Book Review: The Difficult Genius of Stephen Sondheim – Revisited - The Arts Fuse

Drayton Entertainment presents INTO THE WOODS by Stephen Sondheim at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse from October 7 to October 25, 2026Stephen Sondheim is one of musical theatre’s most celebrated creators, known for his clever lyrics, memorable music, and unforgettable characters. Now, one of his most beloved works, Into the Woods, brings together familiar fairy-tale favourites including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. With music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by James Lapine, Into the Woods is a witty, heartfelt musical about wishes, choices, and what happens after the storybook ending. Be careful what you wish for, as the line between reality and fantasy blurs when an epic fairytale comes to life – with real world consequences. In a quest to reverse a curse placed on them by the witch next door and fulfill their deepest hope, a baker and his wife venture into the woods to find four magical ingredients. On their journey, they encounter Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack, each on a quest to fulfill a wish of their own.

Triumph, which has just opened at London’s Almeida theatre, is Caryl Churchill’s latest piece of explosive minimalism. Running at just 20 minutes, it skewers contemporary barbarism without mentioning the names of Trump, Putin or any of the other supposedly strong national leaders. It works through historical analogy and is a reminder that Churchill – while “always ahead of the game” in the words of the play’s director, James Macdonald – has in recent years developed a form of elliptical drama for which the apt word might be compressionism. At the heart of Churchill’s new play is an edgy romance between a male journalist and a female press officer who dons a blond wig for her screen appearances and who is a vigorous apologist for a cruel, vindictive, narcissistic emperor. At first she merrily trumpets his more acceptable achievements: pearls imported from Britain, gold from the temples of Gaul, statues erected to his own glory. But through her lover she learns of the monstrosities of the regime she represents – such as prisoners trapped in claustrophobic cages and sawn in half – and reveals the truth on camera.

A a man died of a freak accident on the property on Friday during a walking tour.

'The fair is proceeding as planned and final preparations are underway,' a spokesperson said. The post After Protests and Riots, Art Basel Readies Paris Show appeared first on Artnet News .

MIRROR-FINISH ACRYLIC PANELS CONCEAL pavilion IN GUADALAJARADesigned by errre taller, Sfumato is a temporary reflective pavilion that reinterprets the Cubo MEM, a prominent sculptural landmark at the ITESO architecture complex in Guadalajara, Mexico. Selected as the winning proposal for the inaugural Pabellón MEM competition, the project investigates how an existing architectural structure can become visually imperceptible while maintaining its physical footprint.all images ©errre tallerCONCEALED STEEL FRAMING FORMS MONOLITHIC SKYWARD PAVILIONThe intervention by studio errre taller wraps the 6.40 × 6.40-meter cube in a reflective envelope composed of 3 mm mirror-finish acrylic panels. The standard 1.22 × 2.44-meter sheets are combined with 76 cm cut sections to maximize material efficiency while maintaining surface continuity. The panels are attached using double-sided tape and silicone to a light-gauge metal stud-and-track framing system supported by an interior wooden sub-structure fixed to the original PTR steel frame. To preserve the illusion of a monolithic volume, a single access portal is positioned discreetly on the less prominent west face.