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Sharjah 24
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Sharjah 24
Hanoi scooter riders baulk at petrol-powered bikes ban
Concerns over financial burden "Of course everyone wants a better environment," said housewife Dang Thuy Hanh, expressing her frustration over the 80 million dong ($3,000) cost to replace her family's four scooters with electric alternatives. "But why give us the first burden without any proper preparation?" she lamented. Hanoi's bustling scooter traffic is a hallmark of the city's urban life. With nearly seven million two-wheelers in a northern hub of nine million people, the rush hour creates a chaotic scene of congestion. Pollution crisis The exhaust emissions from these vehicles regularly propel Hanoi to the top of global smog rankings, contributing to an estimated 70,000 pollution-related deaths annually in Vietnam, according to the World Health Organization. Last weekend, the government announced plans to prohibit fossil-fueled bikes from Hanoi's 31 square kilometers (12 square miles) by next July, with an aim to phase out all gas-fueled vehicles in urban areas over the next five years. Infrastructure challenges Hanh, one of the 600,000 residents in the central embargo zone, worries about the potential loss of "a huge amount of savings." While she acknowledges that e-bikes could alleviate pollution, she criticizes the lack of public charging points near her home. "Why force residents to change while the city's infrastructure is not yet able to adapt to the new situation?" she questioned. Impact on daily life In Vietnam, many families own at least two motorcycles for various daily tasks, from commuting to leisure activities. Transport reform proposals often spark allegations that the working class bears the brunt of such changes. Similar situations have unfolded globally; for instance, London has charged a toll for older, higher-pollution vehicles, while France's "Yellow Vest" protests were partly ignited by perceptions that President Macron's "green tax" unfairly targeted the masses. Potential solutions Hanoi authorities are considering alleviating the financial strain by offering subsidies of at least three million dong ($114) per e-bike switch and increasing public bus services. Food delivery driver Tran Van Tan, who travels 40 kilometers (25 miles) daily to downtown Hanoi, laments the high cost of transitioning to an e-bike. "Those with a low income like us just cannot suddenly replace our bikes," said the 45-year-old. Health and environmental concerns Despite the challenges, deputy mayor Duong Duc Tuan emphasized the necessity for "drastic measures" to combat air pollution, which poses a significant threat to health and quality of life. A recent report indicated that over half of the toxic smog enveloping Hanoi is attributed to petrol and diesel vehicles, while the World Bank estimates this figure at 30 percent, with factories and waste incineration also contributing significantly. Looking ahead Several European cities, including Barcelona, Paris, and Amsterdam, have imposed restrictions on internal combustion engines, and other major Vietnamese cities are considering similar actions. Ho Chi Minh City, for instance, aims to gradually transition delivery and service motorbikes to electric in the coming years. However, office worker Nguyen My Hoa doubts the enforceability of the ban in Hanoi. "Authorities will not be able to stop the huge amount of gasoline bikes from entering the inner districts," said the 42-year-old. "It simply does not work."
Int'l Business Times
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Int'l Business Times
Hanoi Scooter Riders Baulk At Petrol-powered Bikes Ban
Vietnam's plan to bar gas-guzzling motorbikes from central Hanoi may clear the air of the smog-smothered capital, but riders fear paying a high toll for the capital's green transition. "Of course everyone wants a better environment," said housewife Dang Thuy Hanh, baulking at the 80 million dong ($3,000) her family would spend replacing their four scooters with electric alternatives. "But why give us the first burden without any proper preparation?" grumbled the 52-year-old. Hanoi's scooter traffic is a fixture of the city's urban buzz. The northern hub of nine million people has nearly seven million two-wheelers, hurtling around at rush hour in a morass of congestion. Their exhausts splutter emissions regularly spurring the city to the top of worldwide smog rankings in a country where pollution claims at least 70,000 lives a year, according to the World Health Organization. The government last weekend announced plans to block fossil-fuelled bikes from Hanoi's 31 square kilometre (12 square mile) centre by next July. It will expand in stages to forbid all gas-fuelled vehicles in urban areas of the city in the next five years. Hanh -- one of the 600,000 people living in the central embargo zone -- said the looming cost of e-bikes has left her fretting over the loss of "a huge amount of savings". While she conceded e-bikes may help relieve pollution, she bemoaned the lack of public charging points near her home down a tiny alley in the heart of the city. "Why force residents to change while