'The Sensuality Party' is a disturbing, fascinating, weirdly funny dive into the psyche of a generation as seen through one very talented writer's novelistically observant eye.
Read More »Jon Sobel
Theater Review (NYC): Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘Henry IV Part 1’ and ‘Henry IV Part 2’
What makes these productions so good is their attention to detail, both in the actors' characterizations and in the myriad perfect touches of action and interaction.
Read More »Travels in Turkey: Part 6 – Ephesus
A visit to ancient Ephesus, the Virgin Mary home, the Temple of Artemis, and more.
Read More »Concert Review: Pianist Eric Zuber (NYC, 4/18/16)
Familiar preludes by Chopin and Debussy joined new ones by modern composers including the pianist himself in this stirring GetClassical at Yamaha Piano Salon concert.
Read More »Music Review: Hayes Carll – ‘Lovers and Leavers’
The Americana troubadour evolves into a plumber of the soul on his fine new album. I imagine him sitting back in a cracked leather easy chair, letting out a long slow breath, and surveying the haste and waste of the world around him before starting work on these songs.
Read More »Language Matters in Life and Business: Language Prejudice, Language Paranoia
Southwest Airlines pulled a passenger off a plane for the 'crime' of speaking Arabic, then added insult to injury by abusing the English language in its response.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC): ‘Henry V’ from the Royal Shakespeare Company
Many of the play's well-known scenes and speeches hit home with depth and exactitude under Gregory Doran's scholarly and wide-angled direction in this spectacular if flawed production.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC): ‘Nathan the Wise’ with F. Murray Abraham and Stark Sands
With a uniformly excellent cast, this bracing version of Gotthold Lessing's German Enlightenment play hits home with its then (and still) controversial view of religion: that no faith has the uniquely true message of God.
Read More »Music Reviews: Jim Cullum’s ‘Porgy and Bess Live’ and The Oatmeal Jazz Combo’s ‘Instant Oats’
One of the long-running Jim Cullum Jazz Band's great achievements is its jazz-band version of 'Porgy and Bess,' now available on a two-CD set, including narration by William Warfield, who played Porgy on stage many times.
Read More »Theater Review (NYC): ‘Troll’ by Ken Greller
'Troll' plunges headlong into the hyper-modern. Are our online selves our true selves at all? If not, what are they? What do their actions say about us? The questions are vividly relevant.
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