Historian Faramerz Dabhoiwala: “The ethos of western culture until the 18th century was dominated by the idea that sex is essentially a sinful act, that it is potentially a very dangerous thing to allow, and that it only has a place within marriage. … There were all these things that happened in and around the 18th century – the age of the Enlightenment – that are both extraordinary in themselves and collectively add up to a sexual revolution.”
Month: April 2012
Britain’s Lap Dancing Standards Are Plummeting (Egad!)
“A study by sociologists has revealed a sharp decline in the performance ability of Britain’s lap dancers since the financial crash of 2008. The study by Teela Sanders and Kate Hardy from Leeds University warns of ‘de-skilling’ across the industry. Dr Sanders said many dancers had ‘never even used a pole’.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber Sells Flagship West End Theatre
Andrew Lloyd Webber has sold the Palace Theatre, one of his flagship venues and the original West End home to Les Miserables, to Nimax Theatres for an undisclosed sum.
Gaga Social Media Makes Books Go Viral? (Dwarfs The Oprah Effect)
“Lady Gaga, one of the web’s commanding giga-stars – with 21.5m followers on Twitter (Stephen Fry has a mere 4m) – has recommended a book, on Facebook. “Lüc Carl Buy his book. HE’S AWESOME!!!!! Great memoir about losing weight on your own terms.” Within a matter of hours, more than 15,000 people had “liked” it, a pretty reliable indicator of a coming “viral” success.”
E-Books Helping Thwart Chinese Censorship
“A new phenomenon in China – fiction published exclusively online – is giving young writers the opportunity to get their work read quickly and free from censorship.”
Showstoppers – Literally
“Letting someone re-sing an aria is rare at the Met; there have been only three encores in the past 18 years, because the company has had a policy forbidding them. But there’s a reason most places don’t have policies against this sort of literal “showstopper”: Audiences love them.”
Struggling South Florida Theatre Dips Into Emergency Fund To Pay Actors
A mounting debt and economic downturn forced the Caldwell Theatre Company in Boca Raton, Florida to postpone the world premiere of their production, “Our Lady of Allapattah.” The company also had to pay the actors in their most recent production, “Working,” out of the Actors Equity Association Bond.
CBC Cuts Six Shows, 88 Jobs After Funding Cuts
“There will be six fewer series on the CBC television network, meaning 175 fewer hours produced, the network announced, but no specific programs were mentioned as decisions are still being made. The result of the cuts will mean more repeats in primetime and fewer specials.”
London Olympics Rejects Eliasson Project Meant To Be Cultural Centerpiece
“Scandinavian artist Olafur Eliasson had been commissioned to create a piece for the event, exploring the benefits of taking a deep breath. But the Olympic Lottery Distributor (OLD) refused the grant saying the piece no longer met its criteria.”
Will Google Art Help Reform Indian Museums?
“Google’s gigapixeling equipment and street-view trolleys, with its zoom-discover-play functions, will enter an uncaring universe of Indian museums. Unlike museums in the United States, which are battling a shortage of funds and growing digital lifestyles, Indian museums suffer from a debilitating crisis of imagination and are trapped in an uninspiring sameness – beautiful objects indifferently displayed, impenetrable labels, lack of storytelling and ponderous book-on-the-wall text panels. It is not uncommon to encounter peeling wall paint, cobwebs and even potted plants placed perilously close to moisture-sensitive 12th century sculptures of dancing gods.”