“The ‘New Writing’ play, like the ‘Well Made Play’ before it, exists as some sort of ideal to which new writers are supposed to aspire. This sense of what makes a good play has crept into the way workshops are run, courses are structured, feedback is given and, most damaging, into the very heart of the relationship between producers and artists. In teaching narrative, characterisation and structure, we are teaching a very particular set of aesthetic values predicated on creating a very particular kind of play.”
Tag: 05.11.12
Hilary Mantel On Anne Boleyn
“[She] is one of the most controversial women in English history; we argue over her, we pity and admire and revile her, we reinvent her in every generation. She takes on the colour of our fantasies and is shaped by our preoccupations: witch, bitch, feminist, sexual temptress, cold opportunist. … Much of what we think we know about Anne melts away on close inspection.”
After 11 Years, Weinstein Brothers’ Publishing House Releases Its First Books
The concern, launched in 2001 as Miramax Books (and the publisher of Tina Brown’s ill-fated Talk magazine), “has remained open throughout the brothers’ tumultuous last decade, persists. Now with a full-time staff of two, the latest iteration of Weinstein Books is about to release its first spate of titles.”
Study: Support For Public Arts Funding Slips In UK
“ACE’s Stakeholder Focus Research reveals that 44% of the general public support government subsidy of the arts, down from 52% when the research was last carried out in 2009. Only 12% strongly support it – down from 16% in 2009 – while 19% of the population oppose it – up from 14% in 2009 – and 7% strongly oppose it, up from 5%.”
The Education Of Contemporary Composers
“One of the toughest parts of teaching composition–indeed, teaching any artistic medium–is not only teaching the subject, but guiding the implementation and ultimately the transcendence of the subject material; in other words, not only teaching someone how to compose, but how to be a composer.”
The History Of The Met – In 1024 Black And White Photos
“The images are stacked 10 high, snug as bathroom tile, in Founders Hall, the crypt that honors the civic leaders who made the dream of Lincoln Center a reality a half-century ago. Their names, gold-stamped on fake-marble plastic strips, are glued to the travertine at the foot of the Met’s curved double staircase.”
Human Rights Museum + Proposed Water Park = A Mess In Winnipeg
“The architect of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg is criticizing the waterpark and hotel proposed for a lot across the street at The Forks. In a letter sent to Winnipeg city councillors Thursday night, Antoine Predock said a water park ‘risks trivializing’ the area’s rich historic past and cultural district that is being built up.”
Broadway’s Current Obsession With Stars: A Faustian Bargain?
“Adding a star packs the house, allowing producers to command top dollar for tickets, but here’s the rub: Most stars can agree only to limited engagements because of film and TV commitments. And when a star departs, attendance generally dips.”
That Time Magazine Breastfeeding Cover Has Some Art Historical Origins (Really)
“Though the cover may make some readers squeamish, its imagery has a precedent deep in art history, where the image of a woman breast-feeding — and even breast-feeding someone older than a child — is less controversial.”
As Arts Center Closure Looms, Rwandan Artists Hold Conference About Cultural Preservation
“Ishyo was granted an extension until 30 September. However, the impending closure of the arts centre demonstrates the lack of infrastructure to support the conservation of Rwandan culture. ‘We are an oral society,’ said Ruzibiza. ‘We are losing many people. The elders are dying and are taking all this knowledge with them. We have to take the opportunity right now to document everything.'”