If he's a freaking Socialist, why doesn't he just give his work away?

I'm going to take a wild guess and bet that it's because he's filled to the brim with shit.
McGruv | 10.26.07 - 11:37 am | #

The Guthrie hasn't received any of my money since 1994 or 1995 when my future wife and I saw "As You Like It" by Shakespeare. The only time before that was 1991, when I took a gal I was dating at the time to see "The Pickle Family Christmas". I had no idea what it was, I just thought she'd like to go to the show. I was pleasantly surprised by a comedic Cirque du Soleil style show.

As far as I'm concerned, that whole segment of society can go blow goats for money. They ain't getting any more of mine.
Bill C | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 11:57 am | #

Unfortunately, we are all paying for the Guthrie, thanks to that bonding bill a few years ago. At least it's an operating theater unlike the decaying hulk of the Shubert.

I gotta say, I am not impressed with Kushner. I saw the HBO Angels and I read a fair number of reviews of Homebody, which as I understand it, was a total flop, and not just because of 9/11. Thematically, Kushner is really stuck in the politics of the 80s. Artistically what he does is take a bunch of provocative images and juxtapose them, like a big chaotic collage. Sound and Fury signifying nothing but Sound and Fury. Like piss christ or the dung Mary. Sacred and profane together at last. I'm sorry, but ripping the bourgeoisie has been around since Moliere and arguably before that, with Aristophanes. Great art can be made that is critical of society but from what I've seen this guy doesn't make great art, doesn't really have any cogent criticisms and he makes a kind of self-absorbed pastiche and people fall all over themselves praising it like he's a genius.
Margaret | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 12:48 pm | #

Ouch! But how do you really feel Margaret?

We all knew you had the Anti-Strib attack dog spirit in you, we just dind't know theater would bring it out.
Tracy Eberly | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 12:57 pm | #

One also wonders whether the arts could make it on their own dime if they didn't insist on insulting the mores, religion, and lifestyle of about 80% of the population.

Of course, subsidizing the garbage doesn't help, either, in getting good shows to the stage.
Bike Bubba | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 2:07 pm | #

Tracy, I think of you as much more of a patron of the arts than I am. I actually don't get to plays often anymore. They are expensive and around here at least, the productions are usually a little too fringy for me.

I am sure that has something to do with the economics of theater--we're still the boonies for most A list theater people which means that they can take our money and give us their more "experimental" work. If they tried half of this stuff in NYC the critics would be harsh and they'd have a flop on their hands. We bourgeois midwesterners can always be blamed for being a bunch of rubes if we don't like it and won't come out in droves to pay to have it inflicted on us.
Margaret | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 2:23 pm | #

First, try going to the Jungle Theater. They so some really good plays that are actually fun to watch and often funny too. They do Tom Stoppard's plays pretty regularly.

Secondly and sadly, Minneapolis is not a theater backwater, we actually do get some shows pre-broadway. What you are seeing is a general decline in the quality of theater. There are no more Tennesse Williams' only guys like this hack.

Theater could try to be edgy and produce a pro-America show, but no one in the industry has a clue about what that looks like.
Tracy Eberly | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 2:35 pm | #

I don't care if it's pro-America. I'd like to see something that isn't fixated on the personal problems of modern playwrights. This need to vomit out your personal issues and get other people to pay to watch or read it is a pretty good gig if can get it.
Margaret | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 4:52 pm | #

"I'm sorry, but ripping the bourgeoisie has been around since Moliere and arguably before that, with Aristophanes. "

And it sounds like these old, dead white men did it a hellava lot better than this new guy did...based on Margaret's review...

LL
The Lady Logician | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 7:08 pm | #

"I don't care if it's pro-America. I'd like to see something that isn't fixated on the personal problems of modern playwrights. "

I don't care what it is about as long as it is entertaining which sadly has not been the case for a while. There are a few notable exceptions (Witches I hear is a blast) but they are just that...exceptions.

LL
The Lady Logician | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 7:10 pm | #

I saw a Christmas Carol at the Guthrie about 10 years ago, and quite enjoyed it. I found it to be fairly true to the actual story and well-performed.

Last year I went back and saw it again and barely recognized what what being presented. Talk about artistic license and "adaptation". It was a mess, and filled with liberal, politically correct nuances.

I'm not a sophisticated enough art critic to break down why I got the impression I did, but a lot of it had to do with the "feel" of the play.

Some things I do recall are: The costumes and set were a little "fruitier", there was a ridiculous scene in which a turkey jumped off the table and ran around the room, the actors seemed mis-cast - let's just say that diversity seemed to have been injected for diversity sake and not for acting ability or fit for a role. In a dance/musical scene, there was even what appeared to be a homosexual hug between two men (long hug, gazing into each others eyes).

I don't want to see a bastardized play, especially that one, because I don't believe the director can do a better job than Dickens.

I won't be back to the Guthrie soon.
Rambix | 10.26.07 - 10:50 pm | #