Political Theatre category archive
The Predator’s Playbook 0
Michael in Norfolk perceives a pattern.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Lawrence O’Donnell minces no words in commenting on Donald Trump’s restoring the names of military bases so as to honor the Secesh.
Via C&L, which has the transcript.
One Thing Is Not Like the Other Thing, Reprise 0
At AL.com, Jared Margulies, Emily Wittman, Janek Wasserman, and Luke Herrine, Jewish faculty members at the University of Alabama, argue that conflating opposing Israel’s actions in Gaza with antisemitism, as Alabama senator Katie Britt recently did, is a misdirection play. Given dis coarse discourse, methinks it a timely and worthwhile read. Here’s a tiny bit from early in the article:
A Tune for the Times 0
From the Youtube page:
“Agony” is one of the many extraordinary and hilarious songs from Stephen Sondheim’s magnificent “Into the Woods” (1986) which has long been a family favourite. The original involves two fairytale princes reflecting on their painful pursuit of maidens within the intertwined plots of Brothers Grimm tales. Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen did a great job in the 2014 movie but we think the most perfect take was sung by Robert Westenburg and Chuck Wagner in the original Broadway production.
It would naturally have been better to cast Alfie as the Second Prince … but needs must with topical parodies, and he was off playing cricket for Faversham today. So this is Ben and Tom (with help and some giggling behind the scenes from Danielle and Tess) using the song to reflect on the unamicable breakup – playing out on all our social media feeds around the world – between the two powerful but petulant men at the centre of the American government, Elon Musk and Donald Trump. It’s hard not to get the popcorn out and wait for the next move in their toddler antics, especially if you are not a fan of the administration and its manic instability. It was tempting to try to shoehorn more references in (to bills, lawns, karma, tariffs, and pork), but we mostly gravitated to Sondheim’s original framework because it’s so strong. Plus, there’s a reprise of “Agony” in Act II so this may end up as a Suella Braverman-style refrain.
The Ruler of Lawless 0
David analyzes the aspiring authoritarian’s actions. I cannot take issue with his analysis. (Warning: Short promo at the end.)
At AK,com, Roy S. Johnson has more.
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
Steve M. hears a rhyme echoing all the way from the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.
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*Mark Twain.
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
Now, I’m starting to hear a rhyme, and it sounds something sort of like, I can’t quite make it out, it’s a little distorted, maybe “Tempt Fate“?
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*Mark Twain.
All the News that Fits 0
John Amato reports on a Trumpled truth-teller.
This New Gilded Age 0
Thom wonders, “How did the land of Lincoln and Roosevelt, of Eisenhower and Kennedy, become a playground for billionaire sociopaths?”
Listen for his answer.
Vaccine Nation 0
At the Sacramento Bee, Richard Pan looks at RFK Jr.’s record at HHS and concludes that it–er–does not inspire confidence.
If One Standard Is Good, Two Must Be Better 0
At the Tampa Bay Times, Daniel Ruth finds a slight whiff of a double standard in the current who-shot-john stirred up by Jake Tapper’s recent book alleging that Joe Biden is getting old. A snippet:
That Was the Week that Was Very Very Weird 0
Seth takes a closer look at some of the events of the past week.
The Rule of Lawless 0
At the Idaho State Journal, Kim Shinkoskey states that Donald Trump is
and goes on to offer a bill of particulars.