Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:28:58 -0400 (EDT) From: robertrogers-AT-robertrogerspuppets.com To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Subject: [Puptcrit] Petrushka review Allow me to complain about a recent review of Basil Twist's "Petrushka" by Joan Acocella in a recent issue of the "New Yorker" magazine. It's yet another sad example of a person, who knows nothing of puppetry, given the responsibility of writing about it. It was a glowing review, and it's not my intention to take anything away from Basil Twist. But it was frustrating to read. Ms. Acocella described Basil Twist as, "...a puppetry scholar, the sole American graduate of France's Ecole Superieure Nationale des Arts de la Marionette." First of all, a person does not become a scholar just because he or she graduated from a school. And anyway, so what? There are many fantastically talented puppeteers all around the world, who for one reason or another did not go to that school. Are they any less accomplished or "scholarly?" Ms. Acocella compliments Twist because he "...has given (his puppets) human qualities. His Petrushka has moveable eyebrows..." Wow! What an original innovation! This production of "Petrushka" with puppets is written about as if it's the only one that was ever staged. I've seen several, and it would have been beneficial for Ms. Acocella if she had too. All right, I've let off enough steam. Robert Rogers _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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