They like to take their time. “In all these years, [the two men] have collaborated on just five plays, only three of which were ever formally staged. … Such sparseness is very much a result of the way they work. Mr. Gregory, 79, a pioneer of avant-garde theater, often rehearses a play for months, even years.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Iraqi Moviemakers Go To Hollywood (This Is Not A Metaphor)
“‘They haven’t seen people from different countries, or people dancing on the beach. Or the beach. Or half-naked women.’ … Here in Los Angeles, almost everything was a surprise for [five] aspiring filmmakers from Iraq in town for a week of education and revelations, including the sort available on the Venice Beach boardwalk.”
Barnes & Noble Nears Break-Up As CEO Resigns
“Barnes & Noble Inc. (BKS) moved closer to breaking up the largest U.S. bookstore chain after its chief executive officer resigned and it named a manager with a history of spinning off units to its most senior position.”
Protecting (What’s Left Of) Moscow’s Historic Architecture Becomes Mayoral Campaign Issue
“The battle over the preservation of Moscow’s architectural heritage has become visibly political in recent weeks, as prominent opposition parties criticized acting mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s policies. Several candidates have promised to address the issue in the run-up to this September’s mayoral race.”
Misreading Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann In Jerusalem
Over the decades, many observers have excoriated Arendt for, in describing Adolf Eichmann as “terribly and terrifyingly normal”, letting him off the hook for his war crimes. In fact, she never did any such thing. Roger Berkowitz seeks out the origins of the misunderstanding.
Bolshoi Theater Chief Fired, Say Reports
“The Russian news media on Tuesday widely reported that the director of the Bolshoi Theater, Anatoly Iksanov, is being replaced in the wake of a series of public scandals, starting with a shocking January acid attack on the ballet company’s artistic director.”
Lincoln Center Goes Prospecting Among Chinese Immigrants And Hipsters
The Lincoln Center Festival has scheduled 27 performances of this year’s centerpiece offering, the indie-rock-meets-Chinese-opera extravaganza Monkey: Journey to the West. That’s a lot of seats to fill – and to fill them, Lincoln Center is looking to groups well outside its usual audience demographics.
Nashville Symphony Appeals FEMA Payout For Flood Damage
“The Nashville Symphony has filed an appeal with the Federal Emergency Management Agency over some of the money obligated to it after flood waters overtook the lower levels of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in May 2010 … Symphony officials often point to the flood as a significant factor in its current fiscal crisis.”
Will A New Director Mean A New Direction At The Pushkin Museum?
“For many in Russia, Marina Loshak’s appointment to replace Irina Antonova, who had headed the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts for more than half a century, is more than a mere reshuffle. It means that modernization has spread to museums – one of the most conservative spheres of public life.”
How Jane Campion Wishes She Had Ended The Piano
“I didn’t have the nerve at the time. What if Ada just went down, she went down with her piano – that’s it.”