“Mr. Gray did not serve up conventional architectural assessments. Mentions of muntins and mullions were few and far between. Instead, his columns were narratives of creation, abandonment and restoration that lovingly highlighted quirky design and backstairs gossip from decades past.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Disney Pulls ‘Beauty And The Beast’ From Malaysia After Dispute Over ‘Gay Moment’
The chairman of the country’s film censor board said, “We have approved it but there is a minor cut involving a gay moment. It is only one short scene but it is inappropriate because many children will be watching this movie.” So the Disney Company stopped the release of the film.
Actors Revolt Against New Director At One Of Poland’s Leading Theatres
Teatro Polski in Wrocław has always been considered one of the country’s most daring. But company members argue that the new artistic director, Cezary Morawski – installed by the nationalist Law and Justice Party’s government – is doing work that’s commercial, old-fashioned, and unambitious, tarnishing the theatre’s reputation at home and abroad. Staff has been fired, petitions have flown, and the national culture minister has been pulled into the dispute.
Top Posts From AJBlogs 03.13.17
The Pleasures of Taylor
Paul Taylor American Modern Dance at Lincoln Center, March 7 through 26. … read more
AJBlog: Dancebeat Published 2017-03-13
Monday Recommendation: Bob Porter’s Soul Jazz
Bob Porter, Soul Jazz: Jazz In The Black Community, 1945-1975, Xlibris
Sometimes it’s good to get back to the basics. Bob Porter’s new book guides you there. … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2017-03-13
Last call
I first saw the Gary Burton Quartet on TV when I was in high school. In those days I was finding my way around the illimitably vast world of jazz, searching for a style that … read more
AJBlog: About Last Night Published 2017-03-13
Beckett’s Letters: ‘Dull, Dull, Dull,’ But —
Serious readers of Samuel Beckett have been treated to four massive volumes of his letters. … read more
(includes audio clip of music by frequent ArtsJournal commenter William Osborne)
AJBlog: Straight|Up Published 2017-03-13
Practice Does Not Actually Make Perfect – At Least, Not By Itself
Ulrich Boser reminds us of one of those factors that’s so obvious that people forget about it.
Reading Jane Austen’s Final, Unfinished Novel
Anthony Lane: “Although – or precisely because – Sanditon was composed by a dying woman, the result is robust, unsparing, and alert to all the latest fashions in human foolishness. It brims with life.”
Hallelujah! IKEA Introduces Furniture You Can Snap Together
“The fiddly ritual of assembling IKEA furniture is set to become a thing of the past as the furniture giant introduces products that snap together ‘like a jigsaw puzzle.'” No tools necessary! (includes video)
Netflix To Introduce Interactive Storylines
“This new way of watching television will allow viewers the ability to control the fate of their favorite characters and make decisions on key plot points.”
‘Netflix, This Is Not Chill’: Interactive Storylines Are A Bad Idea
Lucy Mangan: “It seems to me to misunderstand the fundamental appeal of television; that it is bedtime stories for grownups.”
Sacramento Ballet Dancers Fight Back Against Board’s Firing Of Artistic Directors
“Despite an order threatening ‘disciplinary action’ for any ballet employees who speak to the media, four company dancers blasted the board via email over their opting not to renew the contracts of co-directors Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda beyond the 2017-18 season … The dancers also accused the board of mismanaging the company, questioning its ability to decide what’s best for the ballet.”