An intimate exhibition of black-and-white photographs by Jeff Bridges opened at the George Eastman House in July. Whether entirely intentional or not, the exhibit is a subtle companion to Site Seeing: Photographic Excursions in Tourism. It continues to foster our ongoing romance with photographs, and perhaps more importantly, with photographic memory. Pictures is a […]
Arts & Entertainment
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Dealing with drivel
When he was interviewed by Jerome Holtzman for No Cheering in the Press Box in 1973, former Chicago Tribune sportswriter Ed Prell said, “The sportswriters today depend too much on quotes from the dressing rooms. They’ve become nothing more than messenger boys.” Thirty-one years later, they’re still messenger boys. Unfortunately, that’s what sports journalism […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Bringing out the stars of musical comedy
If there is a musical comedy masterpiece, it is Frank Loesser, Abe Burrows, and Jo Swerling’s Guys and Dolls. Swerling and Burrows’book adapts Damon Runyon’s stories offunny, flavorful lowlifes with wit and zest. Loesser’s tasty lyrics and wonderful music are even better in the plot-oriented songs that have no life outside this show than the […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Oh Ricky
I stood in the Bills’ locker room after a practice, sort of listening to what Ruben Brown was saying, but paying more attention to the things in his locker. The lockers have no doors, so I sometimes quickly examine them to get a glimpse into pro football players’ souls. Usually, there’s little of interest. Many […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Great theater: bad ideas, miscastings, and all
Several hundred amazingly respectful school kids attended the matinee I saw of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and seemed to really enjoy it, despite the wrongheaded production. Stratford’s eye-popping, elaborate stagings, performed by some of the world’s best-trained, most gifted classical actors in these state-of-the-art theaters are likely to be the best you will see, […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Bledsoe is not today’s QB
Last week I took Secrets of an NFL Scout, a book by the late Tony Razzano, and gave you Part 1 of a scrumptious soufflé of insights into the specific qualities that make good NFL players. It focused on defense. This week, I focus on offense and examine five Bills, just in time for training […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Bledsoe is not today’s QB
Last week I took Secrets of an NFL Scout, a book by the late Tony Razzano, and gave you Part 1 of a scrumptious soufflé of insights into the specific qualities that make good NFL players. It focused on defense. This week, I focus on offense and examine five Bills, just in time for training […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Never before seen in Italy
The Venice Biennale, which goes back to 1895, is the granddaddy of all biennials. To that august artistic pantheon, others have been added, like the Whitney Biennial in 1932 — which focuses on American art — and in 1962 the Sao Paulo Biennial debuted in Brazil (although its roots go back another 40 years to […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Moving with grace from jig to waddle
John Haldoupis, artistic director at Blackfriars Theatre, recently introduced a showing of May God Strike Me Dead… (If I’m Telling a Lie)! with: “We’re thrilled to have a little-known performer — perhaps you’ve heard of her — Adele Fico.” The audience twittered in knowing anticipation. Patrons who for years have enjoyed Fico’s acting and comedy […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Two finds and a superplay, please
The Shaw Festival has achieved international fame with its superb revivals of relatively unknown plays of significant worth. The latest two are fascinating period pieces. Githa Sowerby’sRutherford and Son played in London and on Broadway in 1912, then virtually disappeared. In the last decade it was revived because of renewed interest in plays about […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Baking an NFL player
If you’re going to Bills training camp at St. John Fisher you might as well get something out of it. So, starting this week, I’m issuing scouting guides to help keep your mind occupied through all the stretching and hydrating. Now your trip will be more useful than a tube of toothpaste. This information is […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Forging a Frontier of their own
DC United’s Jaime Moreno stands just outside Frontier Field’s team locker rooms and looks down the tunnel where soccer players enter the stadium, in the foul territory behind home plate. His team just beat the Rhinos 2-0 in a friendly match, and Moreno is describing what it’s like to play soccer on a baseball […]
