Latest news with #Circe
South China Morning Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong artist Ho Sin-tung's graphic interpretation of love and friendship in new show
Hell looks quite jolly if it is like the one designed by Ho Sin-tung. Visitors to the Hong Kong artist's latest exhibition are welcomed by an animated neon sign showing a pair of hands supporting an overspilling bowl, the stream of liquid in the middle resembling the stem of a cocktail glass, and the name Circe glowing invitingly on one side. Beneath it is a five-step display stand for what appears to be cheap tourist tat: fridge magnets, crystal globes, keychains and ashtrays. It would be encouraging if Hell had souvenirs. As the exhibition guide points out, souvenirs only exist when there is a place to go back to. In this Hell you can choose postcards – each printed with the word Hell in a different language – and browse the painted selection of cocktails, not that these look very enticing even though they have nice tropical island backdrops. Cocktail Series by Ho Sin-tung. Photo: Enid Tsui Lord of the Flies (2025), Ho Sin-tung. Photo: Enid Tsui One looks like blood and is swarming with flies, and another seems to come with a pair of goldfish. Even more unsettling is the mirror with a gun next to it. Apparently, that is inspired by Spanish writer Javier Marías' 1992 novel A Heart so White, in which a bride shot herself in the heart just after the honeymoon.
New York Times
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
You've Attended the Tale of Sweeney Todd. Now Hear Mrs. Lovett's Story.
For half a century — much longer, if you go back to the original 1840s penny dreadfuls — people have thrilled to the story of Sweeney Todd, the murderous London barber who cut short the lives of priests, fops, sailors and one especially loathsome judge before he met his own gruesome end. Sweeney's tragic losses and appetite for vengeance have been well documented, most notably by the musical genius of Stephen Sondheim. But what of his partner in crime, Mrs. Lovett, who popped his poor victims into her pies? Does her tale not need attending, too? David Demchuk and Corinne Leigh Clark's epistolary novel 'The Butcher's Daughter: The Hitherto Untold Story of Mrs. Lovett' gives the woman beside the man her own turn in the spotlight. Part Victorian historical fiction, part grisly horror, the book follows a mysterious woman, Margaret C. Evans, a.k.a. Margery, as she recounts her life story to a never-seen (and, we learn at the opening of the book, missing) journalist, who is investigating the disappearance of Mrs. Lovett 50 years before. Though she does not disclose her true identity outright until fairly deep in the novel, it is clear within the first few pages that Margery is Mrs. Lovett, who — in a departure from the source material, where she is killed by Sweeney — is very much alive and confined to a nunnery. Margery's harrowing tale reframes Mrs. Lovett not as a villain but as a maligned girl fighting to survive. She's a seductively evocative narrator, making it easy to forget that her every word should be taken with a hefty pinch of salt. It will surprise nobody familiar with the musical that this is a gory book. The violence starts early, at Margery's father's butcher shop, where she is awakened each morning by the sounds and smells of sheep being slaughtered, and where it is a shame bordering on sin to let anything go to waste. At 16, Margery catches the eye of a wealthy surgeon when a toddler is hit by a carriage in front of her shop and, in an attempt to save the child's life, she amputates his leg. When Margery's father dies soon thereafter, her mother sends her to work for the doctor. The horrors only increase from there: In the surgeon's home, Margery faces medical experiments, botched abortions, Freemason conspiracies. By the time she lands in the pie shop on Fleet Street, she has been drugged and forcibly inseminated, fallen in love with a deaf prostitute, had her baby stolen and murdered the shop's owner — oh, and discovered there's a serial killer upstairs who keeps dropping corpses in her back room. Demchuk and Clark have clearly done their research, crafting a ghoulish version of 1830s Britain that sets the stage for Margery's misadventures. The book seems to be aiming for the sort of feminist reclaiming of familiar stories that have proliferated in recent years, from the lushly literary ('Circe') to the fantastically irreverent ('My Lady Jane'). But in making Mrs. Lovett a vulnerable yet determined teenager, and in focusing on the brutal realities facing women — especially single, working-class ones — in the early 19th century, the authors lose some of the madcap genius that makes her so fun onstage. That Lovett is enterprising — an innovator, if a macabre one; this Lovett struggles to stay afloat. That Lovett is disturbingly zany; this one is, by unfortunate necessity, a realist. This is a wild, high-octane, blood-soaked tale, but by the end, everything crimps together just a little too neatly (with one final, groan-worthy twist). Life, like baking or butchery, is a messy business. I wish the authors had left a bit more room for untidy possibilities.