the city's infrastructure is not yet able to adapt to the new situation?" she asked. Many families in communist-run Vietnam own at least two motorcycles for daily commutes, school runs, work and leisure. Proposals to reform transport for environmental reasons often sparks allegations the burden of change is felt highest by the working class. London has since 2023 charged a toll for older, higher pollution-emitting vehicles. France's populist "Yellow Vest" protests starting in 2018 were in part sparked by allegations President Emmanuel Macron's "green tax" on fuel was unfair for the masses. Hanoi authorities say they are considering alleviating the financial burden by offering subsidies of at least three million dong ($114) per switch to an e-bike, and also increasing public bus services. Food delivery driver Tran Van Tan, who rides his bike 40 kilometres (25 miles) every day from neighbouring Hung Yen province to downtown Hanoi, says he makes his living "on the road". "The cost of changing to an e-bike is simply too high," said the 45-year-old, employed through the delivery app Grab. "Those with a low income like us just cannot suddenly replace our bikes." Compared with a traditional two-wheeler, he also fears the battery life of e-bikes "won't meet the needs for long-distance travel". But citing air pollution as a major threat to human health, the environment and quality of life, deputy mayor Duong Duc Tuan earlier this week said "drastic measures are needed". In a recent report, Hanoi's environment and agriculture ministry said over half of the poisonous smog that blankets the city for much of the year comes from petrol and diesel vehicles. The World Bank puts the figure at 30 percent, with factories and waste incineration also major culprits. Several European cities, such as Barcelona, Paris and Amsterdam have also limited the use of internal combustion engines on their streets -- and other major Vietnamese cities are looking to follow suit. The southern business hub Ho Chi Minh City aims to gradually transition delivery and service motorbikes to electric over the next few years. But with the high costs, office worker Nguyen My Hoa thinks the capital's ban will not be enforceable. "Authorities will not be able to stop the huge amount of gasoline bikes from entering the inner districts," 42-year-old Hoa said. "It simply does not work." Hanoi's scooter traffic is a fixture of the city's urban buzz AFP The government plans to block fossil-fuelled bikes from Hanoi's centre by next July AFP The World Bank says factories and waste incineration are major culprits for Hanoi's smog AFP Vietnam says over half of the smog in Hanoi comes from petrol and diesel vehicles AFP
Straits Times
05-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Vietnam's factory workers are living in fear of Trump's tariffs
HO CHI MINH CITY – For Vietnam's legion of factory workers, the mathematics of making a living was complicated enough before US President Donald Trump announced a whopping tariff on the goods they make. Ms Nguyen Thi Tuyet Hanh worked two factory jobs, six days a week, for nearly a year after her husband lost his job in 2023. She had no other choice as she had to help feed their four children and keep them in school. 'It was brutal,' Ms Hanh, 40, said. Her husband is working full-time again at a factory, but Mr Trump's plan to put a 46 per cent tariff on imports from Vietnam hangs over their family, which lives in a row of concrete tenements on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. 'My family lived through that difficult time – I don't want to live it again,' said Ms Hanh, who earns US$577 (S$747) a month as a line manager overseeing 138 workers making shoes for Nike, French sporting goods company Salomon and other global brands. Fear is reverberating on her factory floor, alive with the hum of sewing machines stitching the fabric for shoes that are shipped to the United States. Mr Trump paused the tariff on Vietnam, and similar levies on dozens of other countries, for 90 days. But it hardly matters here. The destabilising prospect that the tariffs will be reinstated is already chipping away at Vietnam's economic growth, which hinges on making things for American consumers. Vietnam's textile and garment factories have paper-thin profit margins – an average of 5 per cent, executives said. While some of them have ramped up production to push out orders before the tariff deadline in July, others have started to cut jobs or have frozen hiring as US retailers have begun to cancel orders. No country has grown more as a manufacturing economy over the past 15 years than Vietnam. But in that time, it has also become increasingly dependent on demand from the US, which contributed to more than one-quarter of its economy in 2024 . 'Everyone is living in great uncertainty now,' said Mr Tran Nhu Tung, chairman of Thanh Cong, a Vietnamese garment manufacturer with factories and a mill in five locations. Its 6,000 workers make clothes for Eddie Bauer, New Balance, Adidas and others. Mr Tung's customers in the US have started asking Thanh Cong to lower its prices. 