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THE XENA E-XINE
Volume I, Issue 6--March 25, 2000
Today's issue includes:
1. Feature Article--Paradise Lost" ("Fallen Angel" and Season Five, the annus horribilis which
will live in infamy)
2. Xena quote/Xena Joke
3. Featured FanFic and Short Review--"Warlord Daze"
4. Xena News---Xena LIVE! And Well, In Chicago!; Lucy Lawless Turns a
Year Older; Lucy Lawless Quitting Xena after Season Six; Save Xena!; Creation's
Hercules/Xena 2000 Convention Wrap-Up Report
5. Featured Xena Website----Xenabats: Xena Warrior Princess Art
6. Feedback
7. PRIVACY/NO SPAM POLICY!
8. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
9. Credits
10. Archives
Do You Have What It Takes?
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Paradise Lost (Fallen Angel and Season Five, the annus horribilis which
will live in infamy) |
| As I sit here pondering the fate of my once favorite show I have to echo the amazon in Lifeblood that asked how could we have strayed so far... How, indeed. How could a year that started so brilliantly with a genuine small screen masterpiece usher in such a hellish season? Will it remain one of those puzzling anomalies of self-destructive behavior? We've seen it happen before. When a show, wrongly, assumes it can coast on its success and rest on its laurels and give over its day to day operation and creative control to clueless philistines who have no real feeling for the characters, the subject matter, or the fans and who wouldn't know a good script if it were hand delivered by the good script fairy (which . |
| may actually be happening right now even as we kvetch,keep your fingers crossed) and, in fact, emasculated the work of others (Steve Sears, bless him, actually removed his name from a script and replaced it with his pseudonym after changes which he did not approve were made.) We'll hear all the gory details when the scavengers gather to pick over the bones after the show has ended its run. It is the Dance of Shiva--creating with one hand, negating with the other. Purity and Back in the Bottle |
| shamefully negate The Debt (and the true nature of Xena's relationship with Lao Ma), Eternal Bonds negates One Against an Army, Fishsticks negates Fins, Femmes and Gems, the silliness of |
| Lyre, Lyre negates the sublimity
of Bitter Suite, the killing of Athena's lover negates the subtext itself. But for now, while bemoaning the fate of my once favorite show I must console myself by looking back to the triumph of Fallen Angel. If that's the best we're going to get this season, or ever again, it's a fair barter. The sheer audacity and breadth of it is astounding. If it doesn't win the awards for spfx then there is no justice on earth or in heaven. This ambitious mere hour-long epic (five times the usual expense and it showed) version of Paradise Lost conjures up images right out of the classic art of Dore for Milton or Dante. If their intent was to knock our eyes out they certainly succeeded (Kudos to Flat Earth) beyond their, or our, wildest dreams. This may be the single most ambitious series episode in TV history. Though we never really expected them to actually kill our heroines, did we? Yet again. We're losing track of how many times they've died and been resurrected--but that concept takes on a near blasphemous air in this episode. Two women crucified pre-Christ |
| ascend to heaven and plunge to the depths
of hell for each other and are resurrected. And once more confirmed as eternal soulmates.
Let us remake mythology in our own image. This is what we needed to see in Sacrifice--for
Xena to leap headfirst without hesitation into the fiery furnace, to literally go to and
through hell for her love's sake. Subtext is so close to the surface here that it raises its lovely head into the heavenly light--uber alles. The marriage of darkness and light is complete. The D'archangel embraces the golden seraph and leaps |
| into the abyss sacrificing everything, the
universe itself, for the most primal of human emotions. This desire will not be denied.
And it's not dead yet, though they did their worst to kill it, if it rises, is resurrected
once more, we will all be assured that love is stronger than hate, that it triumphs over
all yet again. So, who is the singular Fallen Angel of the title? They cannot, like a true trinity, be separated one from the other, the triumvirate of Xena, Gabrielle and Callisto. All original innocents who fell from grace, who redeemed themselves and each other. Now, let us pray for the redemption of the series itself. Amen. ¨ |
| © 2000 |
"To conquer others is to have power. To conquer
yourself is to know the way."--Lao Ma in The Debt, Part Two
Submitted by Brian Davis
(Stairway to Heaven parody)
There's a lady who's sure
Her horse should be reshod
And she's buying a horseshoe for Argo.
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With "The Look" she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a horseshoe for Argo
There's a story on the way
But she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes Bards have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook
There's a writer who sings,
Sometimes all of our plots are misguided.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
There's a feeling I get
When I look at her breast,
And her bosom is shaking and heaving.
On the tube I have seen
A ring of steel through the trees,
And the voices of those who are still standing.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
And it's whispered that soon
If we all call his tune
Then Joxer will lead us to madness.
And a new day will dawn
For those who stare long
And living rooms will echo with laughter.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the Amazon queen.
Yes, there are two shows you can go by
But in the long run
There's still time to change the channel you're on.
And it makes me wonder.
Your head is humming and it won't go
In case you don't know,
Ares is calling you to join him,
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
And did you know
Your horseshoe flies on the whispering wind.
And as they wind on down the road
Their shadows taller than their soul.
