It may seem de rigeur today for playwrights to tackle big sociological issues in a direct manner, but when Arthur Miller burst upon the scene, such forays into national self-examination were hardly theatrical comfort food for audiences used to droll comedies and “classic” drama. And yet, Miller’s work succeeded with the public because of his innate ability to make grand theoretical debates deeply personal. “He loved and even ennobled the little guy, with all of — and because of — his flaws. In works tackling the loftiest subjects, he touched nerves so deep, it was as if the plays were customized arrows, aimed at the unique contours of each theatergoer’s heart.”
Tag: 02.12.05
Doonesbury Derailed By Ski Instructor
Garry Trudeau, creator of the popular and controversial Doonesbury comic, suffered a broken drawing arm this past week when he was tackled by a ski instructor to prevent him from skiing into a tree. Trudeau was in Aspen to accept the Freedom of Speech award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. He could be unable to draw the strip for six to eight weeks.
Workers Destroy Section Of China’s Great Wall
Construction workers destroyed a large section of the Great Wall of China recently. “Almost 100m of the wall in northern Ningxia autonomous region was levelled in two overnight raids by construction workers who used the material to pave a road. The destroyed area near Zhongwei city was constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in an region known as “the Great Wall Museum” because of the profusion of rammed earth sections of the wall.”