Required Referendum Reading Considering Una Mullally’s Repeal the 8th as “too political”... [is an] unfair and dangerous misreading of this important and touching anthology.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover”, they said. After reading through Repeal the 8th, the anthology recently edited by Una Mullally and published by Unbound, one is left to wonder: if the title of the book were not one … Continue reading Required Referendum Reading Considering Una Mullally’s Repeal the 8th as “too political”… [is an] unfair and dangerous misreading of this important and touching anthology.

Debunking the Artist/Hero Complex Should allegations and/or demonstrations of sexual misconduct and abusive behaviour modify our aesthetic judgements?

The realm of visual arts was not spared by the #MeToo campaign, which provided audiences of early 2018 with a powerful incentive to rethink an enduring topic; the links between an artist’s life and the appreciation of their works. Should … Continue reading Debunking the Artist/Hero Complex Should allegations and/or demonstrations of sexual misconduct and abusive behaviour modify our aesthetic judgements?

An Exhilarating Journey: Reading Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood by Lucy Mangan The British journalist treats her reader with an exhilarating journey through children’s literature.

●●●●○ In the dedication of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ruefully noticed that “if all grown-ups were once children, only few of them remember it.” Reading Bookworm, Lucy Mangan’s latest opus, will easily convince you that the British journalist … Continue reading An Exhilarating Journey: Reading Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood by Lucy Mangan The British journalist treats her reader with an exhilarating journey through children’s literature.

John Fowles’ “The Collector” at the Mill: oversimplified and disappointing Despite impressive staging and interpretation, "The Collector" proves not-so-dramatic.

●●●○○ The first hour of The Collector – a theatrical adaptation of John Fowles’ 1963 debut novel – is dazzling. The staging is remarkable. To tackle the challenge of dramatising the novel the stage is separated into two spaces delineated … Continue reading John Fowles’ “The Collector” at the Mill: oversimplified and disappointing Despite impressive staging and interpretation, “The Collector” proves not-so-dramatic.

The Beauty of Unfaithfulness – Examining the popularity of “classical reboots” in 2017. Among the prolific output of “classical reboots” in 2017, Colm Tóibín’s House of Names and Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire distinguish themselves as the most powerful, not the least because they are emancipated from any antiquarian concern.

Since Greek mythology was rediscovered during the Renaissance, it has been a major source of inspiration for artists. Judging from the number of classical reboots – books whose plot or characters are directly borrowed from Greek literature – that were … Continue reading The Beauty of Unfaithfulness – Examining the popularity of “classical reboots” in 2017. Among the prolific output of “classical reboots” in 2017, Colm Tóibín’s House of Names and Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire distinguish themselves as the most powerful, not the least because they are emancipated from any antiquarian concern.

A More Modern “The Vagina Monologues” By creating a very Irish adaptation of Eve Ensler’s "The Vagina Monologues", Reidin Dunne and her cast rejuvenate the Nineties feminist play.

●●●●○ Twenty years after The Vagina Monologues premiered at Broadway, Eve Ensler’s iconic play might not seem as scandalous as it used to be. On January 19th, the enumeration of synonyms for ‘vagina’ that opened the play elicited more laugh … Continue reading A More Modern “The Vagina Monologues” By creating a very Irish adaptation of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues”, Reidin Dunne and her cast rejuvenate the Nineties feminist play.

Paint it Black – Amish Kapoor and the extremes of colour Lucie Rondeau du Noyer discusses the ownership of colour in the world of art

Scandal sells, and many key figures in the art world never resent promoting themselves through polemic, especially not Anish Kapoor. For the British superstar sculptor, not a year goes by without its matching heated controversy. In 2015, Kapoor was highly … Continue reading Paint it Black – Amish Kapoor and the extremes of colour Lucie Rondeau du Noyer discusses the ownership of colour in the world of art

True novel or veiled autobiography? “First Person” by Richard Flanagan Flanagan’s new book is undoubtedly clever, but nevertheless leaves the reader with more questions than certainties.

  ●●●○○   Its first pages seem to announce a novel of formation: Kif, a youthful and destitute father of one and wannabe-writer begins to ghostwrite the memoir of Australia’s most-wanted swindler, in order to pay back his mortgage and … Continue reading True novel or veiled autobiography? “First Person” by Richard Flanagan Flanagan’s new book is undoubtedly clever, but nevertheless leaves the reader with more questions than certainties.