'This is a great pressure for the company because the profit margin is very low,' he said. Mr Tran Nhu Tung, chairman of Vietnamese garment manufacturer Thanh Cong, said his US customers have started asking to lower its prices. PHOTO: LINH PHAM/NYTIMES Soon after the tariffs were announced, the management team at Thanh Cong began to discuss other regions where it could sell its wares, such as the Middle East and Europe. The company is also talking to its American customers to make sure they can afford hefty new import taxes. 'I don't want to lay off people,' Mr Tung said. 'We try everything to keep our people here.' Thanh Cong has received requests from some US retail customers to increase production, and the company is trying to accommodate that. Mr Tung is optimistic that his government can strike a deal with the Trump administration. Whatever the two countries settle on will matter for the future of his business. Hours after Mr Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on nearly 60 countries, Vietnam's top leader, Mr To Lam, called the US President and offered to reduce tariffs on US imports to zero, urging the United States to follow. He then sent a letter to Mr Trump, requesting a meeting in person with the President in Washington at the end of May to 'jointly come to an agreement'. Mr Tung, who is also vice-chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, said the breaking point for most factories would be a final tariff that was much more than 20 per cent. No country has grown more as a manufacturing economy over the past 15 years than Vietnam. PHOTO: LINH PHAM/NYTIMES Garments from Vietnam are currently taxed at nearly 28 per cent. This includes a new tariff of 10 per cent that the Trump administration placed on all countries April 2, in addition to an existing tariff of roughly 18 per cent on all Vietnamese garments. A final tariff of 20 per cent or more would eat deeply into the profits of both factories and their customers. 'In this scenario, the factory has to reduce its net margin, and then the big buyers from the US would have to reduce their margins and the consumers will have to pay more for their garments,' he said. While things look bad for Vietnam, there is some hope that it will fare better than its neighbour to the north, China, which has been hit especially hard by US tariffs. Vietnam's textile and garment factories have paper-thin profit margins – an average of 5 per cent. PHOTO: LINH PHAM/NYTIMES China's loss could be Vietnam's gain. But a failure to substantially lower the 46 per cent figure would be a moment of reckoning for thousands of Vietnamese companies that make things to ship to the US. For Mian Apparel, it is the uncertainty that is most worrying. Its seven factories and two laundries, mostly in northern Vietnam, employ 12,000 workers who make swimwear, jeans and jackets for brands such as Costco, J.C. Penney, Carter's, Target, Gap and Walmart. 'Uncertainty is not good for business,' said Mr Vu Manh Hung, deputy chief operating officer of Mian Apparel. Clients are pushing him to deliver goods faster. The factories are taking on more workers and finding other ways to produce more before the 90-day pause in tariffs ends. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New York Times
04-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Vietnam's Factory Workers Are Living in Fear of Trump's Tariffs
For Vietnam's legion of factory workers, the mathematics of making a living was complicated enough before President Trump announced a whopping tariff on the goods they make. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Hanh worked two factory jobs, six days a week, for nearly a year after her husband lost his job in 2023. She had no other choice to help feed their four children and keep them in school. 'It was brutal,' Ms. Hanh, 40, said. Her husband is working full time again at a factory, but Mr. Trump's plan to put a 46 percent tariff on imports from Vietnam hangs over their family, which lives in a row of concrete tenements on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. 'My family lived through that difficult time — I don't want to live it again,' said Ms. Hanh, who earns $577 a month as a line manager overseeing 138 workers making shoes for Nike, the French sporting goods company Salomon and other global brands. Fear is reverberating on her factory floor, alive with the hum of sewing machines stitching the fabric for shoes that are shipped to the United States. Mr. Trump paused the tariff on Vietnam, and similar levies on dozens of other countries, for 90 days. But it hardly matters here. The destabilizing prospect that the tariffs will be reinstated is already chipping away at Vietnam's economic growth, which hinges on making things for American consumers. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Los Angeles Times
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Why Lauren Yee's ‘Cambodian Rock Band' hits home: L.A. arts and culture this weekend
