December 27, 2012

"Audience Participation Cues for the My Dinner with Andre Midnight Screening."

When those "Rocky Horror" events leave you feeling empty and questioning your very existence, it's time to move on to the Andre scene...
When André tells the story of his attempt to workshop a production of The Little Prince, and how he found himself eating sand in the Sahara desert with a Buddhist monk, eat some sand.

Throw a banana at the screen every time André mentions his wife Chiquita....

When André and Wally discuss the lamentable state of the theater and wonder if it’s possible to create a theatrical experience that would shake people out of their complacency, ask yourself: Is attending this screening/performance of My Dinner With André making you less complacent, or does it allow you to wrap yourself in yet another protective layer of ironic detachment? Is endlessly reenacting My Dinner With André a way for members of The MDWA Midnight Madness Troupe to hide behind a mask of performance and avoid exposing who we really are? Are we really saying anything with this show, or is it just an excuse for people to get drunk and dress up on a Friday night?

Treat yourself to a nice amaretto when Wally orders an after-dinner drink....

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, all righty then!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Does anybody want my spot in line?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

the best list is no list?

Ann Althouse said...

(The first 3 comments relate to my clumsy accidental publishing of this post as a complete blank, prior to actually writing it.)

Ann Althouse said...

(It's still existential, though.)

Anonymous said...

Somehow I don't see this surpassing Rocky Horror in the near term.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I've been shielded from a mandate?

Thank God you are not Sonia.

Eric Jablow said...

Can you plug your electric blanket in at the screening?

Freeman Hunt said...

Someone explain to me the allure of the Rocky Horror thing. That's probably the most annoying movie I've ever seen. (Followed by The Puffy Chair.)

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...

"Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line"!

oops. wrong movie

Anonymous said...

My Dinner with Andre is a lot like this blog minus the food fights.

Paul Brinkley said...

Freeman: Rocky Horror is probably puttering along on its own momentum now. It's a cult thing because everyone flocks to see this cult thing that lasted so long. Sorta like how Monty Python and the Holy Grail, while being funny on its own, is considered especially funny only because everyone thinks it's funny.

Other than that, the songs are fun to sing along to, the dances are easy and fun to do, and the characters are fun to dress up as (so if you understand the draw of cosplay, you understand this).

Megaera said...

I saw it long ago -- regrettably -- and its only value derives from the scene at the close of "Waiting for Guffman", where the character Corky lovingly shows off his most cherished movie memorabilia: his "My Dinner With Andre" action figures.

Darrell said...

This is the only version worth watching.

http://www.angryalien.com/aa/mydinnerwithandrebuns.asp

Anonymous said...

I liked Rocky Horror better when I saw it without the audience participation.

The music is infectious, the plot silly but engaging, and Tim Curry played Dr. Frank-N-Furter with absolute commitment.

My Dinner with Andre is great too, but different and you have to like listening to people talk.

Darrell: Loved the bunny version!

Paul Brinkley said...

I believe all of My Dinner with Andre is viewable from YouTube. (It was, last I checked.)