“Both the power-seeking political couple of House of Cards and the covert Russian spies of The Americans are equal parts business partners and soulmates. Because of each person’s reliance on the other to achieve mutual goals, both couples navigate the marital minefields of betrayal and infidelity in unusual ways. Both are the most fun to watch when they’re being bad together.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Lectures and Twitter Novels: Steven Soderbergh, Post-Cinema
“With the release of Side Effects earlier this year, Steven Soderbergh’s retirement from filmmaking (at least for the big screen), announced in 2011, finally took effect. Liberation might be a better word, since his recent activities seem to belong to a restless person newly freed from the constraints of his profession, rather than a used-up man at rest.”
Are Actors, Fundamentally, Just Puppets?
“‘Acting,’ said Sir Ralph Richardson, ‘is merely the art of keeping a large group of people from coughing.’ Katharine Hepburn was equally dismissive, declaring it ‘the most minor of gifts and not a very high-class way to earn a living. After all, Shirley Temple could do it at the age of four.'”
When Flappers Led The Way To Feminism
“From the barefoot ecstasies of Isadora Duncan, whose free, expressive dancing struck a blow against the corseted rigours of classical ballet, to the collective ‘jazzing’ of the 1920s, dance came to play a surprisingly emblematic role in the story of women’s liberation.”
British Museum’s Latest Expansion On Time And On Budget(!)
“[The] £135m extension due to open next March to house its new world conservation and exhibitions centre (WCEC) … will allow the museum to move huge swaths of its collection from stores in east and west London back to the museum in state-of-the-art facilities.”
Tony Award Noms: Who Got Snubbed?
Bette, that’s who. Fiona and Alan, too.
No Winner Chosen For Australia’s Vogel Literary Prize
Jury chairman Geordie Williamson explains why.
Sydney Symphony’s Net Profit Down By Two-Thirds
“The orchestra recorded a profit of $425,613 last year, down from the $1.522 million profit of 2011, according to its annual report, released on Tuesday.”
More Bolshoi Ballet Drama As Former Star’s House Gets Burgled
“Robbers stole two safes and attacked the domestic help at the home of former Bolshoi ballerina Anastasia Volochkova in northern Moscow.” .
Neurocriminology: Locating The Criminal Mind
“Modern-day scientists have now developed a far more compelling argument for the genetic and neurological components of criminal behavior. They have uncovered, quite literally, the anatomy of violence.”