Director Tom Morris’s Juliet and Her Romeo, planned for next spring at the Bristol Old Vic, “uses Shakespeare’s text, but casts the lovers in their 80s, with their anxious children, not their parents, seeking to prevent an imprudent and costly match.”
Tag: 11.13.09
Researchers: A Nose For Books
“The aroma of an old book is familiar to every user of a traditional library. A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness, this unmistakable smell is as much part of the book as its contents.”
The Power Of Reputation (Can It Be Used For Good?)
“Public goods situations crop up all over the place, including decisions on maintaining roads, funding the police and whether or not to shirk at work. This leads us to an important question: is it possible to make people care enough about such problems to do their bit?”
Edward Albee: Theatre Disappoints Me
“According to Albee, the problem is that the world of theatre has changed in ways he disapproves of. He is especially irked by the increasing importance of a director’s vision, which is now understood to be just as valuable as what is being directed. In interviews and public speeches, Albee has been vocal about his distaste for those who neglect his strict stage directions.”
Where’s The Arts Audience? Probably Playing Video Games
“How many video game addicts also do drama? Probably very few. Away from central London, professional theatre and music struggle to compete with multi-channel television, video games, pubs, clubbing and IT networking, a situation exacerbated by 25 years during which arts and culture have been downgraded in the curriculum, and the chance of being enthused decreased by the daunting documentation and fear of litigation that deters schools from organising trips.”
Credit Where Credit’s Due – But Can You Tell?
“It might seem like a stupid question, but when you watch a piece of theatre, do you ever wonder who has done what? There’s no real reason why you should. You liked so-and-so’s performance, the set looked nice, theatre is a collaborative effort and you enjoyed the show. End of story.”
Bluesman Robert Johnson’s Birthplace Confirmed
“There’s the myth he sold his soul to the devil to create his haunting guitar intonations. There’s the dispute over where he died after his alleged poisoning by a jealous man in 1938. Three different markers claim to be the site of his demise. His birthplace, however, has been verified.”
LA’s Museum Of Contemporary Art – Back From The Dead
“This is the biggest turnaround of any art institution, whether it is performing arts or the visual arts, if you think of all that has happened in the last year,” Eli Broad said Thursday.
Study: New Brain Cells Dislodge Old Memories
“A new rodent study shows that newborn neurons destabilize established connections among existing brain cells in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory. Clearing old memories from the hippocampus makes way for new learning, researchers from Japan suggest.”
Beijing’s Rock Revolution
“The idea of underground rock in a communist capital might seem like a culture clash waiting to happen, but it hasn’t played out that way. Even as new bands emerge and become more popular, it’s still just a blip on the government’s radar.”