Lauren Yee's play 'Cambodian Rock Band,' about a Khmer Rouge survivor who returns home after 30 years as his daughter prepares to prosecute one of the country's most notorious war criminals, made its world premiere at South Coast Repertory in 2018. It's L.A. premiere run opens Sunday at East West Players. Featuring classic pre-1975 Cambodian rock hits and songs from the L.A. band Dengue Fever, the widely-acclaimed play has since been programmed by theaters all over the country, embraced not just by general audiences but also by people of Cambodian descent, many of whom were visiting these venues for the first time. How were so many of these arts organizations able to reach these historically underserved audiences? That's thanks to Rithy Hanh and Pita Huot of the Khmer Alumni Assn., a volunteer nonprofit based out of Long Beach, which has the largest concentration of Cambodians of any city outside of Cambodia. Yee met Hanh in 2015 while doing research for the play, which included Hanh's comprehensive tour of Long Beach's Cambodia Town. 'Theater is not something common in our community — not a lot of people know about it and not a lot of people attend,' Hanh, who was born in a refugee camp where he lived for 11 years during the Cambodian genocide, told The Times. 'But Lauren told me, 'This play is for the community, and I want people from the Cambodian community to be able to access it.' ' When the show played Costa Mesa, San Diego, Berkeley, Seattle, Honolulu, New York, Washington, D.C., Houston and Ashland, Ore., Hanh and Huot worked behind the scenes with each of the theaters to make their productions accessible to their local Cambodian populations. They connected with local organizations and temples, negotiating for hundreds of discounted tickets and arranging transportation for hours-long trips; a more welcoming experience was facilitated by speaking to visitors in Khmer at the theater, offering them a snack or dessert from a local vendor and even assuring the parents of students about the show's content advisories. The two haven't done these time-consuming, cross-country efforts for pay, but for their love of the show and their community. 'It was the first time got to see the people in our community pre-genocide, just living there,' said Huot, who was born and raised in Long Beach, of the play. 'For most people, my parents included, it's hard for them to talk about what happened, and in the play, here it is, right in front of us. We have a lot of cultural community events that involve food and dance and things, but there's never been anything like this for us. We wanted the Cambodian communities outside of Long Beach to experience it too.' Over 20% of tickets for the play's East West Players run, which continues through March 9, are significantly subsidized and specifically reserved for Khmer audiences. Yee has noticed that, when a performance has lots of viewers of Cambodian descent, 'you get laughs at things that are more insider, like jokes related to the Thai and Cambodian communities,' she told The Times. 'And the intergenerational stuff hits more especially with elders in the room.' The playwright sees Hanh and Huot's 'Cambodian Rock Band' undertaking as a teachable moment to theaters nationwide. 'The community outreach we've been able to achieve is because of Rithy and Pita, because they know how to connect with their communities all over the country, understand their needs and translate those needs to the theaters,' said Yee. 'There are so many theaters out there that have a robust marketing department, but they may not necessarily have a person who does community outreach specifically, and it's a missed opportunity that just makes things complicated and, to be honest, sometimes frustrating,' she added. 'Yes, a lot of theaters are unused to this work, but it's the real deal and worth doing early. Grow your audiences, don't just market at them.' I'm Times staff writer Ashley Lee, here with my colleague Jessica Gelt for this expanded edition of the Essential Arts newsletter: Batsheva Dance CompanyThe repertoire troupe is making its Music Center debut with the U.S. premiere of 'Momo,' a bold exploration of masculinity, vulnerability and identity. Conceived by choreographer Ohad Naharin with former Batsheva dancer Ariel Cohen and members of the company itself, the 70-minute piece is performed to a soundtrack from Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet's album 'Landfall,' with additional music by Philip Glass, Arca and Maxim Waratt. Performances are Friday and Saturday evening, as well as Sunday afternoon. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown. 'Four Women in Red'In Laura Shamas' new play, four Native American women search for missing friends and relatives in the face of apathetic sheriffs and dwindling clues — an onstage premise rooted in the real-life crisis of missing murdered Indigenous women in the U.S. Delayed a month due to losses by members of the cast and the creative team to the devastating wildfires, the world-premiere production — directed by Jeanette Harrison, and starring Carolyn Dunn, Harriette Feliz, Zoey Reyes and Jehnean Washington — opens tonight and runs through March 23. Victory Theatre Center, 3326 W. Victory Blvd., Burbank. 