Life is Happy and Sad

Some folks sent us their feedback directly instead of posting it here.  I have edited these responses a little to respect their privacy, but otherwise left them alone.

The music was great and David Brownlie did an excellent job, however I would have really appreciated a story line. It was hard to listen to the ramblings of a manic-depressive for 25 minutes – I think it’s hard to hold an audience that way. If you wanted to do a pastiche of scenes depicting manic depression, a shorter show would have worked better, I think. I’m a big fan of IBP/Catastrophic and hope you continue to do more shows involving live music. Thanks.

here

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2009/12/aftermath_catastrophic_theater.php

Benjamin Davis Murphy has had to cancel. He's been replaced by Cryptic Deformation.

Bear with me while I try to attach a picture of the flyer. If it doesn't work, here's a link: http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/9765/lifeishappyandsadhootni.jpg

http://www.29-95.com/art/story/life-happy-and-sad-its-true

Sara Cress at 7:02 pm on December 13, 2009

It seems to be a cardinal rule: music-scenesters must admire and obsess over eccentric singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston. I won't begrudge anyone their cardinal rules; I'll just say that my experiences with his music haven't inspired me to dig deep into his body of work.

This was a wonderful production.  I could tell this was a labor of love from all the staff.  The main actor had to deal with subtle emotionally-laden concepts and fuse them into musical scores - and I feel he did this quite well.  The band that played in the second act was awesome and very enjoyable.  The sound production person really did make it feel like a stadium-filled concert.  I think how the writers and the script dealt with Daniel Johnston's bipolar disorder was very interesting - I only heard the actual term once, and his bipolar was never mentioned or construed in a condescending fashion.  The play was about much more than that. 

I saw the show last night and I love it.  It was wonderful, and a lot of other words also.

I've not "come down" from that experience enough to write much of a coherent review.

In short I found it to be amazing in every way.

Thanks to Matt , Jason , and everyone involved for such a great night of theater.

I'm gonna try to see it again.

I was not prepared for this. I mean, I'd read Joe Mathlete's prreview and the previews and reviews in Houston Magazine, the Chronicle, Houston Press, Buzz B's, blog et. al., but I was not prepared to have the experience that I was watching my own breath on stage. That metaphor is not quite right, but I don't know how to say it: I was in that play. That play is in me. Daniel Johnston really is everyday people, and Jason Nodler, you are a genius because you made visible not only how that is true, but also how Daniel Johnston is one of the boldest, most singular artists of our time. You are so superbly suited to help him tell his life's story, and your gift from him and David is our gift. Thanks for this show. 

So, there was an expectation that this would be amazing. Exceeded. Not to sound exceptionally cliche, but... it was a skillful, sensitive encapsulation of bipolarity - and a goddamned brave hour-plus soliloquy.  The dichotomy... artfully crafted - layered from moment to moment, scene to scene, first half to second. 

A beautiful thing!

Thank you for this.

Interesting short review.

http://www.haterhouston.com/2009/12/the-catastrophic-theatre-presents-li...