Turn Five

Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre will open their production of Samuel Beckett’s Endgame next month. The production is directed by ensemble member Frank Galati, and perhaps appropriately will be opening on April first. Steppenwolf is one of Chicago’s premiere theatre companies and is part of what makes it one of the nation’s more prominent theatre towns. Tourists who visit the city are well aware of at least three things about Chicago before they arrive there. These three elements are not in any particular order but include the fact that the city offers some great blues and jazz in numerous clubs, it also offers some great theatre and is located on Lake Michigan. Of course there are a great number of other major cultural attractions, landmarks and social aspects and some of the Chicago tourists may be more aware of some than others, but the city’s general reputation contains those three ingredients.

Endgame is one of Beckett’s better-known plays, though Waiting for Godot is probably is most famous. Both of these plays are considered to be among his most important and definitive works. It is a one-act play and contains only four characters. The title refers to the final moments in a game of chess when there are just a few pieces left on the table and only a few possible outcomes. Beckett was one of the writers of absurdist dramas and typical to the genre, this play has many possible interpretations. Critic Harold Bloom makes the argument that one of the main characters, Hamm, is a reference to the Shakespearean Hamlet and associates the one of the play’s lines to the tragic prince’s to be or not to be speech. This alludes to the static nature of the main character’s behaviors and state of existence. There is almost no action in the play the circumstances in each of the characters’ lives continue to remain the same day after day. The play is scheduled to run at Steppenwolf through the sixth of June.

The dream is always the same.  I am standing on a corner of a street that I don’t recognize.  There are no people, and no cars, but there is a strange sound from far off, a kind of muffled roar, the kind of stereotypical sound you hear in a dream sequence right before you hear a louder sound.  The louder sound is the roar, only louder because it is not muffled.  This is a crowd, crowd sounds in the street, in the empty street, and I understand that I am having a dream, but it doesn’t seem to matter too much to anyone else.  The street is suddenly populated, and I can see that I’m in a parade.

The dream doesn’t return, and there isn’t any kind of hint about a Chinese restaurant at the beginning of an evening in Singapore.  It would be a perfect place, however, to be right before Chingay, the big New Year’s festival in town.  This is one of those big street parties that everyone always talks about.  There are lots of floats, because that was really at the origins of the festival at the turn of the 20th century, with paper dragons, and lots of fireworks.  The fireworks have been an on-again off-again part of the week, with concerns about the crowds.

Today, this celebration of Chinese New Year has all the makings of a waking dream.  There are spectacular things to see, and some of them are as colorful as anything that animation can do.  These are the big moments when people come together to make a metaphorical celebration of life, and the cycles of time, paying honor to the way the big wheel turns.  We prepare for another year, shedding the skin of the last year and wondering about the future.  Our metaphorical celebrations would have to be similar to dreams, because they come from the same place.

Traveling in Malaysia is fascinating and exciting.  There are some of the world’s most vibrant and happening cities, offering a host of attractions, constant entertainment, and fabulous people watching.  There are also plenty of natural areas, including the magnificent beaches, to offer a gorgeous sense of escape from the everyday world.  It’s tropical weather and amazing cuisine seem designed to lure every guest into coming back.  It’s certainly worth repeat trips, because there is always something new that is happening, and it’s also hard to get too much of a good thing.  You may come to believe that the good life was, in fact, invented right here.  There are plenty of restaurants, shopping centers, and luxury hotels.  Malaysia has it all, and it’s all right here at your fingertips.

Getting into the local culture is the best way to understand a place, and one of the fastest ways is through art.  Live entertainment offers you the chance to see some fantastic work, but also to become part of a local culture, the audience, even if it’s only temporary.  Heisenberg or the Buddha spoke about how our participation in the world affects it, and our perceptions can shape it, and here you can see this at work when you take part in an art event.  If you haven’t experienced this before, you certainly could at an event that’s connected to EMACM.

The acronym stands for Experimental Musicians and Artists Co-Operative Malaysia, and they’re an organization based in Cheras, and they do a wide variety of projects.  They serve as the sponsors to support and produce unusual art and sound projects that have had difficulties getting produced in the past, or because of their experimental nature, are having trouble finding venues and funding.  The talent is very high here, and they have an array of interesting collaborators and circle of artists they work with, and it’s absolutely worth checking out.  If you want to see how perceptions create realities in art, it’s a great place to begin, and if you’re looking for the cutting edges of Malaysia, this is where you might start seeing interesting rabbits worth chasing.

Those traveling to New York this week are a lucky bunch.  Today marks the beginning of the week long celebration, Wild Things Week NYC, in honor of a son of the city of Brooklyn.  Maurice Sendak, now 81 years old, created a entire world when he wrote and illustrated his children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are” in 1963.  It is a world that I remember, one of the only children’s books I can still picture in my head.  This is true for so many people, adults my age who just simply cannot wait for opening day.

And this week the live action version, directed by Spike Jonze is set to be released to a wide range of people who have been holding this story dear to their hearts, most of them far past the age of childhood.  Sendak recently spoke about how growing up in New York was the inspiration for his tale that is so beloved to so many.  Sendak stated that his widely recognized characters were based on his family members, all of them immigrants and all of them just a bit uncomfortable in their new surroundings in Brooklyn.

