“As a new era of irrationalism dawns on humankind, with corruption and mendacity becoming a more or less openly avowed modus operandi of all shades of government, the Frankfurt analysis urges itself upon us once more.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
The Pleasures Of Relentlessly Pessimistic Literature
“Here there is no question of a certain person making certain mistakes in certain circumstances. Here we have an across-the-board dismissal of the very idea of progress or improvement, or engineered happiness. So why do we, or some of us, read such material, and read it with appetite?” Tim Parks has an answer.
Alan Alda Recounts The First Time He Was Stabbed In The Face
“The dentist had the sharp end of the blade inches from my face. It was only then that he chose to tell me what he was seconds away from doing to my mouth. ‘There will be some tethering,’ he said. I froze. Tethering? “
How We Made ‘Deliverance’: Oral History From John Boorman And Jon Voight
“All the Warners execs walked out without a word at the first screening. They said: ‘There’s never been a film in the history of Hollywood without women in it that made a lot of money.’ But it made $46m, the No 5 film that year. And it’s entered the language, as poor Ned Beatty can testify. Wherever he went, people would say: ‘Squeal like a pig!’ It went on for years.”
Edward Albee Wasn’t Always So Rigid About Casting ‘Virginia Woolf’
A lot of criticism has greeted the Albee estate’s decision to withhold the rights to perform Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? from a tiny theater in Portland that had cast a black actor as Nick. Thing is, though realism (the play is set in 1960s New England) was Albee’s stated rationale, he did not consider Virginia Woolf entirely naturalistic at first, and he did once permit a black Martha. What changed? Mark Harris has a theory – and a suggestion.
Why Some People Find Audience Participation Completely Terrifying
Basically, the fear is the same as that of public speaking – except, as Christine Ro explains, that one of the best tools for combating the fear of public speaking isn’t available for audience participation.
War Of The Wall Street Statues: ‘Charging Bull’ And ‘Fearless Girl’ Joined By ‘Pissing Pug’
“In an act of protest” against the installation of Fearless Girl, which he considers a corporate marketing stunt, artist Alex Gardega “has created a small sculpture of a urinating dog to sit beside the popular feminist sculpture, which was meant to be a response to the Charging Bull sculpture. The Pissing Pug statue urinates directly on the girl’s left foot.”
Alan Gilbert Wanted To Save The New York Philharmonic. What Happened? ‘Philosophical Differences’
“As Mr. Gilbert prepares to leave, it is clear from interviews that things did not go quite as planned. … And it’s in doubt whether some factions of the organization really want change after all: The pathbreaking new-music happenings that marked Mr. Gilbert’s early tenure have been scaled back in scope and daring in recent years because of what he called, in a recent conversation in his studio at Geffen Hall, ‘financial pressures and, I would say, philosophical differences.'”
Alan Gilbert *Did* Change The New York Philharmonic For The Better, Says Anthony Tommasini
“[He] has expanded the mind-set of the Philharmonic – the major legacy of his tenure. His artistic priorities now seem embedded in the orchestra’s identity. It must champion contemporary music. … It must continue to appoint dynamic performers as artists in residence and give them a say in programming. It must regularly leave Lincoln Center to perform unusual programs in spaces large and small, from National Sawdust in Brooklyn to the massive Park Avenue Armory.”
Audible Launches $5 Million Fund For Commissioning Audio Plays
“As audio fiction seems to be having a moment, in the realm of podcasts, Audible plans to draw from the vast pool of young writers to create one- or two-person plays. They will be available beginning late this year, the company said.”