Ottawa Citizen
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
Cappies: West Carleton presents a wonderful adaptation of The Odyssey
Article content Article content More who brought wonderful energy to the stage was Circe, acted by Sydney Fulcher. Through comedic timing and dead-pan expressions, whenever Fulcher was on stage, it was surely a sight to see. Whether it was Circe's dancing, casting spells, getting interviewed, or teaching Odysseus a lesson he'll never forget; Fulcher was effortless with tone control and delivery, flawlessly changing between carefree, nervous, and deadly serious. As well, Newt Davidson who played the Cyclops used strong facial expressions, and a powerful delivery for each line to showcase the Cyclops' power and control. Evil laughter and an interesting fascination with walls, conveyed a true embodiment of a character, effectively delivered by Davidson. Article content Article content Furthermore, Harrum Butt, as 'the stage manager,' was delightfully humourous, and executed each line with immaculate comedic timing. Butt portrayed the stereotypically nervous and timid backstage manager through jocular facial expressions and line delivery. Soldier Colson, played by Colson Puchala, was delightfully dynamic with full body acting, putting everything into each word and phrase. Article content All in all, West Carleton Secondary School's production of The Odyssey was truly a sight to see, and especially a good laugh. With strong actors, and flawless stage management, it was unquestionably a play to remember. Article content The West Carleton Secondary School production was reviewed by 24 critics representing 6 schools. The critic discussions were mentored by teacher Erin Hand of St. Mark High School and student reviews were edited and selected for publication by teacher Adrian Darling of Merivale High School, who could see only the reviews, not the names or schools of the reviewers. Article content Article content The Citizen and 23 high schools are participating in the Cappies, a Washington, program that uses high school critics to review high school theatre. The program is a unique partnership between the Ottawa Citizen, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Two schools from other boards in the region and two private schools have also joined. The Cappies season culminates with an awards Gala in June graciously hosted by the National Arts Centre. Follow Canada's Capital Cappies on Instagram @OttawaCappies. Article content
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientist trains dogs to locate nearly extinct species in its natural habitat: 'The dogs can successfully find these plants'
Circe and Muon are two sweet pups who love to run and play like other dogs. These unbelievable canines' not-so-average skills lie in their ability to play a vital role in ecological research. The dogs are part of a team at K9inSCENTive, a company that trains dogs in ecological scent detection. They sniff out everything from animals to plants as part of scientific studies. Circe and Muon were recognized in March by Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden for their abilities in finding rare and endangered orchids in Southern Arizona. The Canelo Hills ladies tresses orchid has historically been found in five places in the state. However, with the species' decline since 2016, they can only be found in two of the five locations. As it can be nearly impossible for researchers to locate the small plant in vast areas, Circe and Muon's incredible sense of smell is a saving grace in the plant's survival. The research on these orchids is being conducted by the Desert Botanical Garden, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Smithsonian Institution. Lauralea Oliver, the owner of K9inSCENTive, spent two months training Circe and Muon to sniff out the plant. By allowing them to spend time with closely related orchid species, their noses became acutely aware of the flower's scent. To test their abilities, the pups were set loose in the two areas where the orchids are known to be found. The result: Circe and Muon successfully followed the scent and located the plants. The skill of these dogs comes as no surprise in the scientific world and is the reason companies like K9inSCENTive exist. In 2023, a border collie was responsible for finding a rare mole species that had been assumed extinct for 86 years. More recently, an English springer spaniel was trained to sniff out an elusive species of newts in the United Kingdom. Circe, a Labrador retriever, was also trained to sniff out birds and bats in another study, while Muon, a Belgian Malinois-Belgian Tervuren cross, does the same as well as finds San Francisco garter snakes. These dogs' contributions to ecological research will directly lead to discoveries about the species they are trained to locate and help researchers continue their work. By being able to better study the Canelo Hills ladies tresses, the organizations involved can help with replanting and repopulating, keeping the environments in which they grow diverse and balanced. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Garden conservation and collections manager Steve Blackwell worked alongside Circe and Muon and is hopeful for their future contributions. "Now that we've shown that the dogs can successfully find these plants in the wild," Blackwell told the Desert Botanical Garden, "the next step will be for them to continue their training with the live plants in California. We will bring them back to Arizona next year with more experience where they can hopefully find even more plants at the existing sites and rediscover plants at the three sites where they have not been seen for over a decade." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
