Taylor Mac's ‘Prosperous Fools' skewers wealthy philanthropists in a biting satire
NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Mac does not set out to bite the hand that feeds in a new play satirizing cultural philanthropy. The MacArthur 'genius grant' recipient claims to be 'just trying to get some lipstick on it.'
Set at a not-for-profit dance company's gala, 'Prosperous Fools' invites questions about the moral value of philanthropy in a society denounced by the comedy as 'feudal.' A boorish patron goes mad trying vainly to wield his lacking creative capital and thus confirms the choreographer's fears of selling out to a sleazy oligarch who represents everything his art opposes. The show, written by Mac and directed by Darko Tresnjak, runs through June 29 at Brooklyn's Polonsky Shakespeare Center.
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Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Kenzo brings mischief back to Paris' iconic Maxim's with a riot of color and clash
PARIS (AP) — Few Paris addresses conjure myth quite like Maxim's, the gilded Belle Époque haunt where artists and aristocrats once jostled for a seat at dinner, and a place immortalized in Cole Porter's lyrics and classic Hollywood films as the very symbol of Parisian chic. On Friday night, at Paris Fashion Week the renowned restaurant-turned-nightclub became the improbable stage for Kenzo's latest co-ed show — a riot of pop color, celebrity and cultural collision served tableside. Guests perched around white tablecloths as Nigo, the first Japanese designer to helm Kenzo since the late, great Kenzo Takada, set out to prove the house can still surprise. What unfolded was a knowingly playful mash-up of preppy classics and off-kilter eveningwear: eye-popping pink dresses loosely gathered and knotted, each one tossed with a Left Bank silk scarf; a slinky tuxedo jacket paired with a blaring urban-printed tee in wild color, topped with a cartoon bunny in intentional clash. Think cocktail hour by way of Shibuya street style. Tongue-in-cheek references ran rampant — a circus master's striped waistcoat here, sheeny tiger-motif pants there, all nodding to Kenzo's signature mix of high craft and subcultural wink. If the goal was to recapture the house's historic sense of fun, Nigo went all in. While the creativity on display was undeniable, the sheer abundance of ideas sometimes made it hard for a single vision to shine through. With so many bold references and layers echoing recent seasons' spirit of collaboration and eclecticism, the collection sometimes felt more like a lively collage than a focused statement. Still, there were moments where the craftsmanship and playful accessories truly stood out, offering glimpses of the distinct Kenzo spirit that Nigo has made his own. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. Since joining Kenzo, Nigo has brought a fresh spirit of collaboration and cross-cultural exchange, most visibly in his headline-grabbing work with Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton and his frequent partnerships with artists from across the globe. That outward-looking energy has helped pull Kenzo back into the pop-culture conversation, blending the house's playful legacy with new momentum. As part of the LVMH stable, Kenzo now enjoys the reach and resources of the world's largest luxury group, giving Nigo freedom to experiment, push boundaries and reawaken the brand's irreverent roots. It was a night that nodded to both past and future. After a string of worn years under the previous design duo, Kenzo seems determined to shake off old dust and reclaim its seat at Paris' most storied table. The show at Maxim's — equal parts fashion circus and cultural memory — was a reminder that Paris style is best served with a wink, a clash and more than a little mischief.
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Chef Nobu serves his famous miso cod with a side of inspiration in a new documentary
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Winnipeg Free Press
16 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet, French cinema power couple, call it quits
PARIS (AP) — Oscar winner Marion Cotillard and actor-director Guillaume Canet announced their separation Friday after 18 years and two children together, breaking up a power relationship of French cinema. Cotillard won an Academy Award in 2008 for her performance as the legendary French singer Edith Piaf in 'La Vie en Rose' and is one of France's best-known stars internationally. She starred with Brad Pitt in the World War II romantic thriller 'Allied' and Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Inception.' Canet has acting, directing and screenplay credits and played in 'The Beach' with DiCaprio. The 49-year-old Cotillard and 52-year-old Canet starred together in the French-Belgian film 'Love Me If You Dare' in 2003, a breakthrough box-office hit in France for her. They began dating in 2007. They announced their separation in a statement to the Agence France-Presse news agency that said they made the split public 'to avoid all speculation, rumors and risky interpretations.' Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. It did not give a reason but said they were separating by 'common accord' and with 'mutual goodwill.' France-based agents for Cotillard and Canet did not respond to emails from The Associated Press.