There walks two ladies we all know
One shines white light, the other is legend
And she truly wants to make amends.
And if you listen to the wind
The tune will come in the end
When Jox is coming round the bend
He's such a rock who wants to be his friend?
And she's buying a horseshoe for Argo
By K'Prie
http://community.webtv.net/K_Prie/1
Warlord Daze By Katrina
http://bearblue.simplenet.com/STO/warlord/warlord1.html
Review: This epic piece of fan fiction explores the love and strength of Xena and Gabrielle and their love for each other in the backdrop of war against the Sovereign.
I give Warlord Daze *****
| ***** | A must read if you are a Xenite! |
| **** | It is worth your while to read. |
| *** | It's better than watching Dawson's Creek |
| ** | Maybe Dawson's Creek isn't so bad to watch afterall. |
| * | If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all...this is a good time to keep my mouth shut then. |
Want to get paid for your FanFic? http://missclick.chickclick.com/fiction/fictionform.html
Xena LIVE! And Well, In Chicago! |
| If you listen in the
direction of the Windy City, you can no longer hear that infamous battle cry from the
Legendary Warrior Princess, at least, not at the About Face Theatre on Broadway. This
clever play, entitled Episode 1: "Double Your Pleasure", ended
abruptly this past Sunday, March 19, after a successful four month run. The cast, Amy
Matheny (Gabrielle), Alexandra Billings (Xena the Fighter), Elizabeth Laidlaw (Xena the
Lover), Brad Harbaugh (Joxer), Loretta Rezos (Callisto), and the rest of amazing players
(including the Professor and Marianne) did their best to deliver a fresh and exciting show
to audiences in that time. From the night it opened back in November 1999, `Xena LIVE!' received outstanding reviews from major critics and papers as well as Xena fans. Andrew Partner of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "…the collaborators have created the first millennial late night hit with enough cross-dressing and cross-references packed into 75 minutes to assure a long run and a host of sequels." Did he say cross-dressing? Catey Sullivan of After Dark had this to say about the `Xena LIVE!' action, "Within the 65-minute stage version, (Claudia) Allen's script calls for no less than 18 brawls, which works out to one |
| eruption of fisticuffs approximately
every 216 seconds." Well, exactly how long is `Xena LIVE!' I wonder? These are just a
few publications that recognized the creative genius of `Xena LIVE!' What could be better for a hard core fan than watching five years of Kiwi Lucy Lawless and Texan Renee O'Conner playing Xena and Gabrielle on TV's Xena: Warrior Princess? Producing and acting in a live version of the show on stage, of course! This is just what Amy Matheny did with `Xena LIVE!' This die hard Xenite pulled her resources and connections in the theatre world to bring to the stage a wonderfully produced, acted, and directed piece of Xena entertainment. Fans from around the country and the world traveled to see what the hype was all about. Were THEY in for a treat! Not one but TWO Xenas, action-packed fight scenes played out only feet from the audience, great writing, commercial breaks, subtext, new and old XWP characters, Xena and Gabrielle kissing onstage (isn't that maintext?), comedic fun with a twist of camp, and last but certainly least--I mean certainly NOT least (saying that with tongue in check), Joxer. When asked this January about the subtext in the play in an online chat at the Palace Arena at Whoosh, Amy Matheny emphasized how much fun they had with it. "Obviously we play it up because we can. On TV you can't." A bit later she went on to say--or type, "I knew I wanted to play up the subtext." Alexandra Billings made it clear in a November 1999 interview with Gregg Shapiro of Outlines that "it's not a `gay' show. It has something for everybody." But to be able to see the subtext played out on stage between Gabrielle and Xena that would make Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Conner blush was certainly a selling point for fans. A couple `Xena LIVE !' fans shared their thoughts of this hit play with me. On the day of the final performance, ChiPup Marina (a.k.a. SnuggleGrrl), along with fellow ChiPups, attended to give the play a proper farewell. The cast did not disappoint. "It was absolutely hilarious! The cast went all out, giving us an "over the edge" show that rocked the house!" Marina reported to the MerwolfPup mailing list. She saw the play five times! In turn, another Chicago Xenite, Sue Winters (a.k.a. Blue Snow), fell to my charms as a reporter (tongue firmly in my cheek) and related this to me, "If only Xena were still this good. A completely absorbing and hysterical experience- worth seeing again and again- just like the best episodes from the series." As you can see, `Xena LIVE!' was as good, if not better, than XWP! See the play once; you wanted an adventure, you got one. See the play twice; you really liked what you saw the first time around. See the play three times; you're starting to turn into a hard core fan. See the show four times, don't they have stalking laws? See the play a whopping five times; I think The Rocky Horror picture Show had better watch out, the Cult of `Xena Live!' followers are comin' for ya. Anything beyond that; you're just utterly obsessive, and we all know that Xena fans are anything BUT obsessive. But how can you see it now that it's no longer playing? Good question. If you're waiting for it to come out on Video, you'll be waiting forever, it won't happen. Episode 1 has been put in the books. If you're wondering about an Episode 2, wonder no more, it's in the works. When it'll hit the stage is anyone's guess at this point, but with the sudden closing of the play it makes one wonder if Episode 2 will see the light of day. Let's keep our fingers crossed and Battle On! ¨ © 2000 |
Special thanks to Blue Snow and SnuggleGrrl!
