Stories

"Theatrical fight directors have a cut-throat job. At extreme pace, in line with other people’s creative vision, they must devise high-intensity fights that can be repeated without injury night after night while retaining the aggressive bite required to convince an audience. … The room for error is devastatingly small." - The Guardian

But that’s over, and Hollywood hasn’t figured out how to win those “casual moviegoers” back since the early days of the pandemic. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)

"After five months of tense negotiations, the American Guild of Musical Artists says it has made limited progress in securing a new collective bargaining agreement for its members that addresses important issues like wages, safety and working conditions." The contract ends on Dec. 6, Nutcracker's opening night. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)

It’s not as if the money is going to the artists, either. "The music industry may be the worst example of rampant commercialism,” one consultant says - before accusing cinemas, theatre, sports, and tourism as well. - The Observer (UK)

Explaining the culture war being fought by right-wing nationalist prime minister Robert Fico's government — particularly his culture minister, former television host Martina Šimkovičová — against both national institutions and smaller independent groups, and how those groups are trying to resist. - Eurozine

As anger grows over interference by the right-wing government's minister of culture, former TV host Martina Šimkovičová, five top curators have resigned following an "intimidating" meeting with the museum's newly-appointed acting director. Another 177 employees have threatened to resign in January. - Euronews

“‘There’s an authenticity here that is beautiful,’ she said. ‘There’s a poetry to it all.'” - The New York Times

That’s not just hurting theatres and symphonies - it’s also hurting bars and nightclubs. Hence: “Welcome to the daytime rave, where you can dance, meet people and still be curled up on the sofa afterwards.” (Maybe orchestras need to take that hint?) - The Guardian (UK)

Lisa Ko “was subjected to weeks of harassment as well as a broader smear campaign in the media which resulted in a loss of professional opportunities,” and many of her fellow authors will not have it. - LitHub

What would Jane Austen - who adored Lizzy - “have made of her modern readers’ more recent obsession with the middle Bennet sister, the plain and unremarkable Mary?” - The New York Times

But now, “there are multiple somber YouTube video essays about the lack of conviviality in multiplayer lobbies, and most of them bear titles that gesture toward an elemental wound in the culture.” - Slate

Alarmingly, “these stories seem to be doing an inordinate amount of work to help children feel warm toward the technologies that increasingly dominate our lives.” - The New York Times

“When people post photos from movie theaters they are ostensibly doing it for their online communities, but they are ignoring the communal experience they are having at that very moment.” - The New York Times

“The bigger venues are so desirable that studios and distributors will put holds on them a year in advance, sometimes before they even know what films they’ll have.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo News)

At least, at the OED. "It’s been quite a journey for “brain rot,” which triumphed over a shortlist of contenders including 'lore,’ 'demure,' 'romantasy,' 'dynamic pricing' and 'slop.'" - The New York Times