Comment Archives: Stories: Arts
Re: “Deep South's Dave Rose cautions against climbing into the van”
What ever happened to Raleigh downtown live shows??
Re: “Remembering a time when DIY was not a lifestyle choice”
I think the key difference that strikes me is the choice; wrapped up in that choice is the ability to escape it at any point it becomes tiresome.
Re: “Remembering a time when DIY was not a lifestyle choice”
Thank you for this essay, Lisa. You do an excellent job of showing both sides of the "luxury" of such choices, and the economic structures that must sustain them. There are many who might choose the new domesticity who simply cannot afford it; and others who can barely afford it, but sacrifice to do so. I will definitely find the book and read it!
Re: “Three new art spaces testify to downtown Durham's increasing vitality”
Fair point, although it depends on one's expectations. Those drawn by the words "Anne Frank" in the title might be expecting the narrative made familiar by umpteen iterations on stage and screen. They will be in for a surprise (a good and exciting one!).
From Byron Woods' INDY Week review:
"In this devised performance, sections from those texts are placed in an unlikely matrix of other sources. In one section, science writer Mary Roach (Tamara Kissane) holds forth on flatus; elsewhere, Ron Vawter (Tony Perucci), another Wooster Group co-founder, recalls an experience from his military service that was theatrical, religious, profane—and undeniably funny. These cards are shuffled in a deck including the strange affirmations of L. Ron Hubbard and 1920s calisthenics and football guru Walter Camp, along with remembrances by cast and crew members of their own adolescence. In between these scenes are deliberately awkward transitions including movement sequences, vintage cartoon footage and the unique vocal stylings of live shape-note singing, and songs by Peter Sellers and Screaming Jay Hawkins."
Re: “An intergenerational discussion about rejecting the workplace for domestic life”
Thank you, Lisa! I didn't want people to read this and get a wrong impression.
Re: “An intergenerational discussion about rejecting the workplace for domestic life”
Its a choice and as long as both parties agree I see nothing wrong with it!
Re: “An intergenerational discussion about rejecting the workplace for domestic life”
I actually totally understood your meaning from the article. I think your true meaning came through. Don't worry.
Re: “An intergenerational discussion about rejecting the workplace for domestic life”
Summer, I think it's clear that was what you meant. I understood that when you said and I when I reviewed the recording.
Re: “An intergenerational discussion about rejecting the workplace for domestic life”
Hi. Summer Kinard here. I just want to clarify that this heavily edited version of the conversation does not represent well what I actually said about childcare and minorities. Or am I the only person completely appalled at the line, "those people would be impoverished and minorities"? What I actually was talking about was that the childcare I could afford would force [probably] minority women into low, non-living wage jobs, which I did not want to do as a matter of social justice. I was not fretting about having minorities around my children. Lord, have mercy! Talk about opposite meaning.
Re: “Three new art spaces testify to downtown Durham's increasing vitality”
Correction- the LGP show has a LOT to do with Anne Frank, nearly everything in fact. Come on Indy!
Re: “South of Paradise”
Here's a true story of South of the Border from 1999: http://youtu.be/P1CbvVGDzDQ.
Re: “The bleakly hilarious Cripple of Inishmaan at Deep Dish Theater”
Everything in your review makes me want to see for myself. From past experience Tom Marroitt's direction alone is reason enough to come.
Re: “Augusten Burroughs' new book is a disappointing collection of self-help cliches”
I grabbed this book from the shelf without reading the jacket because I look forward to anything this author writes. I did not expect it to be a genuine "self help" book though. I thought it was a joke. Initially I was put off, but the truth is, he is right about most everything he suggests to the reader. It may not be pretty, but it is true.
A. Burroughs is an excellent source on the matters of acceptance and looking forward. I reluctantly loved the book!
Re: “A new dance adaptation of a Harlem Renaissance classic”
While not perfect, this piece was smart, innovative, evocative, challenging, moody and beautifully disturbing. The collaborators expert. The dancing world class, absolutely. Your review does not do CANE full justice and the criticisms are misplaced. First: Why assume that the piece was actually intended to track Toomer's book exactly? Why assume that it should do so? Can't it exist as an inspired work on its own merit? (That said, despite your criticism, even you managed to see the reference to "Becky." How one could manage to miss the series of urban images used as backdrop for a good portion of the piece remains a mystery). Second: The reference to "technical miscalculations" comes across as petty and a bit silly. Third: While we all should be thankful for being enlightened with the "obvious question" posed at the end of the piece, what would make anyone think that there necessarily was a question? Or that there was only one question? For me, bottom line, the review was a bit cowtown. I shouldn't expect more, but hope springs eternal.
Re: “PlayMakers Rep closes its season with Cabaret”
I couldn't agree more with Mr. Woods' praise for Julie Fishell's performance as Fraulein Schneider. Brava!
Re: “Neal Bell discusses Now You See Me, his new play about privacy and modern media”
Hey Neal, Congratulations. - Bob Diefendorf
Re: “The Skriker; more”
Excuse me but, if the company created a performance of Skriker which was oblique and the audience left feeling confused then they did a good job. the skriker and her minions are a metaphor for hallucinations in relation to postnatal depression, drug taking and shared hallucinations. I'm sorry but your critique is faulty.
Re: “Playwright Daniel Karasik's drama The Innocents strives to make its case”
I went to see this play too, and it seems to me that the things done right in the selection of play and performances by the actors were omitted in your review. The first and most important question, "Was the show entertaining?" can only be answered with a resounding Yes! I am not a regular theater-goer, but at the end of tight 90 minute one-act I felt my money had been spent well. This play may not be one of the standards that get done over and over, but it had something to say to audience members under 40, which I found refreshing. How fitting that a brand new theater group would choose a plsy like this to announce that their aim is to bring works of substance as well as variety to our modest cities in the triangle.
Re: “Three new art spaces testify to downtown Durham's increasing vitality”
In that case I would edit article to this:
"Such "whatevers" include the strange, wonderful, deconstructive show called The Wooster Group's "Diary of Anne Frank," a Little Green Pig production that is not your typical Anne Frank play..."