“Jean-Jacques was also, in his way, the philosophical progenitor of Facebook, of the notion that we should live our lives in the open, hiding nothing, for concealment is both the symptom and the cause of insincerity, which was one of J-J’s bugbears.”
Author: ArtsJournal2
Does Canadian Theatre Even Exist?
“The United States and England may be two countries separated by a common language, but the fact remains that theatrical literature flows fairly freely across the Atlantic, with Irish and the occasional Scottish work thrown in for good measure. If you use theatrical awards as any kind of a yardstick, it’s often hard to tell, based upon nominees and winners in any given year, whether you’re looking at results for The Tonys or The Oliviers. … But what of Canada?”
Hell Yes, Canadian Theatre Exists (Let Me Introduce You To Vancouver)
Not only does it exist, but it’s a long list. “As I sat down to write this I became totally overwhelmed with the sheer number of playwrights in Vancouver and want to apologize in advance for anyone I’ve forgotten.Every time I thought the list was done I thought of more people who should be on it, and I’m positive there are still more missing.”
Does Famed British Author Martin Amis Want His Fame? Maybe Not
Is Martin Amis in the grip of the fame monster? “Only this week, his comments about how the British don’t show enough respect to writers made the headlines. You have only to think about how he dismissed the royal family as ‘Philistines’ or the absurd kerfuffle when he chose to spend a chunk of a large advance on having his teeth fixed. Or the discovery of a daughter from a previous relationship. Or the criticism he got for writing about his cousin who was murdered by mass murderer Fred West. Or that he has moved to New York with his wife, Isabel Fonseca, and their two daughters. Or the fact he has never been shortlisted for the Booker.”
Keep Your Texters Close, And Your Hecklers Closer (At The Movies)
“With ticket sales declining in the past few years, some theater owners have discovered that sometimes letting people yell at the movie screen might actually not be such a terrible idea–and in some cases, might even enhance the experience.”
Art By GPS, And On Two Wheels
“He has drawn Godzilla battling Mothra, the lunar landing, the sinking of the Titanic and a horse running at the Preakness. There’s even a rendition of a gun-toting stickup man modeled after Omar, Wallace’s favorite character from the HBO television series ‘The Wire.’ After he finishes each ride, Wallace downloads his route/drawing onto his website, wallygpx.com. It’s a process that he describes as virtual graffiti, because he can express himself freely without defacing publ
Retiring At 36 (From The American Ballet Theatre, That Is)
“Looking at Angel Corella in his jeans and hoodie, it’s hard to imagine he’s 36. Dancers always seem to look younger than their age, and Corella has an especially boyish demeanor. But the body doesn’t lie, and 36 is only four years from 40, by which point many have moved on, either by choice or necessity.”
The Female Gaze Is Not A New Idea (A Love Letter To Paul Rosano)
An exhibition gets an art historian thinking about artist Sylvia Sleigh’s work – and wondering about her model, Paul Rosano. “Maybe this is the crux of the condition of what Laura Mulvey famously called ‘to-be-looked-at-ness.’ We’re not supposed to wonder about the object of desire, we’re simply only to desire.”
With Absalom, Absalom!, Faulker Forever Changed Writing About Americans And Race
“Absalom, Absalom! has been well described as the most serious attempt by any white writer to confront the problem of race in America. There is bravery in Faulkner’s decision to dig into this wound. He knew that the effort would involve the exposure of his own mind, dark as it often was.”
What, Exactly, Happens With A Song In A Movie About War?
A Canadian folk song about war turns a movie about Martha Gelhorn and Ernest Hemingway into something much deeper than it would be. Why and how?