“The Authoritarian playbook is well known. Create a constant state of crisis that only a “strong” leader can solve. Encourage fear, divide the populace and scapegoat racial or religious minorities and immigrants.
TAME./Shrew Part Two: Shrew views and dangerous plays or what’s a theatre for?
Last week, we posted Part One of my talk with three local theatre-makers who have engaged Shakespeare’s troublesome early comedy The Taming of the Shrew. Jonelle Walker’s TAME. runs through December 11th at WSC Avant Bard.
Being the audience: David S. Kessler on playing the role well
When he received the 2015 Gary Maker Audience Award, long time theatre supporter turned performer David S. Kessler encouraged a Folger audience: “Being in the audience is not a spectator sport.” To celebrate the start of the new theatre season, we asked David to expand on his thoughts. ————– Years ago, I served as a volunteer house manager at […]
Is Chicago’s abuse scandal happening here?
Allegations of physical abuse and sexual harassment raised by the Chicago Reader against Darrell Cox, Artistic Director of Profiles Theatre, and accusations of bizarre and illicit workplace practices by theater itself have rocked the non-Equity regional theatre world.
Hamilton sparks Tony question: are sung-through musicals just concerts with benefits?
New York Times drama critic Charles Isherwood inadvertently sparked a controversy when, in a discussion of the 2016 Tony Awards, he commented about Hamilton: “I do find it slightly puzzling that it was nominated in the book of a musical category, since the show is almost sung-through, but it’s the kind of juggernaut we haven’t […]
William Shakespeare? Enough, already. It’s been four centuries, for crying out loud!
We are pleased to welcome back R. W. Schneider with his admittedly heretical view on the Bard. I plan to bury Shakespeare, not to praise him. The 23rd of this month marks the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. I propose to honor him with a stake driven through his heart. I hope this will be the […]
Jack Marshall on Samuel French “cease and desist” controversy
A ridiculous and offensive example of misuse of legal process and interference with free speech was just flagged by self-exiled Ethics Alarms star, Barry “Ampersand” Deutsch on his blog.
Life as theatre performed on a Parisian street corner
“… life is a drawn-out stream of people making entrances you’re unprepared for and exits you barely notice.” There’s a street corner in Paris with a cast of thousands. Take a seat where the Rue Pierre Lescot crosses the Rue Berger. It’s in the pedestrian zone that stretches from the Forum des Halles shopping district […]
One less critic: How Hedy Weiss and New Orleans changed my life.
When I was in law school I did some acting. I wasn’t very good but I was a big guy with a big voice and there’s always room for that in theater. Sometimes I got paid and sometimes I didn’t, but between what I did get paid and student loans and my parents’ generosity I […]
Will theatre criticism be around much longer?
No one ever built a statue to a critic, it was once famously said, but in 2013 two critics received OBE’s in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. Michael Billington and Philip French, theatre and film critics for The Guardian and The Observer, were honoured after writing reviews in their particular disciplines for a 100 […]
Are Theatre Critics … Critical? A critic re-examines his position
It wasn’t exactly an ambush, but the first question actor Bernardo Cubria posed to me as a guest on his theatre podcast was about a complaint that actors have about critics. I was his sixtieth guest, and his first theatre critic. Why do so many reviews, he asked, just summarize the plot and not give […]
Christopher Henley sums up the Helen Hayes wage debates and offers a few gentle suggestions
I wade into the compensation debate with some reluctance. The discourse has become startlingly heated. People care about the issues, which is a good thing. But unfortunate, incendiary, even insulting things have been said on both sides to those who have expressed perspectives and opinions that not everyone agrees with. I think that’s really sad […]