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Theater Review: A Skewed and Silly “Pirates of Penzance” Sets Sail

May 17, 2013
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Despite its aura of “Gidget Goes Hawaiian,” and the profusion of cute props like rubber duckies and ukeleles, The Hypocrites’ production is smart enough not to mess (too much) with the original score and lyrics.

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Television Review: Christopher Guest’s Humble “Family Tree”

May 16, 2013
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The only way to sort of enjoy “Family Tree” is with modest expectations; and indeed, this is the most modest of series, as Christopher Guest cuts his molars on TV with a program which rarely tries to be more than fairly amusing, mildly ambitious, a kind of bemused apprentice work in a new medium.

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Coming Attractions: Regional Summer Dance Performances

May 15, 2013
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Yes, there is dance in New England this summer, but those who love motion may need to embark on a little themselves to journey further afield to watch it. The trip, I can assure you, will be worth it.

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Critical Commentary/Review: “Writing the Record” — Making Rock Criticism Safe for the Seminar Room

May 14, 2013
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Any American arts critic worth his or her salt is part of a bohemian fringe, is aware of the political resonance of reviews, and is dedicated to sparking serious dialogue about arts and culture.

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Jazz Review: Pianist Tamir Hendelman — More than Just a Classic Sideman

May 13, 2013
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Tamir Hendelman’s remarkable keyboard skills are matched by his immense versatility. He’s an award-winning composer and popular session player who brings all-star talent to every gig.

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Book Review: The Fine-Spun Harmonic Furies of William Gass’s “Middle C”

May 12, 2013
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Despite “Middle C”’s relative cheeriness, the novel passes a tough sentence on the human race, so uncompromising that its protagonist has a hard time writing it down.

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Music Review: The Boston Pops does “Fantasia”

May 11, 2013
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In the end, the technological snafu probably did more than the musical selections themselves to prove that listening to symphonic music ‘live’ is not a stuffy affair.

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Visual Arts: The New Rijksmuseum — A Revelation

May 10, 2013
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Respect for the building and its makers, respect for the historical study of art, respect for the visitor’s relation to the displays. These are qualities that I find in the New Rijksmuseum and missed in the old one.

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Book Review: A Compelling Look at the Life of Poet John Keats

May 9, 2013
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There is a steadiness about Nicholas Roe’s writing that is deceptive; the life in the Life does not jump off the page, but it accumulates during the reading so that something of what it felt like to be around John Keats remains, as things do when truly experienced.

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Book Review: Vital, Phenomenal — Novelist Anthony Marra’s debut

May 8, 2013
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“A Constellation of Vital Phenomena” is spectacular.

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