'ARTISTS for LOSS Angeles'Arcane Space presents a three-weekend benefit exhibition featuring works from over 40 artists who have united in support of their fellow creatives that lost their homes, studios and artwork to last month's fires. All proceeds from purchases go directly to Grief and Hope, which aims to raise $1 million in direct support to artists and art workers. The exhibition, which opens tonight, runs Thursdays through Sundays, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., until March 2. Arcane Space, 324 Sunset Ave, Unit G, Venice. — Ashley Lee FRIDAYAmerican Cinematheque's Nitrate Film Festival This year's series includes four midcentury classics, 'Portrait of Jennie' (1948), 'Meet Me in St. Louis' (1944), 'Gone to Earth' (1950) and 'Rope' (1948), plus the early talkie ' The Unholy Three' (1930).Through Feb. 23. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd. Dance at the Odyssey The festival closes with 'Clay Collective,' created by Gheremi Clay.8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. In Praise of Love Mezzanine film presents the West Coast premiere of the 4k restoration of the 2001 Jean-Luc Godard film, a cinematic diptych, one part shot in Paris on black-and-white 35 mm film, the other captures the Brittany coast in hyper-saturated digital video.8 p.m. 2220 Arts + Archives, 2220 Beverly Blvd. Jersey Boys Musical Theatre West presents the hit jukebox musical about the rise of the 1960s pop-rock group the Four March 2. Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. Master Class Tim Dang directs Terrence McNally's Tony-winning drama with Joan Almedilla as Maria March 9. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Party Girl Parker Posey stars in director Daisy von Scherler Mayer's 1995 ode to Manhattan club kids (followed by a post-screening dance party at Vidiots).7:30 p.m. Eagle Theatre, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock. Retrospect: 50 Years at the Norton Simon Museum The one-time Pasadena Art Museum marks a half-century since it combined its collection with that of the industrialist and philanthropist and adopted his Jan. 12, 2026. Norton Simon Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Tyler, the Creator The musical force and fashion innovator brings Chromakopia: The World Tour to L.A. with guests Lil Yachty and Paris Texas.7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Feb. 21. Arena, 1111 S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A. Vertigo A new 70 mm print of Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 masterpiece, starring James Stewart and Kim Novak gets a one-week Feb. 20. The Vista, 4473 Sunset Dr., Los Feliz. Watermarks Playwright Abbott Alexander's surreal fantasy pits the manager of the world's most famous gift-card shop against his one and only Feb. 23. Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. W. White Scripps Ranch Theatre presents James Ijames comedy about privilege in the art March 9. Legler Benbough Theatre, 9783 Avenue of Nations, San Diego. Wild at Heart The Academy screens David Lynch's 1990 adaptation of the Barry Gifford novel, starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, in 35 mm.7:30 p.m. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. SATURDAYAdrian Dunn's Resurrection The recording of a live album features the Adrian Dunn Singers and Rize Orchestra performing the world premiere of Dunn's 'Mass,' a tribute to Jackie Robinson, plus spirituals, jazz and hip-hop favorites.7 p.m. Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. At War With Ourselves — 400 Years of You Kronos Quartet joins Grammy Award-winning choral ensemble Tonality to perform a modern-day song cycle with lyrics by poet Nikky Finney (who also narrates) exploring race relations, social justice and civil rights in 21st century America.7:30 p.m. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Black Hole — Trilogy and Triathlon Brooklyn-based arts collective Tribe performs the final part of Shamel Pitts' 'Black Series' triptych in this multidisciplinary production informed by Afrofuturism.8 p.m. Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater, UCLA Kaufman Hall, 120 Westwood Plaza. California Road Trip Panoramic and close-up dual projection film provides a tour of the state's most scenic and varied landscapes and biomes, including Death Valley, Big Sur, Joshua Tree, the California Redwoods and Mt. Saturday. The Autry Museum in Griffith Park, 4700 Western Heritage Way. Dvořák Cello Concerto Brett Mitchell conducts the Pasadena Pops and cellist Mark Kosower in a program that also includes 'Wotan's Farewell' by Wagner and Bartók's 'Concerto for Orchestra.'2 and 8 p.m. Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. End of Times Therapy World premiere of Solange Castro's play set in post-apocalypse 2040 L.A. benefits the effort to save the playhouse's main stage that was destroyed last year.7:30 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 22; 4 p.m. Feb. 16 and 23. Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 4th St., Santa Monica. Impressionists: Pintscher + Debussy + DeYoung A Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra program inspired by la belle epoque Paris features music by Ravel, Berlioz, Debussy and Fauré, with chanteuse Michelle DeYoung and conductor Matthias Pintscher.7:30 p.m. Saturday. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; 4 p.m. Feb. 16. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. El Relicario de los Animales Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton leads Long Beach Opera's indoor-outdoor production of Pauline Oliveros' 1979 work. 