To read their reports on `Xena LIVE!'
http://exine.tvheaven.com/fan.html
References:
Xena LIVE! Website:
http://www.xenalive.com/index.html
Chicago Xena Convention Website: http://pws.prserv.net/lacerta/XenaFandom/Conventions/Chicago/CG_XenaLivePics.htm
Additional Xena News
| Lucy Lawless Turns a Year Older |
| Wednesday March 22 1:51 PM
ET By The Associated Press, In the birthday spotlight: On the syndicated TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess," viewers see Lucy Lawless fighting with sword, shiv, crossbow or a murderous missile called the chakram. But Lawless says she's not physically gifted. ``After a series of hard knocks, I've |
| learned to be much quicker on the uptake,´´ said Lawless, who was born on March 29, 1968. ``People don't believe me when I say that if I can learn the choreography of a large stunt fight in 20 minutes, anybody of average intelligence can. You don't even have to be that intelligent to succeed at it.´ |
Lucy Lawless Quiting Xena after Season Six
Lady Adrell
Lucy Lawless announced she will quit Xena after the 6th season to pursue a movie career. Lucy says that Xena still has a lot of life in her and would like to do "Xena" movies. Whether "Xena" movies are in the future has not been mentioned by TPTB as of yet.
Save Xena!
If you're not happy with season five and want TPTB to know it, then join other Xenites in the movement to get things changed! http://savexena.tripod.com
Creation's Hercules/Xena 2000 Convention Wrap-Up Report
Check it out at their Website, complete with 53 photos on six pages with many behind the scenes candids and a great account of that amazing weekend! http://www.creationent.com
A Word For Charity
Fight Against Cancer! |
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ONE IN EIGHT AMERICAN WOMEN WILL DEVELOP BREAST CANCER AT SOME POINT IN HER LIFE. |
| In 1999, approximately 175,000 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed, while nearly 26,000 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. What is more devastating to remember is that these statistics represent real people: our wives, our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, and our friends. |
| Join us on Saturday, May 13, 2000,
(Mother's Day Weekend) for a day you'll never forget – a day when you can make a real
difference in the lives of thousands of women facing breast and ovarian cancer. YOU TOO,
CAN BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION BY GETTING INVOLVED. Join us when we unite in an awesome and
touching display of support for the women in our lives who are waging the fight against
breast and ovarian cancer. Whether you chose to donate, run, walk and/or volunteer, you will have a lasting impact on our amazing efforts to cure cancer. My mother and grandmother are both breast cancer survivors, so this cause has a very special meaning for me. My mother took part in one of these events a year ago, and said it meant the world to her to meet so many other survivors of a disease she thought she had left behind her. She was overwhelmed by the sheer number of supporters and survivors, walking, running, and even being pushed in wheelchairs, that attended the event in support of research and prevention. Anything you can do to help would mean a great deal to many cancer survivors and the families of women who didn't survive, even if it's letting others know about the event or showing up in support the thousands of women involved. If you would like to support me in my fight against these cancers with a pledge, or would like more information on getting involved in this event, please drop me a note at BwoZoo@yahoo.com Even your thoughts and prayers would be appreciated. Erika |
5) Featured Xena Site
Silver's ChoiceWell here is a new Website in the Xenaverse. Xenabats:Xena Warrior Princess Art and Fan Fiction Index. Here you will find some really good stories, plus some really great artwork. Take a look and see for yourself.
Xenabats: Xena Warrior Princess Art and Fan Fiction Index http://www.xenabat.com/
6) Feedback
Comments on Disgruntled Xena Fans Dissatisfied with Creation Entertainment, Part 1
"An outstanding article. You did a
great job."
--Kelley Barrik
"I like the fact that you put in the time to
address the questions many of us have had concerning Creation. It was concise and well
stated."
--Kandis
Comments on Yadda Ying/Yadda Yang (An Imbalance in the X/G bond in Season 5)
"Excellent article! You are absolutely right to
take Tapert, Dorky, Irksome, et al to account for a real lack of substance beyond just the
love story, which was dealt with in previous issues. And yes, Gabrielle's character has
been so unbelievably poorly written--she hasn't even been recognizable as Gabrielle for
much of this season. I really appreciated the addressing of the problems beyond just the
love story neglect which still plague the show ..."
--Brian Davis
If you have any comments, suggests for content, or articles to submit to this newsletter, then please contact Lady Adrell at exine@exine.tvheaven.com
(We are accepting submissions for featured articles. Send to above address.)A Word from Our Sponsors
Music, Music, Music!
For great Rock `N Roll music, produced by a fellow
Xenite, check out Mary Paulson's "Just Because"
http://www.swiftsite.com/marypaulson/index.htm
7) PRIVACY/NO SPAM POLICY!
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9) Credits
The Xena E-Xine Staff
:10) Archives
To read previous articles, please go to http://exine.tvheaven.com/archive.html
XWP subtext was upheld in the production of this E-Xine.
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