Hey, I just tried it. It works! So it's 10pm EST.
It was already shown once, this past Thursday at 2:00 a.m. (Pacific Time). I recorded it and I'm looking forward to watching it over Christmas break. I did notice something a little odd in the "book pages flipping" opening credits and the closing credits - Mark "Shae" ??? Is there a story behind this?
The story is "Somebody at EWTN can't spell".
The story is "Somebody at EWTN can't spell".
Ouch. That was my first thought, but then I gave them the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe it was some sort of Shakespearian affectation stage-name.
Geez, I hope they can go back and fix that at some point.
Hey Mark, I have just finished watching it. It was such a good ending!
That was enjoyable and looked like it was great fun to produce.
You may be our humble underpaid scribe, but between your exotic speaking trips and your new acting career, you get some of the greatest perks ever!
Saw it!
Mark, you were hilarious.
The play was very good, kinda quiet but had a great message.
They spelled your name "Shae" in the credits. Probably to protect your image. I turned to my wife during your loutish character's scene and said "I actually read this guy's stuff!".
Congrats,
Michael
Mark -
In all sincerity, I thought you were very good. All did a fine job, but I thought you really inhabited your character, and you made me laugh.
Also, Dale Ahlquist plays a drunk very well, with uncanny realism. Method actor?
Heh.
It was charming! Entertaining and truth-filled story, and just enough detail in the set and richness in the costumes.
The accents travelled a little, didn't they? From Birmingham to Liverpool to the BBC...not that I could do any better....
You all were having a terrific time, and that glowed through the entire thing.
Wow, that was a beautiful play by Chesterton, and I wouldn't have seen it if you hadn't done it and mentioned it on your blog. 
Good show, Mark! The play's very clever, especially in the entire play-within-a-play that has no villains or even bad actions! It makes me think of a scene from Tolkien's "Two Towers", the confrontation between Frodo and Faramir. They're both very good people doing the right thing, but they are at odds-- Frodo has to keep the Ring a secret without lying, and Faramir has to know what Frodo's up to without putting the screws on him, and so it's a fascinating conflict between them! (Of course the movie turned Faramir into a momentary bad guy, which is much less interesting...)
I waited all year for this!!! Good show, jolly good show, old chap!
We enjoyed that. My wife and I (who had never seen Mark and didn't recognize him until I pointed him out) sat and watched it on our computer. I said it must have been good for us stare at a computer that long. And it was.
That might have been what folks were working on the night I met Mark and co. if memory serves me correctly.
Was shown Thursday evening at 7 pm Dublin time on the eastern side of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, I got a phone call during the play, so had to turn the sound to mute and thus missed about fifteen minutes of critical dialogue. Should have set the video!
But it's the very last line of dialogue that did it for me.
Dave G,
How close to B'ham are you? I'm 3 hours east in Sodom-on-the-'Hooch. Maybe we should meet up sometime.
Yes, Brendan, the last line was a corker! I actually laughed and clapped with delight!
Actually, folks, it's scheduled again for 10pm Christmas Eve, Eastern Australian Summer Time and again on Christmas Day at 8am (EAST). Don't know what that translates to elsewhere, but check out EWTNs programming.
Franklin,
I'm up in north central Ohio, just north of Columbus. I was down there on a visit with the apostolate I work for. I usually don't mention that apostolate, as I wouldn't want my screwy ideas and goofy perspectives to be linked with my employer. If I am sent down that way again, I will find a way to let you know.
That translates to a repeat of "The Surprise" Christmas Eve 1 pm Eastern, Noon Central, 11 Mountain, 10 Pacific.
Next time, could you give us a leeedle more time so we can re-arrange wedding, major surgery, etc. to see you on the tellie?
For anybody in UK/Ireland, the info channel of my cable operator says THE Surprise is being shown on December 24th at 0900 am.
And again on Dec 25th Christmas Day at 2100 (that's nine pm!).
So when are you gonna start working with Denzel?
Rrrrrousssst! It eez Shae!
http://youtube.com/watch?
v=0dV2E...feature=related
Frohe Weihnachten!
I just tuned in to EWTN and watched The surprise - from part way through Mark Shea's scene till the end. Quite a surprise, that. I liked it.
I saw it and loved it. Mark, you did great!
It was a pretty darned good production, and an interesting play. Reminded me a lot of commedia dell' arte. (Because certain points remained the same, but the plot and dialogue changed a whole bunch around them. Possibly part of GKC's inspiration.)
Unfortunately, I was watching the 5 AM EST showing, and dozed off partway through the second hour, through no fault of the actors or the play. I woke up in time for the climactic scene and the ending, though.
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