Humanism’s Ticking Clock

It is a sunny, crisp spring morning as I write this. I recently finished a draft of a difficult play, and I’m preparing for a vacation that will involve three of my favourite things on the planet: role-playing games, great beer, and my oldest, dearest friends. After that, I’ll be heading directly back to the…

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Political Shakespeare in the Time of Tyrants

For the second time since the election, Donald Trump has butted antlers with the professional theatre industry. I guess it’s not that surprising; after all, he seems hard-wired to antagonize everyone within his reach, and thanks to Twitter and the U.S. Presidency (in that order), his reach is vast. Still, it’s disorienting to have worked…

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Transforming Correct

Donald Trump did not win the election on a traditional platform. There were no forward-thinking promises or plans, only talk of regression and enemies. Trump painted a picture of a nation beset and infiltrated by enemies: job-stealing Mexicans, terrorist Mulsims, crooked politicians, etc. And since Trump is a megalomaniac who can’t abide criticism, he drew…

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Transforming Hamilton

In February 1601, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men gave a command performance of Shakespeare’s play, Richard II. The aim was insurrection; Lord Essex was hoping that the play (which depicts an unfit monarch getting deposed by a righteous usurper) would stir the commoners’ hearts to support an actual coup d’etat against Queen Elizabeth I. The mob…

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Transforming Political Schadenfreude

It took me awhile to figure out why I can’t stop clicking on Donald Trump-related links. It’s been a time-consuming distraction, especially since the national conventions, when Trump’s approval ratings really started dropping heavily. As a Cape Bretoner, I have a weird connection to Trump, thanks to an accidental viral tourist marketing campaign. But I…

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