“Think of rivalry as a type of über competition driven by mutual obsession, with the rivals propelling each other to spiralling achievement, and investing more mental and emotional resources in each other than circumstances would ever dictate on their own.”
Tag: 10.08.15
Thieves In The Archives: America’s Literary History, Stolen And Sold On Ebay
The tale of how Flannery O’Connor’s purloined letters – purloined by one David Breithaupt from the Kenyon College library – were pinched and fenced is an example of just how easy it can be for us to lose crucial pieces of the historical record.
Magnetic Poetry, The Populist Product That Began With A Sneeze
“In the late 1990s, you couldn’t hunt for a snack in an American home without coming across a magnetic poem or two. But in the decades since the product first stuck itself to the collective consciousness, fridges nationwide have slowly begun shedding their words. The history of the form itself, though, goes back much farther than Kapell’s sneeze – and the increasingly digital future will likely only widen its reach.”
Speaking In Tongues: The Remarkable Boom In Invented Languages
Elvish, Klingon, Na’vi, Dothraki – they’re all “conlangs” (constructed languages), and there are many, many more. “The story of conlanging is, as with so many other bodies of knowledge, the story of old-fashioned research inflated to surreal proportions by the internet’s bellows. Yes, you can be a professional conlanger, but the competition is stiff.”
Kenneth Branagh’s Theatre Company – Can He Succeed Where Olivier Foundered?
Michael Billington: “Olivier, for all his genius as an actor, had a strange capacity for picking duds. … The case with Branagh is totally different. Even at the start of his career, he successfully created and co-ran the Renaissance Theatre Company. He is shrewd enough to know the public craves stars.”
The Final Farewell Of Philadelphia City Paper
Editor Lillian Swanson: “But what I regret most is that Philly will be left without a real alternative voice, one that speaks truth to power and tells stories others have overlooked. Who will focus on writing the first serious ink about artists and singers who are on the way up? How will those who open independent theaters get the press they need to become viable? Who but CP will review more than 40 Fringe shows? Where else will you find a full-page comic?”
This Man Has Been In The West End ‘Phantom Of The Opera’ For 25 Years
“[Philip] Griffiths joined Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical on October 9, 1990, originally as a swing, before moving into a character role as Monsieur Reyer and understudy Piangi. He became a resident director from 1998 to 2000, remaining as an understudy for two roles during this time, before moving back into the show as a performer.”
Boomers Now Get Their Own Literature (Just Like Young Adults, But Up The Scale A Bit)
“It is time for writers to come up with books that address what matters to them most as they enter into their ‘Second Adulthood’.”
Paramount Starts A Special YouTube Channel Where You Can Stream Its ‘Classics’ For Free
“We live in a strange new world. A decade ago, the mere thought of streaming a movie online seemed foolhardy and weird. Now, a major movie studio has created a YouTube channel that offers viewers the chance to watch a selection of their films for free. The Paramount Vault is here and it feels like a big deal.”
Why The London Symphony Won’t Miss Gergiev
“Tributes to what he has achieved during his eight years at the helm have been conspicuous by their absence so far, and it seems unlikely that there will be the kind of fond farewell that many conductors receive when their tenures with an orchestra come to an end.”