Sabah, Iconic Arab Singer, Dead At 87

The Lebanese diva, whose career as musician and actress spanned six decades (and at least nine marriages), “was famous across the Arab world for her powerful voice, musical talent and joyful brazenness … Ultimately, she participated in at least 25 plays, four radio musicals, 85 films and sang 3,000 songs.”

Do Choreographers Need Editors?

Judith Mackrell: “In dance, however, there’s no real equivalent, no institutional version of an outside eye to spot a weak narrative, a slack structure or an idea that’s not quite working. … Nor is it even clear who that figure might be. … [Even so,] I think the art form is suffering needlessly from this lack of systematic editorial input.”

The Theatre Installation That’s Horrifying All Europe

South African playwright Brett Bailey’s Exhibit B mimics the “human zoo” exhibits of colonial “natives” seen in Europe in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After four years of touring without much controversy, this year Exhibit B has seen “loud debates and furious demonstrations in Europe about the boundaries between artistic freedom and exploitation, censorship and political incorrectness.”