Abhishek Majumdar has written a trilogy of dramas about the decades-long cycle of violence in Kashmir, another about Hindu nationalism, and one about the 2008 riots in Tibet’s capital. That last is the one that got him the death threat, and London’s Royal Court Theatre cancelled a production of it last year under apparent pressure from the Chinese government. (The Royal Court was shamed into reversing that decision, and the play is about to open there.) – The Guardian
Tag: 04.02.19
Director Kirill Serebrennikov’s House Arrest Extended Yet Again
His confinement, pending trial on embezzlement charges that many observers contend are politically motivated, has now been extended to July 4. Nevertheless, he continues to work remotely, directing several opera productions abroad, and Russia’s film academy just gave him a Best Director award for his movie Leto (Summer). – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
“La Forza Del Destino,” “Alice in Wonderland,” And A World-Gone-Mad Brexit
“Everything is in confusion,” sings Fra Melitone. That was also true for the world outside of the opera house during Brexit week. As many have commented, English political life is hurtling “down the rabbit hole,” and it’s perhaps worth noting that “La Forza del Destino,” in 1862, was an unlikely cultural sibling of that quintessentially British masterpiece “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” which Lewis Carroll began writing in that same year and was published soon after, in 1865. Brexit is the maddest of mad tea parties, and, if, somewhere, the Cheshire Cat is grinning at the confusion, we are unlikely to enjoy the humor anytime soon. – The New Yorker
Hirshhorn Museum: On A Roll
Continuing its good tidings, the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., just announced a special acquisition: Yayoi Kusama’s very first Infinity Room, called Phalli’s Field, which she made in 1965. – Judith H. Dobrzynski
Lee on Leonardo (once again): BBC Radio Quizzes Me on “Salvator Mundi” Conundrums
I was surprised on Sunday when the NY Times ran a long front-page article about the status (or lack thereof) of the $450.3-million Leonardo da Vinci painting. I was even more surprised when I got a call from BBC Radio 5, which wanted to interview me about the painting’s stale trail on its live news show for insomniacs — Up All Night with Rhod Sharp. – Lee Rosenbaum
Frank Rich Goes To A New Production Of “Oklahoma” And Is Taken Aback By The America It Portrays
The musical was groundbreaking for its time (for many reasons), and portrayed an optimistic version of America. A new production startles Rich into a reevaluation and the discovery of its darker side of that America. – New York Magazine
Short Story Vending Machines Arrive In London
The French company Short Edition has already placed machines that will print out a free short story on request at various locations around France and the U.S. Now three of the devices are being installed at Canary Wharf to serve commuters there. – The Guardian