It’s a big year for Beckett fans, and critic Ian Brown was looking forward to celebrating the author’s centenary by rereading all the master’s plays, and then writing about the experience. The problem, of course, is that reading Beckett is frequently as difficult and mind-numbing as the writing process apparently was for Beckett himself. By the time he reached literary maturity, “Beckett [was] content to simply slam your head repeatedly into the thick planks of linguistic hopelessness, proving again and again how meaningless meaning can be.”
Tag: 05.20.06
There Are Other Movies, You Know. And They’re Good.
Yes, yes, all of Cannes is abuzz over the whole DaVinci Code thing. But of course, DaVinci will hardly be the only film to make a splash at the fest this season, and to judge from some of the independent films being launched at Cannes, it could be a very interesting year at the multiplex. Whether it’s the latest opus from Spanish legend Pedro Almodovar, or a film-based attack on the fast food industry that has the Mickey D’s crowd so worried that they’re already preparing a counterassault, the indies are still the kings of quality at Cannes, says Simon Houpt.
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Go Around ‘Em
From the day that iTunes burst upon the scene, it’s been extremely difficult for any other online music service to compete, considering iTunes’ easy compatibility with the iPod, and Apple’s aggressive push to make it the industry standard for downloadable audio. But there are millions of digital music listeners using platforms other than the iPod, and Urge, the online music service launched this week and backed by MTV and Microsoft, is aiming to circumvent the iPodders and Mac users entirely, and embrace… well, everyone else.
Orchestra Furious With Hall Closure Plan
One of Northern Ireland’s largest orchestras may have to begin its next season without the use of its concert hall, and orchestra officials are furious that they weren’t consulted before the closure of Ulster’s Waterfront Hall was announced. The Ulster Orchestra “had made provisional booking for four concerts during this period, including the important opening concert of the 2007-2008 season and… ‘had been led to believe’ that the Waterfront would be closed during the quiet season from June-August, and not later on.”