“A study by sociologists has revealed a sharp decline in the performance ability of Britain’s lap dancers since the financial crash of 2008. The study by Teela Sanders and Kate Hardy from Leeds University warns of ‘de-skilling’ across the industry. Dr Sanders said many dancers had ‘never even used a pole’.”
Tag: 04.11.12
Andrew Lloyd Webber Sells Flagship West End Theatre
Andrew Lloyd Webber has sold the Palace Theatre, one of his flagship venues and the original West End home to Les Miserables, to Nimax Theatres for an undisclosed sum.
Gaga Social Media Makes Books Go Viral? (Dwarfs The Oprah Effect)
“Lady Gaga, one of the web’s commanding giga-stars – with 21.5m followers on Twitter (Stephen Fry has a mere 4m) – has recommended a book, on Facebook. “Lüc Carl Buy his book. HE’S AWESOME!!!!! Great memoir about losing weight on your own terms.” Within a matter of hours, more than 15,000 people had “liked” it, a pretty reliable indicator of a coming “viral” success.”
E-Books Helping Thwart Chinese Censorship
“A new phenomenon in China – fiction published exclusively online – is giving young writers the opportunity to get their work read quickly and free from censorship.”
Showstoppers – Literally
“Letting someone re-sing an aria is rare at the Met; there have been only three encores in the past 18 years, because the company has had a policy forbidding them. But there’s a reason most places don’t have policies against this sort of literal “showstopper”: Audiences love them.”
CBC Cuts Six Shows, 88 Jobs After Funding Cuts
“There will be six fewer series on the CBC television network, meaning 175 fewer hours produced, the network announced, but no specific programs were mentioned as decisions are still being made. The result of the cuts will mean more repeats in primetime and fewer specials.”
London Olympics Rejects Eliasson Project Meant To Be Cultural Centerpiece
“Scandinavian artist Olafur Eliasson had been commissioned to create a piece for the event, exploring the benefits of taking a deep breath. But the Olympic Lottery Distributor (OLD) refused the grant saying the piece no longer met its criteria.”
Will Google Art Help Reform Indian Museums?
“Google’s gigapixeling equipment and street-view trolleys, with its zoom-discover-play functions, will enter an uncaring universe of Indian museums. Unlike museums in the United States, which are battling a shortage of funds and growing digital lifestyles, Indian museums suffer from a debilitating crisis of imagination and are trapped in an uninspiring sameness – beautiful objects indifferently displayed, impenetrable labels, lack of storytelling and ponderous book-on-the-wall text panels. It is not uncommon to encounter peeling wall paint, cobwebs and even potted plants placed perilously close to moisture-sensitive 12th century sculptures of dancing gods.”
US Visa Rules Cut Into Travel By International Artists
“Some foreign performers and ensembles, like the Hallé orchestra from Britain, have decided that it is no longer worth their while to play in the United States. Others have been turned down flat, including a pair of bands invited to perform at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex., last month, or have ended up canceling performances because of processing delays.”
US Justice Department Sues Apple, Publishers Over E-Book Pricing
The lawsuit alleges that Apple and the publishers conspired to limit e-book price competition, causing “e-book consumers to pay tens of millions of dollars more for e-books than they otherwise would have paid.”