By Devon Chen '22 As the Shanghai Quartet began their performance of Tan Dun’s string quartet, Feng-Ya-Song, I was nothing short of confused. The piece began with a simple pizzicato in the viola, complicated by a puzzling entrance from a violin. The violin part seemed arbitrary, like it could have come in anywhere during the viola pizzicato. However, as the piece progressed, it revealed the underlying reasoning. By the time all four parts were in full swing, the structure became apparent and it was clear that the entrance was no accident. The piece was unorthodox, without a doubt, but … [Read more...]
“Reversing Roe”: How abortion became a political tool
By Kaitlyn Kelley '22 Wow. Dartmouth alumni Ricki Stern ‘87 and Annie Sundberg ’90 directed a Netflix original, Reversing Roe, that was eye-opening, influential, and empowering. [Reversing Roe was screened at Dartmouth January 25.] Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision made by the Supreme Court in 1973 that made abortions legal across the United States. Almost 50 years later, this is no longer the case as many states now have laws restricting abortion procedures. Currently, Roe v. Wade is threatened of being overturned by the conservative majority on the Supreme Court. Many films … [Read more...]
Review of “Barber Shop Chronicles”: a “hilarious, convincing” exploration of the global Black experience
By Dominique Mobley '22 Absolutely magnificent. Barber Shop Chronicles, written by Inua Ellams, explores and depicts the importance of the barber shop in the lives of Black men, regardless of where they come from – be it Johannesburg or London, Accra or Lagos, Kampala or Harare. Perhaps the most fascinating part of the play was the universality of the topics discussed in the shops, which created a cohesion between each of the men in each of the cities, even if they were thousands of miles – and cultures – apart. While the topics of conversation varied from the serious to the silly – … [Read more...]
Barber Shop Chronicles: “more than an aerodynamic hairstyle”
By Scott Tamkin, Jr. ' 22 African men from all over the world sharing stories, jokes and advice with one common setting: the barber shop. Nigerian-born playwright Inua Ellams gives audience an intimate look into the sacred space that black barber shops are; however, this humorous, honest, and thought-provoking play transcends simply the aesthetics of an aerodynamic hairstyle. Barber Shop Chronicles tackles topics ranging from politics to parenthood to cultural identity while simultaneously flowing between six different cities. [Tickets are still available for performances of Barber Shop … [Read more...]
Please hold your applause: pianist Inon Barnatan at the Hop
By Sarah Hong '21, Hopkins Center Arts Ambassador Have you ever gone to a classical music concert and wondered when to clap? At the start of his concert in the Hop's Spaluding Auditorium on Wednesday, April 25, pianist Inon Barnatan eased the audience’s fears when he announced that for the first half he would play a continuous 45-minute program without break. The program was his rendition of a Baroque dance suite, incorporating pieces by different composers across different centuries. His suite featured diverse works from Handel, Bach, Rameau, Couperin, Ravel, Ades, Ligeti and … [Read more...]
Unpacking the music of Riyaaz Qawwali
By Ugur Yavuz ‘21, Hopkins Center Arts Ambassador On the night of January 19, we had the pleasure of having Riyaaz Qawwali, a qawwali group based in Austin, Texas, on the stage of the Hopkins Center for the Arts. A music not very well known by Western audiences, qawwali is a form of devotional music that originated in Northern India and Pakistan, stretching back for more than 700 years. It has its roots in the Sufi tradition. Sufism represents a mystical aspect of Islam characterized by asceticism and music that has a doctrine of spiritual intuition of the divine truth at its center. As … [Read more...]
Inside view: A Coast member talks about the exciting music and inspiring guests of the February 24 concert
By Sarah Hong ’21, Hop Arts Ambassador The Barbary Coast is Dartmouth’s student jazz ensemble. They will be performing this Saturday, February 24, at 8 pm in Spaulding Auditorium. I recently talked with Connor Quigley, a ’21 who plays the tenor saxophone, about his experiences in the Barbary Coast. Q: How did you get involved with the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble? A: When I was here visiting at Dimensions, I walked by the rehearsal room and saw a band playing there. I saw a poster on the wall that said Dexter Gordon plays with the Barbary Coast, and was, like, “My god, I have to play … [Read more...]
1984: The story of a story told on books, radios, stages and screens
Anindu Rentala '21, Hop Arts Ambassador The Dartmouth Department of Theater's 1984 is characterized by its mixed-media adaptation. Various video clips are woven throughout the play, including Bill Maher’s interview with Yale Professor Timothy Snyder and a video made by the cast, depicting the scene in which the character Winston is tortured. Created by director Peter Hackett, this adaptation uniquely contextualizes the play’s relevance in 2018, highlighting creeping bits of post-fact authoritarianism in America’s democratic-republic. The 1984 that recently played on Broadway was also a … [Read more...]
1984: A lot to think about
By Ricardo M. Serrano-Smith, Hop Arts Ambassador The lights dim, the audiences hushes, and an ominous message appears on the screen: “Big Brother is Watching.” The play begins with a old-fashioned and relaxed tone; actors are reading off of a script in a radio broadcast center, and it feels unnatural. However, as the play continues, one realizes that there is no fourth wall that separates the actors from the audience. In fact the audience in The Moore Theater is intended to be the audience of the radio broadcast. This took a little time to realize, as it was non-traditional, however the … [Read more...]
“1984” is “scarily relevant” to today, says cast member
By Sophia A. Koval '21, Hop Arts Ambassador Savannah Miller is a ‘21 in this term’s mainstage production of 1984, which runs February 16-25 at the Hop. Miller is a prospective theater major who has always had a passion for the arts. Here, she weighs in on her experience in Dartmouth’s theater program. Q: Describe your involvement in the arts at Dartmouth. A: I am a person of Oceania and a prisoner in 1984. I am also going to be a theater major. Last term, I was an assistant stage manager for Cabaret as well as an Arts Ambassador, and I write for the Arts section of The Dartmouth. Q: … [Read more...]
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