“They stand five feet apart, cannot hold hands, kiss or simulate a brawl, but the cast and crew of Neighbours — a long-running Australian soap opera that returned to production in late April amid coronavirus restrictions — still hope to convey the same heightened conflict, intimacy and drama that the show’s fans have come to love. … [The series] could set an important precedent for the global screen industry as it tries to figure out how a phased reintroduction to shooting television series and films might work.” – The New York Times
Tag: 05.11.20
Some Young Afghans Turn To Writing Erotic Poetry To Get Through The Lockdown
In the land of the Taliban? Yes — Afghanistan is historically part of the Persianate world (Dari, the official language, is a Persian dialect), and metaphor-filled erotic poetry has a thousand-year history in Persian literature. Hundreds of young writers have lately been posting their amorous verse on social media, and while there has certainly been backlash, there’s no censorship by the Afghan government. – The Guardian
Amid The Epidemic, There’s One Place Where Dance Goes On (Almost) Undisturbed
“This rural compound in India’s southern tip is one of the few places where professional dancers can still do what the rest of the performing arts world can only dream about. At Nrityagram, dancers experience neither loneliness nor confinement. They gather in the same dance hall for hours at a stretch, every day, to train, rehearse and perform — if only for one another.” – The Washington Post
This May Be The First US Theater To Call Off Its 2020-21 Season Due To COVID
In place of a regular mainstage season, Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis will expand its “Next” workshopping program, “making public the shows it is developing for the future, keeping writers, actors and other artists busy creating work even though it’s not certain when it will be shared with audiences.” – Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Movie Theatres In UK Won’t Open Until At Least July 4
“[A] 60-page document, entitled Our Plan to Rebuild, sets out that cinemas are part of a ‘high-risk’ group of businesses that will be the last to reopen from July 4 onwards” — and even that date is not guaranteed. – Variety
Jerry Stiller, 92
“[He] rose to national prominence on a barrage of one-line jokes and sly ethnic humor, with his Jewish background and [wife/partner Anne] Meara’s Irish Catholic heritage forming a comic motif. With age, he transformed into a master of righteous indignation and raucous anger, drawing on memories of fights between his parents to create some of the funniest moments of the 1990s’ most celebrated and popular sitcom.” – The Washington Post
March 8 Choral Concert In Amsterdam Led To 4 Virus Deaths
Of the chorus of 130, 102 were diagnosed with the virus. – Diapason
Musicians Lobby For Greater Share Of Streaming Revenue
The campaign calls for solutions to the problems that the lockdown has inflicted on musicians. The suspension of live music under lockdown has cut off most artists’ one dependable source of income: gigs. And payments from streaming services such as Spotify are so negligible that they cannot hope to fill the massive hole in artists’ incomes. – The Guardian
NY Public Library Acquires Martha Graham Archive
“For the dance division, it really was the only significant gap left that we had in telling the story of early American modern dance. We’ve had material belonging to Martha Graham in the archive for a very long time, but Martha herself, throughout her lifetime, had always said that she didn’t want there to be an archive.” – The New York Times
AMC Stock Soars On Rumors Amazon Might Buy Theatre Chain
The stock movement was notable. AMC shares were trading at $5.62, up nearly 40%. They had been up as much as 70% in premarket trade. – Deadline