“J. P. Donleavy, the American author who skyrocketed to international fame half a century ago with The Ginger Man, his debut novel, remains a cult figure in Ireland, the country that has provided the setting for much of his work.” He lives like a hermit on a palatial estate in the town of Mullingar, and rarely ventures out into the world. But a new film deal and the news that Donleavy, now 80 years old, may be about to sell his papers to a university, has the reclusive author back in the spotlight.
Blog
Scots Switching From Romance To Crime
Crime novels are gaining in popularity in Scottish libraries as romance novels wane. “Total loans for the year were 341 million, or more than five books for every man, woman and child. This year sees crime fiction stealing a march on romance. Maybe this is an indication that national tastes are becoming increasingly macabre.”
Pushing Back
In the years since the 9/11 attacks, Arab-American playwrights have been imbued with a sense of purpose and mission – “to counter stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims” even as America moves inexorably to wipe out extremist Islamist factions in the Mideast. The result has been a new visibility for Arab dramatists in many American cities, and an extended debate on the role of politics and culture in drama.
New Orleans May Lose Historic Theatre
Hurricane Katrina dealt a devastating blow to New Orleans’ four major theatres, and while the rebuilding effort has made progress in some areas, the 85-year-old Orpheum Theatre may be a total loss. “Floodwater filled the theater’s 20-foot basement, wiping out all the electrical and mechanical equipment stored there, and rose to more than a foot in the performance hall. The Orpheum’s original oak floors swelled and buckled and likely cannot be salvaged. The stage, which sat under water for weeks, will also have to be replaced.” Making matters worse, the Orpheum had no flood insurance.
Portland Arts: A Perpetual Crisis?
Portland is frequently cited as a city on the rise, with a vibrant urban core and a young and growing population. But for the city’s arts groups, the mythical “big time” frequently seems a distant dream. “After four precarious seasons at the ‘majors’ — the Oregon Symphony, Portland Opera, Portland Center Stage and Oregon Ballet Theatre — donations rose for the fiscal year ending in June. Ticket sales, however, fell behind. Talk about a mixed message. Donors seem to be saying, we’ll give you more money, but we won’t go to more concerts… It’s possible that these old-fashioned institutions that rely on audiences driving downtown to sit in formal halls can’t adapt to a digital age. Maybe they’re doomed to live in perpetual crisis.”
Are Images Of Muhammed Really Forbidden?
At the heart of Muslim outrage over the Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammed has been the generally unchallenged contention that any visual depiction of the prophet is banned under Islamic law. But the ban may not be as clear-cut as many seem to think. “Although rare in the 1,400 years of Islamic art, visual representations of Muhammad were acceptable in certain periods. Today, his likenesses grace collections around the world,” and religious scholars say that “there is nothing in the Quran that forbids imagery.”
Cartoon Scandal Editor Leaves Paper
“Flemming Rose, the Danish editor whose decision to publish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad helped provoke weeks of fury in the Muslim world, said in an interview on Friday that he was leaving his newspaper on indefinite vacation.” Rose stands by his decision to publish the cartoons, but says that the stress of being blamed for international riots and anti-European protests led him to step away.
Rallying Around The New Chief
The museum community is wasting no time in offering support to the Getty Trust’s new interim CEO. “In her 23 years at the Getty, [Deborah] Marrow has emerged as its longest-tenured department head and the administrator with perhaps the broadest hands-on experience of its multifaceted operations.” Perhaps more importantly, those who know her say that her level-headed style and established connections in the art world will serve the Getty well as it attempts to rebound from a terrible year.
Getty Needs To Get Back To Basics
The scandals enveloping the Getty Trust came to a shrieking climax with the resignation of President and CEO Barry Munitz last week, and Christopher Knight says that it is time for the flailing institution to take a deep breath and remember that its mission is supposed to have something to do with art.
Are Getty Severance Packages Illegal?
The troubling issues of executive compensation and severance pay have joined the myriad other controversies plaguing Los Angeles’s Getty Museum. “Questions are being raised about whether excessive severance packages were paid to two senior executives who resigned recently… The severance packages could prove troubling to the Getty because such payments might violate federal tax laws governing spending by nonprofit foundations, which specify that they must use their resources for the public good.”