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Heritage Square Museum, 3800 Homer St., Montecito Heights. There Are Fairies at the Bottom of Our Garden A new work by writer-performer John Fleck is part of the Thresholds of Invention performance series.8 p.m. Saturday and March 1. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Welcome Back Topanga Community Gathering A day of healing featuring a tree-planting ceremony, theater activities for all ages, a tribute to emergency responders and a marketplace with sales benefiting families and businesses impacted by the Palisades fire. Free admission.11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. SUNDAYBlack History Recital African Americans for L.A. Opera and the Ebell present soprano Thalia Moore and pianist Alonso Malik The Ebell, Sunroom, 3rd floor, 741 S. Lucerne Blvd. Tschabalala Self The artist explores the concept of a constructed self and the construction of femininity with new paintings and sculpture in the exhibition 'Dream Girl.'Through April 26. Jeffrey Deitch, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Times theater critic Charles McNulty attended opening night of Larissa FastHorse's farce 'Fake It Until You Make It,' and wondered how much funnier the show would have been if it had opened when it was originally scheduled in 2023, prior to the Mark Taper Forum's 16-month-closure closure due to Center Theatre Group's financial woes. The fast-paced play, filled with physical comedy, takes aim at identity politics using an office housing several nonprofit organizations devoted to advancing Native American causes. With the Trump administration's current attack on DEI, speculates McNulty, the show takes on different, darker hues. 'The Great Yes, the Great No,' is not simply a wonderful title, writes Times classical music critic Mark Swed of a new chamber opera by South Africa's William Kentridge, it is a magnificent show. Full stop. Swed calls the show, which had its West Coast premiere at the Wallis in Beverly Hills, one of Kentridge's 'most astonishing works.' He continues, 'Concept, direction, set and costume design, projections, video, text, music, choreography and performances by a vast company of singers, dancers, actors and equally vast creative team — all simply great.' McNulty weighed in on another farce across town at Geffen Playhouse: A revival of Michael Frayn's 'Noises Off,' which is a co-production with Steppenwolf Theatre Company. As a genre, McNulty writes, farce is experiencing a rush of new popularity, but Frayn's show represents 'the gold standard of the form.' The action takes place onstage and, most amusingly, backstage, during the disastrous production of a sex comedy called 'Nothing On.' McNulty notes, 'In imagining a theatrical bomb for the ages, Frayn wrote an indelible crowd-pleaser for the modern repertory.' President Trump cemented control of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after a newly appointed board of Trump allies voted Wednesday to make him chairman and fired the center's longtime president, Deborah F. Rutter. The coup came less than a week after Trump announced his intention to take over the center in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. Prominent figures associated with the organization promptly resigned from their posts including treasurer Shonda Rhimes and artistic advisor Renée Fleming. Los Angeles Opera unveiled its 40th anniversary season earlier this week. The 2025-26 offerings will mark music director James Conlon's final season — his 20th with the company. Mainstage productions at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion include the company premiere of Leonard Bernstein's 'West Side Story,' starring Gabriella Reyes and Duke Kim; a revival of Herbert Ross' 1993 production of Giacomo Puccini's 'La Bohème'; a revival of Philip Glass' 'Akhnaten,' starring John Holiday; a revival of Verdi's hilarious 'Falstaff,' starring Craig Colclough; and Mozart's 'The Magic Flute,' staged by Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrade, and starring bass Kwangchul Youn in his company debut as Sarastro. California for the Arts announced a new $12.5 million grant program called the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, which opens for applications on Monday, March 10, at 9 a.m. The program is funded by the State of California and administered by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate with the goal of reimbursing small nonprofit arts organizations for employee payroll — potentially supporting up to 20,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal employment opportunities each year. The Broad announced a special exhibition, 'Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me.' Scheduled to run from May 10 through Sept. 28, the show is adapted from work that Gibson presented as the first Indigenous artist to have a solo exhibition in the American Pavilion during the 2024 Venice Biennale. The exhibition also marks Gibson's first solo museum presentation in Southern California. — Jessica Gelt A fascinating read and watch: How the CIA used jazz greats as cover for a 1961 coup in Africa.
