As another round of Shakespeare gets underway on Broadway, the directors of this year’s installments share their vision of the Bard’s work through contemprary lenses. Jonathan Miller argues that King Lear is not remotely the “cosmic” play it is often mistaken for; Edward Hall makes the case for his all-male production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and Bartlett Sher discusses the importance of establishing a common rhythmic pulse within the cast of any Shakespeare production.
Tag: 03.01.04
French Won’t Distribute Gibson’s “Passion”
“French cinema chains are refusing to distribute or screen Mel Gibson’s controversial film “The Passion of the Christ” because of fears it will spark a new outbreak of anti-Semitism.”
Ananiashvili: Dancing Is Easier After 35
Bolshoi star ballerina Nina Ananiashvili is 40. “The ballerina Tatiana Terekhova told me once, `Nina, after 35 years old you will be dancing much more easily, you will really enjoy your dancing.’ And I thought, `Ah no, it’s impossible, after 35 I will be really tired.’ Now I think she was right, because now I know on stage I can control everything. I am really secure. I enjoy every moment, because time has gone so quickly and I have this feeling that I haven’t danced my best ballet yet. Choreographers haven’t used my possibilities as I still hope. Sometimes when I see young dancers I think, `My God, why don’t they jump?’ It’s amazing – I’m jumping better than them!”
Report: Tightening Copyright Laws Bad For Business
Entertainment companies are fighting hard to get tough laws passed that prohibit copying of music and video. But a new government report says that tightening copyright laws is “bad for business and for the economy.
Lord of the Rings Cleans Up
Lord of the Rings scores 11 Oscar wins – tying Ben Hur and Titanic for most wins ever. Other than that, it was a tame, uneventful Academy Awards broadcast.
Art Of The Terminally Ill
A new British festival staged by the terminally ill involves 250 people “ranging in age from 20 to 80, sufferers from cancer, HIV/Aids, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and other incurable conditions. “Among the works awaiting audiences at the Rosetta: Live! festival will be 15 videos made by amateur film-makers, most of whom are no longer alive. There will be performances, music, a mural, installations, workshops, collaborations with established artists including Mike Figgis, the director of Leaving Las Vegas, and talks by experts such as Dr Oliver Sacks.”
The ENO’s Coliseum – Nice To Look At, Hard To Hear
The English National Opera moves back into its home at the Coliseum, but the critics are kept away. Still, Peter Jessup gets a peek inside, and reports that the makeover of the theatre is quite handsome. But up in the higher balcony, it’s still difficult to hear what’s going on…
Can A New “Serious” Newspaper Find An Audience In Britain?
What has happened to serious British newspapers? They’ve dumbed down. “It is undeniable that our broadsheet newspapers are a good deal less serious-minded (without being any wittier) than they were little more than a decade ago. No doubt most readers are perfectly happy with this state of affairs, but not everyone is. The question is how many people really yearn for a grown-up newspaper that provides honest reporting and intelligent commentary without the trivia and pap that is generally also served up.” Stephen Glover thinks there’s an audience of about 100,000, so he’s raising money to give it a try.
La Scala’s Grand Makeover
The fix-up of La Scala opera house should be completed by November 10. “The new architecture includes a striking elliptical extension rising from the classical building. The new stage tower is 2.4 metres taller than its predecessor, while the stage area will be twice the size at 1,600 square metres. The rebuild will allow La Scala to mount no less than three different productions simultaneously.”
Oldest Hamlet For Sale
“The oldest copy of Shakespeare’s Hamlet remaining in private hands (published in 1611) was put on show in London yesterday before going to auction in New York next month for an expected £1 million to £2 million.”