In the late 19th century, few believed that anyone, literate or not, could have memorized something as long as the Iliad or Odyssey. (The main argument at the time was whether “Homer” was one person or many; the two sides were the Unitarians and the Analysts.) Who established that Homer’s verse was recited by heart? A clever Harvard professor, helped by some Bosnian bards. – JSTOR Daily
Tag: 02.28.20
‘If You Give A Mouse A Cookie’ — Beloved Children’s Book Or Cautionary Tale About Welfare Dependency?
If you think that’s a ridiculous question, the woman who wrote this article agrees with you. But it became a question nonetheless, thanks in part to (no surprise here) the American Enterprise Institute. Rebecca Christie explains how this happened and (for those who haven’t read the book) just why it’s ridiculous. – Slate
What We Learned From The Madison Square Garden Performance Of “Mockingbird” And 18,000 Kids
Artistic Directors like me have been wringing our hands over the same question for decades. How do we get younger audiences to come to our theatre? How do we engage young people today in our ancient art form? How do we not only hold their attention but excite them enough to want to come back to our theatre? This week, one answer came. And it showed me that maybe we’ve been asking ourselves the wrong question. Sometimes we must bring the mountain to Muhammed. – Intimate Excellent
The West End’s 180-Year-Old Costume Shop, Angels, Is Closing Because Of London’s Rent Increases
Its company director said that although the direct reason was a redevelopment scheme by the landlord, the store couldn’t find another place in the West End. She said, “At present, an independent store owner can be paying well over half-a-million pounds per year in rates and rents to take over an empty unit without stairs or fitted toilets. … That’s before you’ve done the flooring, fitted it out, hired staff and taken a single sale.” – The Stage (UK)
Maybe Binge-Watching Isn’t As Bad For The Planet As We Originally Thought
Just keep clicking “Play next” (or don’t click the auto-play off, maybe) because the original figures about streaming were overestimated by a factor of, scientists now say, 30-60 times. However: “Demand for streaming video might shoot up this year if millions of people are forced to spend more time at home because of the coronavirus outbreak. But if they are doing this instead of driving or flying places, overall carbon emissions will be much lower.” – New Scientist
Salt Lake City’s Leonardo Museum Turns Sprinklers On A Homeless Encampment
When the mayor saw the sprinklers turned on in a place where people had been camping all winter, the city got involved. “After people from the mayor’s office tried to contact officials at The Leonardo, a city crew was sent over to shut off the water. The water had been running about 20 minutes.” The museum’s chief engagement officer responded, “We believe we have been more than understanding” about the homeless encampment. – The Salt Lake Tribune
This Feature Film Could Be 700 Hours Long
Well, probably not, but that’s about how much footage the Russian director shot of the DAU project, “a multiyear experiment in which hundreds of nonprofessional actors lived and worked in a replica of a Soviet research institute, what may be the most ambitiously immersive film set ever made, in Ukraine. People played versions of themselves, transposed to lifestyles and careers of the Soviet Union. Artists, scientists and religious leaders visited the set, becoming part of the production and even holding lectures and workshops.” Two of the planned 13 resulting feature films premiered at the Berlinale this week. – The New York Times
A List Of All The Books Referenced In The Brilliant British Comedy ‘Sex Education’
Perhaps you haven’t yet watched the Gillian Anderson-fueled comedy (it’s streaming in the US on Netflix), but you should know that there’s a high school girl who is a love interest for Anderson’s character’s son. But more than that: “What we learn about Maeve over the course of the show is that she is, secretly, a real Lit Girl. While her classmates are drinking cheap beer at house parties, she’s home reading the classics.” – LitHub
Gerald Krone, Co-Founder Of The Negro Ensemble Company, Has Died At 86
Krone was a theatre producer and manager who joined with Douglas Turner Ward, an actor and playwright, and Robert Hooks, an actor and producer, to found the company in 1967. The company won a special Tony after two years of existence, and sent three plays to Broadway. “In 1981 it staged, Off Broadway, the premiere of Charles Fuller’s A Soldier’s Play, with a cast that included Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson; the play won the Pulitzer Prize.” – The New York Times
Comedy Duo Dedicates A Tiny Confederate Statue To Iowa Politician Steve King
King is generally regarded as a white nationalist; he has a decades-long history of xenophobic and racist comments which earned him censure from other Republicans. One of the comedians said the four-inch statue should definitely be seen as a metaphor. “Racists are trying to bring down others so they can make themselves feel better. That’s the mark of somebody who is very small.” – The Guardian (UK)