We like to read a lot of news over there at The Drunk Gnome, and we can’t help but notice all the articles floating around about the death of human actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman. It’s a bummer, really it is. But none of him knew the dude personally, so that’s about all we had to say on the matter.

Until…

We discovered that he once played the role of a gnome.

I came across James Urbaniak’s Slate article, “What I Learned from Losing a Role to Philip Seymour Hoffman“, the other day. Apparently James read for a role of Gene the Gnome in Richard Greenburg’s 1999 The Author’s Voice. 

According to James, this was “a one-act Cyrano pastiche about a young playwright, his female editor, and the “horribly twisted gnome” who lives in his closet and ghostwrites his plays.”

Horribly twisted gnome? Yeah, we can get on board with that.

James said, “Gene the Gnome seemed a natural for me; I prided myself on having a corner on weirdo intellectual outcasts.” However, James didn’t get the role, Hoffman did.

Has anyone out there seen The Author’s Voice? We’re gonna have to seek out this play for the sole reason of seeing this great actor play a gnome. Even if he isn’t intending to depict a true gnome in the literal sense. Whatever, we’ll take it because it simply sounds badass.

R.I.P. dude,
Harrison the Gnome

We literate gnomes just came across “A Field Guide to Cobargo Gnomes.” Wow this town has enough of us to warrant  a FIELD GUIDE?!

Shared from Australia’s Bega District News – –

“CHILDREN’S illustrator Naomi Lewis’s new book with its little subjects is proving a big hit.

A Field Guide to Cobargo Gnomes (and other local wee critters) was launched recently and already Ms Lewis said she is considering a second print run.

“I’m running out of copies already – I’m really pleased everyone likes it,” she said.

Gnomes have become a popular curiousity in Cobargo, ever since they joined the world-wide Occupy movement in 2011.

The collection of protestors remain on “Gnome-man’s Land” – the vacant block of land in the town’s main street.

“They come and go – people add to them all the time,” Ms Lewis said.

Meanwhile, Ms Lewis said “maturity and common sense seem to have failed me despite advancing years” and from her bush block at Yowrie she continues to seek out, research and document the wee folk and mythical creatures of the local area.

“It’s just a lot of fun,” she said.

“I’ve always been interested in myths and folklore.

“Some years ago I had an exhibition of my illustrations of mythical creatures and I created stories to go with each one.”

Those quirky creations and their individual stories have been collected in A Field Guide to Cobargo Gnomes.

The book is proving popular, but if you’re lucky you may spot a copy at Well Thumbed Books and the Lazy Lizard Gallery in Cobargo, and Candelo Books in Bega.

An exhibition of Ms Lewis’s Cobargo Gnomes illustrations is on display at Lazy Lizard Gallery until the end of January.”

If you happen to be wandering around New South Wales in the next couple weeks, check out her Facebook page for directions to the exhibit. Sigh….wish I could make it!

xoxo,
The Quick Brown Fox the gnome