“‘We’re not a bunch of bloody hippies,’ Mike Shepherd growls by way of introduction. Turns out the last time a journalist paid Kneehigh a visit at its Cornish home, that was the verdict. The time before, the company wound up being compared to a cult, the rehearsal rooms a commune. Its artistic director has had enough.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
What’s So American About American Art?
Art historian Brian T. Allen: “Understanding American art doesn’t necessarily require special training. There’s lots of insider baseball and tons of nuance, to be sure. It’s a big, complex country well into its third century. More than the art of most countries, though, it’s accessible by instinct. Basically, it’s about what makes Americans tick.”
Hero Of ‘Charlie And The Chocolate Factory’ Was Originally Supposed To Be Black, Says Roald Dahl’s Widow
“The revelation about Dahl’s original wish for Charlie may surprise those who accused the author of racism in relation to the book. The allegation stemmed from the fact that the Oompa Loompas in the original version were black pygmies from Africa.”
On Eve Of Trial For ‘Subliminal Messages’, Leading Turkish Author Smuggles Essay Out Of Prison
“[Ahmet] Altan, the author of 10 acclaimed novels that have been translated around the world, as well as essays and journalism, was arrested last September following the attempted coup in Turkey in July 2016. Charges against him include ‘giving subliminal messages in favour of a coup on television’, ‘membership of a terrorist organisation’ and ‘attempting to overthrow the government’.”
So How Did That Robot Do Conducting An Orchestra? Here’s Video
The machine called YuMi made its podium debut last week in Pisa, conducting the Lucca Philharmonic with tenor Andrea Bocelli and soprano Maria Luigia Borsi. Says the conductor who trained YuMi, “We basically had to find time to understand his movements. When we found the way, everything was pretty easy.”
New England Conservatory Celebrates 150 Years With A New Student And Performance Center
“New England Conservatory boasts having one of the nation’s greatest small concert venues with Jordan Hall, but the 150-year-old school in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood has still struggled with a shortage of space. Hoping to solve that problem, the school [unveiled] a new, $85 million building on Thursday.”
Banksy Makes Graffiti Satirizing Barbican’s Basquiat Show, And Barbican Wants To Keep It
“The Barbican Centre is ‘in discussion’ with the City of London Corporation about how to preserve the two murals by the British street artist Banksy that appeared near the gallerySunday. The works pay homage to Jean-Michel Basquiat, who was originally a graffiti artist and is the subject of a major show opening at the Barbican this week–almost 30 years after he died.”
Meredith Monk Wins $250K Gish Prize
“The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, one of the most generous arts honors in the United States, has been awarded to the singer, composer and multidisciplinary artist Meredith Monk, whose wordless vocal pirouettes and otherworldly theater compositions have reverberated in New York and internationally for five decades.”
Actor Harry Dean Stanton, 91
“Billed as Dean Stanton throughout the 1950s and 60s, the narrow-faced, weather-beaten actor with the hangdog expression was probably the busiest actor of his generation. His distinctive features and style proved a godsend for casting directors in search of conmen, misfits, sleazeballs, losers and eccentrics. In the first half of his career, Stanton made scores of television appearances, mainly westerns, and dozens of films, mostly in brief roles. His face but not his name gained recognition. That is until he came into more focus in Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) as a downtrodden engineer on the doomed spaceship. Then, in 1984, greatness was thrust upon him when he was given two of his rare leading roles, in Alex Cox’s Repo Man and Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas.”
Toronto Fest’s Top Prize Goes To ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’
“Directed by Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards stars Frances McDormand as a woman who takes a stand against the police, using the titular three billboards after her daughter is murdered and months later no arrests have been made. The rest of the cast includes Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell (who, along with McDormand, is already receiving awards season buzz), John Hawkes, and Peter Dinklage.”