He admitted that these relatives freaked he, his brother and his sister out a bit with their strange and foreign ways and that they would actually hide from them when the came to visit.  They couldn’t understand the Yiddish language spoken and at the time the kids just wanted to be American.  He says though that as he grew older he came to love them, one most of all his Grandmother whom he said was actually the more foreign and alien of all of the relatives.

But he wrote “Wild Things” from the perspective of a child, when the pinches and too-tight hugs of adults seem more frightening than signs of affection.  This week will be a wonderful time in the city, so book your New York hotel suites now if you haven’t already, and be in on one of the most fabulous movie premieres this year…and depending how fond you are of this book from our childhood–perhaps you booked those accommodations already.

Visitors to the country of South Africa find themselves amidst the busy and cosmopolitan cities of Johannesburg and Capetown, amidst the artisans of the villages, and sometimes walking along some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.  Up and down the coast the beaches are perfect for those interested in surfing and snorkeling, or taking in the sun, and are dotting with many charming cottages and boutique hotels.  South Africa beaches also offer incredible opportunities for hiking along the coasts and outdoor adventure.

The experiences vary depending on which area one visits.  Some very wonderful beaches are located along the Eastern Cape,  including two of the most famous in the country for surfing, East London and Port Elizabeth.  While Wild coast beach is know for craggy cliffs perfect for rock climbing.  Some of the beaches are more developed and populated than others so there is the perfect environment available to every one’s desire.  One that is relatively undeveloped and offers miles of tropical landscapes and calm waters perfect for swimming is Port Saint John’s.  The lagoon is perfect for younger children or for those who are not strong swimmers.

The bay of Port Elizabeth also offers the calmer waters, as the Algoa Bay protects the coast from the harsher waves of the ocean.  There is however, opportunity for some surfing, just right for those who are just learning the sport.  Near by are animal refuges wherein one can take a  walk through a snake park, or watch dolphin and whales at the nearby oceanarium.  Like many of the Southern California Beaches, East London in South Africa is laid back.  There are outcrops of rock in which to walk on, great views and stretches of dunes.  South Beach, located in the town of Durban is famous for the Golden Mile.  This is a little more of a populated beach with artists hawking their wares such as baskets, bead work and other such handicrafts.  Just nearby is the largest marine park in Africa, uShaka Marine World.   Any of the beaches will offer fun in the sun, and much more.

Fire up the grill and bust out the popsicles, its summertime! Summer is one of the most fun filled times in American culture. You have baseball and Fourth of July fireworks, all contending with going to the swimming pool and drinking lemonade. All of the kids are out of school and there is just a more laid back vibe to the country in the summer time than any other time of year.

So if you are looking to have some summer fun, you can do so right in your own backyard. You may not be able to take that road trip or two weeks off like you used to, but you can still have fun at your own home this summer. Here are some summer things you can buy to instantly add fun to your life.

A trampoline: A trampoline is a great thing to have if you have children, grand children. They are great to jump on for exercise and kids absolutely love them! You just have to make sure that there are adults around to supervise because trampolines can be dangerous. But as long as there are adults, both children and adults enjoy these fun outdoor accessories.

A grill: What is summer without burgers and hot dogs? You can get a grill relatively inexpensively. You don’t have to go for the big, huge outdoor kitchen. Light it up charcoal style and defrost the burgers because summer is just not summer without a cookout.

A hot tub: If you are looking for a summer splurge, consider getting a hot tub. They add a great element to your backyard and are equally as entertaining. What is more relaxing than a hot tub really? You may never need to go on vacation again. Check out the website of Steven Barbarich, choosehottubsdirect.com for some great deals.

The Singapore Lyric Opera was founded in 1991 with the mission of presenting the best of Western opera. It is now recognized as one of the major arts centers in Singapore and was award a Major Grant status by the National Arts Council. The inaugural performance was of Mozart’s Magic Flute and it has strived for excellent standards and to maintain a respected reputation since then. It is known for presenting operas that are not typical to Asian production companies and each one is received with critical acclaim and tremendous audience approval. The lyric opera is also a popular attraction for tourists staying in one of the boutique hotels Singapore.

Throughout the years, the lyric opera has presented well-known productions such as the most recent performance of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffman. It has also produced Turandot in 2008, Il Barbiere di Siviglia in 2007, Le Nozze di Figaro in 2006, and Madame Butterfly in 2005. All of these productions were well-received and offered new experiences for the audiences. One of the company’s objectives is to expand the opera experience to a wider audience. This has been a standard aspect of its schedule and it has definitely been successful. It also supports the development of new artists and provides a platform for the up and coming musicians and conductors to work with the top professionals in the field. In 2008, the opera company formed its SLO Youth Choir, which is aimed at enhancing the development of young performers, as well as establishing a strong sense of musical appreciation in the new generation.

Another progressive aspect of the opera is its Opera in the Park program that was also established last year. The June 2008 program was held at the Singapore Botanical Gardens and was well received by the audience. The event presented various selections from well-known operas for its 6000 plus audience members. This year the program will return to the Gardens and play at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage. The admission is free to all and the concert begins at 6:00 PM. Patrons are encouraged to pack a picnic basket and enjoy the evening’s presentation that will include works by Mozart, Puccini and Verdi.