Les Mis hits the right note
“Les Misérables,” originally based on Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name, was first produced as an opera in 1980, and has been translated and revived many times since. The last version brought “Les Misérables” to a whole new venue for the first time as an epic, nearly-three-hour movie. Directed by Tom Hooper and starring, […]
Documentary unveils dark underbelly of Israeli law
“The Law In These Parts,” directed by Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, details the legal system put in place after the 1967 war, in which Israel’s presence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip began. It’s a situation, which, at least in the case of the West Bank, perseveres to this day. Although the Israeli presence has been […]
True to its word, farcical 'Rumors' delivers hilarity
“Rumors,” originally by Neil Simon and directed at Brandeis by Neal Rabinowitz ’13, tells the story of two couples who have gathered for a tenth-anniversary party only to find the hosts in a state of absolute disaster. The story unfolds in an absurd cluster of nearly unbelievable happenings as the couples attempt to cover for […]
Despite valiant efforts, ‘Bat Boy’ flounders in absurdity
Built off of a tabloid story, “Bat Boy” could not have been more ambitious. The musical tells the story of a young bat humanoid found living in a cave and chronicles his struggle to learn the truth of love as he settles into human society, despite its overwhelming hate toward him. In concept, “Bat Boy” […]
Dor Guez engages with art and experience
This semester, The Rose has had the sincere pleasure of hosting the art of Dor Guez, a Christian Palestinian whose work, a collection of photos and videos, chronicles the tale of his family and their lives as a minority group in Israel. Guez’s work has been shown on a global scale and it is a […]
‘Metamorphoses’ sets high standard with brilliant performance
The Undergraduate Theatre Collective struck gold with their production of Mary Zimmerman’s “Metamorphoses.” Based on the familiar Greek myths of Ovid, “Metamorphoses” is presented as a series of short tales connected by themes of love and loss, among others. Directed by the talented and creative Jessica Rassp ’13, the show boasts a twelve-person cast in […]
Arts Recommends
Hands of Glory Connor Novy, Editor Being “indefinable” is a dubious blessing. It has connotations of saccharine whimsy or being generally unlistenable. Andrew Bird, however, continues to disregard the boundaries of genre with his newest release, “Hands of Glory.” With only eight songs, it might be too short to stand alone as an album, but […]
‘Voltaire & Frederick’ wields sophistication and grace
The Center for German and European Studies presented “Voltaire & Frederick: A Life in Letters,” Monday to a full Mandel Center for the Humanities Atrium, exhibiting a show at the crossroads of history, philosophy, politics, biography and art. The show brings noted Boston actors Thomas Derrah (Voltaire) and John Kuntz (Frederick) to campus, in a […]
Blending humanity with fairytale, ‘Into the Woods’ enthralls
“Into the Woods,” directed at Brandeis by Jessie Field ’13 and put on by the Free Play Cooperative, presents a twisted set of fairytales and takes them to conclusions far beyond where they began. The musical asks, in nearly three hours of song, the question really begged of fables: What happens after “happily ever after?” […]
For the final season, a very different “Fringe”
In the world of science fiction, J.J. Abrams has become something of a king, creating the long-running show “Lost,” with an almost cult-like, devotional fanbase despite a near-incomprehensible plot, in addition to directing the latest “Stark Trek” movie and it’s forthcoming sequel. With so much success, it’s sad to see another of Abrams’ projects fall […]
Arts Recommends
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff Meg Rosoff’s “How I Live Now” tells the story of a teenage girl called Daisy, who is sent away by her broken New York family to live with unknown cousins in the British countryside. The story begins lighthearted and adventurous, as the children enjoy an idyllic farm life […]
Shrouded in controversy, ‘Elementary’ Soldiers on
America, it seems, has gone mad for Sherlock Holmes. Since 2009, two films starring Robert Downey Jr. have been released to great success, and the British BBC’s “Sherlock” has a strong American fan base. Now, the United States is to get a television Sherlock of our own: “Elementary,” a similarly modernized take on the classic […]
Brandeis’ best senior artists on display
In the Goldman-Schwartz Art Center on Wednesday, select members of the senior classes opened a show, highlighting the work that they have produced over the past summer. The show is called “New Work from Home and Abroad,” showcasing the fact that some of the art in the show was produced overseas by students in the […]
Commemorating 9/11 in public art
In many ways, the attacks of September 11, 2001 have defined the tone of our society for the last decade in addition to permanently altering the lives of thousands of Americans. It has become a focal point of our culture, a meeting place of pain upon which all ethnic backgrounds and political creeds can unite, […]
“Convergence” celebrates ten years of feminist progress
This year, Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Research Center (WSRC) celebrates its ten-year anniversary. The center, which was founded upon the principle of acting as an innovative meeting place between art, scholarship and activism, commemorates the occasion through a diverse show in the Kniznick Gallery called “Convergence.” The show reflects feminist values and many of the […]
In first show of the year, improv prevails
In a crowded Chums on Monday evening, three of Brandeis University’s four improvisational comedy groups were to perform for an audience of returning veterans and new first-year students, getting their first taste of all the university has to offer. Despite lacking the fourth group, TBA, and a last-minute change in time due to the tragedy […]
Brandeis' Artistic Early Days
Throughout the past 60 years, Brandeis has indisputably been a hotbed of protest and other significant political activity. As political movements have come and gone through the university, so have the artistic and cultural ones, going hand in hand with these fresh political leanings. Brandeis has always had a role in the cultural history of […]
Creative Productions to Shine in Fall Theater Season
Due to an intensely competitive a cappella scene, a slew of comedy troupes, and not to mention the many theater groups on campus, each school year brings a new batch of performances. As the semester unfolds, each weekend brings some new theatrical event, and the coming semester looks to be no different. Between September and […]
Campus activates creativity for annual arts affair
Even with finals looming, the final weekend in April proved truly incredible. In part, this was because the Leonard Bernstein Festival for the Creative Arts brought art, dance and music to venues across campus. Meanwhile, a number of theater productions were being staged alongside the semester shows of countless clubs. To top it all off, […]
'Cymbeline' stands strong, but doesn't amaze
A later work of William Shakespeare’s, “Cymbeline,” which is simultaneously considered a romance and a tragedy, tells the story of Imogen (Gabrielle Geller ’12), princess of Britain and daughter of King Cymbeline (Andrew Prentice ’13), and her banished lover Posthumus (Stephanie Karol ’12). In the play, it comes to light that Imogen’s stepmother, Queen Hareth […]
