There was a time when all American theatre seemed to flow from New York. Now, because of the economics, new work – particularly new plays – almost never start in New York. “What does manage to find its way there can be as odd and eccentrically selected as an ill-sorted group of birds who get blown hundreds of miles from their native habitats by a hurricane.” – Dallas Morning News
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DRIVEN TO ACT
John Gielgud’s career stretched out over three-quarters of a century. Why so many movies in his last decades? “It seems that he was also driven towards film by the increasing difficulty of remembering lines. It further transpires that much weight must be given to the financial pressure of Gielgud’s extravagant domestic establishment in Buckinghamshire, which made him chary of refusing any part – even to the extent of making two films with Michael Winner and the ghastly Caligula (1980). – The Telegraph (UK)
THEATRE MAN
Boston’s new theatre impresario dynamo has big plans for the city. In just a few short months he’s already made a mark. “We’re seeing the emergence of a diverse not-for-profit theater community – though I wish to God we could figure out what to call it. In Chicago, it’s the off-Loop community. In New York, it’s off-Broadway. We don’t have a name for it, but it’s very positive.” – Boston Globe
ART STARS
Britain’s hip new artists have become glamorous celebs. “This isn’t so surprising when you consider the new wealth giving a golden glow to new British art. It’s become a nice little earner.” But do they lose some their hipness by traveling in these new circles? – The Sunday Times (UK)
MUSEUMS AS ENTERTAINMENT
“Entertainment gets a bad rap as diversionary distraction, a shallow Pied Piper ostensibly leading us away from the serious things in life. But try telling that to Shakespeare or Bernini, who managed to make extremely entertaining art. Entertainment’s dual responsibilities are to hold interest and give pleasure. Why this should be considered a minor achievement is anybody’s guess – especially for art – although American Puritanism is one likely culprit. But art is not brain surgery, nor the answer to perennial problems like war or world hunger.” – Los Angeles Times
HAMMERLOCKS GET RATINGS
Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura meets with students and talks about his veto of a bill awarding Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theatre money for a new home. “You can talk all you want, but can the Guthrie get the ratings that wrestling gets? Because ratings transfer to money. You can put the Guthrie on TV, and if nobody watches it, no advertisers are going to pay to see it. People watch wrestling.” – St. Paul Pioneer Press
THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF PERSPECTIVE
What determines the differences between “high” and “low” art? Hard to tell anymore. “It is so difficult to evaluate arts, compare their virtues and weigh their achievements and the entire debate over what was once called high culture is so politically charged that it is tempting simply to say that different entertainments attract different audiences. No aesthetic distinctions are needed. Mozart and Spears do not have different statures, just different devotees. There is no high, no low, only differing cultural attitudes toward what is high and what is low.” – New York Times
“BUT IT’S MY LIFE”
Dancers of the Martha Graham Dance Company are stunned by the suddenness of the company closing last week. – New York Times
STAR SEARCH
Hollywood’s on the hunt for new faces (the old ones are fading at the box office). “Yes, there’s a changing of the guard, the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the days of the Brat Pack. Everywhere you look, producers and casting directors are scrambling for fresh new faces to plug into their prefabricated teen comedies and slasher films – each hoping to stumble onto the next Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt or Winona Ryder.” – National Post (Canada) 05/27/00
THE DARTH VADER OF BOOKS
“As one of Canada’s most controversial CEOs, Chapters Books’ Larry Stevenson has undoubtedly learned to be careful. And, in many ways, it’s funny that such a correct and controlled man should be considered one of the more malevolent forces on Canada’s cultural landscape. Then again, if you hatch a bold business plan that can be summarized quickly as a war against the quaint neighborhood bookstore, you can’t expect to be loved.” – National Post (Canada)