Arts
Brilliant ‘Ma Rainey’ Explores 1920s Racism
The Huntington Theatre Company's production of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" provides a fitting swan song to their exploration of playwright August Wilson's hugely influential "Pittsburgh Cycle," a set of 10 plays that explores the African-American experience in the 20th century.
New Musical ‘Futurity’ Rocks OBERON
"Futurity" revolves around the cast’s magnetic stage presence which, when combined with an innovative set design, makes this show a quirky musical triumph.
Democracy in a Decanter
At almost any wine tasting, the same precisely obscure terminology is used to describe the taste of the drink: a scent of stone fruit, balanced flavors, excessively young tannins. But to me, a certain unknown German wine evoked more unfamiliar qualities: a scent of gasoline or paint thinner, watery—perhaps not the sort of flavor profile the traditional elitists of the wine world would deem worthy of such analysis. But I found it intriguing.
Becoming a Bird Nerd
Such outdoor experiences are typically seen as the antithesis of geekiness: it’s you versus nature, relying purely on your eyes and ears to take in as much as you can. You can’t ask Wikipedia what bird you just saw, and there’s no associated trading card game or comic book. But while I was on the trip, I couldn’t help but think of how all this identifying, classifying, and searching felt like one of my geekier hobbies. When my T.F. excitedly pointed out a rare bird, my first thought was, “My God, this is just like Pokémon!”
A Past within the Present
Ulises de la Orden, an Argentine documentary filmmaker, would rather not forget. In a country struggling to bury the recent past, de la Orden is obsessed with excavating the crimes of the fledgling Argentine nation-state from the midst of the 19th century. His latest film, “Tierra Adentro” (“The Land Within”), focuses on the little-known Desert Conquest of the 1870s, a campaign that extended Argentina’s borders into the depths of South America, uprooting and largely extinguishing entire indigenous tribes in the process.
The Sway of the South
The Stones were on my mind as I sat on my friend’s roof in late senior year, discussing our grand plans for the summer. Several of my friends wanted to make the customary backpack trip through Europe, but I wanted to go south. I wanted to escape the bleak, cold and painted black cities of the North to take in the fresh air.
Ladysmith Bring a Unique Style to Sanders
While their concert at Sanders Theatre meandered at the beginning and was repetitive at times, the group’s infectious gusto and enthusiasm turned the show into a raucous and entertaining delight.
Shock Not Schlock in ‘Talk Radio’ at the Ex
"Talk Radio" impressed audiences with its visceral intensity at the Loeb Ex before spring break.
Heavy Germanic All-Nighter Playlist
Sorry folks, Spring Break is over. Luckily, the Arts Board is here to help. Successful execution of an all-nighter requires mastery of the myriad emotional states that stress and exhaustion produce—grief, anger, narcissism, joy, transcendence. After careful research, Arts has found that the best tools for dealing with stress are copious volumes of coffee and music from the German classical repertoire. Enjoy.
‘Deported’ Dreamy but Ultimately Obtuse
Although "Deported: A Dream Play" at the Modern Theatre boasts some strong acting, the show ultimately falters due to tedious staging.
Glengarry Glen Ross
David Mamet's award-winning play "Glengarry Glen Ross" is coming to the loeb Ex next week.
Black Keys Play The Garden
Dan Auerbach, guitarist and vocalist of The Black Keys, performs on stage after the Arctic Monkeys on Wednesday night at Boston's TD Garden Arena.
