Stories

South Africa’s Daring Anti-Apartheid Theatre Turns Fifty

“Even the fact that audiences were made up of Black and white South Africans mingling together was unheard of in a city where the law separated areas and people by race.” - NPR

The Met’s New Tristan Und Isolde Set Looks Fantastic, But There’s One Little Problem

Sitting in the orchestra, the principals sound wonderful. But elsewhere, thanks to onstage tunnels: “Few lines of the libretto could be made out over the playing, which from the Balcony was often so loud it reduced the singers to textures, like instruments in the ensemble.” - The New York Times

The AI-Based ‘Recommendation’ Issue That’s Going To Destroy Trust In The Internet

Should that trust still exist, which is questionable. “With the rise of large language models, the problem of not-quite-right advice will only get worse. The quickly written, often shoddily verified content is going to become what the LLMs take as the truth.” - Slate

This Poem Was Banned One Hundred Years Ago. Now, It’s Onstage

“A narrative poem full of sex, drugs and violence, it tells the story of a crazy gathering hosted by a beautiful vaudeville singer named Queenie and her crass clown performer boyfriend, Burrs. The poem’s jazzy syncopated rhythms make it as lively and unpredictable as the action.” - The New York Times

How Reality TV Became An Unstoppable Cultural Force

“Many shows have not only endured, they’ve spawned universes, international adaptations and spinoffs. Bravo, a TV channel that used to focus on the performing arts, is now an unscripted powerhouse that even has its own convention, BravoCon.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)

Why Two Emmy-Winning Stars Of The Bear Are Experimenting On Broadway

“'There’s nobody I’d rather go to battle with,’ Bernthal said fervently of his co-star. And ‘if we do go down,’ Moss-Bachrach said, laughing, ‘it’ll be spectacular.’” - The New York Times

TikTok Has A Policy On Labeling AI-Generated Advertising, But Those Labels Are Really Not Working

The problem is caused, but not solved, by technology: “There is currently no trusted technological solution for reliably identifying AI-generated content, or even human-made content, at scale.” Not great for this political moment! - The Verge

Movies, As Seen In ‘Project Hail Mary,’ Are Fun Again

And the box office reflects it. - The New York Times

The World Changed While The World’s Biggest Boy Band Was On Hiatus

But it wasn’t just the world; it’s the music: BTS's comeback album is, maybe, not that great. - Slate (MSN)

Mary Beth Hurt, Tony-Nominated Actress Who Originated A Role In Crimes Of The Heart, Has Died At 79

Hurt also "drew moviegoers to her array of emotionally impactful performances in such films as Interiors, Chilly Scenes of Winter and The World According to Garp.” - The Hollywood Reporter

Why Is Everyone Still In Love With Sherlock Holmes?

“The real Holmes - the one written by Conan Doyle - is endlessly fascinating. He is a genius but flawed because he is so supercilious that he gets bored too quickly and turns to drugs to keep him occupied. But he has a humanity to him.” - NPR

Tracy Kidder, Who Helped Redefine Nonfiction, Has Died At 80

“Kidder was careful to eschew focusing on his longtime loves like fishing or baseball, afraid that if he spent too much time in one of those realms, it might cause him to ‘feel sick of it.’” - The Guardian UK (AP)

Will A Lawsuit Allow Claire Tabouret’s Windows To Be Mounted In Notre Dame?

“At the crux of the controversy is the fact that Tabouret’s new windows would push out Viollet-le-Duc’s undamaged ones. Advocates for the project argue that since the windows date to the 19th century, instead of the Middle Ages, they are fair game to be replaced.” - ARTnews

If Streamers Like Netflix Keep Raising Prices, How Will Viewers Keep Up?

The newest price increase includes a $27 a month premium (that is, not ad-supported; which was, one may remember, THE WHOLE POINT OF STREAMING) plan. Time to get out? - Decider (MSN)

Rebecca Solnit Wants Progressives To Calm Down And Keep It Slow

“Yes, we’re living through a political revolution, but it’s not the one you think. It’s not the fast-paced hurtle towards fascist necropolitics we wake up to every day.” - The Guardian (UK)

Our Free Newsletter

Join our 30,000 subscribers

Latest

Don't Miss