It’s Past Time To Let Go Of Robinson Crusoe

The colonial fairytale doesn’t hold up at all in our contemporary world. Crusoe, to put it bluntly, was a slave trader – but somehow it became a children’s story: “Educationists agreed that the island narrative of Crusoe was an ideal text for teaching the virtues of self-reliance, careful management of resources and trust in the overall – if a little mysterious, but that’s a part of the appeal – wonderfulness of the Christian God. That the novel could be harnessed to the business of empire was a further recommendation.” – The Guardian (UK)

Pop-Up Theatre Can Change Lives

When Fiona Shaw decided to perform excerpts from T.S. Eliot’s “The Wasteland” in (and near) an empty fountain in Central Park, she didn’t want it announced – and there was only a brief mention on social media. Then word of mouth happened. What’s next? “Taking theatre to the audience in unexpected ways can only serve to evoke interest, and may capture the imagination of those not used to planting themselves in a theatre seat.” – The Stage (UK)