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A Language All Their Own

“The book world has a language all of its own. Reviewese isn’t confined to book reviewers; it pervades the literary world. A lot of it comes from book-jacket blurbs, which produce a repertoire of sentences that publishers would like to see in book reviews. This literary lingo consists of words, constructions and formulations few English speakers use, but that sound true if used about books.”

Where’s The “There” There?

Is “place” important to novels anymore? A group of Canadian literary types sit down to debate the question: “The commodification of place is so prevalent that even non-fiction writers, such as Pico Iyer, have based their careers on it. Read between his clever phrases and glib descriptions of a city in Bolivia or a Toronto street and his point is almost always the same: We’re living in a global village now and there’s no “there” anymore.”

A Coconut Plan

Miami’s Coconut Grove Theatre hosted the first American production of Waiting for Godot. Now it looks like some major changes may come to the historic building. “In recent years, the operative plan was to renovate the existing building and add a third theater and a parking garage. Then came a newer scheme suggested tearing down all but the façade and building anew. Now there are other options that have enormous implications for history and preservation and the community at large.”

South Florida’s Renegade Radio

In south Florida, pirate radio – unregulated stations – have become popular, especially in ethnic communities. “Renegade radio operators have become successful through personal relationships with immigrant small-business owners and concert promoters. ‘The Haitian population has a lot of small business. Their ad budgets are not as large as those of corporations. Corporations will not be attracted to the underground stations.”

The Politics Of Frogs

“A funny thing or two has happened to the original Frogs on its way to the present [at New York’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre]. It has grown increasingly politicized.  The creatures who give the play its title have evolved from a simple chorus of amphibians that serenades Dionysus on his disquieting ferryboat ride into today’s know nothing, say nothing, do nothing populace, lulled by leaders of dubious qualifications to okay “a war we shouldn’t even be in.”  The present version seems to fancy itself something of a left-leaning rabble-rouser, destined not to tour to the Red States. At the same time, the latter-day Frogs has become more theatrically ingenuous.”

Outside The System – Guerrilla Art

The guerrilla art movement is all about creating art – movies, music, visual, publishing – outside the established channels of production. “Two forms in particular seem perfectly suited to the guerrilla ideal. In the activities of admirably resourceful musicians and film-makers, one sees the same broad approach: the skilful use of technology (the internet, mobile phones, digital video), along with a desire to slip free of the schedules of studios and record labels.”

The Shadowy Mr. Tudor

“Unlike his contemporaries, the more showy and abstract Balanchine or the decorative Sir Frederick Ashton – whose centenary is also being marked globally this year – Anthony Tudor has been the subject of few revivals and even less academic study. He is a shadowy figure, forever dancing in the dark.”

Edinburgh Fringe Wants More Support

The director of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival blasts the Scottish Arts Council for not supporting the Fringe. “There are practical ways things that can be done. We have performers from all over the world here and the SAC should be getting them to Dundee and Aberdeen. Equally, they should be encouraging Scottish audiences to the Fringe from a slightly wider area.”