Dance drama ‘Savitri’ staged

Cultural Correspondent - May 16, 2009

Shri Aurobindo Anusilan Society of Kolkata, India, staged a dance drama, ‘Savitri’, at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Thursday evening.

The Indian high commission in Dhaka and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations jointly organised the show. Before the staging of the drama, Bangladesh’s industries minister Dilip Borua and the Indian deputy high commissioner Mukta De Tomar spoke briefly. The dance drama was based on Shri Aurobindo’s epic ‘Savitri’, considered as one of the longest poems written in English literature.

The story is based on the mission for immortality by King Asutapathi who was blessed by a daughter Savitri as a prize for his life-long sadhana. Savitri chose Satyaban as a groom even after knowing that he was going to die within a year.

 Savitri took a chance to fight with Yama – the king of death. Sri Aurbindo in his work has described the reason and purpose of creation, the evolution and its progress to a high form, and the ultimate destiny of the universe.

Dr Jaganmoy Banerjee choreographed the dance drama.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Jamie Foxx picks Adam to win ‘Idol’

‘That Kris dude, I guarantee you, he’s got something special,’ Foxx also said

Access Hollywood - May 15, 2009

As Kris Allen and Adam Lambert prepare for their head-to-head battle in the “American Idol” finale, Jamie Foxx said he already knows the name of the winner. 

“Kradam! That’s both of them,” Foxx joked with Access Hollywood’s Nancy O’Dell. “Adamis!” 

Joking aside, Foxx — who got a chance to work with each of the finalists as one of this season’s special guest mentors – said he thinks the title of “Idol” will go to the man who has been the frontrunner most of the season.

“Adam is gonna win, I believe,” Foxx admitted. 

However, the Oscar winner and platinum-selling artist said he sees nothing but big things ahead for Allen. 

“For me, this is my opinion, that Kris dude, I guarantee you, he’s got something special,” Foxx said. “And if you notice, most of the people that don’t win usually end up with crazy careers.” 

In fact, if Allen is looking for anyone to duet with, Foxx told the aspiring singer he’s ready. 

“I told him. I said, ‘I’ll do it right here with you,’” the actor recalled of his mentoring session with Allen. “Because the way his nuance is, he’s not trying to win the contest — he was just giving you the real thing.”

“He sang something and he looked in my eyes, I was like, ‘Oh man!’ you know. It was crazy. I said, ‘Dude, you got something.’” 

And while he was clearly impressed with Allen’s singing chops, he did offer some advice to the “Idol” hopeful. 

“I asked Kris what he wanted to do. He said, ‘I want to do pop music.’ And I told him there is no such thing as pop music,” Foxx continued. “You do the music from your soul and then you hope it becomes popular.”

The new “American Idol” will be crowned on May 20.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Spanish war film screening begins in Dhaka

Cultural Correspondent - May 16, 2009

A five-day film screening, jointly organised by Goethe-Institute and Zahir Raihan Film Society will begin on May 17 in the Goethe-Institute auditorium in Dhanmondi.

The organisers will screen films on the Spanish Civil War as a part of the celebrations of the 23rd founding anniversary of Zahir Raihan Film Society. The screening will take place at 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 7:00pm everyday till May 21.

The organisers will screen internationally acclaimed films both documentaries and fictions on the war. The movies will include ‘The Spanish Earth’, ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’, ‘Behold a Pale Horse’, and ‘The Spirit of the Beehive’.

They will also screen ‘If They Tell You I Fall’, ‘Ay, Carmela!’, ‘Belle Epoque’, ‘Land and Freedom’, ‘Lorca, the Death of a Poet’, ‘Butterfly’s Tongue’, ‘The Girl of Your Dreams’ and ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ during the festival.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

"Dollhouse," will be renewed for the 2009-10 season

By April MacIntyre - May 16, 2009

Prior to their upfront presentation on Monday, FOX has announced that the oddball sci-fi tinged drama, showrunner Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse," will be renewed for the 2009-10 season. 

FOX revealed that "Dollhouse" scored a 13-episode order and will hold to the Friday night slot. The show stars Whedon muse Eliza Dushku, and has received mixed reviews and modest ratings. Dushku plays Echo, who has a sketchy, obscure past and no present day life, save for her work in the Dollhouse. She is a malleable "Active" controlled puppet-like without a real memory or a stable consciousness.

Echo is a brainwashed moldable tool at the mercy of a snarky computer nerd with "higher ups" who whore out the fetching blank slate to rich clients, who order up what they want her to be.

Additionally FOX announced that the comedy series "Brothers," will star former NFL player and "Fox NFL Sunday" commentator Michael Strahan as a former NFL star who leaves the Big Apple to return to his Houston hometown in an effort to reconnect with his disabled brother and get his own life back on track. 

Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, Colton Dunn and Carl Weathers also star.

Source: http://www.monstersandcritics.com