(・3・)

them:

:V

Logan: you’re the most amazing and gorgeous boy in the entire universe

Patton:

I don’t mean the exact ones that the studio cast used, since the queens had to hold them up. I mean the ones you can tie with ribbon so you still have the use of your hands. But just think about how much more intimidating AYWD would become when the queens faces are half obscured.

I’m going to compare the beheaded cousins’ song here for a second.

In DLUH, the queens doing the back up (i.e everyone except Boleyn) react to the song as it progresses. When Boleyn insults Aragon in DLUH, Aragon reacts! And more importantly, during the facade break at the very end of DLUH where Boleyn screams “he’s actually going to chop my head off” the queens react. They stop singing and look distressed and confused on Boleyn’s behalf. It doesn’t last long, sure, but it shows that the queens are still themselves during the song.

There is none of this in AWYD. The queens just...don’t seem to react to anything Howard does. They don’t laugh along with her in the first verses, they don’t grow more sluggish as the verses continue, they don’t break by the end of the song. And obviously that makes sense for AYWD, due to the much more dark and mature of the subject matter (and I’m very glad that these subjects are treated with respect. Don’t take this as me saying I want them to laugh along with AYWD because I don’t)

The back-up queens during AYWD are just so disconnected from everything that Howard does. They just stand there: completely stone faced and cold. It’s almost like a Haus of Holbein situation, you know? Where the queens are no longer really playing the queens, but different characters within the show. And in the same way Haus of Holbein signifies this by using the neon ruffs and sunglasses, AWYD could use the masks to show that it’s not the queens doing this to Howard.

Plus, bringing back the masks would add another layer of disconnect between the other queens and Howard in AYWD. It would practically isolate her on stage, making her stand alone with figures around her rather than Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour etc, while still also being able to keep all the choreography for AWYD.

You could totally have fun with the designs as well, making them match the queens costumes (e.g green and black for Boleyn, dark blue and silver for Parr etc, alternate colours to match the alternates) and using the light to make the masks seem more threatening. And personally, I think it would look amazing as the queens get closer and closer to Howard with their faces half obscured and scowling. Masquerade masks can just be so creepy sometimes, and it would really work in AWYD’s favour in my opinion.

Of course there are logistical issues with this idea. AYWD starts with very little warning so there isn’t much time to put on the masks (and tying the ribbon to hold them upright could be a pain) but taking them off wouldn’t serve much of an issue since the queens doing the back up run off at the very end to leave Howard alone. There’s also the issue of the masquerade masks clashing with the very stylised costumes that the queens wear, but I think they

he then proceeded to tell the tale of when he and his friends went backpacking to greece back in their early 20s. then one day they found themselves completely penniless. so they decided that the only reasonable thing to do was to set up acrobatic shows in skimpy outfits on the beach at day, and then drink up the money at night.

after a week or so they gained some traction, and a gang of young greek men walked up to them like “hey y’all are cool as hell, can we join y’all for drinks tonight?” and my brother’s professor was like “of course! y’all have to wear these revealing outfits and do somersaults with us tho” and the greek gang said “sounds dope. y’all are invited to live with us for however long y’all want.”

anyhow, they proceeded to live like this for the better part of 3 months, doing shows, drinking, and sleeping at the greek gang’s apartment. but after a while they decided enough was enough, and said thank you for everything, but we’re going back to sweden now. and the greeks said “sure! love y’all have a safe trip xx”

half a year later my brother’s professor gets contacted by the greek police. they ask him about the months they spent in greece, and then informs him that their greek friends have been convicted of serial homicide and robbery. that the group of young greek men had joined up with several tourist groups for several years “for drinks”, and then killed and robbed them all, terrorising the beach city for several years. with one exception, of course, because “this one group of swedish acrobats in slutty strongman suits were just ‘so damn nice’”.

This is the complete version, now.

Thank you @hungry-red-panda for letting me draw this! It was a weird idea, but it was fun!

TG

“Do I know you?”

“OOOOH YES YOU DO!”

-he then proceeds to cry-