concentrate better (which is good if I'm doing a post about where I went) but being with a special someone else would definitely double the amount of fun I have every time - I do feel a bit lonely when I see happy couples walking past smiling and holding hands, ready to delve into whatever's ahead of them. I think for me, my ideal travel companion would have to meet the three following criteria:

1) Patient - has to be able to wait for me when I'm appreciating x monument and talk to me only when I feel like it

2) Comforting - will cheer me up when things don't turn out right during my trip

3) Flexible - won't get upset if my plans change, be it for a minor issue like not being able to see x monument during the trip or the worst case of cancelling the entire voyage.

A friend you can call on whenever

Perfection is something I always strive for - a travel companion for me wouldn't be ideal until the three above criteria are met. Perhaps I haven't found the perfect person for this job yet (or maybe I have...shh! ;P). But in cases like this, we have to think out of the box. Perfection mightn't be something that's easily achievable by people, but in the case of a book, I'd it's definitely possible.

The Lovely Bones

Next stop, Glasgow.

by Alice Sebold. An unusual read to choose for travelling but nonetheless brilliantly written.The story revolves around what occurs before and after the death of fourteen year old Susie Salmon ("like the fish"). Raped and murdered by Mr. Harvey, a man who lived alone opposite the Salmons and spent his time building doll houses, Susie narrates the story from heaven based on her feelings and struggle to reconnect with her family and friends. At the same time, she talks about her family and friends' refusal to believe her death and how they themselves struggle to live without her. It is only when everyone is able to let go that a thin line of peace resumes in the Salmon household.

Reality meets fantasy

To me, I think the realistic nature of this book is definitely what grabbed my attention. When I go travelling, I fantasize about the impossible - images of mythical and enchanted creatures, of magic and of simply first love or secret romances flood into my mind particularly when I'm walking alone in a forest. Travelling for me is my ultimate getaway, my little time of peace and pleasure. Sebold's book is a clear antithesis to the fairytale I've described. And I guess that's what I liked, that I was able to go on all these amazing trips and forget about reality for a minute. Reading The Lovely Bones during my outings was a way of reminding myself that not everyday and every moment can be a fantasy. That in reality, awful things can occur out of the blue. I think travelling and the book itself helped me strike a balance between reality and fantasy; I wasn't too full of one side and not the other - ultimate perfection.

Lunch in Edinburgh

There's a reason for everything

Though it may seem hard to believe why exactly something had to happen at this time and to that particular person, Sebold reminds us that there is a reason for that incident. It may not be that clear and obvious at first, but if we all give it sometime, it'll slowly uncover themselves. It was a sickly relief for me when the tables turned and all the misfortune Mr. Harvey had caused others fell all upon him at the end (if you want to know exactly what happened, you'll have to read it yourself). There's a reason for everything, and I've quite simply lived to believe that even if it seems ridiculously impossible to do so at times.

Never forget the dead

This definitely has to be the ultimate moral or message of the book (to me at least) - it's what made it the pinnacle of perfection. Susie's struggle to reconnect with her family and friends by showing herself during instances in their lives after her death basically illustrates the message above. It's a comforting thing to think - that the dead can choose to not give up on us no matter how impossible it is. And I guess, at the same time, it's kind of our duty to not give up on them. Perhaps it's a bit too much to say that we should try to find a way to reconnect with them in reality - it's not possible because they are unfortunately not alive anymore. But I think, it is possible for us to believe that at least their spirit still lingers around us and will be there for us during our toughest times. And for me, it makes me feel happier to know that even though those that I wish were with me during my travels and in general life aren't technically there for me physically, they are in spirit. 

At The Scott Monument, Edinburgh

And through that, I know that I am never truly alone.

A compendium of emotions and experiences with a graceful dash of reality, Sebold's book is a chillingly comforting read for anyone who feels alone or is simply looking for an absolute work of literary art.