Where Gay Cinema Went Wrong

Filmmaker David Kittredge: “At one point [the industry] was really vibrant because every single gay film being made was brave – it was a political act and a statement. I think that along the way, some people have realised that you can make money off good-looking guys on screen without their shirts.”

Opera Is Hurting Everywhere — Except In London

“[T]he British opera scene – or at least its London flagships – boasts a dirty little secret. Quietly and cautiously, it is actually doing rather well. Houses are often full, reviews are glowing – and money continues to flow in. Instead of collapsing, donations to opera houses by individuals went up by 10 per cent in 2009, with donations by businesses rising 7 per cent.”

West End Auds Attend Younger & More Often Than B’way

“The figures,” from the Society of London Theatre and covering “the second half of 2008, indicate that West End auds made an average 6.4 visits per year to the theater, vs. the 4.2 average in the Broadway League’s demographic report for the 2008-09 Rialto season. London research also found Brit auds almost equally divided across the range of ages.”

Revisiting The Ghosts Of East Village Past

“Readers, I understand that most, if not all, of these names may be unfamiliar, and I realize too that I am visiting an Our Town cemetery that’s probably not yours. But new art almost everywhere acknowledges these now-quiet creators, once fountains of insouciance. … Much of the incisive fashion, music, photography and art of the 21st century owes its edge and bravery to these denizens of downtown.”