Tag: 05.30.00

DANCE AS THE BIG SHOW

The English National Ballet was Princess Diana’s favorite company. Since her death, the company has employed some “sometimes dubious tricks” to promote its Albert Hall productions. Its controversial director thinks “British ballerinas are pear-shaped and that ballet should be Albert Hall-shaped, with casts of hundreds and audiences of thousands.” – The Telegraph (London)

A TIGHTLY-GUARDED STORY

It’s been 30 years since T.S. Eliot died, but still there hasn’t been an authorized biography – that is, one written with full access to the author’s estate.  That’s because Eliot’s “fiercely loyal” widow Valerie controls all the copyrights. “If Eliot scholars want to print quotations from the poet’s work, they have to go through her – and this, by all accounts, is not at all straightforward. If Valerie does not like a critic’s line, she may well feel disinclined to grant permissions. In some cases, her refusal could scupper a scholar’s entire project.” – New Statesman

THE GRAYED AMERICAN NOVELISTS

It’s a bountiful spring for challenging American fiction. New books by Joseph Heller (posthumous) Saul Bellow (84), E.L. Doctorow (69), Philip Roth (67) and John Updike (68) are on the shelves. “Because their long-in-the-tooth novels are so creative, challenging, outrageous and well crafted, this is arguably one of the merriest seasons for American literature in decades.” – Washington Post

THE “REAL” SYLVIA PLATH

“At long last, Sylvia Plath’s uncensored journals are published. “Almost from the day she died, readers and scholars, faced with the huge, faceless enigma of her suicide, have been perplexed and thwarted by Plath’s mental condition. The unabridged journals and other new information, some of it reported here for the first time, lend credence to a little-noticed theory that Sylvia Plath suffered not just from some form of mental illness (probably manic depression) but also from severe PMS.” – Salon

AN ACTOR’S ROOTS

It’s so whorish, isn’t it, all these Hollywood actors skittering over to London to get a little legitimate stage credit under their belts? Not that that’s what Donald Sutherland’s doing, mind you. Sutherland “learned his craft in Britain. He arrived in 1952, aged 18, to study at the London Academy of Dramatic Art before going on to do a seven-year apprenticeship on almost every stage in the country. Afterwards, to hone his vocal technique, he added another year in Scotland at the Perth Repertory Theatre.” Now he’s back, starring at the Savoy. – The Guardian

NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET

Sam Clemens (Mark Twain) spent some time in Carson City Nevada developing his writing. And the city wants to advertise the fact in its tourist promotions. Trouble is, Clemens’ estate still holds control of the famous name and the Mark Twain Foundation Trust has warned the city to stop or its lawyers will come a’ callin’. – Washington Post

THE “REAL” SYLVIA PLATH

“At long last, Sylvia Plath’s uncensored journals are published. “Almost from the day she died, readers and scholars, faced with the huge, faceless enigma of her suicide, have been perplexed and thwarted by Plath’s mental condition. The unabridged journals and other new information, some of it reported here for the first time, lend credence to a little-noticed theory that Sylvia Plath suffered not just from some form of mental illness (probably manic depression) but also from severe PMS.” – Salon

AN ACTOR’S ROOTS

It’s so whorish, isn’t it, all these Hollywood actors skittering over to London to get a little legitimate stage credit under their belts? Not that that’s what Donald Sutherland’s doing, mind you. Sutherland “learned his craft in Britain. He arrived in 1952, aged 18, to study at the London Academy of Dramatic Art before going on to do a seven-year apprenticeship on almost every stage in the country. Afterwards, to hone his vocal technique, he added another year in Scotland at the Perth Repertory Theatre.” Now he’s back, starring at the Savoy. – The Guardian